Advice Needed

AF6872

15-Year Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2007
Messages
4,821
My daughter applied to the Naval Academy in early August 2006. The following is the sequence of events as of today:

B&G Interview 8/27/06.
DoDMERB exam 10/5/06.
Remedials correspondence 11/6/06.
Senate Nomination 11/22/06.
Representative Nomination 12/11/06.
DQ'd and forwarded to waiver authority @ USNA 12/12/06.
CVW 1/25/07. Had a great time and Admissions Officer was very positive.
LOA 2/9/07.
Sky high for three weeks.
Medical Waiver Denied 3/5/07. Lots of tears all around.

We would appreciate any advice from anyone.
 
I am sure RetNavyHM will put in his two cents. As he has explained before DoDMERB and waivers run parallel to admission. They sometime never intersect until an appointment is ready to be made which is what appears to be your daughter's case.

This is a real heartbreaker. My condolences to your daughter.

Did she apply to any other academies or ROTC? Did she have any luck with waivers there?
 
Son has had an almost identical experience. Only difference is timing. His issue is eyesight. He even received telephone calls from USNA admissions in early February to nail down some questions about nomination. Waiver denial came the day after phone calls. Very, very painful!!! On advice from some on this board - son had eyes re-examined and submitted a request to USNA to reconsider. He sent the letter via USPO - certified mail and then followed up by telephone. Son was told that the letter will be forwarded to the proper authority. His hope is to demonstrate that he is still most interested in USNA and that his vision has stabilized. Son sent copy of USMMA waiver and proof that USMMA has already offered him an appointment. BUT, we know it is a long-shot because he is over the vision "limit". It has been two weeks and we are holding, trying to be patient. Son is also waiting for waiver from USCGA. The good news his he has USMMA appmt. He is thrilled to have the appmt. but will wait to accept until final decision is made by USNA and maybe USCGA.

Hope this spawns some ideas for your daughter's situation. Don't throw in the towel, and keep working on her plan B. These kids are wonderful, gifted and lion-hearted! The one thing they sometimes cannot overcome is physical limitations. Again, painful, but keep pushing forward. Our kids are learning more by this process alone than most of us learned in our first 30yrs!!
 
USNA Admissions Dept no longer has a Medical Officer on staff. What used to be routinely handled by Admissions must now be farmed out to the Brigade Senior Medical Officer, BuMed, and the Dean of Admissions and then passed to the Superintendent for final disposition.
 
If the wavier was denied, you can always request to have it looked at again. I would have your daughter write a personal statement in regard to the disqualification, explaining it in her words. She needs to start with the issue, what treatment she received and for how long, when the last time she was treated for the problem, what affects it had on her daily life, what activities she currently participates in and how the disqualification affects her, if at all.

The letter should be sent to DoDMERB, they will forward it to the wavier authorities. I would also have her contact her admissions officer to let them know she is requesting that the waiver be looked at again.

Waiver denials can be overturned, its not an easy task, but one that can happen.
 
Sorry not to get back with thanks sooner.

I had to drive to school to give a hug (2 1/2 hrs each way), plan strategy and get copies of school medical records that had been forwarded to DoDMERB. She needed the personal touch since school gets out today but she has to stay alone in the dorm to prep for Academic Olympics.

Her plan B is Middlebury, Colgate, Colby, Washington & Lee and Connecticut College. None of them have NROTC. USNA is all she wants. She is going to fight the DQ. That is her decission. I got a copy of the school "Doctors" write up that went to DoDMERB for the first time. We reviewed it together and I told her to save that language for the Academy. He saw her for five minutes after talking to her school counselor and wrote a one page diagnosis. We are taking her records to another doctor for a second opinion to be forwarded to DoDMERB and the waivering authority. Her college counselor (Father MMA graduate, Brother NA graduate on active duty) was calling the admission officer with her comments. I calmed her down but she is calling anyway.

My daughter is also calling admissions to find out if she can be revaluated by anyone at NAPS or the War College (her school is on the other side of the island).

Thanks Again for all your kind interest. Even at the worst of times the service is all one big family. Even parts of SEA weren't all bad.
 
I assume the waiver was for something other than the eyesight waiver that I have read can be made by the USNA for a certain percentage of appointees?
 
Just an update on the situation. Review by DoDMERB of various "qualified" medical evaluations. After review, DoDMERB agreed that original disqualifying condition had never existed. No "history of". DQ removed. Father of USNA class of 2011. Followed RetnavHM's advice to the letter and it worked. My only advice is never give up.
 
Many, many, many congratulations to your daughter. I cannot imagine the happiness at your house!!!!
:yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay: :yay:
 
RetNavyHM

I understand from other postings that you "trained" the new Director. You did a good job. He did not have to contact us but he did. He made sure that my wife, my daughter and I were fully informed during the whole review process. I think that people will experience a new and improved DoDMERB during his tour. Of course he is NAVY so that may account for the new and improved. I was AF but don't hold it against me.
 
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