Recruitment and Piercing :(

Honestly, you can conquer just about any fear if you put your mind to it...

I used to be terrified of heights. Every time I climbed up anything even remotely high, I’d freeze up and find myself completely unable to make the descent. Eventually, one day, I just decided enough was enough—I couldn't live like that anymore. So, while everyone else was out at work, I started practicing. I’d head up onto the roof of my house and just sit there. I spent time hanging out near the edges, little by little, facing it head-on. Slowly but surely, that panic faded away, and now, heights don't bother me at all.

Stana said:you can overcome any fear...

Maybe we should just cure Kenneth White6 of his phobia before he’s forced to go in for a full physical exam! 😉

Look, you just have to face the music and deal with it; there’s really nothing else to say about it.

Kenneth White6 said:I was wondering if there's some kind of workaround to breeze through recruitment without that one nasty little procedure... you know, the blood draw. I have a massive phobia of needles, injections, the whole deal. Or maybe I should just call it a fear of invasive medical stuff, since I can look at a needle now without losing my mind. Last time I had to get blood taken back in '97, the doctors practically had to hold me up... what a disaster. I couldn't even stand on my own feet for an hour, just shaking like crazy... Man...

Look, just be honest with the nurses who are supposed to draw your blood. Tell them what's going on, vent if you have to, and that's that. They aren't going to force a needle into you. You're not a kid anymore, and phobias aren't something to just brush off. In the end, if they can't get your blood, they might just send you to talk to their psychiatrist and call it a day. And hey, if they can't clear you for service without those labs, that’s not on you—it’s just how it works, and a psychiatrist will confirm it. Problem solved. Don't sweat it. If this phobia is as real as you say (maybe see your own doctor first to get something in writing?), don't let them push you. Don't let them mess with you—that's not helping anyone...

By the way, some guy popped up on a forum about civilian service claiming he's been dodging the draft for years by making sure he's never cleared for duty. Basically, he shows up for his physical, checks in so there's a record he was there, and then walks out before any actual exams happen. Since there's no paperwork saying he's fit for service, they can't draft him, and since he technically showed up for the appointment, they can't really throw him in jail for skipping it. Clever, I guess...

Stana said:you just have to face it head-on, there's really nothing else to say about it

Ah... So, I guess you can't actually get rid of all your phobias after all...

It depends, really. The idea behind not enforcing systematic checks is interesting in theory, but I have my own perspective on this after having served in the US Army. My last physical exam was actually conducted about eight years before I even started my service. Long live justice in our great nation.

Kenneth White6, I totally get you—I have that exact same phobia. Luckily, being a woman, I don't have to deal with that hideous prelude, but since April, I’ve been stuck in this loop of searching for everything from pregnancy stuff to hospital stays. They were probably drawing my blood twice a month, and honestly, nothing made it easier. I had a massive motivation, though—I wanted to get pregnant, so I knew I HAD to go through these tests. As for how I dealt with the fear? Don't even ask!!! In the beginning, I lucked out and ran into some nurses who were absolutely wonderful and deserve a medal; they made the whole terrifying experience actually bearable. But then, I ended up at the Petrov 😠
There's this one absolutely atrocious woman working there who basically wiped me out—seriously, she was so rude and unprofessional. So, I walk in, sit down, and politely ask if I can lie back because I have this massive phobia, and I start shaking uncontrollably... I'm telling you, the needle thing is a real struggle for me.
First off: she rolls her eyes at me,
Second: she just says "ugh, fine" (truly a masterclass in vocabulary right there)
Third: she snaps at me because she can't find a vein in my right arm
Fourth: she tells me to "turn around" (excuse me, are we sheep grazing in a field? Is that how we talk to people?)
Fifth: I'm already tearing up and trying desperately to stop my trembling just to keep it together
Sixth: she had to take 2-3 tubes, so she practically shook the first one right in front of my face, just to make sure I felt the full brunt of her incompetence
Seventh: she held the needle in her hand for way too long, almost like she forgot how to use it or something while she figured herself out

All I can say is: just pray you find medical staff that are actually decent and polite—people who will show some empathy and try to make a stressful situation a little easier for you. Good luck, and please, let me know how it goes 👍

Junacine!

Are you moms still out here changing diapers?
And feeding them with silver spoons?
Every single excuse for not serving in the US Army is pathetic.🤣 😁

Jamie Clark74 said:Junacine!

Are your moms still changing your diapers?
Or maybe they’re feeding you with silver spoons?
Honestly, nobody owes the US Army an apology...🤣 😁

You don't need to apologize for not serving. Just head back to your cave and leave this thread alone...

Linda Hernandez15 said:Kenneth White6, I completely understand where you're coming from because I deal with that exact same phobia. Luckily, being a woman, I don't have to deal with that specific unpleasantness, but since April, I've been stuck in this cycle of medical tests—pregnancy scares, getting stuck in the hospital, things like that. They were drawing my blood maybe twice a month, and honestly, it never got any easier. I had a huge motivation, though; I really wanted to get pregnant, so I knew I HAD to go through with these tests. Don't even ask me how I managed to cope with the fear! In the beginning, I was lucky enough to run into some nurses who were absolutely wonderful and truly commendable, which made such a terrifying experience somewhat bearable, but then I ended up at the Petrov Memorial Hospital 😠
where there's this one terrible woman working who just absolutely crushed my spirit; she was incredibly rude and unprofessional. So, I walk in, sit down, and I actually ask her if I can lie on the bed because I have this massive phobia and I start shaking uncontrollably—it's a real struggle for me when it comes to needles.
First off: she rolls her eyes at me,
second: she just says "whatever" (what a lovely choice of words and such a rich vocabulary, right?)
third: she snaps at me because she can't find a vein in my right arm
fourth: she tells me to "turn over" (excuse me, are we talking to sheep grazing in a field now?)
fifth: the tears are already welling up and I'm trying so hard to just tense up and control the shaking
sixth: she had to take two or three vials, so she basically waved the first one right in front of my face just to make sure I felt the full weight of what was happening
seventh: she held the needle in her hand for as long as possible, almost as if she forgot how to use it or something while she figured out what to do

I just want to say, please just hope that you find medical staff who are polite and decent, people who will show some empathy and try to make the situation a little easier for you as you navigate through it. Good luck, and please let us know how it goes 👍

Auuuuu, man, that sounds awful... 😢 It’s honestly frightening how some people lack even an ounce of empathy for someone else's struggles... Like this guy below, who apparently can't even read...

Jamie Clark74 said:Junacine!

Are you moms still changing diapers?
And feeding them with silver spoons?
Every excuse to avoid serving the army.🤣 😁

Learn how to read
👍

Kenneth White6 said:Auuuu, man, that's just brutal... 😢 It’s honestly wild how some people have zero empathy for what others are going through... Like the guy below—I mean, does he even know how to read?

I forgot to mention that back when I actually had my wits about me, I told her that if someone is afraid of spiders or heights, there’s an actual medical term for that—and by the way, you can get help through your insurance or social services. But when someone is terrified of needles or breaking their skin, they're basically just making things up. 🙄

Anyway, I forgot to tell you how that whole ordeal went down... Back in the mid-nineties, I was getting blood drawn—can't even remember why at this point—and the nurse just flooded me with a full vial of my own blood... it was a total nightmare. That image stuck with me so badly that I still get nauseous thinking about it; I'm practically tearing up just remembering it now. Ever since then, I've had a massive phobia of anything involving needles.👎

Linda Hernandez15, I am truly sorry you were treated that way. Why didn't you report that nurse's poor treatment to the head nurse? You could have simply explained that you informed her about your phobia and that her behavior was unacceptable and warranted a formal complaint.

Look, the core issue here is that if a person doesn't want to serve in the US Army (which I completely understand), they have no incentive to overcome their phobia; in fact, it's in their best interest to amplify it just to ensure they don't pass the physical and avoid recruitment.
To actually conquer a phobia, one needs motivation. For you, having a child was a positive, driving force. But being told you might be declared fit for military service—something you specifically want to avoid—isn't motivation at all; it's pure demotivation.

Jamie Clark74 said:Junacine!
Are your mothers still changing your diapers for you?
And feeding you with silver spoons?
Every excuse used to avoid serving the military is pathetic.🤣 😁

My dear "proud to be Australian," from your perspective down under, things might seem unclear, but if you understood the local landscape, you'd realize that most people in America don't feel much more affection for the military than you feel for a dead kangaroo rotting in the sun after a few days.

In this situation, a person can choose to be a sheep, letting themselves be picked on while their heart races, or they can show some teeth, stand up for their rights, and say: "I do not consent to being poked with a needle."

The critical issue in America today isn't blindly "serving the country" by cutting corners in the military or spinning tall tales about how hard things used to be. It is about teaching people the importance of individual human rights and building an honest community where small groups don't just wave a flag and sing the anthem to get applause while they are actually just picking the pockets of their fellow citizens.

Eric Robinson81 said:Look, the whole deal here is that if someone doesn't want to be in the military—which, honestly, I get—it’s not actually in their interest to overcome their phobia. It's quite the opposite; they're basically trying to ramp up the anxiety just to ensure they fail the physical and dodge recruitment altogether.

Ali, we still haven't seen anyone back this up with an actual legal statute to prove whether he's legally allowed to refuse that specific psychological testing, or what the fallout might be if he does.

Jamie Clark74, come on out of the shadows and pull that specific regulation out of your sleeve for us.😘

magic blue said:but honestly, nobody has actually used a legal precedent yet to prove whether they have the right to say "no" to getting an SMI shot, or even what the actual risks might be if they refuse...

A phobia isn't just "refusing" things on purpose, and we've already touched on how phobias work...