Waiver Time Frame?

Impulsive

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Does anyone know how long a waiver for a knee issue that really is not an issue (the doc used the wrong buzzwords and triggered a DQ) is taking right now? The waiver was just requested early last week to USMA Waiver Authority. He does not have an LOA, but is considered highly qualified. Problem is he has a 4 yr ROTC scholarship to a University he loves and his Battalion Commander told him no waiver is required and he is good to go. We are worried he will get caught in the after April 30th waiver time frame and he needs to commit to the ROTC University by the end of April. Are we wasting our time?
 
Does anyone know how long a waiver for a knee issue that really is not an issue (the doc used the wrong buzzwords and triggered a DQ) is taking right now? The waiver was just requested early last week to USMA Waiver Authority. He does not have an LOA, but is considered highly qualified. Problem is he has a 4 yr ROTC scholarship to a University he loves and his Battalion Commander told him no waiver is required and he is good to go. We are worried he will get caught in the after April 30th waiver time frame and he needs to commit to the ROTC University by the end of April. Are we wasting our time?

What is the knee issue?

If any surgery, what date was the surgery?
 
The knee issue is we forced him to see my Orthopedist because last Spring he was experiencing tightness and slight pain about the knee for about a month intermittently. The doctor examined him, x-ray'd him and did a bunch of tests manipulating his knees and at the end said he had slight tendinitis because of improper stretching prior to running. Everything structurally was fine, and his treatment plan was to stretch and if the discomfort came back Physical Therapy. Never had to do Physical Therapy as the new stretching did the trick. No further treatment, no injections, no surgery, and he hasn't gone back to the doctor because everything is fine. DoDMERB diagnosed History of Patella Femoral Pain Syndrome and DQ's him. He runs over 2 miles a day, plays Varsity Tennis, Varsity Cross Country, and Varsity Track without issue, but DoDMERB never asked him about his athletics, they only have the single report from the orthopedist. And DodMERB refuses to accept statement from his coaches about his ability to practice and compete.

So now we sit in limbo because I forced him to see a doctor and then when asked at his DoDMERB exam he was honest and said he saw a doctor so they asked for his records.
 
The knee issue is we forced him to see my Orthopedist because last Spring he was experiencing tightness and slight pain about the knee for about a month intermittently. The doctor examined him, x-ray'd him and did a bunch of tests manipulating his knees and at the end said he had slight tendinitis because of improper stretching prior to running. Everything structurally was fine, and his treatment plan was to stretch and if the discomfort came back Physical Therapy. Never had to do Physical Therapy as the new stretching did the trick. No further treatment, no injections, no surgery, and he hasn't gone back to the doctor because everything is fine. DoDMERB diagnosed History of Patella Femoral Pain Syndrome and DQ's him. He runs over 2 miles a day, plays Varsity Tennis, Varsity Cross Country, and Varsity Track without issue, but DoDMERB never asked him about his athletics, they only have the single report from the orthopedist. And DodMERB refuses to accept statement from his coaches about his ability to practice and compete.

So now we sit in limbo because I forced him to see a doctor and then when asked at his DoDMERB exam he was honest and said he saw a doctor so they asked for his records.

I think your DS has a good chance for a waiver.

The condition isn’t chronic. No requirement for use of meds on a chronic basis or activity limitations.

No structural pathology. I’m sure the orthopedic surgeon did all the maneuvers to assess stability and ensure ligaments and meniscus were ok.

Looks like your DS has gone through a couple sports seasons with recurrence of problems.

No one here can say definitely your DS will get a waiver but the elements are there to recommend one to the waiver authorities.
 
Thank you for the insight. He has done three different Varsity Sport seasons pain free since this exam. And yes, the surgeon did the McMurray, Lachman, Ober...all kinds of different named tests. His RC and ROO have both requested waivers, but I am told the time frame is unknown, the USMA is usually faster due to the more constrained time line, but that this late he may not make the cutoff. Surgeons notes specifically state that both knees are structurally normal.
 
Thank you for the insight. He has done three different Varsity Sport seasons pain free since this exam. And yes, the surgeon did the McMurray, Lachman, Ober...all kinds of different named tests. His RC and ROO have both requested waivers, but I am told the time frame is unknown, the USMA is usually faster due to the more constrained time line, but that this late he may not make the cutoff. Surgeons notes specifically state that both knees are structurally normal.

Sorry. In my original post, I meant there has not been any recurrence of symptoms.

Many have chimed in on various posts about who gets a waiver review requested for them. Most times, it’s said those who the SAs really want will get a waiver considered for them (may or may not get one, but at least a request will be submitted for consideration).

The other category that I see would get consideration are those “low hanging fruit” waivers. It’s the waivers that are sort of very low risk because they are conditions that were not in the recent past, no sequela, and demonstrated return to full activities. Those are the type of waivers that don’t require too much brain cells to figure out or require a super specialist in the Army inventory to review.

So I guess my point is those low hanging fruit ones may be the ones who go further to the top of the queue as it takes a whole heck of a lot less time to figure out than the more complicated ones.

In my experience, I preferred to knock out the easier ones first (even if they just appeared) because I can do 2-3 of those in 30 minutes compared to 45-60 minutes on 1 complicated one.

Good luck. Hoping it works out for you and your DS.
 
Thanks for the helpful insight! My only worry is that no one in the "system" knows my DS has completed three different Varsity Sport Seasons pain free because DoDMERB refuses to allow him to send additional material including doctors notes because they say only the WA can request anything additional after they make the DQ determination. I have told my DS that we ought to just send the remedial form and personal statement to DoDMERB and hope they include it. But they probably will not, so we wait...:)
 
My DS had the same DQ for both AFROTC (1/3) and USAFA (12/26) and his medical waiver came through last week for ROTC but not USAFA yet. DoDMERB was confusing and frustrating but that seems to be the way it goes. (He had a sore throat this week and I was nervous about sending him to the doctor.) DoDMERB doesn’t have a choice in how they look at a candidate. They just report. It is up to the waiver authority to interprete the findings. Our orthopedist wrote a very detailed letter hitting on all the criteria that DoDMERB mentioned below and that seemed to help.
“Generalized waiver criteria – The main focus of all waiver decisions is centered on the ability to safely and successfully train, be commissioned, and be world-wide deployable upon graduation/commission. In applying this objective, a few of the questions that are considered are:
a) Is the condition progressive?
b) Is the condition subject to aggravation by military service?
c) Will the condition preclude satisfactory completion of prescribed training and subsequent military duty?
d) Will the condition constitute an undue hazard to you or to others you will be charged in leading, particularly under combat conditions?”

I was a MESS waiting for the waiver as I did not know if there was anything more my DS should be doing to usher the waiver through. Less of a mess now that the ROTC waiver has come through but still anxious. The waiting is tough but perhaps serves as a good lesson for what is ahead for anyone contemplating a life of military service.
 
I also think it goes as a warning to candidates and their parents NOT to mentions ANYTHING to DoDMERB Examiners that you do not have a diagnosis of, or are undergoing treatment for! Even them most innocent comment can lead to an irrational notation by an examiner not based on evidence or fact, but comment. In hindsight, I truly believe that since our DS was not having any issues and is still not, had we said nothing who knows if he would past this issue and moving forward.

A question for those of you out there more knowledgeable than I.....If a SA or ROTC program requests a waiver does that mean that the program wants them in, or is it just routine for most DQ's to get a waiver request?
 
There is a difference between ROTC and Service Academies with waivers. ROTC may give waivers for some things that service academies won’t. If the issue comes back while you are doing ROTC you are out. That’s it. Don’t pass Go, don’t collect any disability.
Service Academies it’s not so cut and dry. You may be MEBed (Medical Evaluation Board), an expensive process ($50k minimum). So they look harder at some issues.
Having said that, in my non-medical mind it sounds like this is a minor issue. If denied try to reach out to the waiver authority with the additional information.
Good luck.
 
Last year our DD took 5 weeks from the point that USMA and USNA issued a waiver request for a fully recovered shoulder surgery when she was 15 years old. Both popped up quickly after new (and higher) ACT scores were entered and admissions officer quickly called her to confirm the scores. I am sure your waiver will come through, just be patient. It can be a very long road into late April for an appointment decision.
 
Thanks for all the good advice....:) My DS was able to get a name and phone number for someone involved with the USMA Waiver Authority and he is going to try and call them tomorrow or Tuesday and see if need anything such as a statement from him or my doctor that he has not been under any care since the one exam, has no issues, and no restrictions. I don't know what else to ask my orthopedist to include?
 
I have an LOA to USMA and was deemed academically and physically qualified. USMA has requested a waiver for me and I've been waiting since October 2018 to hear back about it. Sooo the wait has been soooo long but I'm hopeful and I've heard back from USNA which is great and USAFA just granted my waiver
 
od to go. We are worried he will get caught in the after April 30th waiver time frame and he needs to commit to the ROTC University by the end of April. Are we wasting our time?

Last year, DD had a waiver request, and was also offered a 4 yr ROTC Scholarship. In working with the ROTC contact at the college, we asked what would happen if we accepted the ROTC scholarship, and then she received an appointment...........We were told that she would simply inform the ROTC branch at the school of the appointment, and that would be that. This person, can't say for all, was very understanding of the the possibility that a CC might choose WP over the College ROTC. That was our experience. I would suggest contacting the ROTC at the school and asking them the question directly.
 

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Thank you all for the good advice. My DS has a very good relationship with his PMS and the school and ROTC really wants him. A little background, 1400 SAT, 30 ACT, 3.74 unweighted, 4.67 weighted, #10 in his class of 402, a triple letter winner, NHS, student government, IB and AP Graduate, and is caring and compassionate. Before he had the 4yr scholarship, his PMS worked with the school to initiate a one year full academic scholarship in case he did not get the 4 yr scholarship. Since then our son has received a full academic scholarship to the school. One of my questions is normally colleges require you to "commit" by May 1st if you are going to attend, and if he commits to the college we are not concerned about ROTC, but we are about WP. Our son is not one to agree to something, then pull the plug at the last minute, and we support that honesty and commitment, so if he does end up telling the college he is attending in May, I don't think he would "back out" of the school to attend WP, he has said that would not be right.
 
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