Contracted Cadet Question.

[ODU]

Evening everyone, got a question for the masses to see what everyone says.

I am a 3rd year, Contracted AROTC Cadet, and just got out for summer about a month ago... After a casual mole removal with the Dermatologist, it came back as Cancer, Melanoma.. I had to get surgery yesterday to get some lymph nodes removed from three different groups to make sure it didn't spread anywhere.

My cadre have no knowledge about any of this as it is in the summer, and we have no contact with our Cadre during the summer months.

The question is, if I am perfectly healed up, APFT Trained, and the Melanoma is no longer there...Should I even bother telling my Cadre of what happened over the summer with the surgery? I don't really want to take the risk of getting a medical disenrollement and then having nothing to show for my last 3 years.

I am a 300+ APFT Score Cadet, 3.0+ GPA, I love this program.

What do ya think?

Below are some pictures from yesterdays surgery for anyone interested.

 

[AROTC Parent]

ODU,

Let your Cadre know about the procedure when you return to school or sooner. If you are found to have not disclosed, the consequences are worse than a medical disenrollment. You don't want your integrity questioned, just the medical situation.

Keep copies of the medical records, reports, and biopsy results. The CC Surgeon or his representative will want to see all of it.

Good luck.

 

[JMS]

Well, I'm thinking keeping secrets is generally not a good idea nor a sign of high moral character.

And besides, it may be that, owing to your post-script, and photos which id you as a white male with light brown hair, (not sure how many 3rd yr cadets that describes at Norfolk) some of your cadre may already know all about your condition.

"U.S Army ROTC MSIII Cadet at Norfolk State University."

 

[ODU]

Well, I'm thinking keeping secrets is generally not a good idea nor a sign of high moral character.

And besides, it may be that, owing to your post-script, and photos which id you as a white male with light brown hair, (not sure how many 3rd yr cadets that describes at Norfolk) some of your cadre may already know all about your condition.

"U.S Army ROTC MSIII Cadet at Norfolk State University."

The main question, should I contact them this summer or wait till Fall semester rolls around when I am healed up? I am sure it would be better if I waited till I was healed up, to show that there is nothing physically stopping me from doing my job.

I may not have anything though...This procedure was just to make sure it didn't spread. I won't lye, but I have found that some things are better kept to yourself.

 

[JMS]

I recall you are required to report. Choosing not to report may become an issue apart from the medical issue. Consider what happens when this comes out later and you did not report. How does one explain that? I am not an expert on the Army rules, but I can understand not reporting until you have something complete to report.... such as your lab results. And having the lab results will likely ratchet the import of your report up or down.
I think waiting until fall will make the timeliness an issue.
You will have plenty of time to show that you can do your job.

 

[ODU]

I recall you are required to report. Choosing not to report may become an issue apart from the medical issue. Consider what happens when this comes out later and you did not report. How does one explain that? I am not an expert on the Army rules, but I can understand not reporting until you have something complete to report.... such as your lab results. And having the lab results will likely ratchet the import of your report up or down.
I think waiting until fall will make the timeliness an issue.
You will have plenty of time to show that you can do your job.

Yeah, in-till they get the results and give me the boot out of the program with no hesitation at all. Then I am officially back to square 1, what was the point of a History, Military Science degree with no ROTC? Oh wait...There is no point.

Maybe I am just being negative, who know's, I will tell my SGT after the results come in, possibly sooner depending on how I feel about the whole situation.

 

[goaliedad]

The main question, should I contact them this summer or wait till Fall semester rolls around when I am healed up? I am sure it would be better if I waited till I was healed up, to show that there is nothing physically stopping me from doing my job.

I may not have anything though...This procedure was just to make sure it didn't spread. I won't lye, but I have found that some things are better kept to yourself.

It has been said many times around here that bad news doesn't get any better with time.

That being said, waiting until you had the biopsy results back is correct - that is important information. If all the test results are back, waiting for the incision to heal will have no bearing on how DoDMERB views your situation. You should report the facts to your cadre that you know - i.e what was written by your doctor about your condition - e.g. a 2cm lesion was removed from my back with the biopsy showing positive for x. The doctors report shows that the growth did not.... The doctor requests to see me after X weeks to check the wound for healing.

Your cadre will likely turn this over to DoDMERB and when it comes time for you to certify again, they will ask for your medical records regarding this. You may as well get a copy this summer from your physician and have them ready.

Reporting this now presents you as a cadet who keeps on top of his required duties. Waiting until you get back presents you as a cadet who complies to the letter of the rule. Which do you wish to be?

 

[ODU]

It has been said many times around here that bad news doesn't get any better with time.

That being said, waiting until you had the biopsy results back is correct - that is important information. If all the test results are back, waiting for the incision to heal will have no bearing on how DoDMERB views your situation. You should report the facts to your cadre that you know - i.e what was written by your doctor about your condition - e.g. a 2cm lesion was removed from my back with the biopsy showing positive for x. The doctors report shows that the growth did not.... The doctor requests to see me after X weeks to check the wound for healing.

Your cadre will likely turn this over to DoDMERB and when it comes time for you to certify again, they will ask for your medical records regarding this. You may as well get a copy this summer from your physician and have them ready.

Reporting this now presents you as a cadet who keeps on top of his required duties. Waiting until you get back presents you as a cadet who complies to the letter of the rule. Which do you wish to be?

It get's turned over to DODMERB? I have already been DODMERB Qualified, and been passed through all of that. Swore in, and they have already started paying me bi-weekly.

I just emailed my SFC, asking where to direct my question relating the matter.

 

[goaliedad]

It get's turned over to DODMERB? I have already been DODMERB Qualified, and been passed through all of that. Swore in, and they have already started paying me bi-weekly.

I just emailed my SFC, asking where to direct my question relating the matter.

Medical qualification will always be a part of your career. Have the paperwork ready for when they ask for it.

Good to see that you are contacting your cadre. They will work with you to make sure you stay within regs.

 

[ODU]

So should I wait till I am healed up, or go into their offices with my bandages on...?

 

[goaliedad]

So should I wait till I am healed up, or go into their offices with my bandages on...?

You cadre will not want to see your injuries unless they have a personal interest. They don't make the medical call. If DoDMERB wants you to get an evaluation, they will tell you.

 

[JMS]

Good decision on getting in touch. This is not a sprained ankle. On the other hand skin cancers are pretty routine, as I understand it, so it may not register on the medical Richter scale as much as you fear.
I get it that your scholarship is at risk, and that is frightening. I don't know your cadre, but I'm thinking they will be in your corner and help as much as possible.
And a prayer in your general direction, too.

 

[Jcc123]

ODU, in all honesty, you need to be prepared with a plan B. Although it can happen and is worth pursuing, the likelihood of a waiver for melanoma is extremely slim - especially inside of the magic 5 year zone. Non-disclosure will only postpone the inevitable while bringing on additional negative consequences.

Please heal up well this summer. Your health is by far the most important factor. I hope your SNB is all clear and everything goes well for you.

 

[infantry12mom]

I would wait to notify them until after all of the pathology reports have come back from your surgery and sentinel node biopsy showing that you have no evidence of disease remaining. Quite honestly, malignant melanoma is not to be taken lightly.

 

[Pima]

I agree with others about telling them now. As stated if DoDMERB wants to get involved they will.

I am an AFROTC Mom, and I recall when DS was on scholarship (ADAF O1 now) he was told that if ANYTHING changed medically you are to report within a limited time frame.

I would think that AROTC has that written somewhere in your contract too.

Your medical condition has already changed with the 1st surgery when that came back as melanoma.

As others have stated you will have another exam prior to commissioning. Thus, even if the det. says nothing, it will come to light at the exit exam, as close to 6 weeks before graduation--- at least for AFROTC that is how late it can occur. They can DQ you at that point too. Chances are you will be DQ because as others have stated you will not be out of that magic 5 yr window. Getting waivers can take as little as a few weeks or it can take many, many months. One thread here the poster put their timeline for the scholarship DQ and it was 10 months for asthma to get the waiver. You can't commission unless you have a waiver if they DQ.

I would think that this is always going to be on your mind, and IMPO to relieve the stress I would contact the det. now and let them guide you through this issue.

My bet would be they will say wait until you have the results especially since you are not at school right now. They may say that they want to get in front of it and will ask DoDMERB to send you to a DoDMERB qualified dermatologist for a 2nd opinion.

Wouldn't it be better if that is what they are going to do anyway to do it during the summer when you don't have academic and ROTC obligations?

 

[mariner116]

I would wait to notify them until after all of the pathology reports have come back from your surgery and sentinel node biopsy showing that you have no evidence of disease remaining. Quite honestly, malignant melanoma is not to be taken lightly.

I think this is good advice. The conversation you have will be very different depending on whether the tests come back positive or negative. I'm assuming you only have to wait days for the results. If that is the case, I would wait, get the results and call them with status either way.

 

[Pima]

After a casual mole removal with the Dermatologist, it came back as Cancer, Melanoma.. I had to get surgery yesterday to get some lymph nodes removed from three different groups to make sure it didn't spread anywhere.

I am not a doc, but hasn't his medical status already changed from a DoDMERB perspective? The only thing that I am reading is they are waiting to make sure it didn't go into the lymph nodes.

If I am correct, I would think without a doubt either way DoDMERB will be involved regardless of the new procedure's results. I don't think either way it goes that they will say, okey dokey you are clear, no need to see our docs.

I would think they are going to send him to a DoDMERB doc for evaluation. I don't think a remedial is going to cut it. If that is the case and they do wait to go back to school to tell them, or even a month from now, it could be placing him against a hard time frame to get this done (DoDMERB exam) prior to returning to school in the fall. A stress that I wouldn't want to put any kid that is returning to school and participating in ROTC because not every dermatologist is DoDMERB qualified, and that means they could be making an appointment not near their school.

Finally, as someone else said here, this site is filled with lurkers. I know some det cadre lurk on sites like this. If he is at ODU, chances are they have narrowed it down to a few cadets regarding who it could be. If he is on FB, and belongs to the det FB page, that is another way they can find out if he posted pics on his own home page. Something kids forget. I am not friends with my kids on FB, but I know backdoor ways to see everything on their page....typically it is belonging to one of their groups or they are friends with my friends. It is a few quick clicks.

I am not meaning to be Debbie Downer, just trying to understand why he would wait when he is already diagnosed with melanoma.

 

[ODU]

Thanks for all of the concern on the matter, it has now been taken care of with Cadre, and I will be requesting this thread be deleted for privacy reasons as I have not been diagnosed with any stage of melanoma as of now.

 

[ODU]

I am not a doc, but hasn't his medical status already changed from a DoDMERB perspective? The only thing that I am reading is they are waiting to make sure it didn't go into the lymph nodes.

If I am correct, I would think without a doubt either way DoDMERB will be involved regardless of the new procedure's results. I don't think either way it goes that they will say, okey dokey you are clear, no need to see our docs.

I would think they are going to send him to a DoDMERB doc for evaluation. I don't think a remedial is going to cut it. If that is the case and they do wait to go back to school to tell them, or even a month from now, it could be placing him against a hard time frame to get this done (DoDMERB exam) prior to returning to school in the fall. A stress that I wouldn't want to put any kid that is returning to school and participating in ROTC because not every dermatologist is DoDMERB qualified, and that means they could be making an appointment not near their school.

Finally, as someone else said here, this site is filled with lurkers. I know some det cadre lurk on sites like this. If he is at ODU, chances are they have narrowed it down to a few cadets regarding who it could be. If he is on FB, and belongs to the det FB page, that is another way they can find out if he posted pics on his own home page. Something kids forget. I am not friends with my kids on FB, but I know backdoor ways to see everything on their page....typically it is belonging to one of their groups or they are friends with my friends. It is a few quick clicks.

I am not meaning to be Debbie Downer, just trying to understand why he would wait when he is already diagnosed with melanoma.

Technically speaking, I am not diagnosed with any stage as of right now (6/8/13), the sentinental node biopsy was requested to make sure that the initial cancerous mole was not spread anywhere else in my body, if that is the case then there is no signs of Melanoma in my body for right now, at-least.

As you know, they range the scale of melanoma in "stages", and as of right now I have no official medical paperwork stating that I have been diagnosed with a stage, that is what the biopsy coming back will tell us.

So that is why the medical paperwork/DodMERB request will be waited on, because there are more answers to get before we jump head first into a ****-storm (Pardon my language).

Yet again, thank you for everyone's help on the matter but it is now taken care of.

 

[kinnem]

Technically speaking, I am not diagnosed with any stage as of right now (6/8/13), the sentinental node biopsy was requested to make sure that the initial cancerous mole was not spread anywhere else in my body, if that is the case then there is no signs of Melanoma in my body for right now, at-least.

As you know, they range the scale of melanoma in "stages", and as of right now I have no official medical paperwork stating that I have been diagnosed with a stage, that is what the biopsy coming back will tell us.

So that is why the medical paperwork/DodMERB request will be waited on, because there are more answers to get before we jump head first into a ****-storm (Pardon my language).

Yet again, thank you for everyone's help on the matter but it is not taken care of.

Sounds like you have taken and are taking the right steps in my opinion. You've addressed it with cadre and have therefore discharged your duty in the matter. Now it's time for the system to do its work, if there is any further work to be done. I expect there will be some level but if the diagnosis, or lack thereof, is as positive as you believe, there won't be too much. But there will be some I'm sure. Good luck with it all and especially as it regards your health.