Scoliosis? is any level a no go for admission

harris101

5-Year Member
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Nov 10, 2011
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My 17y old daughter has Scoliosis while mild and does not effect her and she is a top national ranked swimmer. I just want to know is it any type of scoliosis or is there a moderation level?
The USCGA is her first choice and has been for several years so this is a top concern.
 
harris101,

Please see the link below..

http://www.cga.edu/display.aspx?id=2932

You will find ,as you search the forums, many examples of candidates with various disqualifying medical conditions and the advice is always the same.... you will not know your child's waiver potential until you apply and go through the process. Each of the Academies have the sole power to grant medical waivers, independant of DoDmerb.
 
I know on past physicals to get cleared for high school sports I've been told I have mild scoliosis, but when I took the DoDMERB, I was cleared for all the academies I'm applying to (USNA, USAFA, and USMMA). I'm not sure if the scoliosis was even noticed on the DoDMERB though.
 
Of course, my information is a TAD dated:

When I was going through the commissioning process, I was told by the flight Doc who conducted my physical that my scoliosis was a disqualifier (I have 19% curvature of the spine). I remember his quote to me at the time was: "You MAY get a waiver, but you'll never fly for the AF, especially fast jets, as you won't be ejection seat qualified." To say I was crushed at the time would be an understatement.

Went through the waiver process, to include getting checked out (and recommended for flight duty) by a scoliosis specialist in the civilian world.

To this day, I can't remember the name of the flight Doc who told me "no go", or I would have invited him to my retirement ceremony a few years back so he could have seen me take my retirement oath standing in front of the F-15E I flew the day prior, surrounded by my squadron mates and family, where he could have read my bio that said that I ended up with over 2400 hours in fast jets.

Like I said, dated info. But like others are saying here, you really won't know anything until you go through the waiver process. I WOULD advise seeing a doctor who specializing in scoliosis to get their opinion and potential support if needed for the waiver.

Best of luck to you and your daughter!
 
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