Finally throwing in the towel

cb7893

10-Year Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2011
Messages
3,484
Well, an NROTC scholarship just opened up at U Mich.

The decision was difficult. DS #2 was Medical DQ'd and he is not pursuing it further, at least for now. We saw it coming since the date of his eye injury. DS has a great future ahead of him (with perfect vision btw), so we are happy that a spot just opened for someone else. In all honesty, I think he aspired mostly to operate the biggest, baddest, and most sophisticated machines on the planet as much or more than he aspired to wear the uniform. I know he would have made an ideal Navy Officer based on his personal integrity, sense of personal responsibility, and his awesomely understated sense of humor. He is just too modest to realize it.

We appreciate all the help/advice we have received over the past several years with both DS's. #1 is still going strong as an MS II in AROTC.

I know there are DS's and DD's out there whose overwhelming focus is wearing the uniform and thank goodness for that. My DS's plans were dashed by a shot to the eye with a soccer ball on cardio Wednesday of his weight training class. Yours can be dashed just as easily, it won't matter how badly you want it. I would plead with you and your parents to develop parallel plans. Don't have a plan A and plan B. Have a plan A and plan A.

Best of luck to all!
 
Best wishes to your son and your family.

Yrs ago when I 1st joined here, the running joke was CONGRATS on the Nom, Scholarship, Apptmt. Now wrap your kid up in BUBBLE WRAP

I swear I lived in fear for @ 6-9 months.

Posters please take heed too the OP. One silly thing can end it. I am not saying live in a bubble, and stop enjoying life. I am saying if you love skiing, and it is now ice on the slopes think again.

If your friends are jumping on the tramp and having a ball laughing...don't get on the tramp, enjoy from the sidelines.

If you are playing soccer, baseball or any sport with your best buds, That win is not worth a broken foot because you wanted to win.

Think before you risk a chance of getting DQ. I am not saying that was the OP's case. I am saying things happen, why open yourself to more risks just because?
 
Good luck to your son CB. He sounds like a fine young man and I'm sure he'll do well whichever path he takes. I'm glad you all seem to have a positive attitude and that will go a long way as well. And finally, thanks for your line "... have a plan A and a plan A". That's a great way to put it and is also indicative of alternatives that are equally good, as opposed to the proverbial "backup".

Hope you'll be continuing to hang out on the forums. You provide good input and thought provoking arguments.
 
I'm glad to hear your son's vision is unimpaired.

May both of your sons enjoy great success on their paths. In the meantime, I look forward to your continuing contributions on this forum.
 
Nick, he took a soccer ball to the eye in the fall while working out. It tore something, don't recall what.
 
What was the injury that actually DQed him?

From an earlier post...DS is HS senior. He has applied for NROTC scholarship. We feel reasonably confident he will win one, but maybe not to his first choice school, out of state high dollar public.

Three weeks ago he was hit in the eye with a soccer ball at school. (Once a week, his weight training class plays some sort of high cardio game.) We took him to MD within an hour. The doc saw some damage, but nothing requiring immediate treatment.

Went in for follow-up today and finally talked to doc. Eyesight is 20/15 in both eyes. However, Doc says there is a Vitreous Hemorrhage and Commotio Retinae. Repeat, there is no retina detachment. There will be follow-up check ups at decreasing frequency for the next 11 mos at which time he would receive a clean bill of health.


DoDMERB is putting the event in the category of "a history of illness" rather than an "injury" like a dislocated shoulder which can be fixed. At a minimum, it would take until the end of May to resolve the issue.

The OOS cost of U Mich beyond our reach. His other Plan A is a full ride in a program at another Big 10 U which only takes 28 kids a year and had Apr 1 deadline, which they extended for him to May 1, no questions asked. They have been extremely forthcoming and accommodating to DS personally. Could he hold the spot? Yes, but this would be more than just holding a spot for $250 in a freshman class of 3000. He believes (and I agree) that it would be unfair, if not criminal to accept their offer and back out at the end of May.
 
cb,

I am Polish, the joke of I am now officially a guy went over my cranium.

It might sound strange, but again, I am Polish, I took that as a very high compliment. As a woman, and a Mom, who named her DD Alix--- says a lot doesn't it---- the best compliment is saying as a woman I believe we can play on the same field as the men.

As far as your DS goes, if he wants to re-visit this issue later on, keep your medical records. Take him to a specialist.

Bullet 6 weeks before commissioning was DQ'd for his final DoDMERN exam. Yes, posters this is not your last exam. They said he had a 23 degree curvature of the spine. His sister was one of the 1st people in the country to have a scholoiosis operation. She had a 70 degree curve at 13. That and his family history he was DQ'd. His folks immediately took him to her surgeon. He declared that his degree was @18, below the max. They accepted it because it is hard to argue with the doc that was written up in medical journals, and even interviewed by People magazine.

Sometimes, you have to look/approach the problem in a different manner.

OBTW, I am with you on could you, should you hold the spot. In 08 many posters didn't get that our DS with 4 noms to the AFA, and an AFROTC scholarship decided a month before the boards closed to remove himself. His ALO, and the RD at AFA tried to talk him out of doing it. His father (Bullet) and I completely supported his decision. The fact was he spent his entire life as an AF DS. It was all he ever knew. He wanted 4 yrs not being AF because he always knew he was going in for 20. We felt the same thing as you and your DS. It was not fair to the AF, or the AFA if he had already decided to go AFROTC. In the end of the day he has to look at his face in the mirror everyday. If he knows now, that he isn't going to change, than call the ball.

I would just say one thing. Don't assume someone else will get that shot. Just like colleges, ROTC scholarships offer more due to the fact they know many will decline. In the 5 yrs here, I have never seen a ROTC candidate get a scholarship in June or July or Aug. They typically roll that money into the ICSP pot.
 
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cb,

I am Polish, the joke of I am now officially a guy went over my cranium.

It might sound strange, but again, I am Polish.

I knew there was something special and familiar about you, especially when you stormed off and only returned after we begged you to come back.

Moja zona jest polka. Ozenilem sie w Polsce, w miasteczku "Makow Podhalanski" blisko do Krakowa. W Maju, to bedzie 33 lat temu.

I often describe my Polish DW by the Marine Motto "No better friend. No worse enemy".
 
CB,

Sorry to see your post. Hope your DS' second Plan A works out. I'm sure he will do great. Tell him to never give up on his dream - just adapt to reach it another way.

Best Wishes
 
Doc says there is a Vitreous Hemorrhage and Commotio Retinae.

That is not specifically listed as a disqualifying condition:

e. Retina.
(1) Current or history of retinal defects and dystrophies, angiomatoses (759.6), retinoschisis and retinal cysts (361.
1), phakomas (362.89), and other congenito-retinal hereditary conditions (362.7) that impair visual function or are
progressive, do not meet the standard.
(2) Current or history of any chorioretinal or retinal inflammatory conditions, including, but not limited to conditions
leading to neovascularization, chorioretinitis, histoplasmosis, toxoplasmosis, or vascular conditions of the eye to
include Coats’ disease, or Eales’ disease (363) does not meet the standard.
(3) Current or history of degenerative changes of any part of the retina (362) does not meet the standard.
(4) Current or history of detachment of the retina (361), history of surgery for same, or peripheral retinal injury,
defect (361.3), or degeneration that may cause retinal detachment does not meet the standard.

I recommend pursuing a waiver. 75% of the Scholarship Cadets at Marist College (Classes of 2015 & 2016) required a medical waiver. There is a lot of paperwork, but $120,000 is a large reward.
 
Marist, "75% of the Scholarship Cadets at Marist College (Classes of 2015 & 2016) required a medical waiver." That is good nows for those of us awaiting a waiver. Do you think that this % is the norm for the entire country? Do you think CC is back logged right now for waivers? CC had had DS waiver info for 60 days on Monday. What are you seeing for time frames? Thnaks for your input here.
 
Does someone who medically disguals after they have obligated service,
still have to repay the scholarship?
 
Does someone who medically disguals after they have obligated service,
still have to repay the scholarship?

In most cases, no. The Cadet would have to be at fault, ie injured in a DWI accident or playing Rugby in violation of their profile.
 
Do you think CC is back logged right now for waivers? CC had had DS waiver info for 60 days on Monday. What are you seeing for time frames? Thnaks for your input here.

The focus for waivers is on MSIIIs getting ready to depart for LDAC. The focus will shift back to Scholarship Cadets over the Summer.
 
Marist, "75% of the Scholarship Cadets at Marist College (Classes of 2015 & 2016) required a medical waiver." That is good nows for those of us awaiting a waiver. Do you think that this % is the norm for the entire country?

This is not the norm. Each of these cadets received the scholarship offer to a school outside our BN. They requested transfer of their scholarship to Marist College because of our track record in getting waivers approved. The other BNs approved the transfer because they did not want to be responsible for all of the paperwork. 2 of these transfers became varsity athletes at Marist College. 1 of them has a 3.99 GPA. The reward was well worth the effort.
 
Marist, thanks for the info and the words on encouragement.

Sent PM.
 
"The focus for waivers is on MSIIIs getting ready to depart for LDAC. The focus will shift back to Scholarship Cadets over the Summer" Makes perfect sense to me. Thank you very much for your feedback.
 
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