Maryland83
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2013
- Messages
- 5
My son is a candidate for the USNA Class of 2017. We are still waiting to hear whether he has received an appointment or not. My question involves hearing standards and the waiver process. My son was born with hearing loss in his left ear and received a letter from DoDMerb last Fall that said he had "hearing loss exceeding medical accession standards." His hearing loss is somewhere around 75-80 decibels at 3000Hz (I think the maximum acceptable is 45 db). The hearing has never affected him and you wouldn't know it unless he told you or, obviously, unless he took a hearing exam. His doctors and teachers can all attest to the fact that he has completely adapted and compensated for his hearing loss.
I understand that if he is offered an appointment, the USNA will automatically request a waiver. But I also understand that if he does not receive an appointment, we will never know whether a waiver was possible. He is committed to reapplying if he does not get in this year, but we don't want him to keep his hopes up if he has a condition that will never be waived. I was wondering if there is any way we can find out from DoDMERB if his hearing loss is the type of loss that would never be waived or is it something that would be determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the needs in any given year. Any assistance or information would be greatly appreciated.
I understand that if he is offered an appointment, the USNA will automatically request a waiver. But I also understand that if he does not receive an appointment, we will never know whether a waiver was possible. He is committed to reapplying if he does not get in this year, but we don't want him to keep his hopes up if he has a condition that will never be waived. I was wondering if there is any way we can find out from DoDMERB if his hearing loss is the type of loss that would never be waived or is it something that would be determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the needs in any given year. Any assistance or information would be greatly appreciated.