Rejection Rates for Military Service

[Bob Womack]

I actually had to put the book down the first time I started reading it. I had a PTSD moment and came close to passing out. This leads me to believe that the book will get much better after I get through the boring introduction to military medicine. Very descriptive account of a bullet wound to the stomach which led to massive internal bleeding, blood spurting everywhere and removing the clotted blood from the abdomen by hand. 3 1/2-gallon transfusion. My surgeon told me I more or less burst when he cut into me, my chest was full of clotted blood, and they transfused 5 1/2 gallons to me. It was a bit much while eating lunch. Over it now.

Wow, you offered up the full measure, no? Words won't do, but thank you for for what you gave and are still giving for my freedom and security.

Bob

[Aragorn243]

Bob, I think you misunderstood. I didn't suffer a war wound, My aorta ruptured 5 years ago. Long story, probably on here somewhere, 5% survival rate and I beat the odds. I'm usually good with it but it was a major shock to my system and occasionally hits me but rarely this hard. I am a veteran but suffered no wounds.

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=65444

I read through it a bit. What the surgeon told me was not exactly accurate or perhaps what I believed he told me. I actually talked with my cardiologist at my 3 1/2-year checkup. First time I was up to actually asking questions. I had ruptured at home. The CT scans showed my chest was full of clotted blood, so I didn't start to seep on the operating table.

I'm in a Facebook support group now where I try to help others although the vast majority have been diagnosed with an aneurysm and are under doctors care monitoring it. Mine was 6.1cm when it ruptured. Most get surgery between 5-5.5cm. I had never been diagnosed. It has no symptoms so most either die never knowing they have it or it is found by accident during a check for something else.

[CINDERS]

A good read for you Bob.

[Ovidio]

For me, the military duty was something I had to accomplish. A MUST!
My family has had so many military... All officers, a legionnaire, every Ovidio since the 15th century died in war (against Turks, in Africa, against Austria...).
I could never miss on that and, also, on being an officer.
Reading a lot of historical books about WWI and WWII, the Alpini and so on, my choice was almost a natural one.
I was a skydiver, but I wanted the feathered hat.
I WANTED TO BE AN ALPINO AND AN OFFICER!!!
I quit university because they were talking about ending military duty, hid all the broken bones (American Football in A series since 16), allergies, even a light short sightedness.
I WANTED TO BE AN ALPINO AND AN OFFICER!!!
And I did it.
And guess what? It has been a life changer for me.
I am so grateful that I could be there and do that. And get to know great fellas who have become dear to me like my brother. Also an Alpino officer.
It was a no brainer and it was confirmed.

I still remember all those kids who tried everything to be cut out of the enlistment lists when I was called to medical exams at 18, who went any lengths to show they twisted a fingernail at 5 and then were traumatised.
I despised them. And still don't like them much today.

Those coming from the mountains were mostly different, though.
They wanted to go to the same Alpini battalions and regiments their fathers and grandfathers had been to.
They just were the different, wonderful kids I would have the honour of commanding a few years later.

Alpin, jo mame!

[Bob Womack]

Bob, I think you misunderstood. I didn't suffer a war wound, My aorta ruptured 5 years ago. Long story, probably on here somewhere, 5% survival rate and I beat the odds. I'm usually good with it but it was a major shock to my system and occasionally hits me but rarely this hard. I am a veteran but suffered no wounds.

https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=65444

I read through it a bit. What the surgeon told me was not exactly accurate or perhaps what I believed he told me. I actually talked with my cardiologist at my 3 1/2-year checkup. First time I was up to actually asking questions. I had ruptured at home. The CT scans showed my chest was full of clotted blood, so I didn't start to seep on the operating table.

I'm in a Facebook support group now where I try to help others although the vast majority have been diagnosed with an aneurysm and are under doctors care monitoring it. Mine was 6.1cm when it ruptured. Most get surgery between 5-5.5cm. I had never been diagnosed. It has no symptoms so most either die never knowing they have it or it is found by accident during a check for something else.

Well, I'm glad you made it through!

Bob

[Bob Womack]

A good read for you Bob.

Thanks for the recommendation!

Bob

[painter777]

5% survival rate and I beat the odds

Needless to say but you beat the odds. I believe in Divine Intervention, your an example. I admire your work with the support group it shows your character.

I was a 9 time state champion in track in field in High School... High jump, High hurdles and Low hurdles my freshman, sophomore and junior years. My senior year I graduated in early January and missed the High school season to run the indoor season / exhibition with the University of Michigan. I had a offer and accepted to train for the US Olympic team. Upon making the team we trained for the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. Our 1st big outing was the 1979 Pan American Games that were being held in San Juan, Puerto Rico in July. The Final Olympic team trials were to be held in Oregon, early summer of 1980. If you made it next stop..... Moscow. But before President Carter could crush me I'd had my 1st real in depth physical after the Pan Am games where I found out I had what they called PVCs of the heart, those extra beats that disrupt the regular heart rhythm, sometimes causing a sensation of a fluttering or a skipped beat in the chest. I never really noticed it just felt like having nerves or butterflies before a match.
All of this competing was costly to a working family. I'd talked with a Army recruiter quite a few times and really wanted to see if I had what it took to be a Ranger. PVC shot that down before the sound left my lips. Now that was Crushing !

[Eaglelord17]

Can't speak to the past, but currently we have issues with young potential recruits being denied due to their honesty.

These poor kids are being told in school its ok to be 100% honest with their mental health and its all fine, with the result being them getting eviscerated in the real world which doesn't work that way. The Canadian Forces asks a question along the lines of 'have you ever thought about or attempted committing suicide'. If they answer 'Yes' their application is dismissed. Many of them would actually be excellent recruits, but due to one question many are rejected. The other big hang up for most of them is passing the fitness test, which even though my out of shape body can pass with ease, somehow these teenagers can't.

[Striker62]

Another good book is Red Blood, Black Sand by Chuck Tatum. Some of the book was in The Pacific, I believe part 8 when Iwo was attacked and Basilone was killed. I believe the books by Sledge mentioned above and this one were the basis for the movie series.

[matthanne1]

...rejection rates for service were in excess of 40%...
And then there’s today with a rejection rate of 77%.

I've read elsewhere that a lot of the rejections came from the serious nutritional deficits faced by many during the Depression. That had also the ripple effect that many hungry kids were also more likely to have suffered from diseases that left a mark, or lost teeth or other such debilitations.