This is my first post on this site which has been invaluable in learning about the SAs and ROTC processes. Please forgive the long post.
My son (rising Sr. in HS) is applying to USAFA, USNA, USCGA, and AFROTC and NROTC scholarships. During freshman year, he had stomach cramps/gas pains (not diarrhea or constipation) that only manifested during the school day. These symptoms started coincidentally after being diagnosed with Mono. We took him to his pediatrician in January 2011 who said “sounds like a clear cut case of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)” and he put him on prescription anti-spasmodic medication which he continued to take until February 2013. IBS is one of those syndromes that does not have a test (positive or negative) but is diagnosed based on symptoms. The following is a medical DQ associated with IBS:
“Current or history of irritable bowel syndrome (564.1) of sufficient severity to require frequent intervention or prescription medication or to interfere with normal function.”
He only took the medicine while school was in session (not on weekends or during summer/winter breaks). Since the initial visit to the doctor in January 2011, he has not visited the doctor again for follow-up for additional problems with his stomach. I believe, as does a doctor where I work, that the medicine may have been having a placebo effect, especially since he went for long periods of time without using the medicine (e.g., summer vacation) and without symptoms and he has not had any problems since fully stopping the medicine this February. Perhaps he outgrew the condition. He has never had any issues with diarrhea or constipation and no real problems since early 2011. Unfortunately, he continued to take the medicine as a precaution and/or mental crutch. We have copies of his medical records which document the January 2011 visit with IBS and the use of the prescription medication since that date. So here are my questions:
1. Should we have him evaluated by his pediatrician and/or another doctor (specialist?) to document the information that I summarized above and to see if they can provide a letter with evidence or justification to support a waiver or prevent a DQ? If so, should this evidence be included with the DODMERB paperwork when it is submitted or wait until it is requested? Any other suggestions on how to maximize the chance of a waiver or not to receive a DQ?
2. If he is not granted a waiver (by any of the authorities), can he join ROTC (not on scholarship) and then go through the DODMERB process again recognizing by that point in time (e.g. during soph. year of college for AFROTC before SFT), he will hopefully have been off the medicine for nearly three years. It would seem his waiver chances are greater for the longer period of time that he is off the medicine.
3. If he cannot go back through the DODMERB process as described in #2 above, should we just suspend applying for the SAs and ROTC scholarships (we can afford to send him to school without a scholarship, but the scholarship would be nice if awarded) and let him join ROTC and take his chances after his sophomore year when he has been off the medicine for three years? Should we discuss this with the ROTC cadre?
Any other advice would be appreciated because he has had a dream of serving as a military officer since he was 7 or 8 years old.
My son (rising Sr. in HS) is applying to USAFA, USNA, USCGA, and AFROTC and NROTC scholarships. During freshman year, he had stomach cramps/gas pains (not diarrhea or constipation) that only manifested during the school day. These symptoms started coincidentally after being diagnosed with Mono. We took him to his pediatrician in January 2011 who said “sounds like a clear cut case of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)” and he put him on prescription anti-spasmodic medication which he continued to take until February 2013. IBS is one of those syndromes that does not have a test (positive or negative) but is diagnosed based on symptoms. The following is a medical DQ associated with IBS:
“Current or history of irritable bowel syndrome (564.1) of sufficient severity to require frequent intervention or prescription medication or to interfere with normal function.”
He only took the medicine while school was in session (not on weekends or during summer/winter breaks). Since the initial visit to the doctor in January 2011, he has not visited the doctor again for follow-up for additional problems with his stomach. I believe, as does a doctor where I work, that the medicine may have been having a placebo effect, especially since he went for long periods of time without using the medicine (e.g., summer vacation) and without symptoms and he has not had any problems since fully stopping the medicine this February. Perhaps he outgrew the condition. He has never had any issues with diarrhea or constipation and no real problems since early 2011. Unfortunately, he continued to take the medicine as a precaution and/or mental crutch. We have copies of his medical records which document the January 2011 visit with IBS and the use of the prescription medication since that date. So here are my questions:
1. Should we have him evaluated by his pediatrician and/or another doctor (specialist?) to document the information that I summarized above and to see if they can provide a letter with evidence or justification to support a waiver or prevent a DQ? If so, should this evidence be included with the DODMERB paperwork when it is submitted or wait until it is requested? Any other suggestions on how to maximize the chance of a waiver or not to receive a DQ?
2. If he is not granted a waiver (by any of the authorities), can he join ROTC (not on scholarship) and then go through the DODMERB process again recognizing by that point in time (e.g. during soph. year of college for AFROTC before SFT), he will hopefully have been off the medicine for nearly three years. It would seem his waiver chances are greater for the longer period of time that he is off the medicine.
3. If he cannot go back through the DODMERB process as described in #2 above, should we just suspend applying for the SAs and ROTC scholarships (we can afford to send him to school without a scholarship, but the scholarship would be nice if awarded) and let him join ROTC and take his chances after his sophomore year when he has been off the medicine for three years? Should we discuss this with the ROTC cadre?
Any other advice would be appreciated because he has had a dream of serving as a military officer since he was 7 or 8 years old.