Hiding Info from DoDMERB

[rtaylork]

Good morning,

Let me preface this by saying that I lost my NROTC scholarship and my dream career to a hip surgery that DoDMERB would not clear AFTER I had completed basic training.

I know someone who I went through basic with at school with me who happens to be a good friend. We are both freshmen. He is on scholarship and has gone Bthrough the medical process. However, he had a shoulder surgery the spring after his DoDMERB exam (a few months) and did not disclose it to DoDMERB when filling out forms that asked about any medical issues since the exam.

Now, he has been diagnosed with a fractured knee and is planning on hiding it from the ROTC Unit and DoDMERB as well.

Is there anything that can stop him from lying? Consequences? He doesn't care, even if it isn't ethical.

Obviously, I am upset because he is lying about major things, while I, for being honest, lost my scholarship and dream.

Thanks!

 

[AJC]

if he is participating in NROTC how can he hide from his Cadre?
How will he explain the scars later on?
If he gets DQ'd later for stuff he did not disclose he could have to pay back money he received.

 

[Pima]

I would change that word "could" to "WILL" have to payback that money, and the only part of "could" would be they "could" charge him interest for the amount of the scholarship..

He is a fool to hide this impo. He will have an exit DoDMERB prior to commissioning and as AJC stated how will he explain the scars to the doc at that point. They will take his scholarship DoDMERB file, and compare it to their commissioning exam. Those scars are going to be apparent when he is in his skivvies.

I am just curious how he can do PT without informing them. Is it that he thinks he can do it over winter break? Maybe he can, but how will he pass his PFA in Jan. when he returns? Surely, the jig will be up at that point if he can't pass the PFA because now he has to explain why. Now the cadre will be forced into a simple question...why he did not follow regulations set forth stating he must inform them as soon as a medical condition changes.
~ Chances are they may even now investigate further and find out about his shoulder.

If I were you, I would be a friend and tell him right now that this is a very high risk to take. Knee and shoulder surgeries do not always equate to DQ and disenrollment. However, lieing may.

There are threads on the ROTC forum where cadets came clean later on and were not only disenrolled, but handed a 6 figure bill to be paid back. Why? Because they lied or hid the truth (you pick) and was found out later on.

 

[rtaylork]

I would change that word "could" to "WILL" have to payback that money, and the only part of "could" would be they "could" charge him interest for the amount of the scholarship..

He is a fool to hide this impo. He will have an exit DoDMERB prior to commissioning and as AJC stated how will he explain the scars to the doc at that point. They will take his scholarship DoDMERB file, and compare it to their commissioning exam. Those scars are going to be apparent when he is in his skivvies.

I am just curious how he can do PT without informing them. Is it that he thinks he can do it over winter break? Maybe he can, but how will he pass his PFA in Jan. when he returns? Surely, the jig will be up at that point if he can't pass the PFA because now he has to explain why. Now the cadre will be forced into a simple question...why he did not follow regulations set forth stating he must inform them as soon as a medical condition changes.
~ Chances are they may even now investigate further and find out about his shoulder.

If I were you, I would be a friend and tell him right now that this is a very high risk to take. Knee and shoulder surgeries do not always equate to DQ and disenrollment. However, lieing may.

There are threads on the ROTC forum where cadets came clean later on and were not only disenrolled, but handed a 6 figure bill to be paid back. Why? Because they lied or hid the truth (you pick) and was found out later on.

He is just running through the pain inPT (I presume making it worse). I know he got an MRI and he has an appointment to read it this week, but was told it looks like a fracture. He is the kind of guy who will do whatever it takes to do what he wants (he wants to be a SEAL), and nothing will stop him from trying to hide this. I'm sure once a treatment is prescribed (training, crutches, surgery maybe), he will stop PT and cadre will find out, but who knows. He claims that by the time the commissioning physical comes around everything will be fixed and that "they will know that." However, he will be caught lying and it may not even be fixed! My surgery was three years before my DoDMERB, I was running fully and in great shape, half marathon runner, but they still denied me waivers.

There just needs to be a way to get through his thick skull that he is taking a MAJOR risk. Is there a rule that states you must report ANY medical issue/pain once it starts?

 

[AJC]

Any change in medical status must be reported as per the rules.
You could try talking to AROTC, they may grant the waiver the Navy would not.
That happened to a classmate of my son.
As for your friend........

 

[rtaylork]

Any change in medical status must be reported as per the rules.
You could try talking to AROTC, they may grant the waiver the Navy would not.
That happened to a classmate of my son.
As for your friend........

Alrighty. AFROTC is looking right now. I'm thinking of chaplaincy and going to navy ODS after graduation and commissioning from there