Medical Disqualification Question

semperfi1005

5-Year Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2011
Messages
3
I am currently awaiting appointment to the Naval Academy and I would like to go into the Marine Corp. After talking to recruiters, I have been told that I don't qualify for the Marine Corps because I am missing just above the middle phalanx of my little finger. Also, they said there isn't a way I could receive a waiver for this. I haven't yet talked to a Navy recruiter, but I would imagine the rules would be the same. Can someone help clarify this problem for me? How could I be qualified for a service academy but not the Marine Corps?
 
nice to see another member with a hand condition. I was born without a middle phalanx knuckle (the middle knuckle) in all of my fingers in my left hand. The fingers are all also shorter than normal. I have gotten the same answer 100 times from different people which is "it depends."

I don't see how they could possibly tell you that you are not eligible for a waiver.

I am trying to get into AFROTC. I can easily demonstrate how my hand doesn't affect me in ANY way at all.

Believe me, you're lucky. My condition is 5x worse than yours (literally, haha). It has been my dream to become an officer in the USAF, and I will NEVER give up until every last option is exhausted. I had two different pilots from USAF tell me there is a waiver for EVERYTHING, and to never take no for an answer. There are guys flying without fingers and legs out there in the services. If they can do it so can I.

Best of luck,

Robert
 
And best of luck to you too, Robert. I like your style!
 
nice to see another member with a hand condition. I was born without a middle phalanx knuckle (the middle knuckle) in all of my fingers in my left hand. The fingers are all also shorter than normal. I have gotten the same answer 100 times from different people which is "it depends."

I don't see how they could possibly tell you that you are not eligible for a waiver.

I am trying to get into AFROTC. I can easily demonstrate how my hand doesn't affect me in ANY way at all.

Believe me, you're lucky. My condition is 5x worse than yours (literally, haha). It has been my dream to become an officer in the USAF, and I will NEVER give up until every last option is exhausted. I had two different pilots from USAF tell me there is a waiver for EVERYTHING, and to never take no for an answer. There are guys flying without fingers and legs out there in the services. If they can do it so can I.

Best of luck,

Robert

I like your attitude! I plan on doing the same thing. I've heard stories from people about cases in MEPS where people weren't even close to scoring a 31 on the ASVAB and were given a waiver, so I don't understand why there wouldn't be a waiver for my condition, especially when it has yet to limit me from doing anything in the 5 years since it has happened.
 
There are guys flying without fingers and legs out there in the services. If they can do it so can I.

Just for some context:

The difference here is that those conditions occurred AFTER the person was already in the service and qualified to fly. Getting a waiver after the military has spent millions of dollars on your training is a completely different world than that for someone applying to the program.
 
Yes, I am aware of that. The thing is I can easily prove that I am capable of performing my duties. And if I get a pilot slot I can prove that I can manipulate an aircraft's controls without a problem. Heck, I've done the real thing before and obviously had no trouble!

Edit*
kp2001, I noticed you are a flight surgeon. Could you comment on either of our medical conditions? Any info is helpful especially in terms of waivers.
 
I am currently awaiting appointment to the Naval Academy and I would like to go into the Marine Corp. After talking to recruiters, I have been told that I don't qualify for the Marine Corps because I am missing just above the middle phalanx of my little finger. Also, they said there isn't a way I could receive a waiver for this. I haven't yet talked to a Navy recruiter, but I would imagine the rules would be the same. Can someone help clarify this problem for me? How could I be qualified for a service academy but not the Marine Corps?


Recruiters can be, and often are, the worst source of information about the service academies and their admissions standards.

Don't rely on anything a recruiter tells you without getting it confirmed by an admissions source (BGO, CGO, etc).

I have had some comical conversations with misinformed recruiters regarding the academies.
 
To answer the original question, all personnel being medically screened for admission to the USNA, are screened to be unrestricted line naval officers. No one is screened for the USMC...for admission to the USNA.:thumb:
 
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