Advice/Insight Needed - Medical DQ

[Hardcore Troubadour]

Thanks in advance for any advice/insight you can give. The road to pursuing my dream of USMA has taken a hard detour. After receiving 3 nominations and appearing qualified in every other way, I was DQ'd based on myopia and astigmatism. Numbers are -8.375 outside of the maximum qualifying range of -8.00 or greater qualifying. My personal optometrist wrote a letter in support of a waiver. Unfortunately I have just received a letter from the director of admissions stating a waiver has not been granted and my file has been closed. Does anyone have any similar experiences to share or any advice you can give? I want to keep pushing ahead but am a bit unsure of what I should do at this point.

 

[845something]

At the end of the day, some conditions are not compatible with military service. You may see it as correctable eyesight. This is what the military sees and why you are not likely to receive a waiver no matter who you appeal to:
1) increased risk of retinal detachment (risk significantly increases above 6.00 diopters spherical equivalent and that is where the Army Surgeon General wanted the line drawn, but they give you to 8.00). You are going to be hit in the face more at West Point and the Army than you would likely anywhere else (on average), and that risk is real.
2) support requirements - they have to be able to provide you glasses quickly in a deployed environment and the further you get from the norms, the more specialized the equipment has to be, which makes it more difficult, resource intensive, and time consuming.
3) there will be times you have to lead Soldiers, and if you are temporarily without glasses, you are combat ineffective.
4) you are still young, and your eyes are still changing. If they are already that far along, what will they be in a couple of years when your eyes stabilize? Where will they be in 20 years?

If you want to serve, use your smarts and leadership to find another way like civil service that can have positive benefits for Soldiers and your country.

 

[hutchdweller]

I am so sorry that you have received such difficult news! Is corrective surgery and reapplication next year an option for you? I certainly hope so. If not, you will need to redirect your energies and substantial talents to create a new dream. Many great people have had to do the same. Pulling for you! God Bless!