Conditional Appointment

Hello everyone,

I received an appointment from KP a couple weeks ago contingent upon gaining medical qualification. I had two kidney stones 5 and 6 years ago which dq'd me and USMMA put me in for a waiver to BuMED, but they requested additional information (a nephrologist [kidney doctor] consult and a CT scan). The CT scan showed three tiny stones, two in my left kidney and one in my right. As you can imagine this news is just the latest in a string of heartbreaks. I am visiting the Academy tomorrow and am due to get my consultation with the nephrologist (who is very supportive of my goal to serve) later this week. I believe they will probably deny my waiver since I have stones right now. Is there anything I can do to fight this medical decision? Is there anyone at KP that I can talk to that could help me? What should I do next because I don't want to give up? And finally, is this incredibly minor issue going to stop me from serving my country in the armed forces?

Just sent you a PM

usnahopeful2014 said:

Is there anything I can do to fight this medical decision? Is there anyone at KP that I can talk to that could help me?

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The best person to talk to is 1)Larry Mullen from DoDMERB (check the DodMERB section for contact info) and 2)the admissions staff at USMMA.

What should I do next because I don't want to give up?

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Get the consults done and turned in as soon as feasible. Have the specialist write in his report his opinion as to the likelihood of this restricting your activity, etc.

And finally, is this incredibly minor issue going to stop me from serving my country in the armed forces?

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I'm going to give you personal anecdotes here on how this "incredibly minor issue" isn't so minor. I am currently deployed as a physician to the Middle East. In my short, relatively, time here I have had not one, not two, but three people from my squadron alone have problems with kidney stones. The issue is that it took these people out of "the fight" for many days and caused me to have to fly one guy completely out of the AOR at risk to not only himself, but the aircrew who took him. I had one who I almost had to send to another base in theater simply to get a test done because we didn't have the capability at my base. The other person luckily had theirs occur at a bigger base and didn't have to go anywhere, but was still not able to perform for quite a few days.

Now, take this same scenario and let's put you as a cadet on a ship during Sea Year at USMMA. You have a stone begin its passage from your kidney and you are in the middle of the (insert large body of water name here). The seas are a bit rough, but because the ship doesn't have anyone onboard who is trained beyond first responder level they want to get you off the ship for diagnosis and care. They talk with the Navy who just happens to have a ship nearby who then launches a helicopter to come get you. You've now put at risk everyone from the aircrew to yourself to the launch & recovery team at high risk for "this incredibly minor issue."


I'm not rambling to make you feel bad or make you think you shouldn't push for a waiver, I just like for people to understand the decisions and thought process that medical personnel put into waiver considerations. What is the risk/benefit of allowing this particular person into the service?

kp2001:

I do understand what you're saying, it is a risk and I wouldn't try and lie and say that possibility doesn't exist. Two things though. 1) My stones have always been very small, the two that I had before passed in less than a day with increased fluids. Am I saying that they could not grow larger, not necessarily, I know there are meds that are supposed to help with that, but I don't know KP and the Navy's policy on medication, but what I am saying is that with me, so far, it would take a bunch of bottles of water and a half a day to cure me for a couple years. 2) The second thing, and this irks me, is that I know for a fact based on talking to several Navy enlisted recruiters (you can imagine as an 18 yr old they call often) that my kidney stone condition is not disqualifying or at least is very waiverable. So my question would be, what's the difference between me being an officer on a ship who needs to be medivac'd or me being an enlisted sailor who needs to be medivac'd. Same risk to the same people.

usnahopeful2014,

There isn't a person in the military that is perfect. Everyone contributes something. If this is what you want, do whatever it takes to get it.

usnahopeful2014 said:

2) that my kidney stone condition is not disqualifying or at least is very waiverable.

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From the Manual of the Medical Dept: "Current or history of urolithiasis [kidney stones] within the preceding 12 months is disqualifying. Recurrent calculus...at any time is disqualifying."

So the same standards apply. What you will find is that there are times when people will "forget" their medical history when filling out enlistment forms.

So my question would be, what's the difference between me being an officer on a ship who needs to be medivac'd or me being an enlisted sailor who needs to be medivac'd. Same risk to the same people.

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Which is exactly why the standards are there. Believe me, I'm not saying don't try to get the waiver, I hope you get one, I seriously do. I'm only trying to let people know the "reasoning" behind these things.