Careers: Military--Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines, Coast Guard/Type 1 Diabetes and Airforce Opportunities

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Expert: Rod Powers - 7/1/2006


Question
I am a type 1 diabetic with a 4.0 GPA. I plan on going to medical school. My question is: Would I be able to serve in the airforce or go to the airforce academy with my insulin dependent status? I use a minimed insulin pump and I am well controlled.

Thank you!
Jenna

Answer
Hi Jenna,

I'm sorry, but I'm afraid, probably not.  Medical standards for joining any branch of the Armed Forces can be found at:  http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/intmedstandards.htm

As you can see, under the section for "Endocrine and metabolic disorders," Diabetes, whether type 1 or 2 is a medical disqualifier (see: http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/intmedstandards/blendocrine.htm).

I've never known Type I or II Diabetes to be waived.  There is a valid reason for this.  Military members are subject to deployment to remote areas of the World, at any time, with no notice, and medicines may not be available in these remote locations.

For more information about the United States Military, feel free to visit my Military Information Website, at:  http://usmilitary.about.com

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com  

Careers: Military--Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines, Coast Guard

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Rod Powers

Expertise

Rod Powers is considered one of the premire experts about U.S. Military career information on the planet. He has more than 30,000 articles about U.S. Military career information on the About.com U.S. Military Careers Information website at: http://usmilitary.about.com. Additionally, he is the author of "ASVAB for Dummies," "ASVAB AFQT for Dummies," (available in Dec 2009), and "Veteran Benefits for Dummies," all published by Wiley Publishing. He is also the author of "Barrons' Guide to Officer Candidate School Tests," published by Barron's Educational Series.

Experience

Rod Powers is a retired Air Force first sergeant, with 23 years of active duty service, 11 of those years as an Air Force First Sergeant. He has helped thousands of military members, recruits, and military applicants since he took over the About.com U.S Military Careers Information site in 1999. He has a reputation for "telling it like it is," so questions may not be answered based on "what you want to hear," but will be answered based of the bast available information, concerning the service/situation.

Education/Credentials
Rod is a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Noncommissioned Officers Academy, the Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, and the Air Force First Sergeant Academy. He also holds an Associates Degree in Personnel Administration from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF).

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