First time RNY has held me back

I talked to an airforce recruiter today who told me I'm permanently disqualified from service because of my gastric bypass. I'm so depressed. :( Just had to tell somebody.

What???? Really???? Why????

They feel they wouldn't be able to support our nutritional and medical needs in war time.

It could be a blessing in disguise.

I am so sorry! 

My husband is retired Navy. I had to go to the base about 3 weeks ago as my military id card had expired. While I was there I got to talking to a young lady (Navy) who was talking about the gastric bypass. If I remember correctly, she said that the Navy (Tricare) would not pay for her to have gastric bypass surgery like it does for dependants (like me).

She did not say however that the Navy would not let her have it, just that they wouldn't pay for it.

There are a lot of ruled in the military and for most of them I'd say they have a pretty good reason. They probably worry about someone with gastric bypass because in a wartime situation you cannot go as long without sipping water and could become dehydrated faster, etc. than a person without gastric bypass. Therefore you would hinder other troops if they are having to help you versus fight in a war.

Just my two cents but I am sorry that you are unable to do something you may have wanted to do because of it. I think something else will open up for you.

Wynter

 Our needs are not a whole heck of alot different then "normal" people once we are about 1 year out....hmm?  Prejudice I think, and ignorance.  Do they also turn down other medical problems, like people who are allergic to eggs, or dairy, or nuts?  How can they assure the health of those people?

Yes they still are. My husband is Army, and some of the situations he has been in in Iraq and Afghanistan, I know my body would not be able to handle the nutrition, or lack there of that was available to him. One MRE (with things we shouldn't can't eat) a day for several weeks. Or a few days with nothing but some beef jerkey and gummy bears they had packed in their packs as snacks. They also went almost 24 hrs without any water provided, so once thier camle backs ran out, they were out. So yes, a WLS patient would have some serious issues were they put in these situations. Just our increased risk of dehydration could pose huge problems, even in just basic training much less a war zone.

I'm not very far out, so I don't have personal experience, but from reading posts from vets on here, it appears that our needs CAN be quite a bit different than "normal" people. Not everyone will be different but some people can have different needs.

I don't think prejudice has much to do with it. Why would they care if a person used to be obese? They can't bring someone in who may not be able to function at 100% in the most severe cir****tances. 

To the OP - I am sorry. Its hard to have one dream taken away because you followed another.

 It's not that they CARE that some one used to be fat, the prejudice I refer to has to do with not knowing enough about it to really understand it.

I do not think that I am much different then normal people at all.  By the time I reach a year out my body will be eating much more normal portions, I can eat any type of food with the possibly the exception of high sugar foods, but then diabetics can't either.  I can exercise and run and performs tasks just like everyone else.  By a year out hydration is not so much a factor.  

The only difference, really, is that I have to take vitamins everyday.  So in that case, are ALL persons dependent on some sort of medication removed from the list of service?

Sorry, I just don't agree that RNY patients should be excluded from military service.  My opinion, that's all.