1/C Medical Waiver Process ?

[1/C Waiver Issue]

1/C Mid received medical waiver for condition four years ago. Mid recently received word that medical condition is threatening chance to be commissioned. Waiver is going to need to be obtained. Mid was permitted to submit service selections this week on the basis that there was no downside to allowing Mid to do that in case waiver is obtained. Mid wants to and will do EVERYTHING possible to be commissioned.

Question: Is there anyone in the system at USNA who advises Mids about or assists Mids in the waiver-seeking process ? If so, who?

Yes, I know my Mid is handling the situation, but they are not aware of the collective amount of information and knowledge of the people on this site. I cannot express to you how high of a priority this matter has for this Mid and our family. Thank you.

[Whistle Pig]

P.M. me about this

[kinnem]

Originally Posted by 1/C Waiver Issue

1/C Mid received medical waiver for condition four years ago. Mid recently received word that medical condition is threatening chance to be commissioned. Waiver is going to need to be obtained. Mid was permitted to submit service selections this week on the basis that there was no downside to allowing Mid to do that in case waiver is obtained. Mid wants to and will do EVERYTHING possible to be commissioned.

Question: Is there anyone in the system at USNA who advises Mids about or assists Mids in the waiver-seeking process ? If so, who?

Yes, I know my Mid is handling the situation, but they are not aware of the collective amount of information and knowledge of the people on this site. I cannot express to you how high of a priority this matter has for this Mid and our family. Thank you.

I don't know any of the answers here, but if someone can explain why a Midn who had a waiver for a condition when he enrolled is suddenly in jeopardy of commissioning because of that same condition, I sure would like to know. Is this just a mixup? Have rules on this condition changed? Is, perhaps, the condition worse than it was at the time of enrollment? Is it something else?

Just looking to understand how this can happen. If anyone has insights I, for one, would love to learn more about this topic.

I hope all works out well for the Midn in question.

[NavyHoops]

I did not have this issue, but my room mate did. She worked very closely with the doctors to ensure all tests and paperwork were filled out. That was the key and they had no issue once all the correct docs were submitted. I think my class had 4-5 people that were non-commissionable. It was for a myriad of issues but all of them were developed while being Midshipmen and none of them would have been accepted with those conditions if they had had them during their DoDMERB screenings. If I remember right it was diabetes, severe chrones disease, severe depression, cancer and one or two other things I do not remember. I had a buddy commissioned who had half a lung removed due to cancer and another who was deaf in one year. They were restricted line, but still commissionable. Good luck to your son, ensure he makes alot of copies of his paperwork, checks and re-checks it all gets to the right places (ensure he has good POCs, both email and phone numbers for all the folks who handle paperwork), and keeps open comms with his doctors. Just an FYI... not sure what he is service selecting, but if he is selecting pilot they will receive another flight physical once they arrive in Pensacola. I had a handful of friends who passed the pre-commissioning physical 2/C year, but failed the flight physical once in Penscola. Best of luck.

[Luigi59]

Originally Posted by kinnem

Is, perhaps, the condition worse than it was at the time of enrollment?

It can be a simple as that, yes.

Eyesight is a good example - cadets/mids may make it through DODMERB just under the cutoff for uncorrected vision, and it may worsen over the course of 3.5 years where it now exceeds the commissioning standard.

[Whistle Pig]

Originally Posted by NavyHoops

I did not have this issue, but my room mate did. She worked very closely with the doctors to ensure all tests and paperwork were filled out. That was the key and they had no issue once all the correct docs were submitted. I think my class had 4-5 people that were non-commissionable. It was for a myriad of issues but all of them were developed while being Midshipmen and none of them would have been accepted with those conditions if they had had them during their DoDMERB screenings. If I remember right it was diabetes, severe chrones disease, severe depression, cancer and one or two other things I do not remember. I had a buddy commissioned who had half a lung removed due to cancer and another who was deaf in one year. They were restricted line, but still commissionable. Good luck to your son, ensure he makes alot of copies of his paperwork, checks and re-checks it all gets to the right places (ensure he has good POCs, both email and phone numbers for all the folks who handle paperwork), and keeps open comms with his doctors. Just an FYI... not sure what he is service selecting, but if he is selecting pilot they will receive another flight physical once they arrive in Pensacola. I had a handful of friends who passed the pre-commissioning physical 2/C year, but failed the flight physical once in Penscola. Best of luck.

GREAT and very informative, insightful response! Thank you!

[1/C Waiver Issue]

Thanks for your thoughts. Mid will be working with the doctors, getting new tests performed, ect., and will somehow overcome this.

What I was looking for, however, is whether anyone knows anything about any appeal process or, better yet, whether there is anyone in the USNA or USN system who is knowledgable and can advise or even assist (i.e., an ombudsman-like role) the Mid in the process.

Thank you.

[dunninla]

there is a subsection of this Bulletin Board for DODMERB: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/...splay.php?f=20

There used to be a Larry Mullen who would post often, and reply to private messages. He left that position a little over a year ago. Not sure if anyone official still posts to this site.

[Luigi59]

Originally Posted by dunninla

there is a subsection of this Bulletin Board for DODMERB: http://www.serviceacademyforums.com/...splay.php?f=20

There used to be a Larry Mullen who would post often, and reply to private messages. He left that position a little over a year ago. Not sure if anyone official still posts to this site.

At this point, DODMERB is not a factor, they only deal with incoming cadets and mids. Once they are in, it is a Navy matter.

[usnabgo08]

I'm not sure what exactly is going on....the doctors doing the pre-commissioning physicals should be the ones helping the MIDN through this appeals process and if not, I would be running down to see them. I would like to believe that if the MIDN saw any doctor on the Yard or an officer in the professional development (service selection) office, they would be able to point he/she in the right direction. That would be my first step.