SFAS eligibility with medication
 

Hey gentlemen, have a quick question. I’m currently an E5 11b in the NG looking to drop my packet for 19th group. With that being said, I’m on two daily medications that the Army knows about (one was actually prescribed while on AD).

The first is an antidepressant (SSRI) that I was placed on while recovering in Walter Reed from a TBI back in 2010. Wish I never was placed on them, I’ve tried to come off twice with medical supervision and the withdrawals were horrendous. Worse than the opiate withdrawals while clearing WRAMC, a reason why I take nothing stronger than Advil. The second is Androgel which I take for hypogonadism. Does anyone know if this is a DQ for SF? I contacted an officer up at medical and she stated that her understanding was I cleared PHA so medically I should be good to go, however I haven’t had that confirmed with anyone in 19th’s CoC. If that’s the case, do they allow medication at SFAS? Thanks for any help you guys can give me.

I remember a student coming through when I was a cadre who was on androgel type stuff and being he was older and had severe acne and appeared from his muscle development on too much he seemed overly emotional....all symptomatic of the drug side effects. IMO he was not really in control of himself under stress and should have been disqualified from our line of work. As far as SSRI half of SF is on something after 17 yrs and TBI's are common. Talk to the recruiters and they will tell you what to do or if you are qualified and being deferred from joining is not a do not return if you have to try and get off again.

I think the question from me is....why would you want to burden a team with the damage you have already suffered? There is no shame in it volunteering is more than most.