AROTC - Speech Impediment - When to Seek DoDMERB Exam

[bringbacknelsoncruz]

Background
DS has a speech impediment and has accepted the 3-year AROTC scholarship awarded to his dream school. This expensive private school is generous with first year perks and room and board. However we could never afford his going there without the 3-year scholarship. Lastly, DS1 is about to commission out of this AROTC program and it and the school have been a fabulous fit for him and our family.

****Preface is that I may be entirely wrong about the timing of the ROTC medical qualification. I've researched and I am still confused. I think DS does not need to medically qualify before his sophomore year.

1. DS has speech impediment.
a. No speech therapy since 8th grade but problems with "r" sound and it is detectable
b. Sounds like he has a regional accent or is perhaps British
c. Does not impact his success socially or in his job or in leadership roles
d. But it exists and sometimes he needs to repeat his words

2. PMS Interview
a. I overheard parts of the zoom interview and his impediment was absolutely present
b. Yet awarded scholarship
i. Would this have been written up in the PMS evaluation and recommendation?

3. Private Speech Therapy
a. Just engaged with one to help with the "r" sounds


Questions and Concerns-Medically Qualifying

1. WHEN to seek medical exam
a. Cannot attend this school without ROTC scholarship
b. Yet does not need to be medically qualified until sophomore year

2. Waiver Process
a. The individual ROTC unit grants the speech waiver?
i. I am very confused about this part. I have tried to understand through research and I apologize that I've failed to comprehend
ii. If at individual ROTC unit, that bodes well for him based upon past feedback from JROTC units and teachers and coaches and employers etc.
b. If waiver is sought before he goes to school, who grants that waiver?
i. His pediatrician who states he is intelligible?

Bottom Line

We don't know how to proceed. There is a huge gamble of his going to school not knowing if he will medically qualify. Yet if my understanding of the waiver process is correct, he would do better to seek the waiver approval from the ROTC unit. The last thing we want is for him to have to leave the school after one year of college As I write this out I can imagine the answers being - attend your state public school. I hear you.

 

[Montana State Army ROTC]

DODMERB and Mr Mullen is your best source of info.

but the Army cadet command surgeon recommends a waiver. The PMS at your school is not the approval authority.

i would recommend starting DODMERB now and see.

 

[justdoit19]

There are several threads around the forums speaking to this topic. Specifically, attending a school one can afford, should an ROTC students ultimately be DQ’ed, and either unwaiverable, or the ROTC program doesn’t seek a waiver.

When applying, medical is not considered by the review board in order to award a scholarship. And ROTC programs don’t request DODMERB until a scholarship is awarded. So....you are kind of gambling on him passing DODMERB, or a waiver requested, when deciding upon a school.

Something to think about. Again, you can search and find more discussion about this as it happens almost every year, where a recipient cannot clear the medical piece. DODMERB is the authority deciding whether one meets medical standards or not. ROTC is the authority in deciding whether to waive or not (conditions that are waiverable).

 

[KingZunzie]

As stated, Mr. Mullen will be your best (and really only reliable) source of information and guidance. I do wonder if the speech impediment would get picked up though, unless there is/was an underlying medical condition. There is a question about stuttering or stammering in the medical history questionnaire, but not directly about speech impediment (to the best of my recollection). And being from the Boston area, I know that if struggling pronouncing "r's" was a disqualifier, there would be quite a few less Officers around, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs!

 

[thibaud]

Not sure why it would be a disqualifier... didn't seem to hinder Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery. Or Churchill. Or Lenin for that matter, or Moses.

 

[xray328]

He's going to be asked to read a paragraph, specifically:

72a. Reading Aloud Test: The Reading Aloud Test will be administered to all applicants. The test will be conducted as follows: Have the examinee stand erect, face the examiner across the room and read the boxed paragraph below aloud, as if he were confronting a class of students. If the applicant pauses, even momentarily, on any phrase or word, the examiner immediately and sharply says, "What's that?" and requires the examinee to start over again with the first sentence of the test. The true stammerer usually will halt again at the same word or phonetic combination and will often reveal serious stammering. Note any speech deficiencies, or history thereof, in Block 44.

READING ALOUD TEST: "You wished to know all about my grandfather. Well, he is nearly 93 years old; he dresses himself in an ancient black frock coat, usually minus several buttons; yet he still thinks as swiftly as ever. A long flowing beard clings to his chin giving those who observe him a pronounced feeling of the utmost respect. When he speaks, his voice is just a bit cracked and quivers a trifle. Twice each day he plays skillfully and with zest upon our small organ. Except in winter when the ooze of snow or ice is present, he slowly takes a short walk each day. We have often urged him to walk more and smoke less, but he always answers, "Banana oil!" Grandfather likes to be modern in his language."

I'd have him practice reading this passage so it's not something new the day of the exam.