Process Question RE Waiver and ROTC

melaniesdavis

5-Year Member
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Jan 23, 2011
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My son has applied to both a Service Academy and for an ROTC Scholarship. However, when we login to the DoDMERB website, the only agency listed is the Service Academy.

Can you tell me what the process is with the ROTC Scholarship and why it is not listed on the DoDMERB site as a sub-agency? Are waivers automatically requested for ROTC Scholarships? Or do we or someone else need to formally request one?

Also, if we were to have a doctor write a waiver letter, where would we send it? Should it be faxed to the number listed on the DoDMERB website?

Thanks!
 
Actually ROTC will not show up on DODMERB unless he gets a scholarship. After he receives the scholarship, then a waiver will be requested if necessary. The funny thing is that I found out I got a ROTC scholarship by checking my DODMERB status and I was wondering why AFROTC was listed :). Then it was clear after checking my AF portal :D. And for Dr.'s letters, yes just fax to the DODMERB number, just make sure there's a coversheet with your son's info so it gets into his file. Well that's what I did two years ago - I assume it's still accurate.
 
My son has applied to both a Service Academy and for an ROTC Scholarship. However, when we login to the DoDMERB website, the only agency listed is the Service Academy.

Can you tell me what the process is with the ROTC Scholarship and why it is not listed on the DoDMERB site as a sub-agency? Are waivers automatically requested for ROTC Scholarships? Or do we or someone else need to formally request one?

Also, if we were to have a doctor write a waiver letter, where would we send it? Should it be faxed to the number listed on the DoDMERB website?

Thanks!

If your DS receives a xROTC scholarship, they will request his medical info from DoDMERB about a week afterwards. If your DS is already in the DoDMERB system and qualified, then you won't have to do anything. If he was DQ'd, then xROTC will decide if the DQ needs a waiver and if they want to request one.
 
Keep in mind that if DS is a 3 yr advanced designee scholarship (they have these in Army... not sure about the other services) the waiver may not be a priority because they will work through the waivers for those who are to contract in the fall first. They prioritize waiver reviews by contracting date. Thus 3 yrs are not impt to them until well after the fall semester starts.
This may be an issue if your school decision/destination will change if the ROTC forgivable loan (its really not a scholarship) does not come through/waiver denied. If things are dragging on to your decision date, you may need to ask the HR person at DS's school battalion to make some calls to try and get a decision on your son's waiver before school starts. In our case it happened late enough that we put a deposit down at the 'plan B' school, just in case.
 
Actually ROTC will not show up on DODMERB unless he gets a scholarship. After he receives the scholarship, then a waiver will be requested if necessary. The funny thing is that I found out I got a ROTC scholarship by checking my DODMERB status and I was wondering why AFROTC was listed :). Then it was clear after checking my AF portal :D. And for Dr.'s letters, yes just fax to the DODMERB number, just make sure there's a coversheet with your son's info so it gets into his file. Well that's what I did two years ago - I assume it's still accurate.
Thank you! This is very helpful!
 
If your DS receives a xROTC scholarship, they will request his medical info from DoDMERB about a week afterwards. If your DS is already in the DoDMERB system and qualified, then you won't have to do anything. If he was DQ'd, then xROTC will decide if the DQ needs a waiver and if they want to request one.
Great! Very helpful! Thank you for the response!
 
Keep in mind that if DS is a 3 yr advanced designee scholarship (they have these in Army... not sure about the other services) the waiver may not be a priority because they will work through the waivers for those who are to contract in the fall first. They prioritize waiver reviews by contracting date. Thus 3 yrs are not impt to them until well after the fall semester starts.
This may be an issue if your school decision/destination will change if the ROTC forgivable loan (its really not a scholarship) does not come through/waiver denied. If things are dragging on to your decision date, you may need to ask the HR person at DS's school battalion to make some calls to try and get a decision on your son's waiver before school starts. In our case it happened late enough that we put a deposit down at the 'plan B' school, just in case.
The Scholarship that he applied for was a four-year, starting this fall... I guess I will just continue to keep my fingers crossed and hope that he will be granted a waiver!
 
Off topic for a second, but placing this out there because many SA candidates will take their exam in the summer. If awarded a three year scholarship, stay on top of this issue because the exam is only valid for two years.

If the recipient took it Aug, 18th, but does not report to school until the 19th, that exam is no longer valid and you will need to repeat the exam process again to contract. Yes, you were awarded the scholarship when it was valid, but to them you were not contracted within the timeframe required.

Melanie,

Although they will use the same exam, waivers are given by the commissioning source. IOWs, if they applied to USMA and AROTC, USMA will give their decision, and AROTC will give theirs independent of each other. So, you may get a waiver from one and a no from another.
 
DS was notified of an AFROTC scholarship yesterday afternoon and by evening his DoDmerb account already showed waiver review pending for ROTC.

His information was all in the system from service academy applications but I still found that remarkably fast!
Hopefully a waiver will be as quickly granted!

Sent using the Service Academy Forums® mobile app
 
Coastie,

Actually about 2-3 years ago there was a loophole in the system. Candidates could find out if they were awarded a scholarship via their DoDMERB account because the portal would one day would go from XROTC to XROTC scholarship recipient before the email came out. Just a day or two, but still before the official notification.
~~~ Our DS actually found out he was awarded that way. That was how the ROTC forum would light up...posters would say check your DoDMERB account.

Knowing that it doesn't shock me the quick response. They knew of the scholarship prior to you finding out, and it was already updated in their system, they just had to wait until their suspense date to place it publicly.
 
Off topic for a second, but placing this out there because many SA candidates will take their exam in the summer. If awarded a three year scholarship, stay on top of this issue because the exam is only valid for two years.

If the recipient took it Aug, 18th, but does not report to school until the 19th, that exam is no longer valid and you will need to repeat the exam process again to contract. Yes, you were awarded the scholarship when it was valid, but to them you were not contracted within the timeframe required.

Melanie,

Although they will use the same exam, waivers are given by the commissioning source. IOWs, if they applied to USMA and AROTC, USMA will give their decision, and AROTC will give theirs independent of each other. So, you may get a waiver from one and a no from another.
Great information! Thank you for your response!
 
DS was notified of an AFROTC scholarship yesterday afternoon and by evening his DoDmerb account already showed waiver review pending for ROTC.

His information was all in the system from service academy applications but I still found that remarkably fast!
Hopefully a waiver will be as quickly granted!

Sent using the Service Academy Forums® mobile app
Awesome! Congrats! Good luck!
 
Is it too Late?

So I just check the DoDMERB status... And now, it says "Waiver Denied" for the USMA that he applied to... So, is it too late to send in the doctor's waiver letter? :eek:
 
AFROTC Waivers

Does the AFROTC do a waiver review automatically after being medically disqualified?
 
From a potential timeline perspective, DS received AFROTC Type 7 scholarship on 2/11/2014, and as of 2/12 or 2/13/14, he was approved as medically qualified. I believe this was because DoDMERB already had his records and previous exam info from his AROTC scholarship qualification.
 
So I just check the DoDMERB status... And now, it says "Waiver Denied" for the USMA that he applied to... So, is it too late to send in the doctor's waiver letter? :eek:

Well, you don't say (and don't have to say) for what condition your DS was DQed. If was for something that the Army considers not waiver-able, then you may have arrived at the end of the road. But if it is for something that can be wavered, ROTC may see it differently than USMA.
I would send the letter to DODMERB anyway for their use when the ROTC inquiry hits. It may not help, but it surely will not hurt. DS may wish to call the USMA admissions people to try to learn more about the denial and if there are options.
 
Well, you don't say (and don't have to say) for what condition your DS was DQed. If was for something that the Army considers not waiver-able, then you may have arrived at the end of the road. But if it is for something that can be wavered, ROTC may see it differently than USMA.
I would send the letter to DODMERB anyway for their use when the ROTC inquiry hits. It may not help, but it surely will not hurt. DS may wish to call the USMA admissions people to try to learn more about the denial and if there are options.
Great advice! I will definitely have him call!

And we are still working on the letter... When I called the doctor's office requesting the letter (this doctor had previously offered it, if DS found himself in this position) I was told that the doctor has now retired. So, the nurse at the office is trying to make contact with the doctor to see if he will still write the letter. This doctor was in the AF prior to civilian practice... So, we are hoping that a letter from him will carry a little weight... But now, the questions is, will he still be willing to write the letter since he has retired...???
 
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