Can anyone help?
I’m highly allergic (but not anaphylaxis level) to any oil based products on my skin. Last week I was forced to wear camo cream for fieldcraft. I felt and saw a reaction as soon as it went on my face. I have declared this but the staff member who made me put it on said it wasn’t in my medical records. Do I need a special form or shall I use a tg23?
I would have taken your word for it, rather than hold you to ransom over a TG23. This shouldn’t have happened, and you should not have been forced to wear cam cream. I have never seen a TG23 for such an issue either.
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That said, no harm in flagging it in advance for the future - and a tg23 would, I think, be the appropriate form.
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Yeah, but that does start us down a long and depressingly administrative road. 
I get irritated skin from cam cream…I end up looking like a lobster!
I was given a hint by a para that applying a thin layer of baby oil prior to cam cream helps firstly creates a barrier but also makes it easier to clean off.
Certainly put it on a TG form for future activities.
Also would raised with your OC that you were forced to wear it despite highlighting an allergy issur
I think this also falls to how the situation arose. Were you doing field craft as part of an off-sqn activity? Or was it a parade night? Were you aware that fieldcraft was going to be taking place, because if not, then it’s not surprising that it wasn’t on a tg23 (if it was off sqn), plus, I think it falls to common sense. Not every aspect of fieldcraft training covers cam cream application, and if it had been covered previously it’s not likely to be covered again unless doing an exercise. And most cadets don’t realise cam cream is oil based till they’re told when doing the training, where, most of the time, the question of is anyone is allergic to face paint/oil based creams goes out and the appropriate action should be taken. Yes the cadet might not be able to apply it themselves, but it doesn’t stop them helping others if they know the theory. At the end of the day, not all cadets put things on Tg23s and we’ve got to remember that, as annoying as it is. I’ve known parents of cadets who have so many tg23s that sometimes one can be forgotten, but you have to trust the cadet as at the end of the day, it’s a duty of care. The situation shouldn’t have happened, and because it did, it needs to be raised to the appropriate person, most likely your OC.
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No one in the organisation can be forced to do anything. Fact.
This must be raised to your OC.
I would recommend the same advice I gave a cadet on my Sqn who has a similar condition.
If on an activity on Sqn tell the lead member of staff you can’t due (reason).
If off Sqn activity, have it noted on a TG23. Not only important for the cam cream reason but many other products could impact you.
In a worse case scenario medics will need this info on hand.
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I can’t say much more than the above have said. If you come across an issue with a staff member feel free to take it higher or ring your parents and pass the phone to the staff member.
A TG23 is helpful, but I would put down a more general skin condition rather than specific allergy to cam cream.
As a side note. Carry some antihistamines with you as a just in case. I suffer from eczema and I’ve been caught out a few times not just with cam cream. Something like piraton or the own brand supermarket stuff will do you and should calm down the redness and itch. This isn’t medical advice just experience of someone who is allergic to life!
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Chlorphrenamine (Piriton) can and does induce drowsiness, so not a good idea.
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Shocking… would that same member of staff “force” a cadet to eat peanuts even when told they had a mild reaction to them. TG23 or not, staff have to believe what a cadet says about this stuff regardless of a form being in place.
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There are some throbbers in this organisation that no matter how much safeguarding training we give then still treat the cadets (and some staff) like they are trainees on basic training. #egotrip #bullying
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#piercings…
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And ironically, they’re usually the ones who never made it near any form of basic training in their life. Closest they’ll have come is full metal jacket…
To the OP, get an MTP/DPM* bucket hat and scrim net. You can wrap up your head, camouflage yourself, be perfectly well hidden, and not touch a drop of cam cream.
*Depending on your taste / rest of uniform.
Mirroring everything that has been said, no one should ever be forced to do anything in this organisation and I find people have forgotten that someo else can say no!
I have a mild reaction to peanuts. It isn’t anaphylaxis but it is uncomfortable. I used to put it on my medical forms anyway and on dietary requirement forms. Furthermore a mild reaction could one day be anaphylaxis, so it never hurts to put it on medical forms.
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As a side, side note, if pursuing this line, please, please, please ensure you flag it on a TG23 AND tell a staff member if you’ve taken any. (Furthermore, dont let the first time you take it be on a cadet event!!) This equally applies to staff.
People all respond differently to Chlorphenamine (along with all medications!). Personally, i am next to useless for 2 hours after taking it and am turned into a total zombie - some would say this is better than my normal operating function and state. However, I am not fit to supervise or look after cadets during that period. So I just put up with the allergen - as the consequences of the Chlorphenamine far outweigh the relief I get!
@Intruder - please try and avoid remotely prescribing medication to folk without knowing the backstory! Its proper bad juju.
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I think the real question is whether this was on unit or not. I have never asked for a TG23 for Fieldraft training on squadron.
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Minigriff, what Wing are you in please?
Nobody is required to give away any personal details here.
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Cant believe a member of staff forced someone to do an activity .It was one of my cardinal rules that if a cadet did not fancy an activity they did not do it.Pointless forcing them to do it as they would not be happy and in all honesty would probably make things harder for me as i would have forever been watching them.
The whole point of the cadets is to give cadets access to activities they cant get to do anywhere else.I appreciate that is a lot harder these days with the three pillars of the organisation (flying /gliding and shooting) being in a parlous state.Some people forget its meant to be FUN.
Gets me that this is so soon after a nationally reported incident involving a child’s allergy.
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