I avoided the draft by – – enlisting. After I was in the service an Army doctor informed me during a routine physical that I had “pes planus” – i.e., flat feet. He asked me if that was something that I wanted noted in my medical file, given that it might get me a medical discharge. I said “No, I want to serve.” He chuckled and said there were a thousand guys waiting to be drafted who would give up a lot of money to have my feet.

And then he agreed to keep it between us and I served for a total of 10 years beginning with an Infantry assignment and ending as a Basic Training Instructor at Fort Dix. What was hilarious is that, at my final discharge physical, the doctor doing that exam noted that I had flat feet.

Some of us put aside reasons like that because we believed that we had a duty to serve. And some claimed – falsely – that they had “bone spurs” to get out of serving. I guess some people are raised to believe that service to our country is honorable and others are raised to believe that our country has a duty to serve them.

I had flat feet my entire life. Joined the Marines in 67. They found i had flat feet during the induction physical at Chicago. Noted it in my SRB and …. next.

During marching in the grinder at MCRD San Diego my feet and lower legs went numb. I collapsed and my Platoon Comander, SSGT Estrada, sent me to sick bay.

After all the testing was done, doctor asked me If I wanted out if the Marines. Said no and he gloated me saying I can get a medical discharge. I again refused. He then said that he thought I came to sick bay to get out. I somewhat screamed no way, I didn’t want out and another doctor sitting next to him (think he was a Navy Captain) said that they were only testing me. Wanted to see if i was trying to use flat feet to get out.

Told me that when they ran xrays they found that the cartridge in the balls of my feet had worn through. Exposed the nerves. Apparently it was related to the different angle the foot hits the ground during marching.

They gave me three different types of pain killers to take for next two weeks and sent me back to the platoon. My platoon comander, SSGT Estrada examined the pain pills they gave me and said he expected me to keep up with the rest of the platoon. But I knew he was watching over me during those two weeks.

So to answer the question, flat feet can cause a soldier, sailor or Marine to fail during long periods on their feet. Marching is much different than walking, changes the angle of the angle when it meets the ground. (Back in the 60’s we used a form of goose-step, somewhat like the Germans in the 40’s.)

It causes wear in the cartridge until new cartridge forms. Flat feet causes more wear than normal feet and when the cartridge wears through, it’s extremely painful. So much so, I couldn’t even remain on my feet.