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

Resent to correct address:

I'm sorry to just now replying to a post from July, but I was off line
for a while due to my transfer.  I'm a career officer in the Coast Guard
and a confirmed Celiac.  I just now saw Tami Powell's query and summary
from last summer, and I had to reply to the list to clear this up.

The military does NOT exclude Celiacs.  I was diagnosed at Walter Reed
Army Medical Center in Washington DC two years ago, and after we
finished the lymphoma discussion, the next thing I asked was about my
career.  The Coast Guard follows the same medical requirements as the
rest of the armed services, except some of our flight restrictions are
more severe.  My dietician at Walter Reed was counseling about 25 active
duty Celiacs at the time, so I am not the only one by any means.

In fact, I consider myself to be extremely fortunate to be in the
military if afflicted with Celiac Disease.  I turned up aenemic on a
routine blood test two years ago.  That was the only indcation anything
was wrong with me at all.  I was above norms in every other category on
physical exams.  Four months later I was on a well designed gluten free
diet.  Not one needless procedure or crazy hypothesis, just a direct
professional path diretlty to the right answer.  Four endoscopes later I
was confirmed fully healed ("well defined villus architecture"),
corroborated by a follow up negative anti-endomysial antibody test.
With the GI clinic there, combined with their dietary staff, WRAMC has
to be one of the most enlightened and competent medical institutions in
the US  in handling Celiac Disease.  My medical record states I am
eligible for biennial blood tests, and I never get an argument when I
ask for another.

Please do not tell your children they cannot be in the military because
they have Celiac Disease.  Compliant Celiacs are amongst the healthiest
people around, and it makes absolutely no sense for the military to
exclude us.  If a recruiter tells you otherwise, ask to see it in
writing.  It's not there.

John Cameron
LCDR, US Coast Guard
USCG Marine Safety Office, Portland, ME
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