bananafish
Member
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2022
- Messages
- 66
I apologize in advance if my title is confusing. I'm not sure how to phrase my question exactly. The situation is that in early 2023 I filled out the DODMERB questionnaires. At the time I had an uncorrected ACL injury (ie no surgery yet). Shortly after I had corrective ACL surgery. It went perfectly and I am at 100% knee function. It has been over 12 months since the initial injury. It has not yet been 12 months since surgery but it will be very soon (before I-Day),
I have now been officially DQ'd for uncorrected ACL injury (D223.80). This DQ is not accurate because my ACL injury has been surgically corrected. I believe the only applicable DQ would be "history of surgical reconstruction of knee ligaments within the past 12 months" (D223.90) though even this DQ will be rendered inapplicable once I hit the one-year anniversary of my surgery, which is coming up soon.
A few months ago (when I was pending DQ) I asked DODMERB about how I could update them with the information that I had undergone reconstrutive surgery since filling out the questionnaires last year. They said that they weren't looking for me to submit any information regarding my ACL injury. So I didn't. I sought out some advice from someone at USAFA and I was told to just finish up some unrelated remedial stuff and wait to be DQ'd for the ACL. Then I should submit all knee-related information once the waiver process started.
I am super grateful for the guidance I've already received on this situation but I'm still left with some confusion/concern. I know that an uncorrected ACL injury is unwaiverable, but a corrected one is. I'm worried that my waiver will just get instant-rejected on the basis that I have an uncorrected ACL injury, even though I don't. Or that I won't be able to submit information about my surgery and recovery since according to my DQ code I never had surgery. Or just that somehow the fact the my "uncorrected" ACL injury is in fact corrected will get lost in the bureaucratic process.
My action steps are to clear up some things with DODMERB to get the waiver process started, get all the ACL-related documents ready with my doctors, and wait for the opportunity to submit them. So at this stage I'm not seeking specific advice (although I would appreciate it if you have any) but more like what has your experience been with getting a waiver for an outdated DQ? Have you heard of this type of situation and the result? Is this common?
Thank you to this forum for all your help.
I have now been officially DQ'd for uncorrected ACL injury (D223.80). This DQ is not accurate because my ACL injury has been surgically corrected. I believe the only applicable DQ would be "history of surgical reconstruction of knee ligaments within the past 12 months" (D223.90) though even this DQ will be rendered inapplicable once I hit the one-year anniversary of my surgery, which is coming up soon.
A few months ago (when I was pending DQ) I asked DODMERB about how I could update them with the information that I had undergone reconstrutive surgery since filling out the questionnaires last year. They said that they weren't looking for me to submit any information regarding my ACL injury. So I didn't. I sought out some advice from someone at USAFA and I was told to just finish up some unrelated remedial stuff and wait to be DQ'd for the ACL. Then I should submit all knee-related information once the waiver process started.
I am super grateful for the guidance I've already received on this situation but I'm still left with some confusion/concern. I know that an uncorrected ACL injury is unwaiverable, but a corrected one is. I'm worried that my waiver will just get instant-rejected on the basis that I have an uncorrected ACL injury, even though I don't. Or that I won't be able to submit information about my surgery and recovery since according to my DQ code I never had surgery. Or just that somehow the fact the my "uncorrected" ACL injury is in fact corrected will get lost in the bureaucratic process.
My action steps are to clear up some things with DODMERB to get the waiver process started, get all the ACL-related documents ready with my doctors, and wait for the opportunity to submit them. So at this stage I'm not seeking specific advice (although I would appreciate it if you have any) but more like what has your experience been with getting a waiver for an outdated DQ? Have you heard of this type of situation and the result? Is this common?
Thank you to this forum for all your help.