BMQ Inquiry: Prescription, Skin Care, Training, Etc.

[Shadow_]

Hello Soldiers, Seamen, & Airmen,

I salute you all for protecting our land and defending our sovereignty.

I am an aspiring civilian hoping to become a part of The Force. To better prepare myself, I have a few questions before signing up. Your responses will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

1. I am using a prescription topical cream for my skin at night. Will I be able to bring it into BMQ and use it? Can I also bring and use my skincare products (face wash, moisturizer, sunscreen)?
2. Am I allowed to bring and use vitamins and supplements in BMQ, such as vitamins, mineral supplements, fish oil, etc.?
3. How about workout supplements like pre-workout and protein shakes?
4. If I am driving to the BMQ training location, will I be able to check and start my car's engine at least once a week? Cars can get battery drained or stuck in place if not moved for a long period of time.
5. Rucking: I want to start training for rucking. What is the average/usual weight of the rucksack (the bag plus the items inside it)?

I appreciate your responses and have an awesome day ahead!

 

[Readyplayer1]

Hello Soldiers, Seamen, & Airmen,

I salute you all for protecting our land and defending our sovereignty.

I am an aspiring civilian hoping to become a part of The Force. To better prepare myself, I have a few questions before signing up. Your responses will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

1. I am using a prescription topical cream for my skin at night. Will I be able to bring it into BMQ and use it? Can I also bring and use my skincare products (face wash, moisturizer, sunscreen)?

You’re going to have a medical exam where you’ll have to disclose that, likely (I’m not a CAF med tech) they’re going to want to see you off this for a few months before enrolment and a letter from your doctor stating you don’t need it. Skin care products shouldn’t be an issue

1. Am I allowed to bring and use vitamins and supplements in BMQ, such as vitamins, mineral supplements, fish oil, etc.?

Yes but they should be brand new (unopened)

1. How about workout supplements like pre-workout and protein shakes?

No, the joining instructions prohibit both of those at bmq

1. If I am driving to the BMQ training location, will I be able to check and start my car's engine at least once a week? Cars can get battery drained or stuck in place if not moved for a long period of time.

You’ll have weekends to yourself after the first indoctrination period as long as your group doesn’t lose them

1. Rucking: I want to start training for rucking. What is the average/usual weight of the rucksack (the bag plus the items inside it)?

About 30lb

I appreciate your responses and have an awesome day ahead!

 

[Shadow_]

Thank you so much for your reply!

You’re going to have a medical exam where you’ll have to disclose that, likely (I’m not a CAF med tech) they’re going to want to see you off this for a few months before enrolment and a letter from your doctor stating you don’t need it. Skin care products shouldn’t be an issue

The prescription topical cream is a part of my skin care routine. Will they still ask me to try and not use it?

Yes but they should be brand new (unopened)

Ok, will I be freely to use it or will they be locked in the barracks?

You’ll have weekends to yourself after the first indoctrination period as long as your group doesn’t lose them

After how many weeks do we have to wait until we get the indoctrination?

About 30lb

Oh, that doesn’t sound bad. I thought it would be more with the things inside it.

Is BMQ only in the summer time or is it continuous throughout the year?

Will there be a swimming test during training?

I know I have a lot of questions, but your patience and effort to respond has gone unnoticed. Thank you

 

[Blackadder1916]

The prescription topical cream is a part of my skin care routine. Will they still ask me to try and not use it?

The operative word is "prescription". As such, the item has to be prescribed by a physician. While I'm not so naive as to expect that there aren't physicians who prescribe items that are not medically necessary, they do have certain legal obligations to do so.

CPSO - Prescribing Drugs

This policy sets out the College’s expectations for all physicians who prescribe drugs or provide drug samples to patients.

www.cpso.on.ca

Policy

1. Physicians must comply with the requirements for prescribing that are set out in this policy, as well those contained in any other relevant College policies and legislation.

Before Prescribing

1. Physicians must only prescribe a drug if they have the knowledge, skill, and judgment to do so safely and effectively.
2. Before prescribing a drug, physicians must:
   1. undertake an appropriate clinical assessment of the patient (limited exceptions are set out in provisions 4 and 5 of this policy);
   2. make a diagnosis or differential diagnosis and/or have a clinical indication based on the clinical assessment and any other relevant information;
   3. consider the risks and benefits of prescribing the chosen drug, including the combined risks and benefits when prescribing multiple drugs and the risks and benefits when providing long-term prescriptions; and
   4. obtain valid consent.

From the second that you enroll in the CAF, you can no longer go to the pet physician of your choice and ask him to prescribe your skin care routine. You can not use your provincial health insurance and even if you are seen by non-CAF medical pers you are obligated (by regulation) to report it to military medical authorities. Prescriptions that are not "medically necessary" will not be written by CF doctors nor will the medication be provided.

About the CAF spectrum of care - Canada.ca

Comprehensive listing of medical and dental benefits and services for Canadian Armed Forces members

www.canada.ca

Management of the spectrum of care
The Spectrum of Care committee determines the services to which members are entitled. Entitlement to services is based upon the following five guiding principles:

1. the benefit adheres to the scientific principle of evidence based medicine. This principle would eliminate any new medical procedures or remedies that have not been thoroughly and scientifically investigated (e.g. homeopathic remedies);
2. the benefit is necessary for the purpose of maintaining health and mental well-being, preventing disease, diagnosing or treating an injury, illness or disability;
3. the benefit is not for purely experimental, research or cosmetic purposes;
4. the benefit is funded by a single province or federal agency. This principle is in keeping with Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) criteria; and
5. the benefit sustains or restores a serving member to an operationally effective and deployable member of the CAF.

If however, this topical medicament is "medically necessary" then, yes, it could be authorized. However, by the same token you have to inform medical authorities of it when you are being medically examined for enrolment.

 

[Shadow_]

Hello Sir,

Thank you for responding.

The operative word is "prescription". As such, the item has to be prescribed by a physician. While I'm not so naive as to expect that there aren't physicians who prescribe items that are not medically necessary, they do have certain legal obligations to do so.

The prescription I am using is for the treatment and prevention of severe acne (I am on maintenance stage now so it does not come back). Contrary to the point of view of other people, acne is painful and is associated with psychological distress due to confidence issues. Since it is not directly concerned with treatment of disease or illness, on your opinion, do you think they would prescribe it to me since it affects me by negative emotional response due to self-esteem issues and since I am aiming towards getting deployed to a purple trade anyways?

To digress the topic, will there be a swimming test in BMQ?

I truly appreciate your time and patience Sir.

 

[brihard]

Hello Sir,

Thank you for responding.

The prescription I am using is for the treatment and prevention of severe acne (I am on maintenance stage now so it does not come back). Contrary to the point of view of other people, acne is painful and is associated with psychological distress due to confidence issues. Since it is not directly concerned with treatment of disease or illness, on your opinion, do you think they would prescribe it to me since it affects me by negative emotional response due to self-esteem issues and since I am aiming towards getting deployed to a purple trade anyways?

To digress the topic, will there be a swimming test in BMQ?

I truly appreciate your time and patience Sir.

What you’re asking with regards to the prescription is really a question about management of a relatively minor preexisting medical condition. That makes it a question to be addressed during pre-enrolment medical screening. The recruiting process involves medical assessment, and at that stage they would make a determination about whether there are any medical needs incompatible with CAF’s medical standards for enrolment. So, apply, go through the process, and when you reach the medical stage, that will be a discussion to have with the medical practitioner(s) involved at that stage.

Prescription cream for acne- totally fair and reasonable sounding. CAF just needs to be sure that you aren’t dependent on any medication that would cause you to become unfit to fight if you ended up without access to your medication in an operational setting.

Bear in mind that as part of recruit training you can expect to be slathering camouflage paint on your face at times. That tends to be a bit rough on the pores and to cause pimples. Not sure how that would look with severe acne… Though I’ve definitely served with colleagues who had periods of severe acne and were otherwise fine.

 

[Blackadder1916]

. . . Since it is not directly concerned with treatment of disease or illness, on your opinion, do you think they would prescribe it to me since it affects me by negative emotional response due to self-esteem issues and since I am aiming towards getting deployed to a purple trade anyways?

ABC . . . Accuracy, Brevity, Clarity - the desired characteristics of military writing (communication).

Acne is a medical condition and a medication prescribed for its treatment is "directly concerned with treatment of disease or illness", and has a different connotation than "skin care routine". Whether CF health authorities would continue the prescription is entirely subject to the assessment they would make. No one here can make that call, nor can anyone here provide any indication about the possibility that your acne could medically disqualify you (even temporarily) for the CAF.