Thinking about OCS...a lot of factors,please help

[theduke420]

I have wanted to be OCS since I was a freshman in college. I am about to go into my last year at Rutgers and am seriously considering OCS after I graduate. I have to measure whether or not I get a good job and whether I want to stick with that or enter the marine corps, needless to say it will be difficult, but 1 year out I am already in the mindset of training to be there next summer if I decide to.

I have pretty bad asthma and require medication, but I think in a years time if I run enough I can condition myself and my lungs to be in good enough shape to score well on my PFT. I am a former soccer player and wrestler and although right now I am pretty bulky and muscular (about 189) I have started running on the treadmill just to develop a core so I can begin my 3 miles for time. Right now I am reading every post I can on this forum, talking to marine buddies etc.

My question(s) are this:

Even though my asthma is bad, if I showed that I could handle the physical stress of OCS would they let me go?

How difficult would it be to go into something like finance. I have a 3.3 gpa at my college, scored 1260 on SATs and I truly believe in a years time if i put my mind to it I could score over 280 on PFT. I know air contracts are pretty hard, but I would want to be on the ground doing something, preferably learning something like finance which i had no prior experience in but was always interested in. I know to some of you it may seem like a pussy job, but believe me, if I go in I will be a whole- hearted Marine just like any other. I love the Corps and all that it stands for, and like I said earlier, it has been a dream to go into it.

Any help would be great guys. Good luck to you all, and from a civilian, I would like to say I am honored to be in all of your presence and hope maybe to someday carry the same eagle globe and anchor that you all do.

 

[Dustball]

I've got some bad news, I'm pretty sure that any asthma is a disqualifier to enter the Marine Corps especially if you require medication. I would call an OSO to confirm but I wouln't hold my breath. (no pun intended)

 

[USMCBebop]

I have pretty bad asthma and require medication, but I think in a years time if I run enough I can condition myself and my lungs to be in good enough shape to score well on my PFT.

Since it's still "bad" then you're more than likely DQ'd. Sorry.

 

[TANGO 1]

what i will advice you is this,
I know Marines with Asthma problems. i know about 2. Now they are pretty hard core in the scence that they run every day and are P.T studs. I am not sure if this has helped their combat Asthma attacks.
Well, since you said you are a soccer player, do you use your medication when you play. I also play soccer as well. Now if you can last a 90 min game without your medication, then you might be able to survive OCS. Now i will not tell you to go ahead. Really if you can run a 7 min /mile pace for 5 miles then i will say you are a good candidate.
But don't just do nothing about your situation and walk up to an OSO and expect him to get you a waiver or something. Asthma is like a no waiver case.
So if you want that tittle so bad then i suggest you do some serious conditioning. Bicycles are a very good form of cadiovascular that will enhance your treshold. So you might want to invest in a bicycle and ride an average of 100 to 120 miles a week. Start out with about 50 and then increase weekly with about an addition 10 miles. Then once you reach 100 miles you can start alteranting week to week. Run on some weeks and ride on others. Basically you want to build the core from every approach possible then you also want to lift some weight. Sit-ups and press-ups are good, as well as crunches. Really you want to work on your corp for about 12weeks then see how you go from there. I am sure you can do it if you put your mind to it.

Something you have to consider is, what are the things that triger your attack. Remember as Marines you are going to be in the field a good portion of training consist of field exercises.

-just my 2 cent.

 

[Taxman2A]

duke... I'll tell you one thing, Ashthma is one of those conditions that you will never be able to get a waiver for. If you talk to an OSO and say "I have asthma", he will immediately show you the door.

Now, if you can get to the point where you are living without need for medication, I would go talk to a doctor, if he decides you don't have asthma anymore, then hey, you don't have asthma.
Otherwise you won't get in without keeping the whole asthma thing a secret. I wouldn't recommend that.

I would knock out that whole "420" thing as well.

 

[TANGO 1]

like Taxman has said. They will never take you if you tell them that you have Asthma. But then there is something called "Don't ask, Don't tell". If you think you can do without then good luck, but nobody knows how you feel and when the humps at OCS and TBS gets critical it would be you bearing the pain.

I will say that this is not a form of advice. I am just throwing thing up in the air for you to grab

 

[plmtree]

If you have asthma you are automatically disqualified. It doesn't matter if you can control it with medication or by being a PT stud, the Marine Corps won't take any chances.
For those Marines that were able to stay in after being diagnosed, I am sure they have had to work extremely hard to stay in and most likely have been through alot of medical boards, testing, and pretty much hell. They do have people in high places that like them and have given them favorable recommendations. I bet any money that they were diagnosed after they joined, am I right TANGO 1?

 

[TANGO 1]

you know what. i could not tell you for a fact if that was the case. But alot of a$$ kissing went down and also self denial.

 

[plmtree]

you know what. i could not tell you for a fact if that was the case. But alot of a$$ kissing went down and also self denial.

I am 100% sure they were able to join without it being detected, so its a long process to disqualify them and kick them out once they're in. And as you said, alot of a$$ kissing to the right people is what got them to stay. The Marine Corps doesn't joke with asthma, epilepsy (sp), depression, and things of that sort. The reason I say this is because my husband spent 3 horrid years on recruiting duty (Marine recruiter) and I've heard all the stories. Also, by being an admin POG, I've had the displeasure to process Marines out for certain types of medical issues.

Now, if you can get to the point where you are living without need for medication, I would go talk to a doctor, if he decides you don't have asthma anymore, then hey, you don't have asthma.

Even if this was the case, there is an age cutoff. If you've had asthma past 8 or 12 years of age (I can't remember exactly which one it is but I'm sure its before hitting the teen years) you are DQ. The Army, AirForce, and Navy might, I say might, be able to get a waiver but not the Marines.

I only saw one case of a kid that had asthma after the cutoff age who got a waiver and that is because he never used an inhaler even though he always had one handy. He got seen by a multitude of doctors that determined he was mis-diagnosed with asthma and even with that, he had to jump through hoops and go through BUMED to get a waiver. It took the kid 2 years to join, but he did.

Anyhow, TheDuke420, your best shot is to go talk to an OSO. Our info here is hearsay at best. I do not have any official orders or manuals that confirm or deny what I've said. Its better to hear it from the professionals. For all I know, things have changed and I'm full of BS. Good luck.

 

[Dustball]

Whatever you do, do not lie about any medical condition especially asthma. If you do get in and drop from an attack in the middle of PT they won't know how to help you. Accept certain things and move on. Lying about a medical condition only puts yourself and others at risk. Integrity is an important attribute for an officer. Don't ask don't tell is the same thing as nondisclosure, which is just another way of lying.

 

[Crowbar]

Last year at OCS, one of the candidates had a wheezing panting fit during PT. She was carted off to medical, where she admitted she had hidden her asthma to get in. When I say she was kicked out of training that day, what I mean is that her OCS experience was over that same day.
I don't know what eventually became of her but I think it's safe to say it was nothing pleasant.

 

[lugginjugs]

Ever run with 782 gear and an NBC mask? There's an asthma attack equivalent for a healthy person. Top it off with asthma and you're done.

 

[theduke420]

First off....knock what 420 stuff off? You mean my birth date?

Anyways,

I guess my dreams of being a Marine officer are pretty shot. I always figured if I could show somehow that my asthma was controllable that I would be able to go...the running, the PT, all of that is no problem for me. As I said I played soccer, wrestled and I also box (think I forgot to mention that). Anyway, I'm not really sure what route I want to take but what ya'll said is pretty discouraging to me.

Count your blessings.

 

[reapergm]

The duke... I guess that your screenname implied a different meaning of "420". Good that its your birthday,... another meaning would be puffin the magic dragon... at 4:20.

 

[USMCBebop]

I guess my dreams of being a Marine officer are pretty shot. I always figured if I could show somehow that my asthma was controllable that I would be able to go...the running, the PT, all of that is no problem for me. As I said I played soccer, wrestled and I also box (think I forgot to mention that). Anyway, I'm not really sure what route I want to take but what ya'll said is pretty discouraging to me.

Maybe you could've handled OCS, maybe not, who knows?

But even if the OSO gave you a PFT, you passed and scheduled you for a physical the MEPS docs would've told you to go home right quick.

We didn't mean to sound discouraging but asthma at any age is given the microscope treatment. On military dot com, someone passed news that if you had asthma before the age of thirteen and it hasn't comeback anytime after, then you have a shred of hope. But I'm pretty sure they'll still investigate it further.

Since that's not your case, I wish there were better news we can tell you.

Good luck in whatever you do.