I became Medically Qualified by DODMERB in the fall of 2010 for West Point and the AFA and I knew that if I were to have surgery I should contact DODMERB, so I did and told them that I was considering pilonidal cystectomy and what procedures I needed to follow. I was told that the surgery was fine and that all I needed to do was have my doctor send a letter to DODMERB explaining that I was cleared. So I had the surgery in December and in January had my doctor send the letter. After a few weeks I got a letter from DODMERB telling me to send in all medical records, I complied very quickly only to receive a letter a few weeks later stating that I was disqualified for both the USMA and AFA. Shortly thereafter West Point explained to me that it was too late in the admissions process to apply for me a waiver, thus denying me from West Point.
However my hopes were high when I was offered a Type 7 AFROTC scholarship to Clemson University only to receive a letter once again from DODMERB disqualifying from the scholarship also.
My questions are:
1) I take it that the fact that the AFA has not contacted me this entire process a bad sign. Correct?
2) What happens now that I have been DQ'd from my AFROTC scholarship? And what are the relative chances of receiving a waiver for my condition? (Which is fully healed and has been cleared by my doctor)
3) What should I do to help myself receive a waiver? (I just had my doctor send a strongly worded/urgent letter to DODMERB today.)
I'm looking for any answers. I feel like my whole college career has been ruined due to a negligent telephone operator at DODMERB. It seems to me that seeing as a pilonidal cystectomy within 6 months of evaluation DQs any applicant for any military branch, that the operator should have either #1 knowingly advised against surgery or #2 unknowingly deferred me to someone else who knew the policy instead of just okaying my decision to have the surgery. I could have averted this whole mess by just taking antibiotics or bathing in Epsom salt.
Although I have been disheartened several times now, my passion to become a military officer has not been languished and I will exhaust every possible mean to achieve that goal. Again if anyone has any advice I would appreciate it!
However my hopes were high when I was offered a Type 7 AFROTC scholarship to Clemson University only to receive a letter once again from DODMERB disqualifying from the scholarship also.
My questions are:
1) I take it that the fact that the AFA has not contacted me this entire process a bad sign. Correct?
2) What happens now that I have been DQ'd from my AFROTC scholarship? And what are the relative chances of receiving a waiver for my condition? (Which is fully healed and has been cleared by my doctor)
3) What should I do to help myself receive a waiver? (I just had my doctor send a strongly worded/urgent letter to DODMERB today.)
I'm looking for any answers. I feel like my whole college career has been ruined due to a negligent telephone operator at DODMERB. It seems to me that seeing as a pilonidal cystectomy within 6 months of evaluation DQs any applicant for any military branch, that the operator should have either #1 knowingly advised against surgery or #2 unknowingly deferred me to someone else who knew the policy instead of just okaying my decision to have the surgery. I could have averted this whole mess by just taking antibiotics or bathing in Epsom salt.
Although I have been disheartened several times now, my passion to become a military officer has not been languished and I will exhaust every possible mean to achieve that goal. Again if anyone has any advice I would appreciate it!
