Part of the application process for any officer accession program is going through the medical review portion. You will fill out medical history forms and provide requested docs. DODMERB is the entity that Q’s or DQ’s using the standards at the link below. The SAs may choose to waive some conditions, and the Services have different waiver policies for some conditions, because of different missions and operating environments.I just finished my sophomore year of high school and I was just diagnosed with mild exercise-induced asthma. I am a varsity athlete and it hasn’t hindered me noticeably, does this disqualify my application? I was just put on an inhaler today but I function well without it.
Definitely worth pursuing an appointment if that’s your goal. Let DODMERB tell you no before you DQ yourself, and see what happens.I just finished my sophomore year of high school and I was just diagnosed with mild exercise-induced asthma. I am a varsity athlete and it hasn’t hindered me noticeably, does this disqualify my application? I was just put on an inhaler today but I function well without it.
Or brilliant student. Or brilliant leader. The SAs will find a way to appoint those whom they really want.USNA needs to meet strategic appointee objectives (e g recruited athlete, prior enlisted, college reapplicant, diversity candidate).
I have been wondering the same thing for awhile and we finally decided to be proactive about it. I have a DD who has not used an inhaler in several years but I would refill it after age 13 as a precaution. She has an appointment next week with a specialist (allergist) who was a physician with USAF. Their practice has been very helpful and they deal with requests from candidates who want to enlist all the time although they told me that my DD is the first request for a SA. They are going to run some basic tests and then maybe a methacholine challenge depending on what the doctor thinks after her appointment. I don't know if we are doing the right thing or not, I have read different opinions on this board. We decided to go with what I think is the best route for her, and if it works in her favor then great, if not, then it wasn't meant to be.I was wondering if a SA candidate can get and submit a letter regarding medical conditions from his/her primary doctor during a DoDMERB appointment/meeting.
If a doctor’s letter says that he/she won’t have any medical issues due to mild asthma, is it acceptable or helpful?
Or
A candidate just submits a DoDMERB form and waits for a waiver, tests, or any response?
What would be the optimal process between a proactive action and a long wait?
I am sure that OP must keep trying based on other experts’ advice above rather than a self-diagnosis.
Trust me, I am very concerned that we might end up stirring up some dust! I figured it wouldn’t hurt to at least meet with the physician and ask questions and hopefully walk away with a letter to take to her medical exam. Not sure Dodmerb will accept it but we are willing to try. My DD’s@Flea
Wow, you are very proactive on your DD’s asthma issue.
Please keep us posted. My DS’ situation is very similar to yours, e.g., renewing inhalers several times without using them. My DS got inhalers since Sea Cadet training required a similar document as like DoDMERB. If he/she ever used inhaler, they had to report and bring medicine to training.
I believe that it’s all about liability issues that can influence DoDMERB and DQ significantly.
DS’ primary doctor said that no more asthma, i.e., cleared, since it’s more than 2 years without inhalers or minor seasonal allergy/wheezing.
But as a parent, we still shall face and deal with stringent DoDMERB requirements.
My DS may see his primary doctor sometime in late July after a USCGA AIM program but we are not sure yet if a proactive action can disturb even more dust.
OP and we might be in the same dilemma. I will also keep sharing any updates in the future.
Thanks for sharing the info. We are leaning toward taking a proactive action. When my DS saw a primary doctor for an AIM medical form, he explained about DoDMERB. The doctor was willing to write a letter saying that a couple of asthma issues occurred when he was younger had been cleared.Trust me, I am very concerned that we might end up stirring up some dust! I figured it wouldn’t hurt to at least meet with the physician and ask questions and hopefully walk away with a letter to take to her medical exam. Not sure Dodmerb will accept it but we are willing to try. My DD’s@Flea
Wow, you are very proactive on your DD’s asthma issue.
Please keep us posted. My DS’ situation is very similar to yours, e.g., renewing inhalers several times without using them. My DS got inhalers since Sea Cadet training required a similar document as like DoDMERB. If he/she ever used inhaler, they had to report and bring medicine to training.
I believe that it’s all about liability issues that can influence DoDMERB and DQ significantly.
DS’ primary doctor said that no more asthma, i.e., cleared, since it’s more than 2 years without inhalers or minor seasonal allergy/wheezing.
But as a parent, we still shall face and deal with stringent DoDMERB requirements.
My DS may see his primary doctor sometime in late July after a USCGA AIM program but we are not sure yet if a proactive action can disturb even more dust.
OP and we might be in the same dilemma. I will also keep sharing any updates in the future.
Boyfriend will be at AIM at the end of July too.
^ This is probably the most important factor -- make sure the Doctor knows what DODMERB/USNA is looking for, so the Doctor can address their concerns appropriately. No reputable doctor is going to change their diagnosis or records to accommodate a patient's application to a Service Academy, but there are subtle things a Doctor can do to phrase a diagnosis to improve chances of a waiver.We showed the DODMERB standards to the doc, so that he could make sure he used the right terminology to leave no doubt that there was in fact no asthma. He also wrote a letter stating his opinion very clearly that DS 'did not have asthma' and summarized the data to back that up.
I think you are shooting yourself in the foot by saying the the candidate has asthma but wont have any medical issues. The asthma is the medical issue. The trick is he doesnt have asthma and whatever he had was a result of a cold or whatever. Like others have said it can be waived but usually those who do get waved seemed to prove they no longer have it even though it may have occurred after they were 13 or it was misdiagnosed..If a doctor’s letter says that he/she won’t have any medical issues due to mild asthma, is it acceptable or helpful?