<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

I am very grateful to the service men and women who answered my request
for information on the possiblity of having celiac disease and serving.
My son is truely interested in joining and is in the process now. He is
18 years old and on the gf diet.

Majority of celiac soldiers did not know they were celiacs when joining
up. If they had known, they would not have served, gf is difficult in
all the branches of service.

Those who were diagnosed in the military have found ways to cope-making
their own MRE's (combat food that is freeze dried and ready to eat) or
trading non gf for gf selections with other soldiers.

All recruiters lie, lie, lie. They have quota's to meet and do not loose
out if someone is disqualified.

The Navy is feeding their diagnosed celiacs gf foods and keeping them
when the soldier is diagnosed during  the service time.

No soldier with celiac disease who responded is going to be deployed.

The armed services can not cater to any one person.

I am a vegetarian and the army will not feed me vegen meals.

Take it from a veteran, they won't take care of him.

The chow hall (Navy) does have a variety of foods to choose from and are
usually pretty bland by nature, green beans are green beans. Salad bars
are fresh. Wartime is a worry.

I am active duty Coast Guard, I recommend he seek out the Sargent in
charge of the mess and give them time to learn all the angles.

My son hides his celiac from the Army, he does not want to be discharged.

I just retired from the Air Force and thought I was the lone celiac in
the military.... it is a rough road to hoe. It can be done. It just will
not be pleasant.

It will not work!!

http://www.dscp.dla.mil/subs/submain.htm is the web page for the
subsistence branch . You may find out which MRE's are GF here. I applaud
your son's spirit of patriotism. I am serving as a Navy officer.

We have a person who is in the National Guard that is a member of our
celiac support group. She hasn't told them about the celiac disease.

Parents cannot do anything about a child in the military except get him
in trouble for not writing home often enough.

In combat no luck, MRE's with no choices. You don't want to be in combat
with any more diarrhea than necessary. It's prevalent enough as it is.

The National Guard will have 2 months at boot camp on some army base
then it is one weekend a month and 2 weeks a year. It probably won't be
as bad as regular Army. He should think about the Navy or the Air force
where they would almost never have to make do with MRE s and would
almost always hav a good mess hall to eat in with lots of choices.

Lock him in the cellar!!!

I have been thankful that my celiac disease was not diagnosed until
after my retirement from military service. I would have been
disqualified.  Maybe in the future celiacs will be able to obtain Gf
meals more widely.

Thank you all, I believe honesty is always the best policy, there are
quite a few celiacs in the military that are coping and not disclosing
their disease. Maybe if we all speak up their can be a change in the
foods provided in the future. If you are a celiac in the military and
are eating gluten, you are harming yourself, please seek out some
assistance.  If you are worried about being discharged,Civilian services
are out there, support groups can help. Mail ordering foods from
companies is possible. This is a tough situation for us all, We are very
worried for our son.I will post a follow up of my son's decisions and
what happens.