# So much for the Coast Guard **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 24, 2006, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-much-for-the-coast-guard/353989 "2006-04-24T14:24:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-much-for-the-coast-guard/353989/1 "2006-04-24T14:24:55Z")
After thinking it over, I decided to sign up for the Coast Guard. The more time that passed after making this decision, the more confident I felt about taking that particular direction in my life. I talked to a local recruiter, and got scheduled to get my medical exam and take the ASVAB. This morning I went in to MEPS in Moffet field to go get my medical examination. Unfortunately, because I had taken a medication in the past, (Imiprimine) I was disqualified. Years ago I was given this medication to treat ADD, but I guess it was mostly used to treat dispression, and any history/treatment for depression was an automatic disqualification. I was pretty despondent to hear about this. The recruiter told me I could try and dig up old medical records from the counseling I had ten years ago, and maybe prove that it wasn’t used for depression/I didn’t have depression. But I did have ADD apparently, and I don’t know if that is just as serious as far as disqualification goes. I’m very disappointed about this- I never imagined some medication I took _ten years_ ago would be the reason I can’t get into the Coast Guard. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-much-for-the-coast-guard/353989/2 "2006-04-24T15:57:44Z")
**Incubus** –_Never_ accept a _No_ from anybody who doesn’t have the authority to say _Yes_! If you want In, & believe you can do well, _appeal it_! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-much-for-the-coast-guard/353989/3 "2006-04-24T16:59:26Z")
I’ll second that!! There’s always a way around minor things like that–and waivers for obstacles you have to go throu. Have you considered the Coast Guard Academy? Tripler Air Force ROTC ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2006, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-much-for-the-coast-guard/353989/4 "2006-04-24T23:37:05Z")
Allow me to third that, with a little added emphasis. I too was told by my recruiter that I would _never_ get into the USCG due to a previous medical issue that occurred years before. I basically did my best Richard Gere impersonation and told him I really had nothing else to do, and I will do whatever it takes to get in. (I wasn’t qualified for the DOD services due to my GED and no college credits at the time) Very long story short - after jumping through a series hoops and over a bunch of hurdles, I got in, and have been in for 15 years now. Recruiters aren’t always right, and nothing is ever written in stone. **Bosda** is absolutely right - if you want it bad enough, _show them_. Here’s a tip: If you’re not sure that your recruiter is totally aware of an issue, call another recruiter in a different city and ask the question as if it’s the first time you’re talking to a recruiter. ---
**Author:** ![Bernard\_Marx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@Bernard\_Marx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bernard_Marx)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2006, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-much-for-the-coast-guard/353989/5 "2006-04-25T08:00:16Z")
I’ll fourth it. I was told my eyesight wasn’t good enough for pilot training. Seven years later: “Didn’t you know you can get a waiver for the eyesight standards?” ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2006, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-much-for-the-coast-guard/353989/6 "2006-04-25T08:26:01Z")
In the US, sight waivers might be granted after or during training, but pristine vision is required. The key is that there are usually more pilot candidates than slots for US forces. The exception for the sight requirement includes non-pilot crew, such as navigators, EWOs, Flight Test Engineers and the like. Even those guys have something like a “correctable to 20/20 , no worse than 20/40” eyesight requirement. It depends on the nation and the service. One might argue that more brains than eyes are needed now, but in some circumstances, one needs the vision and especially the depth perception. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2006, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-much-for-the-coast-guard/353989/7 "2006-04-25T12:20:08Z")
Fith-ed – from my own family experience, my nephew was also given flak while in his recruiting process (Navy) for past ADD medication, not even 10 years prior. Series of phone calls and letters from the MD showing the facts of the case, and he was in.