DoDMERB

xcrunner177

5-Year Member
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Mar 11, 2014
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I am just learning about ROTC right now and plan on joining as a non scholarship cadet this fall(my freshman year). Do I need to do it before I get to school or will arrangements be made to do it when I get to school?
 
If you're talking about DoDMERB, you don't have to worry about it until you contract. College programmers don't have to take the DoDMERB physical. In general though, I would contact the recruiting officer at the school you want to attend and ask him about how to sign up for all the classes you need.
 
what if I am offered a 3 1/2 year scholarship. Also, even non scholarship cadets cost the Army money wouldn't they want to know they are eligible to commission before the invest in them?
 
Once your battalion offers you a scholarship, THEN they will set up your DoDMERB physical. Benefits don't start until you pass it.

And no, ROTC is just used to generate interest. The investment in a college programmer is worth the cost to the Army (which is pretty minimal).
 
Ok. Last question: what if your college is not near a military base? Who does the physical?
 
I am just learning about ROTC right now and plan on joining as a non scholarship cadet this fall(my freshman year). Do I need to do it before I get to school or will arrangements be made to do it when I get to school?

You sort of need to do it before school with the exception of DoDMERB as was pointed out above. There are certain classes you will need to sign up for and, of course, you'll need to schedule your other classes around them. I don't know about AROTC or AFROTC, but I do know for NROTC there is a physical required which will be conducted by your own doctor. It's similar to what you would do to play in a high school sport. I'm confident there is also other information you'll need to provide like birth certificate/proof of citizenship, etc.
 
Ok. Last question: what if your college is not near a military base? Who does the physical?

I did my DoDMERB physical at a normal doctors office, hundreds of miles from the nearest base. The DoD contracts civilian docs to do them all the time.
 
what if I am offered a 3 1/2 year scholarship. Also, even non scholarship cadets cost the Army money wouldn't they want to know they are eligible to commission before the invest in them?
The point is, you shouldn't be worrying about DoDMERB until you get to that point. Up until then, you should be focused on: getting good grades, and doing well on the APFT --> to be competitive to get that scholarship. And when you are offered a scholarship, that's when you can worry about it.

The only issue you many run into is transportation to the DoDMERB facility. Some schools don't allow students to have cars on campus, until you become a sophmore. But like I said, cross that bridge when you get there.

Yes, non-scholarship cadets do cost them money, but don't forget, the first two years of ROTC is open for everyone, not just the scholarship/contracted cadets. The advanced courses, MSIII (Jr) and MSIV (Sr) year require a contract and/or a scholarship. (Note that I said "and/or a scholarship". It's a common misconception that you need a scholarship to commission. This is false, you simply need a contract to commission.)

Good luck.
 
AFROTC will require you to go to a DoDMERB doc. That doc maybe your family doc, but unlikely. If you are military you can use the base, if not than they will send you to theirs. The only time you will go to a military doc is if you decide to go rated (fly). This will be done the summer of your rising 400 year, they will send you to WPAFB for a 3 day physical.

One big reason they don't send non-scholarship cadets for an exam is because it is only valid for two years, thus if they send you the summer before your freshmen year, but you don't contract until your junior year, the exam is not current. IOWS, it would cost them more money requiring an exam without a scholarship.
 
DODMERB will set it up with a medical provider with whom they have an existing contract to perform these types of physicals. For example, three of my sons had their physicals conducted by a local civilian "urgent care" group, under contract to DODMERB -- even though we live near three large military facilities, one of which is a naval hospital. The 'urgent care' facility is less than a mile away from the naval hospital.

The actual medical physical only takes an hour or so, but this does not include the eye exam, which will be done by a DODMERB contracted eye doctor.
 
Sharing this on both DODMERB threads...

You have to be medically qualified to contract. Army ROTC high school winners are typically directed to get theirs done after they receive an offer, and need to be qualified before they sign the contract. Some applicants who are also applying to SAs will be directed to get theirs done by the SA. There is no 2 year waiting period if you are DQ'd, and you do not take another DODMERB physical when you commission. Here is everything you could possibly want to know about DODMERB
http://goldenknightbattalion.wordpre...and-say-ahhhh/
Schools handle the DODMERB differently. At Clarkson I will send all the Cadets who we board for campus based scholarships and anyone who is going to LTC or getting ready to contract in the fall as a junior. A DODMERB physical is indeed only good for 2 years. There used to be the ability to get that extended 6 months, but not any more. And there is the ability to convert a MEPS physical into a DODMERB physical, but only for non scholarship cadets who are in the Guard or Reserves.
 
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