TWIC

kpdad2015

5-Year Member
Joined
Jan 3, 2011
Messages
88
I thought getting the TWIC was supposed to take 6 weeks. My DS applied last Monday, on Saturday he received an email that it was ready for pickup, and now just 10 days after applying he has his card!! Well that's one thing off the list, now we move on to his passport, shots, and wisdom teeth.:biggrin:
 
Enjoy the ride to Indoc! We were lucky - DS already had a passport (although we had to renew it before he went out to sea) and the TWIC was easy for us - but we're near a port. Glad you're getting the wisdom teeth taken care of - our dentist wouldn't remove them, so DS ended up at a dentist in Great Neck getting all four removed at once before he went to sea. Not a big problem, but it would have been easier if our dentist just removed them before Indoc.
 
Enjoy the ride to Indoc! We were lucky - DS already had a passport (although we had to renew it before he went out to sea) and the TWIC was easy for us - but we're near a port. Glad you're getting the wisdom teeth taken care of - our dentist wouldn't remove them, so DS ended up at a dentist in Great Neck getting all four removed at once before he went to sea. Not a big problem, but it would have been easier if our dentist just removed them before Indoc.

For the last couple of days I've been seeing a lot of information about wisdom teeth being removed before arriving at the Academy. Is it a requirement that all Mids have wisdom teeth removed? I guess I must've missed this information somehow. Any clarification would be appreciated.
Thanks!
 
For the last couple of days I've been seeing a lot of information about wisdom teeth being removed before arriving at the Academy. Is it a requirement that all Mids have wisdom teeth removed? I guess I must've missed this information somehow. Any clarification would be appreciated.
Thanks!
It's not a "requirement," but if they have not come through in place and there's any possibility that they are impacted, the school doctor will not clear them for sea duty until they are removed.
 
It's not a "requirement," but if they have not come through in place and there's any possibility that they are impacted, the school doctor will not clear them for sea duty until they are removed.

My wisdom teeth are going to, supposedly, remain completely impacting. Does this mean I should get them removed before Indoc?
 
If getting them out before INDOC is not possible - they will do them at school- see thread "Wisdom Teeth" either the school doctor will do them or they will send you to a surgeon in Great Neck- if you go to the outside doctor it's on you and your insurance.
 
NIBBINS

My DD has 1 Nibbin....a wisdom tooth that has NOT developed even into a tooth.
I refused to have her Dentist remove it, especially when it was not growing...proof being in the Xrays.

Before each Sea Year, I would have the visit to the Dentist, take a copy of the Xray and have the Dentist write a letter stating it was NOT necessary for her to go through the surgery. That worked every time. A nusience, but no removal!

CHECK THOSE XRAYS to see if it is necessary FIRST
 
My DD has 1 Nibbin....a wisdom tooth that has NOT developed even into a tooth.
I refused to have her Dentist remove it, especially when it was not growing...proof being in the Xrays.

Before each Sea Year, I would have the visit to the Dentist, take a copy of the Xray and have the Dentist write a letter stating it was NOT necessary for her to go through the surgery. That worked every time. A nusience, but no removal!

CHECK THOSE XRAYS to see if it is necessary FIRST

Wow, wish I had this information before my DS went.....we bought in to the popular view that is was REQUIRED. I seem to remember a somewhat testy exchange between myself and the very active poster here KP2001. In the end, we errred on the side of just get it done and put it behind us.....It still seems like we subjected our DS to something that might have been avoided, and your post kind of confirms that.....but, you just never know what is going to happen way out in the deep blue sea do ya?
 
Wow, wish I had this information before my DS went.....we bought in to the popular view that is was REQUIRED. I seem to remember a somewhat testy exchange between myself and the very active poster here KP2001. In the end, we errred on the side of just get it done and put it behind us.....It still seems like we subjected our DS to something that might have been avoided, and your post kind of confirms that.....but, you just never know what is going to happen way out in the deep blue sea do ya?
There was no way they would let our DS go to sea without getting the teeth out.
 
One mans opinion

This wisdom tooth thing comes up time and again. DS had all four of his removed at the beginning of Easter Vacation during senor year of high school. The way we looked at was this:

1) Have the teeth removed by a local oral surgeon that we knew of and had recommendations from parents of HS classmates. We have insurance coverage so $$ was not a issue. Son was at home, under our care, during the short (2-3 day) recovery period.

2) Have them removed by the KP recommended surgeon before sea term. Possible precious time lost from class and convalesce with no parental "support".

3) And this, in my opinion, is unthinkable, the teeth come in while at sea. What then? A loved one, maybe off the coast of a third world nation, let's say Somalia, in need of an emergency third molar extraction.

Of course the decision is a personal one.
 
2) Have them removed by the KP recommended surgeon before sea term. Possible precious time lost from class and convalesce with no parental "support".
DS had the surgery on a Friday afternoon and was back in class on Monday. He had to wait a few more days before he could go to track practice. Not the end of the world. And he didn't want us to come down, even though we're within driving distance. Nothing like that independent streak.:rolleyes: Still, I wish we could have convinced our dentist to do the surgery before Indoc.
 
DS had his wisdom teeth taken out at KP- no problems. He was back in class on Monday- and had lots of extra rack in time (in his words "bonus"). They (the company) are truly a family and take care of one another!
 
Wisdom

Our Dentist says that he wil not remove Wisdom teeth for DS as they are so far down it would be more dangerous to remove. Can someone give me an idea on how many students need to have this done before or during their stay? is it 50%? 90%? Based on what I'm reading seems that it is a high %. Ou Dentist never heard of pulling teeth for no reason.
Thanks
 
This wisdom tooth thing comes up time and again. .....................Of course the decision is a personal one.

Nope nothing personal about it. In the end you are not dealing with a hometown dentist or a hometown physician. You are dealing with the government. You are dealing with the military view of mission critical criteria. You are dealing with logic that is logical to the policy makers. So, this really should stop coming up.....but, it apparantly will not.

Perhaps KP, during the admissions process, could be a little more specific about what is required and what is not. Then, the applicant can take it or leave it. (Kind of like the topic this thread started with, TWIC....pretty clear you MUST have it whether you think it is necessary or not.)

We bought in to (and I believe it to be the truth) of the policy about being no exeptions....like KDBAX said. So, he (DS) wanted to attend, this was part of it, so the deed was done. He has perfect teeth, not a cavity ever, no expense ever spent on his teeth other than an annual visit, widsom teeth were never going to "sprout" given his anatomic configruation, so again, out they came. "Probably" could have waited years and years to do it, but going to sea, getting an education, following the advice of those with more experience in this specific area, just seemed to be the right way to go.......ok, I guess that does make it a personal decision.

A wise old midwest manager of mine once said; "Before you break a rule or try to change it, first take time to understand why it was put in place. Then, if you know/feel it needs to change it, go for it." In this case, I could not come up with an argument strong enough to change or fight this.
 
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Rules

2013Parent makes an excellent point. And here is something that incoming Candidates and their families need to understand.

KP is Federal Service Academy and there are rules that must be followed. And I am not speaking just to the wisdom tooth debate. There are going to many things that you just may not agree with but still need to conform to. If that presents a problem then perhaps a Service Academy is not the right path.

Just something to think about.
 
DS saw oral surgeon 8 weeks before reporting to KP. If teeth are to be pulled out the academy wanted at least 8 weeks for the healing process before indoc.

Two of DS's wisdom teeth were grown in completely, straight and not causing any trouble. The other 2 wisdom teeth were impacted (below the gum surface). Oral surgeon removed them the impacted teeth, signed a letter that the other two wisdom teeth were not a problem and the academy was fine with that. So it depends on the student's situation.

Some people just decide to have them out and be done with them.
 
To kind of get this thread back on track, in light of different policy changes, security measures, etc.; it will be interesting if we are still using our TWIC cards when renewals come up. One thing that I find handy with them is that they are accepted as ID at the airports that I use. For airports without maritime/offshore personnel traffic, I hear that may not be the case. It makes it easier for me to show my TWIC than dig out my driver's license.

As far as wisdom teeth, I don't remember this being as critical "back in the day". I know that I didn't have mine removed since I still have three of them. I do fine the proactive stance somewhat illogical, but then, again, there is some military involvement in the decision, so I guess it makes as much sense as anything that I experienced at the Academy. It seems to me they might as well take out everyone's appendix, since that may burst at sea, too. And with far more devastating results.
 
... It seems to me they might as well take out everyone's appendix, since that may burst at sea, too. And with far more devastating results.

Shhh... don't give anybody any silly ideas ....
 
I found a lost puppy, It is howling in my house, it is snowing, and now in the waiting room while ds gets all 4 wisdom teeth out! Woo Hoo must be spring break! On to the nearest port city in a few days for TWIC. How are you all spending your, uh, vacation?
 
It has been 40yrs. since I graduated KP and I still have all my wisdom teeth. The thought of a cadet having oral surgery in a third world country and missing his ship as well is not a pleasant thought. I understand where they are coming from.
 
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