- Joined
- Sep 27, 2008
- Messages
- 20,591
He is perfectly fine now. In fact, he was just at the gym earlier today, mowed the lawn, and out on a date with his girlfriend now (you get the picture). The harsh truth of the matter is that if I had not contacted the BGO when DS was in the hospital, none of this would be an issue.
The doctor who cared for him at the hospital believed the issue may have been caused as a result of an appendectomy he had as a young child (scar tissue). They don’t recommend surgery for this type of thing because it usually leads to more scar tissue (adhesions). In the hospital he was given IV fluids and they kept him NPO. It all resolved on its own and he went home after 2 nights in the hospital. I thought I was doing the right thing to notify the BGO that we were in the hospital. No good deed goes unpunished, maybe?
DS reached out to a FL university and they are very happy to have him. They reapplied his scholarships and reopened the portal for him to accept. He’s looking into officer commisioning school after he gets his BS. He has accepted the situation.
Meanwhile, I’m feeling like I stole my son’s hope and dreams. I’m certainly not having the same thoughts about USNA as I did just one week ago.
Of course, if they were to call and say it was all a big mistake (yeah right), I’d be sending him on the next plane. That isn’t the case and we’re left picking up the pieces.
Glad to hear he has not only a viable but an excellent option.
Give yourself a break on the reporting thing, and avoid woulda coulda shoulda, if you can. The PTR, in the Health Status section, requires reporting any changes since the DODMERB exam.
OCS is worth considering, and is also a highly competitive program, as OCS seats vary with the needs of the Navy. Fewer seats will be available if the Navy meets its intake goals from USNA, NROTC and other commissioning paths. The DODMERB officer accession standards are the same, though I think I saw you mention a two-year period post-incident for a waiver consideration.
Strong STEM performance, stellar GPA, continued fitness and no misconduct will be the foundation for a shot at OCS.
I realize the wound is still raw, but with a bit of reflection and distance, he may want to consider re-applying to USNA. DODMERB is good for 2 years, for all the other aspects. The waiver process/waiting period might not be set in stone. He might be able to gather additional medical documentation that ameliorates the initial findings. Candidates can and do apply multiple times, slogging through the nom process, updating other materials, etc., and their determination does not go unnoticed.