DoDMERB process for regular admission - too late?

[Ept1983]

Could someone explain the dodmerb process for regular admission applicants and help put my mind at ease? I posted this on the USCGA thread as well.

We were under the impression that the dodmerb process started after you completed your application (per the uscga website). My son submitted his USCGA application in the beginning of January for the regular admission cycle. Soon after, he wrote his AO and said he hadn’t received a link to sign up for dodmerb. AO wrote back and said not to worry, it can take up to 2-3 weeks, to check your spam folder. We waited two weeks and still nothing. He reached out again to his AO and didn’t hear back. In the meantime, he was able to log on himself and start the application (thanks to a post on this forum).

He had his eye appt last week and has his medical exam today.

He still hasn’t heard back from his AO and has no contact person for DODmerb.

I expect that he will need a waiver based on a “possible seizure” when he was 8…

It sounds like the waiver will be required by May 15 but the Coast Guard won’t request the waiver until he is actually offered an appointment?! How are we able to get that done in time if he may not even receive an appointment until April/May? Worried about this timeline. Has anyone waited this long to start the process? I have all of his medical records printed out and ready to send. we followed up with his specialist last month and have letters clearing him from neuro standpoint. I feel like we have done all we can on our end but feel discouraged and worried that we have run out of time. Looking back I wish we had started this process much sooner. Everything I’ve read said DODmerb process can be lengthy.

I realize I’m getting ahead of myself since he hasn’t yet received an appointment but trying to stay optimistic!

 

[Impulsive]

Take a second and try and relax.. As I understand the process (unfortunately Mr. Mullen is not here to help), the ascension source (academy ROTC, OCS) will usually request the waiver be initiated when they feel they have a candidate that is highly competitive for admission (appointment). It usually does not happen post appointment, unless the appointment is offered conditionally and early. So your son is still good, USCGA does not usually wait till last minute to request a waiver (they know it sometimes takes quite a while), but rather once they determine he is a good candidate for appointment, they will initiate the waiver process. USCGA is different form the other academies in that no Congressional nomination is needed so as soon as his admissions team determines that he is a highly qualified candidate and "likely" to receive an offer or appointment they will commence the waiver process. I have no idea as to how you would find out whether or not USCGA has actually initiated the waiver process other than if DoDMERB asks for additional medical information (AMI) or testing that the waiver authority deems necessary.

Also, don't "expect" to need anything, wait till notified that USCGA is requesting more info. DoDI 6130.03 gives you the actual disqualifying medical diagnoses, read thru this document and determine if the "possibly seizure" is listed. I would take a wild guess that a "possible" anything may not trigger a DQ Code UNLESS there was an actual documented event with a diagnosis.

Your son has time, his AO is likely VERY busy right now, just keep trying and if you can't get his specific AO, try and get someone in admissions to relay of check for you. I will say that submission of an initial application in January of the year seeking admission is a little late, most applicants get the applications complete early (even if not seeking ED or EA) for just the reason you infer, DoDMERB and Waivers can take time and starting late can hinder the academy's ability to get everything complete. There have also been posts here of candidates getting notification just days before the reporting date, so again let things play out, keep in touch with admissions, and do whatever your son's AO advises.

 

[Ept1983]

Take a second and try and relax.. As I understand the process (unfortunately Mr. Mullen is not here to help), the ascension source (academy ROTC, OCS) will usually request the waiver be initiated when they feel they have a candidate that is highly competitive for admission (appointment). It usually does not happen post appointment, unless the appointment is offered conditionally and early. So your son is still good, USCGA does not usually wait till last minute to request a waiver (they know it sometimes takes quite a while), but rather once they determine he is a good candidate for appointment, they will initiate the waiver process. USCGA is different form the other academies in that no Congressional nomination is needed so as soon as his admissions team determines that he is a highly qualified candidate and "likely" to receive an offer or appointment they will commence the waiver process. I have no idea as to how you would find out whether or not USCGA has actually initiated the waiver process other than if DoDMERB asks for additional medical information (AMI) or testing that the waiver authority deems necessary.

Also, don't "expect" to need anything, wait till notified that USCGA is requesting more info. DoDI 6130.03 gives you the actual disqualifying medical diagnoses, read thru this document and determine if the "possibly seizure" is listed. I would take a wild guess that a "possible" anything may not trigger a DQ Code UNLESS there was an actual documented event with a diagnosis.

Your son has time, his AO is likely VERY busy right now, just keep trying and if you can't get his specific AO, try and get someone in admissions to relay of check for you. I will say that submission of an initial application in January of the year seeking admission is a little late, most applicants get the applications complete early (even if not seeking ED or EA) for just the reason you infer, DoDMERB and Waivers can take time and starting late can hinder the academy's ability to get everything complete. There have also been posts here of candidates getting notification just days before the reporting date, so again let things play out, keep in touch with admissions, and do whatever your son's AO advises.

thank you for the response! Looking back I wish he had submitted his application sooner. Never realized the Dodmerb process was so lengthy. Will hope for the best!

 

[Capt MJ]

thank you for the response! Looking back I wish he had submitted his application sooner. Never realized the Dodmerb process was so lengthy. Will hope for the best!

Don’t beat yourself up. He could have submitted in September, DoDMERB could go well into the spring, and he might not hear decisions until after April. The majority hear between Jan and Apr, best SWAG.

The DoDMERB process does not start until one of DoDMERB’s “client” commissioning programs downloads the applicant’s info into the DoDMERB action queue.

 

[Ept1983]

Don’t beat yourself up. He could have submitted in September, DoDMERB could go well into the spring, and he might not hear decisions until after April. The majority hear between Jan and Apr, best SWAG.

The DoDMERB process does not start until one of DoDMERB’s “client” commissioning programs downloads the applicant’s info into the DoDMERB action queue.

the ironic thing is that he may not even need a waiver... and he may not even get in. But that doesn't stop the worrying! Just keep telling myself that it's out of our hands at this point.

 

[THX2667]

Don’t beat yourself up. He could have submitted in September, DoDMERB could go well into the spring, and he might not hear decisions until after April. The majority hear between Jan and Apr, best SWAG.

The DoDMERB process does not start until one of DoDMERB’s “client” commissioning programs downloads the applicant’s info into the DoDMERB action queue.

Submitting in September may not have helped much this cycle. My exams were done by the first week of September, but DoDMERB systems going down prevented them from processing my medical until January.

On another note, I know an applicant in my school that turned in their USNA application later during the outage. They will not be able to get their exams done until the end of the month. From the limited view I have, I am willing to bet that due to the DoDMERB issues in the fall and winter, many candidates are still working on medical exams.

 

[Gnarlygoat27]

the ironic thing is that he may not even need a waiver... and he may not even get in. But that doesn't stop the worrying! Just keep telling myself that it's out of our hands at this point.

You're definitely not alone in the wait! My son submitted his in October but couldn't initiate DODMETS until January because of recovering from a car accident. But then his appointment was another month later and of course nothing we can do about the outage catch up. Anxiety inducing for sure but we're all here together

 

[Ironman4]

Could someone explain the dodmerb process for regular admission applicants and help put my mind at ease? I posted this on the USCGA thread as well.

We were under the impression that the dodmerb process started after you completed your application (per the uscga website). My son submitted his USCGA application in the beginning of January for the regular admission cycle. Soon after, he wrote his AO and said he hadn’t received a link to sign up for dodmerb. AO wrote back and said not to worry, it can take up to 2-3 weeks, to check your spam folder. We waited two weeks and still nothing. He reached out again to his AO and didn’t hear back. In the meantime, he was able to log on himself and start the application (thanks to a post on this forum).

He had his eye appt last week and has his medical exam today.

He still hasn’t heard back from his AO and has no contact person for DODmerb.

I expect that he will need a waiver based on a “possible seizure” when he was 8…

It sounds like the waiver will be required by May 15 but the Coast Guard won’t request the waiver until he is actually offered an appointment?! How are we able to get that done in time if he may not even receive an appointment until April/May? Worried about this timeline. Has anyone waited this long to start the process? I have all of his medical records printed out and ready to send. we followed up with his specialist last month and have letters clearing him from neuro standpoint. I feel like we have done all we can on our end but feel discouraged and worried that we have run out of time. Looking back I wish we had started this process much sooner. Everything I’ve read said DODmerb process can be lengthy.

I realize I’m getting ahead of myself since he hasn’t yet received an appointment but trying to stay optimistic!

We are in same situation. Our son applied on Dec 21 and nothing from dodmerb. His Bear's Den account still says under review. No prompt for anything. We've called dodmerb and they have nothing in system at all under his ssn so they said we couldn't initiate anything. We are a West Point family and have a current cadet at CGA, so we know something is very off with this process right now. No communication after multiple emails to CGA AO.

 

[Ept1983]

We are in same situation. Our son applied on Dec 21 and nothing from dodmerb. His Bear's Den account still says under review. No prompt for anything. We've called dodmerb and they have nothing in system at all under his ssn so they said we couldn't initiate anything. We are a West Point family and have a current cadet at CGA, so we know something is very off with this process right now. No communication after multiple emails to CGA AO.

oh my. Not sure who your AO is but I know my son's AO has a cell number listed on the website. We have only emailed - but I think if I was in your shoes I might try the phone route!