I’m glad your daughter received her waivers
1. The volume of exams requested runs between 28-35K per year. These exams equate to an applicant (person). I state that, because many applicants submit applications to multiple programs (Service Academies and/or ROTC). The number of applications runs up to approximately 60K per year. So an applicant that applies like your daughter to USMA and AROTC, has submitted two applications, but only undergoes the one exam.
2. Approximately 85-88% of the applicants get qualified, while the others are disqualified (do not meet standards). Of that remaining group, only 3-4% do not get waived. There’s a delta in there, because not everyone pursues a waiver. These applicants have many opportunities. Their decision not to pursue a waiver often reflects the fact they have received other offers and chose not to pursue. Your daughter was NOT required to submit anything for USMA to consider her for a waiver, but was required to submit a letter requesting a medical waiver for AROTC. For this next class, all of the programs will automatically review applicants who did not meet medical standards. Again, there is not a direct correlation to those that receive a waiver and those that go to that program….again, your daughter. She is going to one or the other of the two programs and could have just as well decided to go to a civilian school, but pursued these options to broaden her opportunities.
Remedials are too complex to discuss here at length. There are two types: Administrative and medical. Administrative can run the gamut from failing to sign the form TO asking the applicant to complete a focused questionnaire TO a request for medical records. Medical can also run the gamut form a repeat blood pressure test TO an orthopedic evaluation TO a cardiology consult with an echocardiogram. Remedials are determined on an individual basis and are not definitively reflective of the system being wrong; the applicant not doing something correctly; or an exam of poor quality. There are a myriad of reasons on why DoDMERB orders remedials.
3. In overall DQs (failing to meet standards), no, there are no gross trends.
Your next area leads to why we’re trying to help. It’s a daunting task at best, but we’re trying to explore as many venues as possible to assist applicants. We are pressing ahead full bore with a replacement Information Technology initiative that will further the assistance effort tremendously. The Director, DoDMERB is committed and dedicated to the goal of a seamless, transparent, and frictionless system. The staff fully supports that goal. But it’s one that is not achieved over night.
Sometimes applicant stories need a dose of Paul Harvey….and now, the Rest of the Story. I can tell you categorically, that the example you cited has additional information in it which would lead to a different outcome. Face it, each and every one of us and every organization, military and civilian make mistakes. It’s highly possible that someone could record and/or read the results of a height measurement incorrectly. But with the submission of timely, accurate, and supporting data, correcting that mistake would have been exceptionally easy.
So, in sum, DoDMERB is doing everything we can to help applicants through the system. We look at every case with the full intent to qualify an applicant. Our Docs are very flexible to allow applicants to be successful. That said, we also must ensure we don’t take anyone in that fail to meet standards. (
http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/613003p.pdf) DoDMERB is responsible for implementing DoD policy.
“It is DoD policy:
3.3. To ensure that individuals under consideration for appointment, enlistment, or induction into the United States Armed Forces are, as follows: 3.3.1. Free of contagious diseases that probably will endanger the health of other personnel.
3.3.2. Free of medical conditions or physical defects that may require excessive time lost from duty for necessary treatment or hospitalization or probably will result in separation from the Service for medical unfitness.
3.3.3. Medically capable of satisfactorily completing required training.
3.3.4. Medically adaptable to the military environment without the necessity of geographical area limitations.
3.3.5. Medically capable of performing duties without aggravation of existing physical defects or medical conditions.”
Hopefully, that gives you and the other readers a more informed perspective on what we do and why we do it. Thx for the opportunity
If you have any questions regarding DoDMERB about policies, procedures, your specific case (I will have to verify who you are), or anything else, I am the DoDMERB official to provide you a response. I'm always available and in most cases, will respond immediately, but will respond within 24 hours on all cases. 
