Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 9/8/2009

Question
Hi my name is Laura and I have been on medication for 10 years now treating my bipolar. I REALLY want to join the coast guard, but I am not sure if I am even eligable.
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Do you know what the qualifications are and if there is any way around this? Thank you very much.

Answer
Laura,
In short, you cannot join.

When a person's illness follows the classic pattern, diagnosing bipolar disorder is relatively easy.  But bipolar disorder can be sneaky.  Symptoms can defy the expected manic-depressive sequence.  Stress tends to activate this disorder.  Those who were borderline bipolar may never know it until a stressful event brings it to the surface.  Unfortunately,  Basic Training is good at that.  Some people with no history of mental health problems go to pieces in recruit training.  The excitement of a new job and wanting to do well at it, can involuntarily cause bipolar to rear it ugly head

According to the USCG medical regs, the causes for disqualification are:

"a.  Personality, conduct, or behavior disorders that demonstrate the degree of immaturity, instability, personality inadequacy, impulsiveness, or dependency, will seriously interfere with adjustment in the military as demonstrated by repeated inability to maintain reasonable adjustment with employers and fellow workers, and with other social groups and are tangible evidence of impaired capacity to adapt to military service."

If you are actively bipolar, and are currently under medication for it, it is a disqualifying medical condition.  Unfortunately, it's also a condition that is rarely waived because military members are subject to deployment, with no notice, at any time, to many areas of the world.  These areas often do not have full-medical facilities, or the ability to issue medications, or the ability to observe someone to make sure the medications are effective, if they are available.

Also, it's not so much the disorder as the medication used to treat it.  The drugs are a central nervous system stimulant and are considered behavior modifying.  The implications are these are nasty drugs with lasting psychological side-affects which could make you a hazard to yourself and others.  While you probably could function normally in the military during peace time, the psychological aspects of a failed rescue could bring about all sorts of unknowns.  The psychological stress of military service is quite unlike the day-to-day life of a civilian.

Sorry, I know this is not what you wanted to hear, but it's the facts.

Have you considered Federal Civil Service?  They're in all the Services working right alongside military folks, even overseas, the only difference is they don't wear uniforms.  You can't beat a steady government paycheck.  It may be worth your while to check into it at: http://www.usajobs.gov/

Best of luck in whatever you choose, and thanks for wanting to serve your country in uniform.
Colonel H