ADHD Waiver AF ROTC?

My son is a 2nd semester Freshman AFROTC cadet who has recently received a letter stating that he is DQ'd(via DoDMERB) because of his past history of ADHD & denied a medical waiver because his condition exceeds waiver limits?

Here's alittle history for you...He hasn't taken any meds(Adderall)since May 2012 and this has been documented by the prescribing physician. He is an excellent student(Deans Scholar his Fall Semester in college & Phi Theta Kappa Member) and already has completed 61 college credit hours and has his Associate in Applied Science Degree after only one semester of college. My child has also held a job since his Freshman year in High School,is a hard worker and a very good role model to his peers.

In the letter he received from the Chief Medical Standards Branch it stated that a medical waiver can be considered in April 2014? Is there a reason he has to wait a whole year to try for another waiver? If this is the case would he be able to continue with the ROTC program until his next waiver request or does this letter mean he is being disenrolled?

I'm so very proud of his determination to want to continue this dream of being commissioned as an officer in the Air Force and would love any advice or help in this matter.

bradnang said:

My son is a 2nd semester Freshman AFROTC cadet who has recently received a letter stating that he is DQ'd(via DoDMERB) because of his past history of ADHD & denied a medical waiver because his condition exceeds waiver limits?

Here's alittle history for you...He hasn't taken any meds(Adderall)since May 2012 and this has been documented by the prescribing physician. He is an excellent student(Deans Scholar his Fall Semester in college & Phi Theta Kappa Member) and already has completed 61 college credit hours and has his Associate in Applied Science Degree after only one semester of college. My child has also held a job since his Freshman year in High School,is a hard worker and a very good role model to his peers.

In the letter he received from the Chief Medical Standards Branch it stated that a medical waiver can be considered in April 2014? Is there a reason he has to wait a whole year to try for another waiver? If this is the case would he be able to continue with the ROTC program until his next waiver request or does this letter mean he is being disenrolled?

I'm so very proud of his determination to want to continue this dream of being commissioned as an officer in the Air Force and would love any advice or help in this matter.

Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure he can continue in AFROTC but he cannot contract until he gets the waiver. I know they require a certain amount of time off any drugs prior to granting a waiver. Sounds like the time period is now 2 years. Finally, I also think that April 2014 is soon enough to allow him to attend SFT and contract. These are all good questions for your son to ask the cadre who would be the official source of info in this specific situation and are best situated to give him some guidance. He sounds like a great kid. Please keep us posted on any outcome.

DODMERB Guidelines

This is what DODMERB allows:

28. LEARNING, PSYCHIATRIC, AND BEHAVIORAL

a. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) (314) UNLESS the following criteria are met:

(1) The applicant has not required an Individualized Education Program or work accommodations since the age of 14.

(2) There is no history of comorbid mental disorders.

(3) The applicant has never taken more than a single daily dosage of medication or has not been prescribed medication for this condition for more than 24 cumulative months after the age of 14.

(4) During periods off of medication after the age of 14, the applicant has been able to maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average without accommodations.

(5) Documentation from the applicant’s prescribing provider that continued medication is not required for acceptable occupational or work performance.

(6) Applicant is required to enter service and pass Service-specific training periods with no prescribed medication for ADHD.


So it depends on a number of factors. But the most important is that he cannot not have had an IEP since he was 14, and he cannot have taken more than a single dose of medication per day for more than 24 CUMULATIVE months. So if he had an IEP in High School, then he would be outside of the parameters for a waiver. If he had taken medication for more than 2 years after the age of 14 then he would not be within the parameters of a waiver, the same if he took more than one dose of medication per day.

Good luck, but not matter how this shakes out, your son sounds like a very accomplished and talented young person.

You may want to post this on DoDMERB.

Best of luck to DS. Sounds like we don't need to encourage him to hang in there.

My guess why you must wait is not because it is now 2 yrs for the waiver, but DoDMERB exams are VALID for 2 yrs. They made their determination in 2012, thus they will not look at him again for 2 yrs.

I would have him get in contact with DoDMERB and AFROTCHQ immediately via the cadre. See if there is a way they(cadre) now can help him get a waiver.

The problem is for SFT, if I recall correctly they are going to want him to be cleared through DoDMERB before the board meets, IOTW around Dec. If not before I know for our DS that he had to submit medical paperwork @ a month (Mar/Apr) after being selected. He was on scholarship, so it wasn't the DoDMERB he had to submit, but a quick annual check up for shots. Either way, his current DoDMERB would be still used, and he would still be DQ'd. Thus, it would be a problem. If he can't go to SFT because of the exam, he would be dis-enrolled.

Good luck

dosage of meds

Thank you very much for your replies.

Since the medical standards state. " The applicant has never taken more than a single daily dosage of medication or has not been prescribed medication for this condition for more than 24 cumulative months after the age of 14."

If my son was prescribed 2 pills of 5mg Adderall a day, would this disqualify him?? He stopped taking his meds in May of 2012 at the age of 18 & he never took pills on the weekends, spring break, Christmas break or summer breaks.

My son has an appointment set up to visit with his Det. Captain to see what he says and if he can help keep him enrolled in the program.

Yes, I would say he will not be able to get the waiver as it stands right now but my point is it doesn't hurt to get them one board right now. I am not your doc.

I am assuming the cadre does not know he was DQ'd last yr because he is not contracted.

He has to get ahead of this because of SFT. 50% of the score currently will be the CoC's rec. A CoC is highly unlikely to give my top cadet if they know that they are DQ'd currently and can't get a waiver until a month after the results are released, and still it is the waiver system that they will have to deal with AFROTCHQ.

As hard as it may be to read this, the road for AFROTC may be over right now if he is on a 4 yr graduation path. A 5 yr, with a critical manning career field, EE, CE, etc. may be easier. They can waive him his C200 yr, and support him as a 500 (jr yr-non SFT grad) the following yr because he would still have 2 yrs left.

As hard as it is to read, wouldn't he feel better knowing now before next fall? SFT selection is a stresser on every cadet. If the cadre comes back and says it is a no go, they can inform how to do the next steps later on...i.e. if he can apply for OCS. They may say come back to us when you are a junior and we will write a rec for you for OCS. Our friend's DS did not do AFROTC, decided too late, and over the summer of his senior yr in college he applied for OCS. He got it, and a rated slot (CSO). He will report to Maxwell in July.

Best of luck. It is just important that you keep looking at everything as another path.

Thanks

Pima,

Thank you so much! I will pass this along to my DS so he can speak to his Cadre.

Bottom line here...

NOBODY on this forum can answer your question accurately. We can all read the DODMERB OI, etc...etc...

But having dealt with this 5 times so far this year with JROTC cadets...the ONLY people that can answer this are at DODMERB. That's who you need to contact.

The ROTC PAS and staff can do a LOT of phone calls, and they can speak with the appropriate people to get a GOOD "idea" however, as the PAS at two AZ universities said: "DODMERB must make the call..."

I'd try to get more info from the DODMERB folks.

But regardless, I wish your son all the best. He sounds like the type young man I'd want as one of my officers!

Steve
USAFA ALO
USAFA '83

Appreciate you

Thank you all very much for your replies. I will keep you posted as to the verdict he receives. Hopefully it will be a positive outcome for him.

Good news

Update: DS spoke to his captain yesterday who let him know that he can finish out this semester as ROTC cadet but must skip next semester and then start back up Spring Semester 2014(DS will be 2nd Semester Sophomore at that point). He will also need to probably tag on a minor or look at double majoring to lengthen his 4 year degree.