diabetes in the RAF

[Retrospect]

Hi all

I am currently serving in the Royal Air Force. I joined about 5 years ago and i have another four to go until my terms of service are up. I was detached to iraq in the early months of last year and upon my return i became quite ill, only to find out a few months later that i had T1 diabetes. I was devastated. I still am lol. I personally think i dealt with it really well - I had no problems injecting myself etc etc and 6 months after my diagnosis my HBA1C result was 6.6 so i was pretty chuffed with that. I have been through the whole "why me" thing and have certainly come to terms with the fact it is never going to go away. My main problem now is my career. I was told i would have a "med board" within 6 months by one doctor, then when i wasn't satisfied with that i went to a different doc and he told me it would be 18 months!! Gutted. i want it done as soon as possible! how the hell am i supoosed to get my head together and sort stuff out if losing my job is hanging over my head?!!! I love my job too, i relish the OOA's and the excercises and all of that good stuff. But now they've stopped me from doing all of the things i love and expect me to just get on with it. COME on thats bs. Personally I dont think they'll kick me out - they'll just let me do my 9 years and then not sign me on anymore. They'll leave me to rot. I haven't heard of anyone else in the RAF with diabetes so i don't quite know whats going to happen. I was just wondering if there is anyone on this site who is in the same situation? Or knows of anyone else in this situation. I'm very angry and bitter about the whole thing lol

 

[sugarless sue]

Is there anything in QR's about diabetes? May I ask which branch you are in?

 

[Retrospect]

hi there - thanks for reply. I cant find much at all on diabetes in any of the documentation at work the doc did give me something - of which only a paragraph was relevant to diabetes. I am an MT Technician - I am part of SEF (support engineering flight)

 

[sugarless sue]

That's ground based. The police seem to be taking in type 1's now so why can't the Forces.If you can prove you are well controlled and not a danger then is there no chance that they will keep you on?

 

[Retrospect]

I really dont know to be honest. The doc has told me that my promotion will be affected and also my chances of signing on. I'm devastated. Thats good about the police recruiting T1's.

 

[sugarless sue]

You could argue that you are ground trade but then if you are also sent to combat zones then I can see the concern ,I suppose.Are the Forces still not covered under the disability discrimination act.I know that they used to be exempt from this ,is this still the case?

 

[Retrospect]

thats a really good point! you know I'm not actually sure. I'll have to find out when i go back to work. Thanks for that They've covered themselves on the war zones front - they wont send me anywhere now - Im restricted to UK base areas. I'm gutted.

 

[sugarless sue]

You could still progress in branch just on Uk bases though? It's not as if you are flying Tornadoes or Typhoons !I think if you can prove good control you could try and fight a case.However the Forces are a law unto themselves but it might be worth trying.Can you think of anyone you could go to to fight in your corner,so to speak?

 

[jopar]

My husband was diagnosed while serving in the RAF way back in 1979, so not sure if it’s different now or not!…

But at the time his basic choice was that they would allow him to remain serving in the RAF, but he would be confined to this country and a desk job or he could take a medical discharge.

He took the later, it took several months for the review for his medical discharge, and put before the medical panel who deemed that he was 19.5 points disabled, this meant that yes he could have a medical discharge from the RAF, but he couldn’t claim a RAF pension as you needed to be classed at the time as 20pt disable to keep your rights to a forces pension…

Hope this helps

 

[Jen&Khaleb]

Just have to send my sympathy to you. Had you developed diabetes as a child I suppose your life would have taken a different path. Now you have a career you love and not only has a certain amount of your freedom been taken away but also your job is at risk. My 14 year old son (not diabetic) wants to fly in the Australian Air Force and I know how gutted he would be if he was told this wasn't possible. He is currently at risk of being too tall to fly certain planes so I hope he stops growing soon. Anyway, I hope you fight for what you want as well as your country.

My diabetic son is 2 and also has Down syndrome. I can't even find a child care centre that will accept him. I think I need to become a child carer myself to help out some other parents.

All the best, Jen.

 

[Sweet3x]

isn't it a lot to do with the fact that if you are in 'strange' places, you may not be able to get hold of/use your insulin, or get glucose should you need it.
I was looking at joining the RAF, but having had diabetes for 4 years when I asked them about it, was told they wouldn't take me for the above reason.
But that was over 20 years ago, now.
Things have probably changed
hope you get it sorted out satisfactorily

 

[candy1567]

Hiya

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but the armed forces are excluded from the disability discrimination act. this is an extract from it

The Government insists that members of the armed forces should remain outside the DDA on the grounds that all service personnel need to be combat effective. "Decisions on military health and fitness standards are for the Ministry of Defence and not for Employment Tribunals". The Disability Rights Commission has asked the Government to reconsider this position.

Since october 2004 police officers and firefighters now come under this act, but not the forces.

Juliexx

 

[AITCH]

Hi,

I know of two others in RAF both type 1's, both allowed to serve time out but not able to extend. Sorry to say I believe you will be allowed to stay for you 9 year term then dismissed on medical grounds. Your medical downgrading will continue until 9 years are up. Sorry but its best to be prepared for the rules have not changed.

 

[Retrospect]

Hi,

I just want to thank you all for your posts and giudance on this matter. Its all sorted in my head now that I will actually be leaving at some point and I am slowly but surely coming to terms with it. It all still seems so unfair - but i'll get over it eventually. At least I have my medal to show the grand kids one day. Thanks again

Retro

 

[sugarless sue]

I wish you the best in the future ,Retro.Hope you get on OK.

 

[prejudice]

Hi. I have just found this forum and read about your situation with interest. My son has spent the last 10 years in the RN and was diagnosed with T1 2 weeks ago. He was due to begin officer training in April. This was immediately withdrawn and he has been informed it is unlikely he will ever become an officer. In addition he has also to go before a board to see if he can remain in his current post - which is med services. According to protocol each case must be reviewed on its merits - however this does not seem to be happening in his case either. In fact there does not seem to be any attempt to offer help or advice to young servicemen who find themselves in this position. We fight on......

 

[sugarless sue]

The Forces always have been a law unto themselves ,they can afford to pick and choose without being challenged about it.Maybe one day that will change.However they do want the fittest people it is possible to get so ,in that ,I can see why they are so picky.

 

[sugarybibs]

I think its awful these lads are getting discriminated by in the forces.Its not fair especially if you are trying as hard as you can to keep your blood sugars as near to normal are really good at your job and have no other health problems.Why shouldnt us type 1s be able to do any job we can that is suitable for each individual.What about these people in high up jobs what are absent from work because of their own faults like alchohol addiction drugs etc.i bet most of them dont get sent to a different job.We cant help it we have to inject ourselves and have several blood tests a day.Sometimes i think it may be better to not tell anyone about being diabetic but then again if we dont and have hypos it would be our own fault.I would like to know what kind of jobs we are allowed to do and what we are not allowed and what kind of jobs type1s do :evil: :x

 

[sugarless sue]

While I agree with your sentiments,Sugarbibs, members of the Forces have to be fit 24/7 for every and any emergency and call to arms.The Forces always have been very stringent in their selection process even down to the length of arms in someone who wants to be a pilot.

 

[prejudice]

I can just about appreciate the problems encountered when someone tries to sign up but I fail to understand why someone who has served for a number of years can be effectively thrown away just because of this. Fitness can be achieved by T1 sufferers - think Gary Mabbit, Steve Redgrave - and a normally fit person will be able to maintain his/her fitness levels once they have been stabilised. The forces should be thinking laterally as to how to accomodate such individuals - after all war theatres have very well equipped hospitals which can deal with a lot more than storing insulin!