Dyslexia, accommodations and timing for ROTC

[evengiraffe]

My son is loving JROTC and wants to do college ROTC and then enter the military. He has an IEP for dyslexia but has good grades (including advanced math and science) and solid test scores without using the accommodations. He has never been medicated.

We’re familiar with the policy regarding dyslexia: Current or history of academic skills or perceptual defects secondary to organic or functional mental disorders, including, but not limited to dyslexia, that interfere with school or employment, do not meet the standard. Applicants demonstrating passing academic and employment performance without utilization or recommendation of academic and/or work accommodations at any time in the previous 12 months may be qualified.

We’re trying to determine his eligibility, so the question is this: 12 months before what date? Is it 12 months before he applies for ROTC (senior year in high school), or 12 months before he enters ROTC as a college freshman, or is the timing related to the ROTC contract that comes before junior year in college?

He needs to know where he stands before he tells the school to ditch the IEP. It’s also possible that the high school may recommend accommodations even without an IEP, mistakenly thinking that this is helpful for his future. How would this affect his eligibility for ROTC and eventual military service?

Any insight is appreciated!

 

[LongAgoPlebe]

As it stands with DoDMERB (see page 20), dyslexia is disqualifying:

D231.90 Academic skills disorders: Current or history of academic skills disorders, including but not limited to ADHD, dyslexia, learning disorders, or need for academic accommodations.

However, there was a thread last winter here giving different information. It doesn't seem clear what the policy is. If you haven't already, a close reading of DoDMERB documentation and the workflow diagrams for remedials and waiver consideration might also be helpful. You could also email Dr. Larry Mullen, the deputy director of DoDMERB.

 

[LineInTheSand]

He would have to lose the accommodations, but it's waiverable.

 

[evengiraffe]

Thanks, LongAgoPlebe.

According to DoDMERB 6103.03, he will not qualify (since he had accommodations after age 14). But since he's interested in Army ROTC, he may qualify for a waiver based on U.S. Army Standards of Medical Fitness AR 40-51, 22 December 2016

2–27. Learning, psychiatric and behavioral disorders
b. Current or history of academic skills or perceptual defects (315) secondary to organic or functional mental disorders, including, but not limited to dyslexia, that interfere with school or employment, do not meet the standard. Applicants demonstrating passing academic and employment performance without utilization or recommendation of academic and/or work accommodations at any time in the previous 12 months may be qualified.

So my initial question is still relevant...12 months before what date? Is it 12 months before he applies for ROTC (senior year in high school), or 12 months before he enters ROTC as a college freshman, or is the timing related to the ROTC contract that comes before junior year in college? When does the medial testing come into play?

The timing is the tricky part.