You may be surprised to learn that the answer to this question is “yes,” you can join the military with metal in your body. In fact, millions of people with artificial implants have served in the U.S. Armed Forces throughout history and continue to do so today. The medical standards for joining the military are stringent and involve multiple tests to ensure that prospective candidates are capable of handling the physical demands of service; however, there are some conditions under which a candidate with metal in his or her body might not be able to join. If you’re considering becoming a member of the U.S Armed Forces and want to know if you qualify despite having artificial metal implanted in your body, keep reading for more information on whether or not you can join with metal in your body.
Can I Join The Military With Metal In My Body?
Many people are afraid to join the military because they are afraid of being rejected for a service-connected disability. Just because you have metal in your body does not mean you cannot join the military. Knowing what disabilities and conditions may disqualify you from serving is important.
What Types Of Metal In The Body Qualify You For Military Service?
- Titanium is the most common metal in the body that may disqualify you for military service. It is used in many body parts including bones, teeth, and hip joints.
- Ceramic metal is also commonly used in the body and may disqualify you for military service. It is used in various internal organs including the heart, brain, and bones.
- Stainless steel is often found in prosthetic devices such as artificial limbs and dentures. It is also found in surgical implants such as pacemakers and defibrillators. If you have stainless steel implanted or replaced tissue, it may disqualify you for military service depending on the location of the implant or replacement surgery.
- Nerve parts are sometimes made out of metal such as titanium or stainless steel which may disqualify you for military service if they are implanted into or replaced by nerve tissue (neurological metal). In some cases, this type of metal can be removed from your body before enlistment to avoid disqualifying you for military service.
- Medical implants that contain metal may disqualify you from military service. These include pacemakers, defibrillators, stents, and artificial joints.
- Metal parts in your body that are not attached to nerve tissue may also disqualify you for military service. This includes metal bones and teeth as well as metal hips and knees.
- Metal in the body that is not attached to nerve tissue or bone may also disqualify you for military service if the part is implanted into or replaced by nerve tissue or bone (neurological and osteolytic metal). In some cases, this type of metal can be removed from your body before enlistment to avoid disqualifying you for military service.
- If a part of your body contains metal or ceramic but it is not attached to any other part of your body (e.g., a prosthetic device), it may still disqualify you for military service depending on where the implant is located in your body (i. metal can be removed from your body before enlistment to avoid disqualifying you for military service.
- Metal in the body that is not attached to nerve tissue and is not part of the skeleton may also disqualify you for military service if it is implanted into or replaced by bone. This includes metal hips and knees as well as metal teeth.
- Metal in the body that is not attached to nerve tissue and is not part of the skeleton but still has nerve tissue near it may also disqualify you for military service if it is implanted into or replaced by bone (neurological/osteolytic metal). In some cases, this type of metal can be removed from your body before enlistment to avoid disqualifying you for military service.
- Metal in the body that does not have nerve tissue near it may also disqualify you for military service if it is implanted into or replaced by bone (osteolytic metal). In some cases, metal can be removed from your body before enlistment to avoid disqualifying you for military service.
Exceptions To Joining With Metal In Your Body
- If You Have Had a Metal-Infected Wound for More Than 12 Months, All candidates must be able to show that they have had a metal-injured wound for more than 12 months. So, if you have had a metal-injured wound for more than 12 months, you will not be able to join the military.
- If You Have Been Exposed to Hazardous Metal Substances and You Have Not Had The Wound for More Than 12 Months, You can join the military if your metal has been in place for more than 12 months and you have not been exposed to hazardous substances, such as industrial chemicals or radioactive material. However, if you are concerned that you might be disqualified due to this condition, it is best to speak with your doctor before joining the military.
- If You Have Had a Metabolic Disorder That Has Resulted in an Injury That Has Been in Place for More Than 12 Monthsplastic or Metastatic Solid Organ Transplant You can join the military if you have had a metaplastic or metastatic solid organ transplant and the metal is in place for more than 12 months. However, you must have surgery to remove the transplant within a year of joining the military.
- If You Have Had a Metal-Infected Transplant, You can join the military if you have had a metal-infected transplant and it has been in place for more than 12 months. However, if you are concerned that you might be disqualified due to this condition, it is best to speak with your doctor before joining the military.
How To Become A Member Of The Military With Metal In Your Body?
- If you have non-infectious metal in your body and it has been there for more than 12 months, the military does not typically disqualify you from joining. However, if you are at risk of developing an infection from a metal implant, you may be disqualified from serving.
- If your metal is in a location that could put you or others around you in danger, the military will disqualify you. Examples of this include:
- If your metal is non-infectious but there is no proof that it has been there for more than 12 months, the military will often disqualify candidates with non-infectious metal, especially if the candidate has not seen a doctor to check the location of their implants. The military will require proof that all implants have been in place for at least 12 months before they will allow candidates to join with non-infectious metal in their bodies.
- If your medical condition prevents you from wearing an external devicenemonic “IF-THEN-ELSE” can help you understand the logic behind these specific types of disqualifications.
- If the metal is non-infectious, but it has been in place for less than 12 months, the military will often disqualify candidates with non-infectious metal.
- If you have a medical condition that could affect your ability to serve, such as diabetes or heart disease, the military may disqualify you from service with metal in your body.
- If your metal is non-infectious and there is no proof that it has been there for more than 12 months, but there is a strong possibility that you might develop an infection from it, you will likely be disqualified from joining the military based on this new risk factor. The mnemonic “IF-THEN-ELSE” can help you understand how this works.
Final Words
Having metal in your body may prevent you from joining a civilian job, but it doesn’t have to prevent you from serving in the military. In fact, many people with metal in their bodies choose to serve their country by becoming members of the U.S. Armed Forces. Before you do this, make sure you know what you’re getting into. You should be aware that you may need to get additional testing and/or be placed into a special category in the military.
