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**redtime** · 24-10-2009, 01:34

Okay I have been turn down on appeal for the 2nd time for having eczema and I can see that there are a lot of people that have been turned down for the same thing...

Im sure a lot of you like me understand that server eczema would be bad for the army for example if the person had cuts and ligions all over there body.

I am not one of those people, my eczema has never been that bad. infact I had completely got rid of it to the point where I maybe felt an itch every now and then untill one rainy day, when I was still in school, I had to walk to school got soaked and then the teachers refussed to let me call my mum to bring me dry cloths. my eczema has always just been an itch that i have scratch over and over again making it go a little bit red and slightly sore, then it goes a little dry and is back to normal in a day or 2 and you couldnt even tell it was there. I can stop my self itching most of the time and ignor the itchy feeling.

Now I have never seen any one explain why some one with minor eczema can not join the army?
its not contagous, it doesnt effect my ability to do parade, take orders, or perform in any way.
What is the army's problem with eczema the only person it effects is me and even then its a little itch Oh wow big health Problem an itch!!!

Now this is a major issue for many of us who have lived with eczema all our lives and want to join the army or other forces.

let me just explain a little bit about my self, and why I dont understand why people with minor eczema cannot join the army.
I have worked in several jobs that deal with chemicals and other so called irretants...
Paintor and decorator - White spirit, creasoak, certain Paints, dry dusts.
Air craft mechanic - Petrol, Aircraft fuel, Oils, hydrolic fluid, cooling chemicals.
Cleaner- all the cleaning chemical used in industrial cleaning
Concretor - Concrete its selft, and all related chemicals.
Builder - as builder i delt with fibre glass and all kinda of stupid "irrantant" things.
Oh and I currently work as a security guard and my uniform is wool.
NONE of these thing ever effected my eczema hell I even shower with fairy liquid.
Iv lived in tropical climits (Aus 45%c), and have been skiing(-22%c) for 17 years so weather is no problem hot or cold.
I was an ATC cadet and went on loads of camps where we did loads of army like stuff.
I went on a 13 week army prep course where I was trained by ex army PT instuctors
(training) I do boxing, I train for 2-6 hours a day 5 or 6 days a week. I run with 8kg on my back and run a mile and half in 10m40s(army require under 11min), I do push ups with 8 kg on my back, I can do 66 sit ups in 1min (44 in 2min), around 80 push ups in 2min(44 in 2min) I can do 15 heaves (5+). I do squats with 32kg, and can carry 2ppl and still be able to walk no problems
Iv been tourchered, and not in a bullying sence of the word or though I was buillied all though school, I mean In the sence of knifes, hot things, stair casesses, and emotional toucher.

with all these things I have a pretty good idea about what to expect in the army, and I have a good Idea of my own body.

so what in the world can the army throw at me that I havent already been though. Seriously why is eczema such a big problem and where did they get 3 years from??? so what would happen if your clear for 3 years join the army and then devolope it again, they gunna kick you out over such a minor thing???
Who wrote this policy? did they even have any idea what it is like to live with eczema or how it effects us.

its time the army changed its policy and allowed people with controlled/minor eczema in.

I know Iv gone on for a bit but this is an issue I feel really strongly about.

If some one can give me a GOOD reason as to why eczema is not allowed please feel free to enlighten me as I cant think of any.

I WANT TO SERVE MY COUNTRY, I WANT TO BE THE BEST THAT I CAN BE... I WANT TO BE IN THE BRITISH ARMY!!! I WANT TO START MY STORY!!!

Regards
ME

**Bravo_Zulu** · 24-10-2009, 02:33

Originally Posted by redtime

...I was an ATC cadet and went on loads of camps where we did loads of army like stuff...

You were onto a loser the moment you said that...

**Psypher** · 24-10-2009, 03:05

Off topic slightly but have you ever been tested for Coeliac disease? Eczema is a classic, and can be the only, symptom of CD.

**Arte_et_Marte** · 24-10-2009, 04:05

I have eczema and did Military Service. Does that help?

Edited to add... I have never been "tourchered" though. What is that?

And while I am here..."hot things, stair casesses, and emotional toucher" You are Gary Glitter and I claim my Â£5

**mistersoft** · 24-10-2009, 07:25

Originally Posted by redtime

NONE of these thing ever effected my eczema hell I even shower with fairy liquid.

Snigger..........................

**regan20187** · 24-10-2009, 08:43

If im honest, there will be either something your not telling us or the army have other reasons not to let you in,
I'v had excema all my life, when I was younger, it was very servear, (bleeding, open cuts, constant pain) now its just very mild on my wrists, and a little on my ankles, brought on by stress.
At selection it was't mentioned once, also when I was 17, I broke my femur, and I have a permanent metal bar inside the bone, because of this I had to go see a colornel to check me out aswell, when I was there he said 'do you have soriosis' 'no sir, just a tiny bit of excema' ' Ooo, ok then' and thats all he said,.. so yea, I dont believe people when they say they got defured/rejected because of excema..

**redtime** · 24-10-2009, 11:43

[quote="And while I am here..."hot things, stair casesses, and emotional toucher" You are Gary Glitter and I claim my Â£5[/quote]

you wouldnt be saying that if you had done to you what I had done to me...
when you have some who's 6.4 and built like a brick sh*t house beat the living crap out of you for over a year, you dont pertically like to rememeber it but you dont get much choice.