Food allergies

[mkusmc]

DS will be attending college in the fall and has received a NROTC-MO scholarship. My question does not involve him directly as he is already DODMERB qualified...DD has a LOT of food allergies (5 of the top 8) and she just so happens to idolize DS. Once DS attends NSI this summer and tells all his stories (and throughout college and beyond) I strongly suspect that DD will also want to go down this path because she will want to be just like big brother. I want to be able to manage expectations properly...having served in the Marine Corps myself, I have always assumed that because of her numerous food allergies she would not be qualified for military service. However, after stalking these threads I have seen that some people have been able to obtain waivers. DD is only 9, so I know that a lot will change with regard to what she wants to be when she grows up and, more importantly, with regard to the status of her food allergies (hopefully for the better). I am also aware that it varies considerably by individual and there is much more involved in the final decision. So with all this being said, I guess my question is what should I tell her if she starts talking about military service? Should I say that she is unlikely to be able to serve? Would one branch be more willing to work with food allergies than the others?

 

[MullenLE]

Google"DoDMERB;" Hit "Questions on the process;" Read paragraphs 11-21 and 23

 

[Army245bday]

DS will be attending college in the fall and has received a NROTC-MO scholarship. My question does not involve him directly as he is already DODMERB qualified...DD has a LOT of food allergies (5 of the top 8) and she just so happens to idolize DS. Once DS attends NSI this summer and tells all his stories (and throughout college and beyond) I strongly suspect that DD will also want to go down this path because she will want to be just like big brother. I want to be able to manage expectations properly...having served in the Marine Corps myself, I have always assumed that because of her numerous food allergies she would not be qualified for military service. However, after stalking these threads I have seen that some people have been able to obtain waivers. DD is only 9, so I know that a lot will change with regard to what she wants to be when she grows up and, more importantly, with regard to the status of her food allergies (hopefully for the better). I am also aware that it varies considerably by individual and there is much more involved in the final decision. So with all this being said, I guess my question is what should I tell her if she starts talking about military service? Should I say that she is unlikely to be able to serve? Would one branch be more willing to work with food allergies than the others?

AROTC is more willing to work with food allergies which the exception of peanut allergy.

Tree nut (walnut, pistachio, cashew, etc) allergies are waiverable for AROTC.

As you’ve heard many times, these waivers are considered on a case by case basis.