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rumple9 said:
Health conditions that exempt you from conscription
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That's quite interesting.

Back problems
  • History of spinal surgery
  • Structural abnormalities of the spine and spinal cord
  • History of chronic or recurrent back pain

It's not just chronic or recurrent back pain they're concerned about, it's any back pain, ever.

I've not told too many people about this, only close family, a handful of colleagues and the mod team.

In 2015, I attempted to join the Army Reserves, I was fit, I was within the right age group (only just, I'd probably have been the oldest private in the army) and I attended for a few weeks while my application was going through. Part of the initial application process was a questionnaire and one of the medical questions was about back pain. I answered yes because I had some issues with it a few years previously.

It turns out that no matter how far ago or how minor the back pain was, it's an instant rejection but with an option to appeal. I was confident about appealing as the pains I had were a number of years before. I saw my GP and I was sent for a back x-ray. That came back, he checked it and and the result was that I have mild osteoarthritis in my back.

The bottom line is that although the doctor would have been prepared to write me a letter to help my appeal, I didn't think it was the right thing to do. I was sure I would pass Selection but I talked with the training officer about what comes next and I really thought I'd struggle to get through the next two stages which are a lot more physical. It's not just that I'd have struggled, I was quite concerned that I'd be damaging my back further doing tabs with a heavy bergen.

I withdrew from the process and I was quite upset about it at the time. Looking back now, I can see that was the time I stopped taking care over what I was eating and my walking started reducing. It's now many years later and I got fat and unfit again. I felt as though I'd failed. I hadn't failed because a medical condition outside my control had prevented me but that didn't stop me thinking I'd failed.

I suppose the bottom line here is me saying that I'm not a hypocrite. I made my feelings known earlier in this thread and if I'd been successful all those years ago, I'd be one of the first group to be called, as a Army Reservist.

Now, I'm definitely not suitable.

Bone or joint problems
  • Shoulder problems resulting in functional limitations or restrictions of movement

But again, as I said earlier, if there were a Home Guard type service that would accept me, I'd be banging on their door.

I know this will get lost in the fog of the thread but I feel better for posting it anyway.
 
I'm not sure if I'm exempt or not to be honest if this came up.

I administer health checks and medication for my parent (reliant on me entirely; food/drink, self care, mobility assistance (falls risk) and medication), but that's them and not really me. Not sure if being a full time carer puts me in the medical grouping or not that would prevent me from joining. I can maybe squeeze in a location position if possible to assist in short bursts, but certainly can't get deployed abroad due to those caring duties where being away too long puts my parent at risk, although if war is afoot care of my parent may get taken over by official carers so I can be freed up. Not sure.
 
Brutal biff said:
will the uk have enough kit to go round for a conscripted army? even now the government is on about making more cuts to the armed forces the conscripted would be sent to war with home made bows and arrows and harsh language
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Surely you have a broomstick in your house. If it was good enough to take the Nazis on, it's good enough for any invasion.
 
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I remember when I was obviously very young the other lads at work were desperate to be conscripted for the Falklands war, there was definitely disappointment when it ended, I remember people as been a lot tougher in the 80s though, argue, fight , no knives, a black eye each and friends the next day
 
esmozz said:
Semi serious question, to which I've not yet been able to find an answer to.

I know during the Falklands conflict there was some kind of war powers act that allowed the requisition of merchant shipping (and crews), hence troops traveling down to the islands on cruise ships etc.

Does this act this exist and furthermore, can it be extended to civilian aircraft?
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Yeah there were plans during the Cold War that would have seen most UK civilian aircraft requisitioned to move troops to Germany; of course for much of that period the main UK airlines were government owned anyway; I assume they have powers to do the same now although I expect a lot of airlines would be able to avoid them being able to use aircraft that weren't UK Registered (for Example, post Brexit EasyJet now has planes officially registered to Easyjet Switzerland & EasyJet Europe (Austria)
 
squerble said:
Excellent; I have a spine condition that gives me pain every day and will worsen as I age.
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That's most interesting, other than one condition which would prevent me from being accepted according to that list; Hypermobility Syndrome (although I lack the typical detrimental effects that are known), I would otherwise be called into service then. What a weird thing to be exempt by; most people I know with Hypermobility tend to see it as a (somewhat) physical advantage than a disadvantage or detriment. I wonder why this was included?
 
Feek said:
That's quite interesting.

Back problems
  • History of spinal surgery
  • Structural abnormalities of the spine and spinal cord
  • History of chronic or recurrent back pain
Click to expand...
It's one of those things where they'd probably throw out all exemptions if they got desperate enough.

But that does rule me out completely (for now) as I've had (mild) scoliosis since I was a child.
 
FoxEye said:
It's one of those things where they'd probably throw out all exemptions if they got desperate enough.

But that does rule me out completely (for now) as I've had (mild) scoliosis since I was a child.
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I suspect all exemptions ,except things like being blind would go out the window in an invasion situation. Are there any in Ukraine?
A bad back isn't going to cut it.
 
Feek said:
That's quite interesting.

Back problems
  • History of spinal surgery
  • Structural abnormalities of the spine and spinal cord
  • History of chronic or recurrent back pain

It's not just chronic or recurrent back pain they're concerned about, it's any back pain, ever.

I've not told too many people about this, only close family, a handful of colleagues and the mod team.

In 2015, I attempted to join the Army Reserves, I was fit, I was within the right age group (only just, I'd probably have been the oldest private in the army) and I attended for a few weeks while my application was going through. Part of the initial application process was a questionnaire and one of the medical questions was about back pain. I answered yes because I had some issues with it a few years previously.

It turns out that no matter how far ago or how minor the back pain was, it's an instant rejection but with an option to appeal. I was confident about appealing as the pains I had were a number of years before. I saw my GP and I was sent for a back x-ray. That came back, he checked it and and the result was that I have mild osteoarthritis in my back.

The bottom line is that although the doctor would have been prepared to write me a letter to help my appeal, I didn't think it was the right thing to do. I was sure I would pass Selection but I talked with the training officer about what comes next and I really thought I'd struggle to get through the next two stages which are a lot more physical. It's not just that I'd have struggled, I was quite concerned that I'd be damaging my back further doing tabs with a heavy bergen.

I withdrew from the process and I was quite upset about it at the time. Looking back now, I can see that was the time I stopped taking care over what I was eating and my walking started reducing. It's now many years later and I got fat and unfit again. I felt as though I'd failed. I hadn't failed because a medical condition outside my control had prevented me but that didn't stop me thinking I'd failed.

I suppose the bottom line here is me saying that I'm not a hypocrite. I made my feelings known earlier in this thread and if I'd been successful all those years ago, I'd be one of the first group to be called, as a Army Reservist.

Now, I'm definitely not suitable.

Bone or joint problems
  • Shoulder problems resulting in functional limitations or restrictions of movement

But again, as I said earlier, if there were a Home Guard type service that would accept me, I'd be banging on their door.

I know this will get lost in the fog of the thread but I feel better for posting it anyway.
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Thats for reservists in peacetime I'm pretty sure if it came to conscription or even any kind of voluntary mobilisation they'd be a darn sight less picky.
 
Day one recruitment for WW3
AIxMEMh.jpeg


6 Months down the line...

KlMatVT.jpeg
 
Uther said:
I suspect all exemptions ,except things like being blind would go out the window in an invasion situation. Are there any in Ukraine?
A bad back isn't going to cut it.
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Indeed, the actual fighting force on the front line is small compared to the utter logistic machine behind the workers. You never see the logistics in call of duty though unless your blowing it up.......

Past 50 and cant fit into my old kit, did i really used to be that thin :) Might get called up to be a trainer of noobs though. Would be fun :)
 
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