Getting Hurt

T

taylorsalzberg

5-Year Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2013
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Hi I have recently been given an appointment for the class of 2017. I was wondering what happens if you were to get hurt before R-Day? And what the policy is on meniscus injuries? I am a wrestler and I may have torn my meniscus and if it requires surgery, will i still be able to attend if I am healed? I have heard that any knee surgery requires a year to pass before being accepted, even if it is a minor surgery that will heal up in a month or two. What is the policy on meniscus surgeries?
 
Congrats on your appointment, Taylor.

I believe DODMERB requires you to update them if your medical status changes before R-Day. Hopefully your injury is not severe enough to change your status, but you should be aware that not reporting it (and then showing up in a brace) may be enough to get you sent home.

You should contact Bill Anderson, the DODMERB liaison at the USCGA.

You can reach him at 860-701-6776 or William.J.Anderson@uscga.edu
 
DS had an appointment to USAFA and had accepted it. Had a knee issue which we informed DoDMERB about. He became medically unqualified, but, didn't lose his appointment -- just had to be medically cleared prior to I-day.
He had surgery in mid March (his was removal of a cyst type growth around a ligament, but ligament in tact), completed PT and was released by orthopedist, with those magical words of something to the affect "no restrictions, complete recovery, etc" - (orthopedist was retired Army so she knew what to write so DoDMERB would understand) on May 1st. We overnighted ALL of his paperwork to DoDMERB (orthopedist appts, surgical report, PT reports, etc). Was requalified medically by DoDMERB by 15 May. He will graduate USAFA this May.

Don't hide anything from DoDMERB but keep all medical records so you can send them copies. If you need surgery, get it sooner rather than later so you can fully recover.

A side note -- we did send in a deposit to his Plan B school in late April because he was not yet medically cleared and we didn't want to lose the full academic scholarship he had to that school. We also didn't withdraw him from Plan B school until completion of BCT, in case his knee had an issue (though he didn't know that). We lost the deposit, but it was well worth the piece of mind we had that he had a place to go should he have a medical issue during BCT.
 
DS was already medically qualified last year whilst applying to USAFA and then tore his meniscus twice within six months of each other. He had surgery to repair it in July and then when almost at the 6 month clearance point re-tore it. He had surgery at the end of Dec to have it removed altogether because it was shredded...and was back to running within a month. He got the all-clear/no restrictions from his doctor in March that I believe would have cleared him but at the same time he received a waiver. Two tears and he still received an appointment (not recruited athlete) so don't give up hope and work hard at PT!

Good luck to you and let us know how it turns out.
 
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