Is it common to get this vaccine in the USCG?  I've heard it's only for if you are deploying overseas, or if you have certain jobs.  Does anyone know which jobs, or how likely it is to have to get it?  I had mild eczema as a kid but I'm told that will not DQ me if I was under 9 when I had it, which I was.  Plus I was never officially diagnosed, that I know of.  I'm just nervous if I'd be more at risk for complications from the vaccine, being that I had eczema when I was little.  Do they give waivers for this?  Do they actually let people in with a history of childhood eczema, or just technically they 'can' but actually don't?

If you were never diagnosed by an MD, then you didn't have it. Your mom or grandma thinking you had it doesn't make it so. If you mention it at MEPS, it may open a whole can of worms you don't need.

Thanks for the heads up!
If anyone can answer any of the other questions, I'm all ears.

Chief answered... If you weren't diagnosed, you did not have it. It doesn't matter that Aunt Sally put some of her eczema meds on your rough skin and it cleared up. The doctor didn't diagnose it, you didn't have it.

For a while getting the vaccine was mandatory for everyone but I don't know the current policy.

For some reason, I seem to remember newer recruits saying not everyone gets it anymore. Of course with the military, if that was yesterday, that could be changed again today.

With the exception of the live smallpox vaccine, most vaccines are safe for a child who has eczema.

Live smallpox vaccine can lead to serious infection

One type of smallpox vaccine contains a live virus. This live vaccine can cause serious problems for anyone who:

• Has eczema
• Had eczema (even years ago)

Anyone who has (or had) eczema, should avoid:

• Getting the live smallpox vaccine
• Having skin-to-skin contact for about 30 days with anyone who gets the live smallpox vaccine

Skin-to-skin contact with someone who received the live smallpox vaccine can cause a serious infection known as eczema vaccinatum (EV). This infection develops in people who have (or had) eczema.

While EV is very rare today, it is important for anyone who has (or had) eczema to avoid skin-to-skin contact with anyone who receives the live smallpox vaccine. EV can be very serious.

It’s necessary to avoid skin-to-skin contact for about 30 days. This is how long it takes for the vaccinated area to scab and the scab to fall off.

Once the skin heals and the scab falls off, it’s safe to have skin-to-skin contact.

If you have skin-to-skin contact before the scab falls off:

• Immediately wash your skin if skin-to-skin contact occurs.
• Use soap and warm water to wash all skin that may have touched a recently vaccinated person.

Anyone who develops EV looks very ill and has a fever. These are signs that the person needs immediate medical care.

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References
Reed JL, Scott DE, et. al. “Eczema Vaccinatum.” Clin Infect Dis. 2012 Mar;54(6):832-40.

Vellozzi C, Lane M, Averhoff F, et al. “Generalized vaccinia, progressive vaccinia, and eczema vaccinatum are rare following smallpox (vaccinia) vaccination: United States surveillance, 2003.” Clin Infect Dis. 2005; 41(5):689-97.