Military with a pacemaker

Has anyone else really wanted to join the military and been told no ? I can’t help but to feel like something is missing in my life and like I am not happy. I believe it has something to do with wanting to be in the military. Honestly, I have great compassion for it and just feel like people with pacemaker surgery should deserve a chance too! After all, we didn’t ask for this life, and my doctor has always told me I don’t have any limitations, so why should the world give us any? 


3 Comments

Military with a pacemaker

by Sharkfisher - 2018-02-16 21:34:44

I feel that people who want to serve and have medical issues should be used in non-combat positions. There are more people to be concerned with than 1 person with a medical issue in combat. I was an O.T.R trucker transporting nuclear material all over the U.S. and Canada. I have a pacemaker now. How would you feel about me bringing a load of radioactive material through your town? I have retired from trucking.I have to much concern for the publcto take that kind of risk.

Recruiter

by Artist - 2018-02-16 21:48:26

Call a recruiting  office and ask them about reatrictions/physical standards.  Anyone that wants to join the military must pass a physical exam.  There might be different physical standards for different job specialties.  Being an administrative clerk or supply sergeant is much different than  being an Army Ranger or performing in other combat related specialties.  Restrictions are for your own protection.  An Airborne Ranger has to parachute out of aircraft and passing out could be fatal etc.  

I only know of one man ...

by donr - 2018-02-20 04:08:09

...who served while being paced.  he required special consideratiion to be allowed.  He was a Colonel w/ in excess of 26 yrs active duty.  He was also in a very short specialty - a comptroller (Money) type, and could easily be kept in the continental US - non-deployable.  (Sidebar - he married his nurse from the cardiac ward where he got his PM installed.)

It is not so much the risk involved to himself or others  due to the PM, but the COST & PITA to the services to make sure that the appropriate type cardio support is available to the device host in an overseas (Call that combat area.)  Providing that support is a financial & personnel pain.  The equipmet is expensive & the proper type cardios (Electrophysiologists) just are not available.  We had a very senior NCO - Command Sergeant Major type as a member about two yrs ago.  He was in Korea when he suddenly needed a PM. The US Army had ZERO capability to take care of him.  Fortunately, being in Korea, there was an adequate local civilian medical infrastructure that could take care of him.  he got hs PM & was hustled home to the US for retirement almost immediately.

Donr

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It's much better to live with a pacemaker than to risk your life without one.