Received LOA-Med disqual

usna candidate

5-Year Member
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Jul 8, 2010
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Hey everyone. I just received a Letter of Assurance from the Naval Academy, but I was medically disqualified and am pending a waiver. Because I have an LOA, does this mean that I have a better chance of receiving a waiver. It's for migraines.
 
My daughter went through this last year. I don't think it has any effect on your waiver. Just that if you get the waiver, you will be admitted.

Have you sent the info to Mr. Mullen? He can answer all DoDMERB questions. On the other hand, this is past DoDMERB now.

Best Wishes.
 
Are we to assume from this post that LOAs are now being sent out?


I saw this too, and was wondering the same thing. I guess so. I didnt know that they were sent out before the first admissions board on September 1st. this is not cool that they are already going out. Makes me WORRY!!!! :eek:
 
LOA's are an iffy thing and few and far between. Since Medical and Admissions are supposedly separate I don't know how one effects the other. When they go out and who gets one are hard to determine. Contact Mr. Mullen regarding your DoDMERB status. I assume he will advise you that a waiver is dependent upon each service academy's admissions medical review unless DoDMERB, upon further review of submitted remedials, determines that your initial disqualification was in error and changes your status. Keep Fighting, Don't Worry about early LOAs and Good Luck.
 
I saw this too, and was wondering the same thing. I guess so. I didnt know that they were sent out before the first admissions board on September 1st. this is not cool that they are already going out. Makes me WORRY!!!! :eek:

Is September 1 a typo? I didn't think the first board met until October 1.
 
As of a few years ago, the first board met in late August. So, Sep. 1 isn't surprising. If they wait until Oct. 1, they'll never get done.:eek:
 
As of a few years ago, the first board met in late August. So, Sep. 1 isn't surprising. If they wait until Oct. 1, they'll never get done.:eek:

Wow. My son's application has been completed since June to include his medical qualification and Presidential nomination. When he called his BGO to schedule the interview, he told him he doesn't do them until after school starts and that's not until after Labor Day here. I'll have him call him again.
 
I "heard" that the first NROTC scholarship review board is scheduled to meet this week, but the USNA selection committee isn't scheduled to meet until September.

Anybody have any solid information on these board dates?
 
I guess they are sending out LOA's because I honestly did get one. I was surprised to get one so early, but I have heard of previous candidates receiving LOA's before September. My question was suppossed to be more or less around the fact that waivers are given because the candidates potential success out weighs the medical detriment. So does having an LOA(being very well qualified) increase my chance for a waiver?
 
I think a medical waiver is a medical decision made by a doctor according to established military guidelines and is not influenced by a LOA.
Good luck with your waiver and congratulations on your LOA!:thumb:
 
Our mid had an early LOA in July before her senior year but was told at the time that she still needed to be medically qualified which they made clear was a separate process. It still took a while to get her appointment since she hadn't finished any other part of her application. Her DODMERB process was smooth so that wasn't an issue. I would encourage you to contact Larry Mullen. He was incredibly helpful for us when our NROTC son was initially disqualified.
 
Wow. My son's application has been completed since June to include his medical qualification and Presidential nomination. When he called his BGO to schedule the interview, he told him he doesn't do them until after school starts and that's not until after Labor Day here. I'll have him call him again.

Absolutely call him! We are to complete our interviews when our candidates have reached approx. the 40% point and your son appears to be significantly past that point.
Both my wife and I have scheduled interviews as early as June or July. There is really no point delaying an interview if the candidate's package is ready :confused:
 
As to whether or not an LOA helps with a medical waiver, here is my best guess. Please note, it is only that, NOT official policy.

If you can't participate in plebe summer due to some medical issue (injury or otherwise), it won't be waived. So, having an LOA won't help. This happened to one of my candidates last year -- he wasn't sufficiently recovered from surgery by I-Day. Great candidate, highly recruited, LOA . . . no waiver. He had a great Plan B, BTW.

I suspect that if it is an issue such as color blindness or something else that allows you to participate fully at USNA but may limit your career options down the road . . . well, USNA can only take so many of those individuals. In that case, I would THINK that having an LOA MIGHT help (not be determinative) because it shows you are a highly qualified candidate.

The above said, I still believe the predominating consideration is medical and, thus, the answer to your question may largely depend on your particular DQ. I recommend you do NOT post details here as, even if you told us about your medical condition (which I recommend AGAINST), we still can't help you.

Contact Larry Mullen.
 
I guess they are sending out LOA's because I honestly did get one. I was surprised to get one so early, but I have heard of previous candidates receiving LOA's before September. My question was suppossed to be more or less around the fact that waivers are given because the candidates potential success out weighs the medical detriment. So does having an LOA(being very well qualified) increase my chance for a waiver?

How much of your application do you have in?
 
Question on vision waivers...

Regarding medical waivers, can someone please explain the eyesight one? I have heard that the USNA will pay for Lasik surgery at some point during their 4 years. So if that's true, and the candidate has no interest in aviation to begin with, why are people disqualified for vision? The USNA cutoff is much stricter than West Point.
Bottom line.....since after the Lasik surgery, their sight is back to 20:20, why are they not allowed a waiver to begin with?
 
LASIK surgery is not approved as an acceptable vision correction by the Navy. I don't think any SA allows eye surgery prior to admittance. PRK is the only procedure accepted and approved by the Navy after you are admitted. After review, by Navy Medical, a MID may be authorised PRK during the 2/c or 1/c year after vision stabilization. There are a lot of Busses taking the 2/c and 1/c to Bahesdsa on Saturdays for their PRK and followups. LASIK requires a flap cut out of the cornea which, in the Navy's current opinion, might under high G and/or if during remote shipboard assignments become detached and create a vision problem which could not be addressed without EVAC. It is still undergoing review and may change. If you really need the best information contact Mr. Mullen. He is the best with the up to date info.
 
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