iwen27's blog: "Military"

I just got a phone call about an hour ago from my first sergeant telling me that the Military wants to give me a medical discharge for my asthma. I can see why they would think that because three months ago we were on base conducting our first pre deployment training that consisted of a variety of things from blood work family history dental and physical exercise. I passed everything but the physical exercise which I have been passing every year and it’s not hard at all you got to do is two minutes of sit-ups and push-ups along with a two mile run under a certain time depending on your age.

This year everything was looking great I was rocking the push-ups and the sit-ups and then we started the run, I got about a mile into the run and things started to become a blur and I don’t remember much after that besides what my 1 LT told me. He said that they were driving beside me to make sure that I was all right because another guy passed me and noticed my mouth was turning blue and that they needed to get me. Well I was being a stubborn ass when they tried to help by telling them no and  that I want to finish my run and not wimp out by the time I got to the end of two mile I passed out with shallow breaths blue lips and a heart rate of 165 beats a minute.

They brought me into the ER where they did all the testing and then sent me to my own doctor where they found out that I have asthma. I brought all the proper paper work in to my battalion commander where he told me that I can get a waiver for the asthma if I can prove to them that I can pass my run with the assistance of my medication. After I got on the inhalers for two weeks I reran my two miles and did better than I have done in the past running it in 13 minutes compared to my nearly 15 minutes that was a big gain for me. They wanted me to do two more one last month and one yester day and I passed all but the one last month where I missed my run by one minute. Now that I did everything that they asked of me and passing two out of three runs they want to give me a medical discharge saying that I will be a liability to my fellow soldiers when we deploy and could have an asthma attack putting everyone’s life at risk.

I know that this all might sound selfish and I do understand what they are telling me is only for my safety along with all my brothers safety. Now with writing this blog I see now what they are trying to do but before I just did not want to see it because the military is the only real family I got besides my children and hope to be soon to be wife. T hey have been there for me my kids and girl friend more than my own family has, all of them have not missed a birthday party for me or the kids helped me avoid a lay off at work and to buy my first house along with bail me out of jail when I got to drunk and ran all over town naked but that was their fault for daring me and calling me a puss. This is the reason that I don’t want to get the medical because where would you ever find friends like that.