Medically Disqualified and Moving on From Army ROTC

R

Rakmo

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Dec 19, 2017
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I am currently an Army ROTC MS1 (freshman) and I plan on disenrolling from my program at the end of this semester. I'm writing this because I would like suggestions/advice from people on what are civilian alternatives to serving your country. Despite winning a 4-year scholarship Army ROTC and having a high GPA and PT score in my freshman year of college I won't be able to pursue my dream of serving in the Army. I need to accept the fact that I am medically defective. I have been denied a medical waiver twice and I need to move on. I was wondering if anyone knows anyone in a similar situation and what career path they took in the civilian world that was fulfilling, interesting, and served their nation to a similar capacity as the armed forces?

Thanks
 
I'm sure you're going to get plenty of good advice from others but w/o knowing your major or what fields interest you. The Federal system is always in need of computer experts for a variety of fields. I have a co-worker who's daughter works in some double secret NSA type field. I have no idea what she actually does but I always think of her as the Nikki Parsons character from the Bourne movies. Federal law enforcement also needs computer experts and even accountants for the never ending white collar/money laundering/identity theft schemes out there.
 
We are in dog-feeding and people-feeding mode right now, but I have done a number of posts on he “ABC” agencies and their college programs. If you can’t be a door-kicker, you can have the backs of people who do. As an analyst, you can do intel work, forensic financials, ops planning, logistics, etc.

Try a search string of “FBI college programs.” Sub in CIA, NSA, DHS, etc. They are looking for bright college students interested in service.
 
k2rider said:
I'm sure you're going to get plenty of good advice from others but w/o knowing your major or what fields interest you. The Federal system is always in need of computer experts for a variety of fields. I have a co-worker who's daughter works in some double secret NSA type field. I have no idea what she actually does but I always think of her as the Nikki Parsons character from the Bourne movies. Federal law enforcement also needs computer experts and even accountants for the never ending white collar/money laundering/identity theft schemes out there.
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I am majoring in international political economy at the moment. I think the major would best transfer over to intelligence work at the three letter agencies or a good pre-law major. I was hoping to branch military intel branch detail infantry or become JAG trhough the FLEP program if I had my waiver had been accepted. I might not go to law school after graduation because the Army isn't going to pay for my undergraduate anymore so law school after undergraduate is not financially the best decision. However, if I do decide to go to law school after graduation, then what would be a logical source of employment?
 
Capt MJ said:
We are in dog-feeding and people-feeding mode right now, but I have done a number of posts on he “ABC” agencies and their college programs. If you can’t be a door-kicker, you can have the backs of people who do. As an analyst, you can do intel work, forensic financials, ops planning, logistics, etc.

Try a search string of “FBI college programs.” Sub in CIA, NSA, DHS, etc. They are looking for bright college students interested in service.
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I already applied to some intern positions at one of the three letter agencies and I plan on applying to more. Hopefully I am accepted.
 
@Rakmo, I saw your posted and wanted to pick your brain. Tried to send you a PM, but you’re not eligible to receive yet. My DS might be in the same boat. I’m wondering what this next few months/year could look like based on what you’ve been through. Can you answer a few questions for me, please? Which board did you win your 4-year? How long did it take them to deny your waiver initially. Are you having to pay your full tuition from this year? Thank you, and I know you will find a perfect home for your brain and in service to our country in one of the aforementioned agencies!
 
THmom said:
@Rakmo, I saw your posted and wanted to pick your brain. Tried to send you a PM, but you’re not eligible to receive yet. My DS might be in the same boat. I’m wondering what this next few months/year could look like based on what you’ve been through. Can you answer a few questions for me, please? Which board did you win your 4-year? How long did it take them to deny your waiver initially. Are you having to pay your full tuition from this year? Thank you, and I know you will find a perfect home for your brain and in service to our country in one of the aforementioned agencies!
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I'd be happy to help. I've heard everything DODMERB related is case by case though so I'm not sure if my situation would completely apply to your DS (My situation is food allergy related.) I applied to the second board last year and won the 4-year Army scholarship on the second board. In Feb 2019 I started DODMERB and was initially DQ around Apr. I then went to some remedial appointments paid for by DODMERB and then submitted a waiver. It got denied on Aug 2019. I then sent in more medical info and my waiver was resubmitted and denied again in Jan 2020. After speaking to other allergists it seems like I should move on :sadwavey:because I've been dealt a bad hand genetically and it's out of my control. I'm not receiving any scholarship or stipend money from the Army at all and all the scholarship money that I am receiving is from other sources. Like I said this is only my situation your DS' might be very different. I don't know how the messaging on the site works, but I'm happy to help.
 
Rakmo said:
I'd be happy to help. I've heard everything DODMERB related is case by case though so I'm not sure if my situation would completely apply to your DS (My situation is food allergy related.) I applied to the second board last year and won the 4-year Army scholarship on the second board. In Feb 2019 I started DODMERB and was initially DQ around Apr. I then went to some remedial appointments paid for by DODMERB and then submitted a waiver. It got denied on Aug 2019. I then sent in more medical info and my waiver was resubmitted and denied again in Jan 2020. After speaking to other allergists it seems like I should move on :sadwavey:because I've been dealt a bad hand genetically and it's out of my control. I'm not receiving any scholarship or stipend money from the Army at all and all the scholarship money that I am receiving is from other sources. Like I said this is only my situation your DS' might be very different. I don't know how the messaging on the site works, but I'm happy to help.
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Thanks! So, basically, it took a couple of months in between your waiver denials? I know it’s on a case by case, but just thought I’d ask. Glad you had scholarships to help cover this year! You sound really resilient with a great attitude. Best of luck in whatever direction you end up taking, and thanks for the info!
 
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Lots of civil servant Federal jobs out there. Look at usajobs and check out the 3 and 4 letter agency web sites. Lots of hiring going on and its hard to find people who can pass a background nowadays. Keep you nose clean and you can have several great options.
 
You might look into the Peace Corp, or becoming a civil servant (some agencies offer student loan forgiveness after a certain amount of time). Tons of federal jobs out there and some of them are pretty cool - National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service (they have agents busting international wildlife trade rings...and the occasional Tiger King), State Department...oh yeah, you can always work for the Defense Department as a civilian. Check out USAJOBs.gov - they list all the federal jobs that are open right now. The feds employ a bunch of lawyers....Department of Justice (but many other Departments too)....nice jumping off point to private sector later if you want that. There are so many opportunities in this world that don’t require an Army medical qualification. Good luck!
 
I'm troubled by you describing yourself as "medically defective". You may not clear the DOD requirements, but I did not hear you indicate you are physically challenged. You earned an AROTC scholarship, so my sense is while you may have an esoteric limitation from becoming a ranger; you probably pass as a pretty normal person. How do you compare to Job?

And here is the kicker... you earned a 4 yr scholarship to AROTC. So you are the top of the tiers however you define them. Can I get an Amen?

You're future is bright, but not the path you planned. Adapt the creed of your salty breatheren. Adapt, Improvise, and overcome.
 
Rakmo said:
I am majoring in international political economy at the moment. I think the major would best transfer over to intelligence work at the three letter agencies or a good pre-law major. I was hoping to branch military intel branch detail infantry or become JAG trhough the FLEP program if I had my waiver had been accepted. I might not go to law school after graduation because the Army isn't going to pay for my undergraduate anymore so law school after undergraduate is not financially the best decision. However, if I do decide to go to law school after graduation, then what would be a logical source of employment?
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Attend law school. Apply for federal clerkship. Become an Assistant U.S. Attorney and take on drug cartels and white collar crime.
 
GS 0132 intel analyst USAJOBS.gov great career in the fed

type in 0132 for series job number
 
THmom said:
Thanks! So, basically, it took a couple of months in between your waiver denials? I know it’s on a case by case, but just thought I’d ask. Glad you had scholarships to help cover this year! You sound really resilient with a great attitude. Best of luck in whatever direction you end up taking, and thanks for the info!
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Yes it was a couple of (4-5 months) months between my waiver denials, but I know others who have waited longer than I did for my waiver denials. It's all case by case, and I know other cadets who had waiver requests accepted/denied faster.
 
socalprospect said:
Attend law school. Apply for federal clerkship. Become an Assistant U.S. Attorney and take on drug cartels and white collar crime.
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Been there, done that (all of them, after the Army), got the t-shirt, and now wearing a robe at work.

I wouldn't race off to law school. If you have interest in kicking down some doors, and I'm guessing you might since you were AROTC and mentioned Infantry as a possible initial branch, I'd encourage you to look into becoming a special agent. Homeland Security, DEA, and of course FBI are all possibilities. After a few years of that, if you still want to be a lawyer, then find the most financially reasonable path you can and do it that way. Having at that point been a special agent, you'd be very attractive to a U.S. Attorney's office.

I'm less familiar with the civilian intel side of things, so I can't give you any advice there.
 
k2rider said:
I'm sure you're going to get plenty of good advice from others but w/o knowing your major or what fields interest you. The Federal system is always in need of computer experts for a variety of fields. I have a co-worker who's daughter works in some double secret NSA type field. I have no idea what she actually does but I always think of her as the Nikki Parsons character from the Bourne movies. Federal law enforcement also needs computer experts and even accountants for the never ending white collar/money laundering/identity theft schemes out there.
Click to expand...
FBI, NSA, etc etc. All have easier medical standards (depending on your issue).
 
franknd said:
Been there, done that (all of them, after the Army), got the t-shirt, and now wearing a robe at work.

I wouldn't race off to law school. If you have interest in kicking down some doors, and I'm guessing you might since you were AROTC and mentioned Infantry as a possible initial branch, I'd encourage you to look into becoming a special agent. Homeland Security, DEA, and of course FBI are all possibilities. After a few years of that, if you still want to be a lawyer, then find the most financially reasonable path you can and do it that way. Having at that point been a special agent, you'd be very attractive to a U.S. Attorney's office.

I'm less familiar with the civilian intel side of things, so I can't give you any advice there.
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I am currently looking into some of the internships at the three letter agencies that have careers for special agents. I am just worried that my honesty on the medical exams will kill those career paths for me. Does anyone know if the FBI, DEA, Homeland Security, etc. special agent medical exams are as stringent regarding food related allergies as the armed forces?
 
Rakmo said:
I am currently looking into some of the internships at the three letter agencies that have careers for special agents. I am just worried that my honesty on the medical exams will kill those career paths for me. Does anyone know if the FBI, DEA, Homeland Security, etc. special agent medical exams are as stringent regarding food related allergies as the armed forces?
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Even if there are DQs for certain things - and for those kinds of roles, expect to have to fill out a medical history just like you did for DODMERB - don’t forget all the great, contributing jobs grouped under the “analyst”/non-special agent heading. Not everyone is a special agent having to meet a higher medical standard. Intel, logistics, operations planning, forensics, finance, etc. are all analyst fields. If you can’t be a door-kicker, you can have the backs of those who do.

We have a few of our USNA sponsor family alumni who work as weapons-toting agents for a few of the ABCs. They said the intro training, physical fitness tests, classroom tests, field training, med/psych exams were just as thorough and tough as their time in uniform.

A younger sister of one of our USNA sponsor mids was DQ’ed from military service due to a chronic condition. She was a Math major, very smart, interned every summer in a building with no windows during her college years, was hired right after graduation by that ABC. They are paying for her Master’s and some other pro certifications. She has excellent health benefits, and several options for career progression whether she wants to physically move or stay put. She loves what she does, definitely feels like she is serving. Can’t tell us one thing about what she’s doing.

I always advocate going to the primary source and putting in the work to research it yourself. These are Federal roles, so there will be info in their websites. I did the digging for you on one of them.

.
 
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Rakmo said:
Does anyone know if the FBI, DEA, Homeland Security, etc. special agent medical exams are as stringent regarding food related allergies as the armed forces?
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I can't say I know for sure, but I've never heard of anything like that. The reason it's DQ for the military is because of the possibility of being assigned to a remote location overseas without access to medicine or treatment. That's of minimal if any concern in SA jobs, and I think you'd have to volunteer for it if it were.
 
Rakmo said:
I am currently looking into some of the internships at the three letter agencies that have careers for special agents. I am just worried that my honesty on the medical exams will kill those career paths for me. Does anyone know if the FBI, DEA, Homeland Security, etc. special agent medical exams are as stringent regarding food related allergies as the armed forces?
Click to expand...

When I was called by the IRS to schedule a job interview I asked if there was a physical fitness test. I had to hold the phone a foot from my ear until the laughter died out.
 
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