DODMERB Consultants

We used DODMERB Consultants for our DS who had a back injury from weight lifting. He was waitlisted at West Point, however received a waiver and earned a 4 year AROTC scholarship and is about to start his Sophomore year in a few weeks. As for Dr. Merchant he was definitely not very quick to return emails and or calls, however we were not completely ignored by him as many of you are claiming. It was quite frustrating dealing with his lack of, how should I say "Sense of Urgency" that we felt with so much on the line. We ended up doing our own reacher and found a spine surgeon who was a retired Lt. Colonel from the Army and a West Point Graduate. This Doctor was the guy who granted the waivers for back injures at DODMERB before he retired from the Army to just work on his surgical practice. He did a complete exam and then wrote an amazing letter of his factual findings and then of his opinion on our sons ability to make it physically with the army. It was this letter and this letter alone that was the deciding factor in getting the waiver granted. Dr. Merchant reviewed the letter and said it was good to send to DODMERB but he really did't do much for our case. We just could not sit around and wait for him to strike and took matters into our own hands. Was it a waist of money? Well the answer is YES and NO. Yes because we did most of, if not all the work. NO because our DS still earned the scholarship and we didn't have to come up with the $285,000 for his college, so we are still way ahead. My DS is living his dream out in real life, loving AROTC more than we could have imagined and won Top MS-1 Cadet for his Freshman year in his Battalion. I would not change anything we did to help him, because we knew we had tried our best and for us we got lucky and it worked. Best of luck to all who are fighting the good fight and may your DS/DD get to live out their dreams as well.
 
I want to update my original post:

1. I still have not heard back from Dr. Merchant in response to any of my e-mails or phone calls. Months have passed. He took our money and was never heard from again. Unless the man has passed away, this is fraud, plain and simple.

2. The Better Business Bureau reported back that they attempted multiple times to follow up on my complaint but that they were unable to reach Dr. Merchant for a response and closed my complaint.

3. Because we paid Dr. Merchant via AMEX, I contacted AMEX and explained the situation. AMEX immediately reversed the charge on a temporary basis, said they'd contact the merchant and if the merchant convinced them I was wrong within 6 weeks I may be re-billed. The 6 weeks has now passed and so we officially have our money back.

Morals of the story: Stay away from DODMERB Consultants. Use AMEX!
 
I want to update my original post:

1. I still have not heard back from Dr. Merchant in response to any of my e-mails or phone calls. Months have passed. He took our money and was never heard from again. Unless the man has passed away, this is fraud, plain and simple.

2. The Better Business Bureau reported back that they attempted multiple times to follow up on my complaint but that they were unable to reach Dr. Merchant for a response and closed my complaint.

3. Because we paid Dr. Merchant via AMEX, I contacted AMEX and explained the situation. AMEX immediately reversed the charge on a temporary basis, said they'd contact the merchant and if the merchant convinced them I was wrong within 6 weeks I may be re-billed. The 6 weeks has now passed and so we officially have our money back.

Morals of the story: Stay away from DODMERB Consultants. Use AMEX!
Good thing you paid with Amex. They are very good about this
 
Agree with all comments made above by JC349. We had a very similar experience. Expected more from a retired Navy officer, flyer and Doctor (if those are all true). I tried to see if Dr. Merchant had a medical license in Colorado to practice, but so far have not found one. I am looking into other options to try and regain the money we invested with this person. DO NOT give DODMERB Consultants your money.

We would like to join you in your process to regain our money. I would also like to know if he indeed was the former head of DodMerb???

Just started to read these comments and we have had the same experience with Dr. Paul Glenn Merchant starting in July 2018. (I believe that is his legal name). That name shows up on DODMERB Consultants fillings with the Secretary of State in Colorado. He is in the business of College Counseling. We filed with the better business and attorney generals office in Colorado , however they give little hope in recovering anything or being able to stop him legally. Legally you can take them to small claims court , however it will cost more money. Maybe someone out there has a legal remedy for a group action that would get their attention and stop this predatory behavior. What's that " Physician Do No Harm".

Sad commentary that we have so many wonderful young men and women that want to serve and this is their first exposure to the military.
 
One thing I have learned on here among many things is that the folks on this board are very smart....to that end, other than my scorched earth plan to get my family's money back from Merchant, there are probably much more effective ways to get retribution in this case. Any ideas you have would be most welcome by me and I am sure by all the other victims on this thread. There are also no doubt others who just have been bitten who haven't posted on here. Just the fact that he reflects elements of the military and medical fields and turns around to advantage of people in need should tick a lot of us off and want to prevent any further occurrences. Of course, if Merchant himself came on here with a credible explanation, I think I could fade away and focus back on the future and the great things it holds for my kid....but until he does, please stay far away from him and his "company".

We are having the same negative experience.
It was sunshine and flowers on the phone, them after he got our $800, there was scant contact. One physician recommendation via email. Then crickets since summer. Always an excuse he is out of the country.
I have read all your posts and will tell you there IS a way to trace his medical license. Look him up NPI number for physician in Colorado.
http://www.npinumberlookup.org/getResultDetails.php?npinum=1609896299
Next if you are serious about legal action, as my spouse and I have also considered, a class action suit OR more effectively, MASS complaints to the Colorado Medical Board will result in instant investigation. If enough complaints come in, license is yanked and also his credentials with military as a physician.
 
This is to warn the nice folks on this board who are trying to help their son or daughter to avoid DODMERB Consultants which is run by Dr. Glenn Merchant out of Colorado Springs. My wife spoke to this man regarding our son's waiver request. Dr. Merchant seemed very nice and knowledgeable and he had a reputable-looking website. We sent him money and never heard from him again. For over two months now he has not replied to our e-mails or cell phone voicemail. No one picks up his office phone and the mailbox is full. We have filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and we noticed that two other parents have done so as well. Please don't give this man your hard-earned money!
We have not heard back from him back in 6/2017. I wish there is a place that we can send complaints.
 
So disappointed! Once he got $900, he never returned any phone calls or emails. He gave the military a bad name and ruined my son’s hopes. We have not heard back from him since June 2017.
 
Interesting thread -- I clicked on it expecting to see the normal questions about whether hiring a Consultant is worthwhile or necessary, and the normal back and forth about 1) how Dr. Merchant helped DS/DD , or 2) whether its necessary to hire someone like Dr. Merchant to navigate the DODMERB process. If you look at the past threads, it seemed that Dr. Merchant had a pretty favorable reputation.

I don't know the man, and not going to defend his lack of responsiveness. His business is very similar to that of a lawyer, and I have learned over the years that one of the common reasons that very good lawyers aren't responsive is when they have nothing to report or are waiting for instruction from their client. In Dr. Merchant's case, he may be waiting for a response from the Client's doctors , who themselves may be (or are likely to be) less than diligent when they get a request from another Doctor asking to review their records. No professional likes the idea of one of their peers looking over their shoulders and second guessing them, so if you do engage a consultant like this, you should make sure you tell your local Doctors what's going on, and ask them for their prompt cooperation. Again, I'm not trying to excuse Dr. Merchant's lack of responsiveness-- even if he has nothing to report, a simple phone call or email often goes a long way in keeping clients happy.

Now a reality check for those eager to jump on the bandwagon and sue Dr. Merchant. Lawyers cost money, and litigation takes time and money. I don't know how much Dr Merchant charges for his services, but I suspect that it is far less than the cost of even a small claims lawsuit. I can already hear some saying , "Well, its a matter of principle..."and my answer is the same as I tell clients all the time, "There is nothing a lawyer likes more than a Client with principle ....and money." Bottom line, if you have to resort to filing suit , the only winner will be the lawyer.

What should you do ? If you have an issue with Dr. Merchant, I would encourage you to reach out to him and send a link to this thread by email. I wouldn't be surprised if he receives a fair amount of his referrals from this Forum, and if he is aware of the degree of dissatisfaction, I would expect he will respond accordingly. Assuming of course he has plans to stay in this business, his reputation is important and this Forum is probably pretty influential.

Good luck.
Thanks for your input. We have not heard back from him 16 months later. I don’t need $900 back but I just needed a letter /email from him to let us know whether the case is or is not going forward. That is not much to ask.
 
Thanks for your input. We have not heard back from him 16 months later. I don’t need $900 back but I just needed a letter /email from him to let us know whether the case is or is not going forward. That is not much to ask.

I don't disagree with you.. I have never tried to defend Dr. Merchant, but perhaps try to explain his lack of responsiveness. (I think the original post was months ago). There is also mention of a heart attack -- that would be another possible explanation, although I don't know the timing.
I repeat my original suggestion...send Dr. Merchant a copy of this thread.

I do disagree with the statement that
He gave the military a bad name and ruined my son’s hopes.
.. Dr Merchant does not represent DODMERB or the Navy, and I'm not aware of any representation that he is. As I understand it, he is retired and formerly associated with DODMERB. I presume he claims to have inside knowledge of how DODMERB works, but frankly that inside knowledge has a limited shelf life, as things and people change. He is not a representative of DODMERB, or the NAVY. As to ruining hopes.... Dr. Merchant is a consultant, but I have never heard of any consultant assuming any responsibility for the ultimate outcome of an engagement ...in fact, most consulting engagements I have seen have so much CYA language (aka weasel words) that the Consultant is really not responsible for anything. A word of caution to all Applicants.... You, and only you , are responsible for the application. It is not your parent, a consultant, a BGO, or an Admissions Counselor duty to follow up and complete the application process.
 
Thanks for your input. We have not heard back from him 16 months later. I don’t need $900 back but I just needed a letter /email from him to let us know whether the case is or is not going forward. That is not much to ask.

I don't disagree with you.. I have never tried to defend Dr. Merchant, but perhaps try to explain his lack of responsiveness. (I think the original post was months ago). There is also mention of a heart attack -- that would be another possible explanation, although I don't know the timing.
I repeat my original suggestion...send Dr. Merchant a copy of this thread.

I do disagree with the statement that
He gave the military a bad name and ruined my son’s hopes.
.. Dr Merchant does not represent DODMERB or the Navy, and I'm not aware of any representation that he is. As I understand it, he is retired and formerly associated with DODMERB. I presume he claims to have inside knowledge of how DODMERB works, but frankly that inside knowledge has a limited shelf life, as things and people change. He is not a representative of DODMERB, or the NAVY. As to ruining hopes.... Dr. Merchant is a consultant, but I have never heard of any consultant assuming any responsibility for the ultimate outcome of an engagement ...in fact, most consulting engagements I have seen have so much CYA language (aka weasel words) that the Consultant is really not responsible for anything. A word of caution to all Applicants.... You, and only you , are responsible for the application. It is not your parent, a consultant, a BGO, or an Admissions Counselor duty to follow up and complete the application process.
I would expect a person with a military background would reflect his actions with integrity and honor. Like I said, just let me know is it a go or no...I gave Dr M 16 months which is plenty of time to respond. My son was under age when he applied so parental supervision was a must. Like any 16 , 17 y o young man, my son placed his trust in him. He did not expect Dr M to fix it but rather providing guidance as promised.
Thanks for your info. Have a great day.
 
We just contracted with Dodmerb consultants back in November of 2018. Like many on this form, Glenn, sounded very professional on the phone. My husband spent a long time going over our daughter's concerns when it came time to apply for the Air Force Academy. Our daughter had asthma as a child, hasn't had it since she was 12. She also had what was diagnosed as eczema around her eyes but has since been proven to be a rash from her goggles. She is a swimmer and has since switched to a different type of goggle and hasn't had a rash since. Glenn said he would take a look at my daughter's medical history and advice her on what to do. We paid Glenn back in early November, 895.00 , for his services. Didn't hear a thing from him until I emailed him early part of December. He said yes he wants to look at her records but first fill out the Report of Medical History (DD2492). It was filled out and sent to him on December 8th. Being the Holidays I wasn't to concerned and my husband said to wait to hear back from him after the New Year. My daughter emailed him January 3rd inquiring if he has reviewed the form and what medical records we should send to him. Haven't heard back and I sent him an email yesterday. I am starting to think we got scammed by Glenn. I have gone to the BBB web site and there is one negative review and for complaints, three have been 3 in 2018 alone. My husband is going to try and call him this weekend if we don't receive a response from the emails. Like most of you, if this is a scam, I want our money back for not providing the contracted services. Will be filing a complaint with the BBB if he does not contact us by the end of January.
 
PMJI . . . and let me say that I have zero personal knowledge of DODMERB Consultants (DC) or Dr. Merchant. However, I have been on this site for many years and seen quite a few posts about this organization.

It appears that, in its early years, DC was both responsive and helpful. Quite a few posters indicated that the advice given had, in their view, been instrumental in getting their child through the medical process successfully. While praise wasn't universal, it was consistent. Though a few folks cited lack of responsiveness, it seemed they eventually received the advice/help they were seeking -- certainly in time for it to be useful to them.

Roughly 18 months ago, something appears to have changed. Whether it was a health condition, overwork from Dr. Merchant's "day job," a combination of the above, or something else entirely, is unclear. What is clear is that almost everyone who has contacted DC and posted on this site has had roughly the same experience: great initial phone discussion, sent money, sent requested documents, no response from DC/Merchant, many follow up emails and calls, no response, frustration, anger . . . .

Obviously, we have only anecdotal statements from posters. But if what they are reporting is accurate, in my opinion, it's unfortunate at best, disgraceful at worst. If a serious issue has indeed arisen, there are many ways the situation could have been better handled by DC/Merchant than taking people's money and then refusing to respond to them.

At this point, I would suggest that anyone considering using DC proceed with caution. As with ANY VENDOR, do your homework in terms of references, BBB complaints, Yelp, etc. Get things in writing and read the fine print carefully before you sign. If time is of essence -- if deadlines are important -- make sure those conditions are included in your contract. Consider whether it makes sense to pay 100% before a service has been completed. Consider what your remedies are if something goes wrong, how easy it will to avail yourself of them, and whether you can afford to "lose" the money you spend. To that end, pay with a credit card, if at all possible. In the end, don't let your passion for helping your child get in the way of the same common sense you'd use when hiring anyone else to do important, time-sensitive work.

Unfortunately, sometimes despite our best efforts in regards to the above, we still get taken by a vendor (intentionally or negligently). It sucks.
 
We were recommended to Capt Merchant and talked to him over the phone, seemed very nice and knowledgable and legit. After signed the contract in Jan 2019, paid the money $895, and mailed in the medical records in Feb 2019. He is then out of contact ever since. He never replies email, phone call, nothing. I was wishfully thinking he'd have some medical problem and wold eventually back to contact until I find this thread today and BBB complain (https://www.bbb.org/us/co/colorado-...consultants/dodmerb-consultants-0785-87356253) by google search.

It is not the money, it is the precious time wasted with his dude, the safety and privacy of medical record sent to him, and more importantly tarnish to US Navy's image for the young men & women who are thinking to join the service for something bigger than themselves. I would think Navy can do something to prevent and punish Mr. Merchant for continuing his fraudulent (or even criminal) behavior by using his Navy experience as an advertisement and selling point to phish more victims.
 
It’s a civil issue, not military, and DOD or the Navy, I don’t believe, has any jurisdiction over his civilian business. If he erroneously states he is still in an official DOD position or has unique influence over DODMERB results, that would be another thing. He is at fault for apparently not delivering on the services he contracts to provide, as a consultant on the process of navigating DODMERB and how best to prepare medical records.

The Navy, along with other services, has its share of separatees and retirees who go on to civilian careers and proceed to tarnish their own reputations. Prior military service is no guarantee of stellar character or business performance in the civilian sector.

It’s going to take people pursuing legal action for failure to perform on a contract to address the issue. There have been enough posts here over the years, I can only speculate there is an iceberg lying underneath.
 
He really is a curious case, however! To be such a help for so long, and then to seemingly become something completely different. As I have also read here on the forum posts.

I know I have read of ‘lawsuits’ at times, complaints to attorney generals. It’s intriguing that he can continue to ‘operate’. Sure seems to be a scam, at least the last couple of years.

Either the people saying they will take legal action actually don’t, or something is missing. BC if they have taken action, how can he continue to operate?
 
Unbelievable to read these posts thar Dr Merchant is still operating after I reported him to the Colorado Better Business Bureau in 2016 for the exact same issues of non responsiveness after being paid, failure to honor contract, etc.

However, he has a current LinkedIn profile for Dodmerb Consultants that he may respond to anyone with an active account..or just leave a counter endorsement on his profile. What a shame that he is still operating..
 
If you beleive you were scammed call the El Paso County District Attorney (4th Judicial District) at 719 520-6000. This is the chief law enforcement officer in Colorado Springs (assuming Glenn lives in Colorado Springs). If the credit card transaction was out of state you may want to contact the FBI as they investigate crimes involving interstate crimes. Lastly, if the transaction involved the mail contact the US Postal Service.
 
This is to warn the nice folks on this board who are trying to help their son or daughter to avoid DODMERB Consultants which is run by Dr. Glenn Merchant out of Colorado Springs. My wife spoke to this man regarding our son's waiver request. Dr. Merchant seemed very nice and knowledgeable and he had a reputable-looking website. We sent him money and never heard from him again. For over two months now he has not replied to our e-mails or cell phone voicemail. No one picks up his office phone and the mailbox is full. We have filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and we noticed that two other parents have done so as well. Please don't give this man your hard-earned money!
We have not heard back from him back in 6/2017. I wish there is a place that we can send complaints.

File a police report like we did with the Colorado Springs police department. He is basically scamming people out of $895 and guilty of identity theft through taking medical records. They can be reached at (719) 444-7000 and a detective will call you back after you register the complaint. We also contacted the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, and you fill out a cyber crimes report (they call you back in minutes and are wonderful). We had to freeze our child's credit, pull a SS # freeze and report medical fraud to credit card and insurance company. He caused an unholy mess for more than just us. We filed all of this months after he defrauded us... we were always hopeful that he wasn't a scumbag, but turned out to be one after all.
 
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