Medical Records
- Thread starter ecmcb5
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- Sep 27, 2008
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If your DD, and you, have not read every page, dropdown and link, on the SA websites of interest, that is a great place to start. Most questions are answered there.
For example, you will find this at USNA.edu:
https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/_files/documents/MedicalAppendix1.pdf
I also recommend the DODMERB forum here on SAF, and any Stickies at the top. Scanning threads on there will yield all kinds of insight.
This is a copy of a 2012 piece of advice by Mr. Larry Mullen, who is/was (?) a senior DODMERB official. He often used to post here, but eventually steered people to the Help Desk as an official source. The gist of it should still be accurate. It's essentially a parent guide.
"Many of you don’t have ties to the military, so this process maybe somewhat daunting. We’ll help you.
Many of you have ties to the military and may be unnecessarily weighed down by “baggage” with the way it “used to be.” We’ll help you. If you have any questions regarding the process; your case specifically; the standards; etc; please email HelpDesk@dodmerb.tma.osd.mil
While this is an Applicant-(Parent) Reference Guide, the operative word is “applicant.”
APPLICANTS ONLY (If your parents read this part, you’ll know why I wrote it this way) – This is YOUR future, YOUR application, and it needs to be YOUR decision. Parents are very useful to provide YOU sage advice and counsel…in the background. YOU should take all actions regarding YOUR application. If YOU are offered an appointment to one/more Service Academy and/or are awarded a scholarship to an ROTC Program(s), guess what? Your parents do NOT get to attend with YOU Therefore, this process begins that transition of YOUR independence. Again, they can assist YOU, but YOU should be the lead on all application actions. Go easy on them. This will NOT be an easy thing for them to do…to start to let go
If the applicant is 18 years or older, DoDMERB is not authorized to release information pertaining to the applicant without an authorized release of personal health information. To authorize this, you may send the completed form (Go to: https://dodmerb.tricare.osd.mil/MiscMenuItems/forms.asp = Authorization for DoD to Discuss Medical/Dental Information/Status With Appointed Individual(s) -- {Used To Authorize DoD to Discuss Your Information/Status With Specified Individual(s)}) and send to HelpDesk@dodmerb.tma.osd.mil.
This is an applicant/parent guide to the DoDMERB (Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board) process in rendering medical determinations for applicants to the US Service Academies, ROTC programs, USUHS, Army Direct Commissioning Programs, and USMC OCS (where the applicants have utilized DoDMERB for their exams.). If I have sent you this document, it’s because you have expressed an interest and have questions. It is all encompassing, to provide you details and free me up to answer other folks like yourselves. It is written sequentially, in accordance with the process.
DoDMERB’s motto is “Leave no applicant behind.” We will do whatever it takes to ensure the applicant receives a comprehensive review in accordance with the DoD medical accession standards outlined in Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 6130.3. = Medical Standards for Appointment, Enlistment, or Induction in the Military Services, dated 28 April 2010, Incorporating Change 1, September 13, 2011. (http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/613003p.pdf).
DoDMERB implements, but does not have the authority to debate the policy/standards enumerated in the DoDI. DoDMERB is very engaged in the process to revise the standards on a regular basis. The goal is to ensure the minimally acceptable standard is applied and to ensure the issues stated in #1 below are enforced. The DoD, Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard personnel and medical folks are also very involved in this process.
WEBSITES:
A. “If” you undergo your exam(s) through our contractor, Concorde, Inc, Philadelphia, PA (215-587-9600), the website is: https://www.dodmets.com. Concorde sub-contracts to medical centers around the country. You can schedule your appointments (ensure you log in your appointment dates/times after you have scheduled your appointments); complete your medical history; and track the status of your exams from the time you first log in until the exams are sent to DoDMERB for evaluation. A “CLOSED” status on the dodmets website means they have FedExd the exam/history results to DoDMERB. A “COMPLETE HOLD” status means that Concorde is working with the examiners to obtain additional information. Upon receipt, Concorde will forward exam results to DoDMERB.
B. “If” you take your exams at a Military Treatment Facility (MTF) or if you’ve taken the exam through Concorde, you may log onto https://dodmerb.tricare.osd.mil (this log on will ONLY be permitted AFTER the initial review of your case has been accomplished. So, if your exam were only taken recently, you will not be able to log in. Try again later.) to track the status of your medical evaluation; any “remedials” (additional test(s); eval(s)/consult(s); medical records requests; information; and/or questionnaires) DoDMERB may request; final status of MEETS or does NOT MEET medical accession standard determinations; and waiver status (though you will be sent a letter by each individual program for your official waiver notification decision.).
WHY DOES DOD HAVE A MEDICAL REQUIREMENT?
1. The rigors and stressors of military training and missions, requires the Department of Defense (the Presidential cabinet level organization that oversees the personnel and operations of the Armed Forces, including for these purposes, applicants to the US Coast Guard Academy and US Merchant Marine Academy) ensure all applicants meet the following (extract from http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/613003p.pdf):
“4c. Ensure that individuals under consideration for appointment, enlistment, or induction into the United States Armed Forces are, as follows:
(1) Free of contagious diseases that probably will endanger the health of other personnel.
(2) Free of medical conditions or physical defects that may require excessive time lost from duty for necessary treatment or hospitalization or probably will result in separation from the Service for medical unfitness.
(3) Medically capable of satisfactorily completing required training.
(4) Medically adaptable to the military environment without the necessity of geographical area limitations.
(5) Medically capable of performing duties without aggravation of existing physical defects or medical conditions.”
2. DoDMERB performs a medical screening mission by reviewing the medical history and examination. We evaluate those documents, in accordance with the medical accession standards listed in DoDI 6130.3, to render a determination if an applicant MEETS (commonly refers to “qualified”) or does NOT MEET (commonly referred to as “disqualified”) medical accession standards. (The medical aspect for applicants to gain admission INTO these US Service Academies and ROTC programs). It is possible, we may request additional test(s), evaluation(s), and/or information (these requests are called remedial or AMI {additional medical information}) to assist in reaching our final determination. If an applicant is being considered for a medical waiver (see paragraphs 5-11), the waiver authority may also ask for these items for the same reason, prior to their rendering their waiver decisions. DoDMERB will accept any documentation an applicant wishes to submit for consideration…at any time. The waiver authorities ALL use DoDMERB as their conduit of information. So, anything requested by DoDMERB or the waiver authorities will be submitted to DoDMERB. Do not send it twice (e.g. fax and hard copies) or to the Academy or ROTC program. It is noted that both DoDMERB and the waiver authorities are NOT reluctant to ask for something specific, when required.
a. Remedial letters will be sent via letter to the applicant at their home address for Service Academy/ROTC 4 Year applicants.
b. Remedial letters will be sent to your Battalion/Detachment for campus based ROTC applicants.
c. Three choices are provided for the medical remedial requiring a consult and/or lab/medical test. 1) You can have the government pay for the consult/test (preferred). 2) You may pay for the remedial yourself, unless DoDMERB specifically requires it be accomplished at a military treatment facility. This option prohibits any reimbursement to the applicant for any costs. 3) You can go to a military treatment facility, provided they have the specialty required for the consult and/or the service provided for the test. DoDMERB is unable to support you for this option. It will be totally arranged by you.
d. When an applicant is determined to MEET or NOT meet medical standards, the applicant will be notified via letter from DoDMERB AND the programs to which the applicant has applied, will be notified of this status by DoDMERB, via a secure electronic transfer of data---from DoDMERB to that/those programs (Academies, ROTC, etc.).
e. When an applicant’s medical waiver has been denied or granted, the applicant will be notified via letter from the medical waiver authority for that particular program.
..."
There is more, but that's a good starter dose.
To find Parts II and III of the "parent guide," use "DODMERB applicant (parent) guide" in the DODMERB forum search field. Again, this post is a few years old, but still a good overview.
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