Abortion and ROTC

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Rockenrose17

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A couple weeks back I had unprotected sex with my fiancé. I haven’t taken any pregnancy tests yet so there is still the possibility I may not be pregnant, but say I was. I am not ready for a child so I would personally choose to terminate the pregnancy. Would I have to inform CADRE of my choice? How would that effect my ROTC career? What would happen if I kept it from CADRE?
 
That is your personal choice. Any pregnancies become part of your medical history, which is protected by HIPAA. Ditto any outcomes of that pregnancy. You would disclose that on medical histories the rest of your life. If you have a child, whether married or not, there are policies covering pregnancy and childcare responsibilities in the military, presumably ROTC programs as well.

And, it is none of my business, absolutely no reply required or desired, you noted you had unprotected sex, but I will point out your fiancé did too, so he shares in the responsibility to take action to prevent an outcome neither of you may be ready for. You should consider counseling to ensure if a decision has to be made, you have thought it through.
 
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From the Administrative/DoDMERB sides of the equation, which is different than SA’s (which you didn’t ask about, but to keep the topic together)

Administrative:

Dependents SAs =. To be admitted to any academy, you may not have any dependents - folks depending on you for your source of income.
Dependents ROTC = It is not an issue.
Dependent care plan = There is a requirement for a dependent care plan upon entry onto Active Duty. I won’t go further than that here.

DoDMERB SAs/ROTC. = Pregnancy thru 6 months after delivery is disqualifying.// History of abdominal surgery within the last 3 mos is disqualifying (E.g. - pregnancy termination)
 
First this must be a frightening situation for you and your fiance to be in.

Your verb choice of "say I WAS". Reality check that - This is not a hypothetical - you either ARE or your are not pregnant. I recommend it's time now for you and your fiance as a team to take a couple of actions.

First, agree strongly with recommendation for counseling/ support - your school should have counseling, there is planned parenthood, or let the group know if you two need any support in finding someone to talk to.

Recommend you take a pregnancy test so you are both informed. If it has been "a couple of weeks" since you both completed the act of making a child, as you stated- your body only needs 7-12 days (already past) to develop detectable levels of HCG after the egg is implanted, so you may be able to get an early indicator today. For the most accurate results, you should take a pregnancy test the week after your missed period. I think the tests come in 2-packs - If it were me, I would do two tests today, and another two a week after your missed period, if that happens. the cost of those kits is less that even a week of diapers/formula. Make the investment.

After this... I didn't want chicken last night for dinner, so I just chose not to make it - your choices have bigger consequences. It's unfortunate if you do not want a child that you didn't take a plan B bill within a short window after unprotected sex - if you had we would likely never know if you would have been pregnant. Learn about that for "next time". For the future, too, another option - if you and your fiance are sexually active and you don't want a child, why not take birth control - aka "the pill"? Well after this crisis think about all that.

Given that surgical abortions are a DQ per the other post from a national expert, just please know there are non invasive / non procedural medication options to ending a pregnancy if that is your choice. You both can discuss options and risks with a physician or planned parenthood. There is also adoption but I am trying to stay out of sharing my opinion or a recommendation - just noting it's an option.

For AROTC per the text below, it sounds like you would not be disenrolled for the "event" of pregnancy, but I am not sure what branch you are in. Make sure you understand - here from the internet was "Pregnant students are not ineligible to compete for scholarship. However, they are ineligible to enroll in ROTC if pregnant. Therefore, students must be medically qualified at the time of enrollment. Cadets who become pregnant after enrollment will not be involuntarily disenrolled solely because of pregnancy."

good luck and let the group know if any support would be helpful. If you must end a pregnancy please do not let this fester/ go on for months. Be as humane and responsible as you can now.

On informing the cadre about a pregnancy you aren't keeping? I don't know. Maybe this is an area where a woman has a right to privacy vs having this as part of your file. The only times I've lied in the last 20 years are when I'm asked "do I look fat in this dress?" by some women in my life who sometimes indeed do look fat in those dresses.I enjoy the freedom and simplicity / ease of just being truthful. Cherish it actually. But in this case, I just don't know. Is there a way to disclose the pregnancy and just say not brought to term vs. aborted? does that matter? I'd avoid having abortion as part of my DDs record if possible -it's a "NUNYA" business detail IMO.

Hope this helps and know this will work out - if you are overwhelmed/ suicidal thoughts come in here, at all seek immediate help please. You will get through this., learn from it hopefully, and good luck.
 
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A medical abortion (Pills) in the first trimester is not likely disqualifying as it's not abdominal surgery. Go get tested. Go talk to a planned parenthood counselor or one at the Women's Center on your campus - take care of yourself first and foremost. If you are preparing to commission or attend Advanced Camp you can access the DD Form 2807-1 here. Read through the questions.
 
My personal opinion -
"Would I have to inform CADRE of my choice?" No - at most they would need to know you have a medical appointment if it interferes with an ROTC activity. You may need a short profile or note from your doctor to excuse you from PT but this does not include the cause/diagnosis. If they ask why you have a profile just tell them it's personal.
"How would that effect my ROTC career?" - It won't unless you choose for it to affect your 'ROTC career'.
"What would happen if I kept it from CADRE?" Nothing. It's none of their business unless it interferes with training and even then they don't need to know the 'why'. However, understand your Cadre are people too - some of them have gone through this type of situation themselves.

Go to the Women's Center on or off campus. Get tested - the dollar store is inexpensive.
 
Please talk with your partner and make a plan together for this in the future. Without a plan, it is potentially scary (thus your post) and frankly irresponsible. But recognize people have been managing this since the dawn of time. You will manage this appropriately too. Hopefully with more intention in the future.

You owe it to yourself to be safe each and every time until you are prepared to bring a life into the world. And your partner owes it to you to make sure he is not creating a life unintentionally. The plan needs to account for pregnancy planning, health (physical and mental), and your life goals.
 
Rockenrose17 said:
A couple weeks back I had unprotected sex with my fiancé. I haven’t taken any pregnancy tests yet so there is still the possibility I may not be pregnant, but say I was. I am not ready for a child so I would personally choose to terminate the pregnancy. Would I have to inform CADRE of my choice? How would that effect my ROTC career? What would happen if I kept it from CADRE?
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I'm so sorry! praying for a good result!
 
AROTC Parent said:
My personal opinion -
"Would I have to inform CADRE of my choice?" No - at most they would need to know you have a medical appointment if it interferes with an ROTC activity. You may need a short profile or note from your doctor to excuse you from PT but this does not include the cause/diagnosis. If they ask why you have a profile just tell them it's personal.
"How would that effect my ROTC career?" - It won't unless you choose for it to affect your 'ROTC career'.
"What would happen if I kept it from CADRE?" Nothing. It's none of their business unless it interferes with training and even then they don't need to know the 'why'. However, understand your Cadre are people too - some of them have gone through this type of situation themselves.
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Not sure this is quite right, you may decide not to tell the Cadre and then simply tell them you had an undisclosed medical procedure at the time but that won't be the end of it. Before commissioning you'll be required to update your medical information, you will be required at this time to revise your history to include the procedure and you won't be able to claim "It's personal" How Dodmerb will react to not making the revision when any procedure was done is something you may have to deal with.

I agree with the others, take a test, if there is a Planned Parenthood nearby go there, they can take a more accurate test and are able to discuss all your options while being confidential. You can then make your choice how to proceed if the test is positive. Best of luck.
 
A1 Janitor....I can assure you DoDMERB has no position on adoption. DoDMERB is a medical organization that renders medical decisions, whis is why I split my original answer into Administrative and Medical.
 
MullenLE said:
A1 Janitor....I can assure you DoDMERB has no position on adoption. DoDMERB is a medical organization that renders medical decisions, whis is why I split my original answer into Administrative and Medical.
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I wasn’t sure if child birth (not necessarily adoption) would be disqualifying.
 
Rockenrose17 said:
A couple weeks back I had unprotected sex with my fiancé. I haven’t taken any pregnancy tests yet so there is still the possibility I may not be pregnant, but say I was. I am not ready for a child so I would personally choose to terminate the pregnancy. Would I have to inform CADRE of my choice? How would that effect my ROTC career? What would happen if I kept it from CADRE?
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You make it sound like its a forgone conclusion that you will get pregnant. The odds are you arent going to get pregnant. If you are that freaked out about it, I would get the mornng after pill not be pregnant.
 
Jcleppe said:
Not sure this is quite right, you may decide not to tell the Cadre and then simply tell them you had an undisclosed medical procedure at the time but that won't be the end of it. Before commissioning you'll be required to update your medical information, you will be required at this time to revise your history to include the procedure and you won't be able to claim "It's personal" How Dodmerb will react to not making the revision when any procedure was done is something you may have to deal with.

I agree with the others, take a test, if there is a Planned Parenthood nearby go there, they can take a more accurate test and are able to discuss all your options while being confidential. You can then make your choice how to proceed if the test is positive. Best of luck.
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The Report of Medical History DD Form 2807-1, submitted prior to commissioning and linked in my previous post, is intended to be accessed by Medical personnel for use by DOD Physicians not ROTC Cadre at her unit - so yes, it's personal.

Though not relevant to the OP's response on the DD Form 2807-1 in the future - I found no questions that would require reporting an early term 'medical', not surgical, abortion. Nor did the three female 20 somethings I queried with the scenario and form, including one AD Army and one Naval Reserve. If the OP chose to report it as an illness or injury under questions 23 or 24 the explanation of 'Yes' answers would be used for medical personnel to determine qualification.
 
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