DODMERB Issue: Migraine History

H

HuntMR

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Jan 12, 2022
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5
Hello there!

My daughter was thrilled to receive a conditional appointment to the USCGA, but has received the disappointing news that she has been disqualified by DoDMERB for history of headaches that have required prescription medication twice in 2 years. Just received congressional nominations for USNA and USAFA recently, but Coast Guard is her first choice. The waiver process will begin soon. I would like to ask others who have been through this terrifying process for best advice.

Thank you for your help/advice.
 
Mom/Dad/Daughter = Pls Google “DoDMERB;” Hit “Questions on the process;” Read paragraph #4

Daughter = If you’d like, you may send me an email: lawrence.e.mullen.civ@mail.mil; provide complete name and last 4 SSN; provide the text of your Parent's posting above to YOUR email. The subject line of the email should be “HuntMR- SAF = DoDMERB Issue Migraine History.“ Do NOT embed links in your email as I will not be able to view those.:wiggle:
 
Thank You so much Mr. Mullen for your help. I will have my daughter reach out to you next week. It is hard to trust that this bureaucratic review is fair and productive. I am grateful for this forum and only found it because I am a recovering helicopter mom. You will be hearing from my daughter next week.
 
The bureaucratic review is fair and productive.

Sometimes the needs of the military are at odds with what parents and applicants want.

I get occasional migraines and am lucky excedrine migraine with a dark room and no sound works for me. I used to get prescriptions for percocet - and keep them on hand when needed.

Best of luck.
 
HuntMR said:
Hello there!

My daughter was thrilled to receive a conditional appointment to the USCGA, but has received the disappointing news that she has been disqualified by DoDMERB for history of headaches that have required prescription medication twice in 2 years. Just received congressional nominations for USNA and USAFA recently, but Coast Guard is her first choice. The waiver process will begin soon. I would like to ask others who have been through this terrifying process for best advice.

Thank you for your help/advice.
Click to expand...
Your daughter will get advice from the best.

It’s easy to get lost and frustrated in the iterative process of this and the “why.” Military people often serve in harsh operating conditions far from advanced medical care. Others will depend on them to be able to perform their duties for the safety and survival of the entire unit, sometimes when lives are at stake. The military sets the accession bar for medical standards very high for this reason. It’s risk analysis on the part of the military to safeguard those with whom your daughter wishes to serve.

We had a USNA sponsor daughter who wanted nothing more than to fly Navy. She got her wish and made her way through the aviation training pipeline to F/A-18 Hornets. The altitude, bright light and Gs triggered migraines. You cannot have a pilot in a single-seat plane who has been shown to be vulnerable in that aspect of her health. Think of the potential catastrophic impact of an impaired pilot trying to land a jet on a carrier hundreds of miles from land, or in a tactical situation or doing a flyover at the Army-Navy game. She was DQed, and was allowed to transfer to another community, consistent with medical retention standards, which are different than accession standards. She could still give the Navy return on the investment they had made in her.

This anecdote just illustrates the risk analysis that is the driver behind the DoDMERB process. If your daughter becomes a Coast Guard officer, she will be responsible for the lives of those who report to her, especially at sea. The military is at its core a utilitarian decision culture: the needs of the many will outweigh the needs of the few.

Just take a breath and do what you know how to do - support your daughter through the process.
 
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HuntMR - Our honor and privilege to serve:wiggle:
 
Wanted to update this post. My daughter was granted a full appointment to the Naval Academy this morning! She appealed the Coast Guard medical disqualification and have not heard final decision yet. Looks like she is heading to Annapolis!
 
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