I could use a little help

My kid submitted her application to the USNA about 2-3 months ago.

The Kid was approved by the USN Service Board and nominated by our congressional Rep for the USNA. She said the ranking officer of the USNA Board remarked: "the Navy would be lucky to have you".

She has been recruited in her sport by the USNA and has been advised that based upon her recruiting visit to the USNA, her academics, her references, and her interviews she will be issued a LOA in the next couple of weeks.

So its all good, and the USNA is her preferred destination.----But---- last week a problem surfaced around her DoD Physical. The Dr. reported that she has braces on her teeth and apparently this "revelation" is holding up her application. She has been wearing "invisiline" (removable plastic mouth guard) braces for about 3years. They don't set a date for removing the things, the orthodontist just tells you you are done one day and the kid stops putting them on in the morning. In any case she is at the very end of her treatment and planned is to stop wearing them in June with or without direction from the orthodontist.

Now I am told that the revelation that she is currently wearing "braces" is holding up the formal submission of her application to the USNA.

Question: Whats the best course of action to resolve this kind of thing?:

• Does she work thru the USNA coach that would like to have her at the USNA?

• Is there a specific form we can submit or an office we contact to resolve this?

Any direction folks here can provide would be appreciated.

Thanks

BTW: I am sad that she will not be attending my under-grad alma-mater (close to home); but very proud of the choice she's made.

Not to worry. Very common. If all is as you have stated, she should get good news before long.

My DD had braces and we waited until they came off before completing the DODMERB. But if she had them at the time of the DoDMERB physical, we were told she would need a letter/note from her orthodontist as to when the braces would be removed (any date prior to I-Day). I would have that letter in my back pocket.

Sometimes you just have to explain to the orthodontist that even though the device is removed and inserted by the patient, 'this is the government'.

I am assuming you have a DQ from DoDMERB and not a remedial, so the waiver would need to come from USNA. But ask DoDMERB first if the letter/note will suffice or if it is in the hands of the SA.

As MapleRock said, this is a common item that is normally easily resolved.

They will let you know what you need to do. Lots of kids her age are still in orthodontia and other devices. it's ok. Just don't delay when the paper work comes through. Get it done, ASAP

no orthodontia allowed by IDay, retainers are fine. They'll send you a form to have your orthodontist complete and send back to DoDMerb.

midshipmantobe said:

no orthodontia allowed by IDay, retainers are fine. They'll send you a form to have your orthodontist complete and send back to DoDMerb.

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Is this a form available on line? or do we have to wait for the USNA to send it? Seems like time is short if they won't accept/process her application. We were planning on getting into her Ortho D next week with an affidavit re the end of her treatment.

Funny, these braces are becoming very common and resemble a "retainer" much more than traditional braces.

Thank you for the responses, they've been helpful.

We got a form in the mail that we took to the orthodontist (back in October?). The ortho filled it out, and then we were cleared. My son is also wearing a removable clear retainer, but at the time, he was in braces. Somehow, he is still cleared, though. I don't think the retainer was mentioned on the form, but thinking about it, it must have. Can't remember.... But that's how it worked for us. (He is all clear and "pending review". No appointment yet.)

Just Dad said:

Is this a form available on line? or do we have to wait for the USNA to send it? Seems like time is short if they won't accept/process her application. We were planning on getting into her Ortho D next week with an affidavit re the end of her treatment.

Funny, these braces are becoming very common and resemble a "retainer" much more than traditional braces.

Thank you for the responses, they've been helpful.

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DoDMerb mailed it to us. Ortho completed it and we sent it back. It was cleared within 3-4 days after that. I called DoDMerb and confirmed braces are a technicality as long as the appliances are off by the time they arrive.

farmgirl1776 said:

We got a form in the mail that we took to the orthodontist (back in October?). The ortho filled it out, and then we were cleared. My son is also wearing a removable clear retainer, but at the time, he was in braces. Somehow, he is still cleared, though. I don't think the retainer was mentioned on the form, but thinking about it, it must have. Can't remember.... But that's how it worked for us. (He is all clear and "pending review". No appointment yet.)

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same here. DS seems okay with the wait, but I'm ready to find out