Got accepted but medical waiver was denied. What now?

J

JustinTime

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Feb 5, 2024
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Reason for Denial: Myopia - refractive error greater than -8.00 diopters (spherical equivalent)

I got a letter of conditional acceptance to USAFA on 1/15 in the portal and then got the certificate of appointment to the class of 2028 in the mail a couple of weeks later. The letters all said they were conditional on my medical waiver being accepted (my eyesight is horrendous). Two days later (2/1) my med waiver comes back denied. I've already initiated the rebuttal process and emailed the DoDMERB helpdesk, USAFA admissions, and my congressional office. Is there anything else I should do to better my chances for a positive appeal?
For further specification, my GPA is a 3.98 unweighted, ACT: 35, I'm a Chinese American (born and raised here and fluent in Mandarin and Chongqing Dialect) and here's a link to my resume if you want to see my experiences: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19DSd0Z7iTIe_cGITbluK1vI3SZdkKi69/
 
Conditional acceptance is not an appointment.

I am pulling for you - I hope your waiver decision is reversed.
 
I’m very impressed and hope it works out. The Air Force is worse off without you. Good luck!
 
Panda57 said:
It is at USAFA. They use the language "you have been appointed."
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I understood.

A conditional appointment is not an appointment if the conditions aren’t met. Just like a letter of assurance.
 
You are still accepted, though. An appointment that is contingent on a medical waiver is different than a conditional appointment contingent on a nomination or other things. I really do not see the point in telling him that he did not receive an appointment; I think he knows that he can not go if he does not get a waiver.

He got accepted into one of the most selective institutions in the entire world.
 
Panda57 said:
You are still accepted, though. An appointment that is contingent on a medical waiver is different than a conditional appointment contingent on a nomination or other things. I really do not see the point in telling him that he did not receive an appointment; I think he knows that he can not go if he does not get a waiver.

He got accepted into one of the most selective institutions in the entire world.
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In my world we deal with contract law.

There is an offer (of appointment), an acceptance (of the offer) and a contract (appointment).

There is no difference. An assurance of an offer (LOA) contingent on nominations or 3Q, or a conditional acceptance contingent on a medical waiver - is not an appointment.

I hope his waiver denial was a mistake, and he is offered an appointment, and is inducted.
 
No. He was accepted into USAFA by admissions. He just has to meet the USAFA medical authority's standards, and he will be allowed to attend. Medical is separate from admissions.
 
Whether or not an "appointment conditional on medical" is a true appointment seems like semantics to me. But just to give more information I'll share my personal experience. I was granted an appointment conditional on medical. It came with all the fanfare that a normal appointment comes with. I was referred to as an "appointee" who had been granted an "appointment". I received a congratulatory phone call from my senator (along with encouragement to finish the medical process). I filled out numerous forms (such as a questionnaire regarding my future sponsor family and some rather contract-y looking things).

Unfortunately I don't (yet!) have the experience of receiving a "true" appointment to compare it to but I believe that my conditional appointment was near-identical to a true one. The only difference was that I was medically unfit and ultimately unable to attend. However, I would like to note that *every* appointment is technically a conditional appointment. If you receive a "true" appointment but then break your leg right before I-Day...well sorry but now you're medically disqualified and your appointment is revoked. I think this is partly why an appointment conditional on medical is viewed differently from an LOA. Once you get a nomination, a passing CFA score, or a decent mid-year transcript, you have those things for good. But anyone's medical status could change at any time.
 
bananafish said:
Whether or not an "appointment conditional on medical" is a true appointment seems like semantics to me. But just to give more information I'll share my personal experience. I was granted an appointment conditional on medical. It came with all the fanfare that a normal appointment comes with. I was referred to as an "appointee" who had been granted an "appointment". I received a congratulatory phone call from my senator (along with encouragement to finish the medical process). I filled out numerous forms (such as a questionnaire regarding my future sponsor family and some rather contract-y looking things).

Unfortunately I don't (yet!) have the experience of receiving a "true" appointment to compare it to but I believe that my conditional appointment was near-identical to a true one. The only difference was that I was medically unfit and ultimately unable to attend. However, I would like to note that *every* appointment is technically a conditional appointment. If you receive a "true" appointment but then break your leg right before I-Day...well sorry but now you're medically disqualified and your appointment is revoked. I think this is partly why an appointment conditional on medical is viewed differently from an LOA. Once you get a nomination, a passing CFA score, or a decent mid-year transcript, you have those things for good. But anyone's medical status could change at any time.
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So true - people don't realize that there are a handful of people who will not make it past I-Day. Everything is conditional until then!
 
Panda57 said:
No. He was accepted into USAFA by admissions. He just has to meet the USAFA medical authority's standards, and he will be allowed to attend. Medical is separate from admissions.
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Correct - and admissions can override medical as they see fit.
 
Is your 200M run good enough to be recruited by the track & field team? Can the coach help out to clarify the Medical review?
 
Did you apply to USNA? Their medical standards are different than USAFA.
 
I recommend going to the DODMERB board on these forums and search myopia then read whatever you can find on it. If you haven’t already submitted additional medical information you should. Ideally you want a write up from an ophthalmologist to address the points below. I think with poor vision there is a concern with retinal detachment so that risk should also be addressed by the doctor.

MullenLE said:
8. Waiver criteria – The main focus of all waiver decisions is centered on the ability to train, be commissioned, and be world-wide deployable upon graduation. In applying this objective, some of the questions that are considered are: a) Is the condition progressive? b) Is the condition subject to aggravation by military service? c) Will the condition preclude satisfactory completion of prescribed training and subsequent military duty? d) Will the condition constitute an undue hazard to the applicant or to others the applicant will be charged in leading, particularly under combat conditions?
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I’ve gone through this with one of my sons and it’s a very stressful process. Just control what you can. If you don’t get the waiver don’t dwell on it, it’s not personal and you should be proud knowing you were offered an appointment based on all your other achievements.
 
Take your name off of your resume for the purposes of this forum. Brutal honesty, it is an average resume, with respect to the class as a whole.

Good luck. Follow whatever appeals process is available and keep working on plan B, C, etc.
 
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