Air Force speech impediment?

[DukeFool]

Basically I cannot pronounce my R's correctly. It usually comes out as w like Elmer Fudd. From what I understand, this impediment can be fixed with speech therapy. I just want to know if the Air Force would eliminate me from having any chance in the rated field with the speech impediment or even just having a history of it.

[Pima]

That is probably a DoDMERB question. I would leave it to AD members to answer, but I could see it being an issue because you will have to speak during a Mission.

[kp2001]

Not sure about air force specific but you may be disqualified from any aviation position without the ability to speak clearly.

[Pima]

Leave the DQ issue aside, honestly I doubt he would get a waiver for rated w/out speech therapy, but let's assume he does. IFS, UPT and FTU will be a beaach to him because of his impediment.

The question should not be: IF I CAN it should be IF I DO?

Get therapy now, because even if you get a slot, in the ADAF rated world they eat their young.

[Christcorp]

Not to make fun of a speech impediment, but in the 80's, I had a radar maintenance technician (enlisted) who had a similar impediment where he almost could never pronounce the letter "R". It always came out as a "W". Just like Elmer Fudd. One day during an equipment outage, this was the conversation. "I'll never forget it"

TECH: Job ConTWol, this is Wadar 1

CONTROL: Go ahead Radar 1

TECH: ConTWol, this is Wadar 1. The Wadar is Wed... I Wepeat, the Wadar is Wed.

CONTROL: Copy Radar 1. The Radar is Red. Request ETRO for handoff To Tower

TECH: Copy ConTWol. Wadar will be Westored on 30 mikes. TWansfer ConTWol to Tower at your discretion.

CONTROL: Copy Radar 1; Control out.

Funny? Yes. But, it shows that we did have individuals with such issues on active duty. Now; were the rules different 25-30 years ago? Possibly. Were the rules/standards different for an officer vs enlisted? Possibly. Could it be a "Selective" rule, meaning that it only applies to "Rated officers" that need to speak to ATC from many different countries and languages? Possibly. I have no idea of the right answer. But just like ANYTHING ELSE when it comes to the academy/rotc/medical/DQ/waivers/etc... The answer is 100% that you won't receive an appointment/scholarship if you DON'T APPLY. And that it's 100% that you have a CHANCE, if you DO apply. So; apply and let the system do it's think and run it's course. best of luck. mike....

[Vista123]

DS has speech therapy through 8th grade for "R"s. He did not get speech in high school. Not because he didnt need it-just because he wasnt going to improve anymore. He has fine initial "R"s but weak medial, blends and final "R"s. I always thought it would have been cheaper to move to Boston and he would have fit right in. He had his DODmerb physical today and had to read that Paragraph to prove articulation and reading ability (I guess that's why they have the paragraph). I did not go in with him but afterwards I asked the Dr. how it went and should we begin gathering paperwork on any remedials. He said perfect, no issues whatsoever in any area. So I think it depends on how weak your "R"s really are.

[Pima]

Vista,

I know you want to give hope, I do too. I am just wanting him to understand as an AFROTC cadet, if he gets rated, the initial Q from DoDMERB does not equate into being PPQ(Potentially Pilot Qual) for the AF. He has an impediment, and for him, if he wants rated he should get into therapy now.

AFROTC at UMDCP, or at any AFROTC det will send all rising C400's with rated slots to Wright Pat for a 3 day physical, not the 90 minute you take as a hs sr. 25% of the rated cadets that DS went with to WPAFB failed the EKG and had to be administered an EEG. Non-rated do not go to WPAFB.

He needs to understand that there is a difference between Q and PPQ. He needs to understand that this exam will not occur until his C400 yr. DS left WPAFB as PPQ, he became PQ(Pilot Q) @ 6 weeks later, and we sat on our hands for those 6 weeks.

DS commissioned in May with a rated slot. 3 cadets had their lives changed because of that 3 day physical. All were scholarship, and had passed the DoDMERB exam, no waivers needed.

Cadet1 was selected as an alt. from the rated board. In April, 30 days prior to commissioning, he was informed he was no longer an alt. If he passed the rated DoDMERB, he was going rated.
~~~ He learned that a rated cadet (different det) could not get a waiver regarding the results from his exam last summer, thus that cadet was now non-rated. This opened a slot for him.

Cadet2 lost her rated slot. She never went through the waiver process. It was black and white, her sitting height was too short for rated. End of subject. Period. Dot.

Cadet3 kept her rated slot with restrictions. Like cadet 2, her sitting height was an issue, but only for ejection seat air frames. She is going to UPT, but the AF has already tracked her to heavies.

The point is each one passed that exam with no DQs for scholarships when they were 17, each one got scholarships. Only when cadets had to take the rated DoDMERB exam their lives changed.

He needs to address the fact that if he passes the exam now, it doesn't mean he will pass the rated. He needs to have plan B in place. If he decides that non-rated is not for him, and he is scholarship he has until May to call the ball, or risk the fact that they can force him to pay the money back or enlist.

If this was my child, I would do a lot of research, and I would pm kp2001 for guidance. kp2001 is a flight doc. As a flt doc. kp knows the parameters and if that means he goes on his own dime to a specialist for the parameters, he should. I say that because many scholarship cadets forget that after graduation they owe 4 yrs AD. The cost of the exam maybe a few hundred out of pocket, the cost of not doing the exam could be their own happiness which is priceless.

He needs to be proactive now.