I haven't been able to get a straight answer on this one through regular channels. Any help would be appreciated.

I'm currently employed by the ARA in an attempt to turn me into an officer.

At the moment I'm MEC 1, however Canberra causes mild asthma in me*. Apparently it's a relatively common phenomena. Because of this I'm about to be dropped to MEC 2. I don't get asthma anywhere but here.

Firstly, how much of an effect will a drop to MEC 2 have on my ability to deploy and on my corp allocation (post duntroon)?

Second, if I was at a different location, one that did not trigger asthma, would I be able to bounce back to MEC 1?


*By mild I mean that if I don't take the medication for a couple of days my 2.4km time will jump ~90 seconds and I'll start coughing early in the morning. No chance of death etc.

You can be deployed as MEC 201.

I'v seen 301 deploy.
Just depends on how bad they need you.

I got a waiver in 00. Helps if you're a vital cog in the machine and utterly indispensable.

I take it your a SCDT at RMC-D? 3rd class?

The above answers are all perfectly correct. MEC 201 is no biggie. It just means you can be deployed subject to certain limitations such as access to pharmaceutical support or access to an MO or access to specilist medical support.

There is a difference between employable and deployable. You can be employed as MEC3 but you won't be deployed unless you obtain a waiver.

WHat company are you part of? Tell me it's Kokoda, I have a soft spot for that company.

I have been 201 since 2000 and I still deployed.

Mind you mine is hearing and all it is is that stupid hearing test, normal everyday hearing is fine..

to many "BOOM"s

So how did you get the waiver?


All these new med classes confuse me. Is it the same as the old med class 4 ect.. system?

Thanks for all the info guys. I managed to get an answer to my second question by talking to a nurse instead of a doctor... There's a lesson in that somewhere.

Apparently I'll most likely be dropped to MEC 203. She didn't know much about deploying etc but according to her I can fairly easily bounce back up to MEC 1 after a couple of months somewhere that doesn't give me asthma. Looks like I just have to tough it out and wait until I'm posted.