I know we have a few military members in here, so i figured i would ask this. I would like to join the US Army. The only problem is that I have a permanent metal plate in my hand. I have asked a few people and they all tell me different things. Is it disqualifying?
Thanks, Matt

Unless we have a recruiter on the forum, I would really recommend stopping by a recruiting office. If a metal plate is a disqualifcation for the Army, one of the other services may not be as stringent.

Good Luck! :salute:

It is possible that you can be disqualified. It will be considered a disability and may say that it could cause a problem at the wrong time. One of my buddies from high school was denied admission to the army because he was misdiagnosed for having ADD. As for any of the other branches of the military the army has the least restrictions for admission. But like the others said, go talk to a recruiter and see what they have to say.

I've been down this road before....

My wife wanted to join the Army 5 years ago. She has a 10" rod in her lower left leg along with 10 screws from a shattered ankle in 1992. The Army recruiter told her only a physical could determine if she qualified. I talked her out of it before she did anything and it's a dead issue now.

I was active duty Air Force and now I'm Air Force Reserve. Each service has their own regulations. If you look at Army Regulation 40-501, Standards of Medical Fitness, Chapter 2, Section 2-11.
http://www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/40_Series_Collection_1.html

It states:
"Retained hardware (733.99) (including plates, pins, rods, wires, or screws used for fixation) is not disqualifying if fractures are healed, ligaments are stable, there is no pain, and it is not subject to easy trauma."

So it all depends on how your hand feels and whether the Army will allow you to enlist with your hand the way it is. Go to the recruiter with this information and see what they say.

Good luck

Thanks for the help guys. i have been trying to get to a recruiter, but i work M-F from 8-7, and they are closed by the time i get there. I am going to have to see if they are open on Saturday and go in then. It looks like it wont be a problem, i have full motion and no pain, but I'll have to find out. Thanks again.

Call them and set up an appointment. They will stay late, come to your house on the weekends, maybe even Christmas.

Good luck!

i am in the the army last time i checked. i think..

the reg is quoted already so i dont have to pull it up. Asked a buddy who use to do stuff like recruite people for the army and quotes -
"the whole dont ask dont tell comes in to play, but remember. with the plate in your hand. can you grasp a weapon for long periods of time without lose of hand strength. if your normal in every way but just happen to have that and it does affect you at all then.. "who cares and who needs to know" but if your not 100 percent someone needs to know. There are no xrays taken for you to get in " etc... i killed about an hour of rambling.

j

Don't beleive what the recruiter tells you, he'll tell you what you want to hear. You're not going to know if it's going to be a problem until you get to the MEPs station.

For all of you who are serving, continue to serve, and plan to serve - thank you for all that you do!!! :thumbsup: :us:

-Drew