Eczema Disqualification

blackandgold21

New Member
Joined
May 27, 2015
Messages
8
Hello all,
I am applying to USMA for the class of 2020. I was looking at the medical disqualifications and I ran across one that says that eczema is a permanently disqualifying condition. When I was little I had mild eczema - just on the back of my knees or on the underside of my elbows. I used cream for a little while as a child but it cleared up quickly and I haven't experienced any eczema since then. Would that still disqualify me even though I have not had eczema since that time, and would I possibly be able to get a waiver?
USMA is my dream, and I would hate for this to disqualify me.
Thank you!
 
All you can do is report it with all the info (age, how long you had it, if it ever repeated, etc) and be prepared for whatever comes. Look at some old threads as this condition has been posted about before.
 
If you were not given a prescription for cream or treated for it after age 13, it may not be an issue. Or you may be asked to provide more information from your doctor (remedial) without it actually being DQ'd. My DS had a similar history, although he had been treated for a skin irritation (inner tube/lake water) after 13 and it was a non-issue for DoDMERB. It seems as if everyone's situation is unique and there are not always hard set rules. Answer all the questions truthfully and have a copy of your medical records ready to submit if requested.
 
Thank you both very much! I appreciate the advice. I don't think that it will be a problem, but if it is I will deal with it when it comes! Thanks again!
 
If they ask you to report it (after age 13, treated by a doctor with a prescription), then please do so. Not to do so would be, well, dishonorable, and dishonest. If you had it before age 13 and DodMERB doesn't ask for it, then don't.

Waivers can take some time and are indeed stressful, but if you lie, you're cooked. They'll have access to ALL your records anyway, so why lie?

Plus, if you do lie, I for one do not want you leading any child of mine, ever.
 
Don't report it. Once they disqualify you, the waiver process is a pain.
I would never advise this at all. If they find out later on that you intentionally omitted this on the DoDMERB intake they can disenroll you AND demand financial reimbursement.

Now maybe you said that because the OP said a little child, and you have assumed under the age of 13. However, as fencer stated if it is on their records after the age of 13, than admit it on the intake.
~ There are many lurkers on this site, and we need, our duty impo, is to make sure they have the best information possible. Lying by omission is still a lie.

blackandgold21,
I would get the hard copy of your medical records. Review them and see if anytime after 13 you were diagnosed with eczema. My DD has eczema, she has flare ups still now at the age of 23. Are you sure it was diagnosed as eczema, or could have it been some type of allergic reaction due to the soap you were using?
~ Doctors have a habit of erring on the side of caution. Read through all of the asthma threads here or ADD issues. Kids that were prescribed at a young age an inhaler, but 5 years later they have a script, but never used the inhaler. They go through the DQ process.

Chances are they may even just give you a remedial, where they ask for your doctors records. Hence, why I said get a copy of your records now, this will allow you to answer honestly to the question of being diagnosed after the age of 13.
 
Chances are they may even just give you a remedial, where they ask for your doctors records. Hence, why I said get a copy of your records now, this will allow you to answer honestly to the question of being diagnosed after the age
of 13.

Eczema is a disqualification without the opportunity to do a remedial, once you self report eczema with the DODMERB, you are disqualified. period, end. Now it is up to the academies to issue a waiver.
 
I know that. DoDMERB DQs, commissioning sources waive. I.E. USAFA can say no, but AFROTC can say yes. USNA may say no to a waiver, yet USMA may say yes.

However, you are standing firm in my opinion that this poster should lie/hide the truth.

If I recall correctly eczema would be like asthma or allergies after the age of 13. Pulling their medical records can help them. No prescription after 12 would equate to being honest on the intake.

Flipside, my guess from the OPs moniker is that they are a rising junior (blackandgold21) 21 meaning commissioning year. If so, the OP can also go to a dermatologist and have them say they do not have eczema, thus even if at 13 their GP said it was, the specialist said it wasn't. They can honestly answer no.

We part in our perspective, because I agree with fencer. Do Not Lie or Shade the facts. Man up and follow the rules.

As an officer if a subordinate did what you are suggesting for their own good, how would you handle it? Would you say it was okay to lie by omission because the regulations/process is a pain?
 
Agree with Pima. As someone who has been through these processes and watched what happens when someone lies and gets caught... not good. I have had Marines who lied during their physicals and seen Mids lie and get caught. Usually its something like this they think is minor, they get put in extremely hot, miserable, dirty environments and then all of a sudden something they thought was minor is now a huge issue. These medical things are put in place for a reason. The last thing they want to happen is to train a pilot and then get grounded, or lose a platoon commander in the middle of deployment, or admin sep someone for medical.
 
As an officer if a subordinate did what you are suggesting for their own good, how would you handle it? Would you say it was okay to lie by omission because the regulations/process is a pain?

As an officer in the United States Air Force, I will be committed to upholding the highest levels of honor and integrity among the enlisted ranks.
 
As an officer if a subordinate did what you are suggesting for their own good, how would you handle it? Would you say it was okay to lie by omission because the regulations/process is a pain?

As an officer in the United States Air Force, I will be committed to upholding the highest levels of honor and integrity among the enlisted ranks.

You did not answer my questions. You played the game...I am asking if you were their boss; how would you handle this, knowing they lied by omission?

Like the enlisted insert...how about officer rank, fact is eventually you will be in charge of officers too in the AD world.

Just me, but it seems like you are cherry picking.
 
As an officer if a subordinate did what you are suggesting for their own good, how would you handle it? Would you say it was okay to lie by omission because the regulations/process is a pain?

As an officer in the United States Air Force, I will be committed to upholding the highest levels of honor and integrity among the enlisted ranks.

I have a USMA 2018 with a history of eczema before age 13 and it wasn't DQ'd. Not even given a remedial like he was for asthma. No waivers required. All episodes and info listed on medical forms. So it is possible to clear DODMERB with these conditions. Maybe USMA standards are different than USAFA.
 
DoDMERB is DoDMERB. Waivers are from the commissioning source. If eczema is a DQ than DoDMERB makes that decision, in other words they are initially DQd. USMA and USAFA have the right to waive. That is the system. DoDMERB is just there to process the exams according to the regs, they have no voice on waivers.
 
My advice, go to aDermatologist ( preferably retired military if possible) and see if you currently have eczema, if you do then you must report it on the medical questionnaire. Now, if the DR. SAYS you do not currently have it and you have not had any episodes after the age of 13 ( or whatever the age cutoff is) then the answer is no you do not have to report it. Just that simple.
 
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