Medically Disqualified ? Experiences

Luke Gs Dad

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Joined
Dec 30, 2022
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79
My DS was DQ due to something that happened when he was 10 YO. Not serious but none the less.
acute idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
Has anyone experienced this and what was the result in getting waiver accepted?

Thanks.
 
Each case is different, but a medical issue from age 10 with no lasting health concerns is something that has a high change of getting a waiver. However, I believe that CGA won't even start considering medical waivers until they have decided they want to offer the applicant an appointment. You don't say if your son has already received a conditional appointment or not. If he has, then they will be considering him for a waiver. And keep in mind that each year about 30% of the cadets who are offered appointments to CGA need medical waivers. If they have not yet offered him a conditional appointment, then they probably won't until they have reviewed his application and made a decision on whether they consider him highly competitive.
My daughter did not have this particular issue, but she was DQ'd for something that she was born with and had surgery for as a baby. Depending how this condition affected your son or whether it can sometimes cause lasting effects, they may ask for additional testing. Personally, we pre-emptively had testing done at our own expense to show that the prior condition was not a concern. We also asked an expert in the field to view her test results and medical files and they wrote a letter on her behalf explaining in detail why it would not impact her readiness or ability to perform in any way. This is definitely not always necessary, but due to the particulars of her case, we wanted CGA to have the full picture of her current medical status when they first began to consider her for a waiver.
 
Each case is different, but a medical issue from age 10 with no lasting health concerns is something that has a high change of getting a waiver. However, I believe that CGA won't even start considering medical waivers until they have decided they want to offer the applicant an appointment. You don't say if your son has already received a conditional appointment or not. If he has, then they will be considering him for a waiver. And keep in mind that each year about 30% of the cadets who are offered appointments to CGA need medical waivers. If they have not yet offered him a conditional appointment, then they probably won't until they have reviewed his application and made a decision on whether they consider him highly competitive.
My daughter did not have this particular issue, but she was DQ'd for something that she was born with and had surgery for as a baby. Depending how this condition affected your son or whether it can sometimes cause lasting effects, they may ask for additional testing. Personally, we pre-emptively had testing done at our own expense to show that the prior condition was not a concern. We also asked an expert in the field to view her test results and medical files and they wrote a letter on her behalf explaining in detail why it would not impact her readiness or ability to perform in any way. This is definitely not always necessary, but due to the particulars of her case, we wanted CGA to have the full picture of her current medical status when they first began to consider her for a waiver.
He did receive an appointment to the CGA.
Thanks.
 
If he received an APPOINTMENT, then the condition doesn’t matter. Right? And congrats!
Thanks for the Congrats, the appointment was on condition of the DODMERB. Sorry I was not accurate.
The CGA is in the medical waiver process as of yesterday.
I just pray everything works out. I think my wife and I are more stressed out then DS is.
He told us if he does not get the waiver it is not the end of the world and he will look at all the other options available to him.

As a family our faith in God and His plan for DS life is perfect, pleasing and His good will be be evident it what happens.
"I know the plans I have for you.... " Jer, 29.11
 
Thanks for the Congrats, the appointment was on condition of the DODMERB. Sorry I was not accurate.
The CGA is in the medical waiver process as of yesterday.
I just pray everything works out. I think my wife and I are more stressed out then DS is.
He told us if he does not get the waiver it is not the end of the world and he will look at all the other options available to him.

As a family our faith in God and His plan for DS life is perfect, pleasing and His good will be be evident it what happens.
"I know the plans I have for you.... " Jer, 29.11
‘Gotchya, yes that makes more sense.

Rooting for your son. And mom and dad!
 
The same thing happened to me! I partially dislocated my elbow at 10 years old so I was medically disqualified. I'm just waiting on the waiver authorities now. No residual effects now so I'm not too worried about actually receiving a waiver, I'm just impatient.
 
My DD also got notified that she was deemed medically disqualified, and CGA has automatically requested a waiver. We do not know what the basis for the DQ was. I feel hopeful that the waiver was immediately requested. My daughter is very upset. I hope we find out more soon.
 
My DD also got notified that she was deemed medically disqualified, and CGA has automatically requested a waiver. We do not know what the basis for the DQ was. I feel hopeful that the waiver was immediately requested. My daughter is very upset. I hope we find out more soon.
It is a shame that the DODMERB portal is still down since within a couple days of the DQ, an applicant's DODMERB account would usually be updated with the codes indicating the reasons they were disqualified. Your daughter should be able to call to find out why she was DQ'd, so that you can maybe start gathering documentation that might be requested.
 
My DD also got notified that she was deemed medically disqualified, and CGA has automatically requested a waiver. We do not know what the basis for the DQ was. I feel hopeful that the waiver was immediately requested. My daughter is very upset. I hope we find out more soon.
The military accession standard is below. Pore through it and see if anything in her medical history that she reported matches up. Candidates can occasionally trip themselves up by reporting something for which they have not been diagnosed by a medical professional, such as saying they have eczema because Aunt Sally said that was what that patch of dry skin was a few years ago. Or there is evidence of an inhaler being prescribed for a short-term situation, but the doctor put down asthma in some shape or form. There are also some situations where certain medications must have been taken more than a specific number of years ago; if they were taken more recently, it’s a DQ.

DoDMERB evaluates a candidate’s reported medical history against this standard and finds they either meet or don’t meet standards (Q/DQ). USCGA’s waiver authority then evaluates on a case basis for a waiver.

If you can figure out what it is, be prepared for possible requests for Additional Medical Information (AMI). Work the process. Stay hopeful. Waivers do happen.

This is precisely why posters here emphasize the importance of tending alternate plans. This is a challenging journey, and your daughter will learn a lot about being resilient, coaching herself through rough spots and persevering.

Browse through the DoDMERB forum for where your daughter can email and call during this DoDMERB website outage.

 
The military accession standard is below. Pore through it and see if anything in her medical history that she reported matches up. Candidates can occasionally trip themselves up by reporting something for which they have not been diagnosed by a medical professional, such as saying they have eczema because Aunt Sally said that was what that patch of dry skin was a few years ago. Or there is evidence of an inhaler being prescribed for a short-term situation, but the doctor put down asthma in some shape or form. There are also some situations where certain medications must have been taken more than a specific number of years ago; if they were taken more recently, it’s a DQ.

DoDMERB evaluates a candidate’s reported medical history against this standard and finds they either meet or don’t meet standards (Q/DQ). USCGA’s waiver authority then evaluates on a case basis for a waiver.

If you can figure out what it is, be prepared for possible requests for Additional Medical Information (AMI). Work the process. Stay hopeful. Waivers do happen.

This is precisely why posters here emphasize the importance of tending alternate plans. This is a challenging journey, and your daughter will learn a lot about being resilient, coaching herself through rough spots and persevering.

Browse through the DoDMERB forum for where your daughter can email and call during this DoDMERB website outage.

I am fairly confident that she was Dq'd for reporting she had an IEP. Technically, she does have an IEP, and she has had one since 4th grade. Our state writes IEPs for gifted education, and they are a legal document reviewed annually to ensure the school provides her with needed enrichment opportunities. She wanted to openly disclose all information, so she included it. We have heard that we might need to furnish a copy of her IEP. I know not all states use IEPs for gifted education, but there was nowhere on the initial submission to denote the type of IEP.

Thanks for your encouragement that we need to stick with it and work through the system.
 
I am fairly confident that she was Dq'd for reporting she had an IEP. Technically, she does have an IEP, and she has had one since 4th grade. Our state writes IEPs for gifted education, and they are a legal document reviewed annually to ensure the school provides her with needed enrichment opportunities. She wanted to openly disclose all information, so she included it. We have heard that we might need to furnish a copy of her IEP. I know not all states use IEPs for gifted education, but there was nowhere on the initial submission to denote the type of IEP.

Thanks for your encouragement that we need to stick with it and work through the system.
She may want to proactively contact her Admissions officer and let them know what she thinks is going n, and offer to provide a copy of the gifted IEP. That is not the normal way things are done, with the DoDMERB website outage (DoDMERB is the info clearinghouse), so that someone at USCGA knows it’s not the kind of IEP that should cause a DQ - as I said, not the normal way of doing business, but I’m always in favor of acting rather than reacting.

There is also an email for DoDMERB Help desk floating around on that forum. She can email a copy of that IEP to them, with appropriate language in her email. She should include the last four of her SSN as an identifier with her name in the subject line.

Let us know how it goes.
 
She may want to proactively contact her Admissions officer and let them know what she thinks is going n, and offer to provide a copy of the gifted IEP. That is not the normal way things are done, with the DoDMERB website outage (DoDMERB is the info clearinghouse), so that someone at USCGA knows it’s not the kind of IEP that should cause a DQ - as I said, not the normal way of doing business, but I’m always in favor of acting rather than reacting.

There is also an email for DoDMERB Help desk floating around on that forum. She can email a copy of that IEP to them, with appropriate language in her email. She should include the last four of her SSN as an identifier with her name in the subject line.

Let us know how it goes.
@Professor T - I agree with Capt MJ that your daughter should be proactive in this situation. Having an active IEP is normally something that might not be waived because usually that means that the applicant is being allowed accommodations for testing. If your daughter didn't realize that her situation with an IEP for gifted education was unique, then she may not have explained it on the DODMERB forms. The last thing you want is for USCGA to make a decision on her waiver with incomplete information. She can also send a copy of her gifted IEP with explanation to DODMERB to be added to her DODMERB file, but if USCGA has already started considering her for a waiver, it is possible that it might not be forwarded on. I would recommend she contact both DODMERB and USCGA.
 
My son received his appointment on condition of his DoDMERB. He has scoliosis that was mild enough not to be noticed until he was in high school, and has not caused him any trouble, even with wrestling. He also had a rash after wrestling once that a PA said was eczema. During the visit, she said she wasn't sure what it was. It went away in a few days after steroid cream. I am a physician, and I don't think it was eczema. He also said he had asthma at 8 yo, but after getting the records, the doctor did not actually diagnose him with that, but it was too late to back that out of his DoDMERB application. His medical exam is in a couple of weeks.
Is there anything we could do in the meantime to increase his chances of a waiver or to make the process go smoother?
 
My son received his appointment on condition of his DoDMERB. He has scoliosis that was mild enough not to be noticed until he was in high school, and has not caused him any trouble, even with wrestling. He also had a rash after wrestling once that a PA said was eczema. During the visit, she said she wasn't sure what it was. It went away in a few days after steroid cream. I am a physician, and I don't think it was eczema. He also said he had asthma at 8 yo, but after getting the records, the doctor did not actually diagnose him with that, but it was too late to back that out of his DoDMERB application. His medical exam is in a couple of weeks.
Is there anything we could do in the meantime to increase his chances of a waiver or to make the process go smoother?
Do you have X-rays and confirmation of degree(s) of scoliosis curve(s)? They are going to want doctor’s confirmation and possibly letter. (My DS has scoliosis and is AROTC 4-yr winner.)
 
My ds reported scoliosis to DODMERB. They ordered x-rays for him because we didn't have any nor did he have any doctor's records regarding his diagnosis. It was very straight forward and easy to determine based on the angle that he does not have scoliosis and he was not DQ'd. You could get them done beforehand to save time but it was an easy process (and 20 min x-ray appt) for my ds.
 
My son received his appointment on condition of his DoDMERB. He has scoliosis that was mild enough not to be noticed until he was in high school, and has not caused him any trouble, even with wrestling. He also had a rash after wrestling once that a PA said was eczema. During the visit, she said she wasn't sure what it was. It went away in a few days after steroid cream. I am a physician, and I don't think it was eczema. He also said he had asthma at 8 yo, but after getting the records, the doctor did not actually diagnose him with that, but it was too late to back that out of his DoDMERB application. His medical exam is in a couple of weeks.
Is there anything we could do in the meantime to increase his chances of a waiver or to make the process go smoother?
My DD '23 has scoliosis and received a waiver after the initial medical DQ. Just get them everything they need ASAP.
 
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