Hi, my son received a LOA (Letter of Assurance) from USNA and is waiting for Medical Waiver. He has minor peanut allergy. What are the chances that he will be given a waiver? And if he is DQ'd, is there any appeal? I felt bad that he got all the way to this point just to be DQ'd by peanut allergy.
Recived LOA from USNA but waiting for Medical Waiver
- Thread starter jmarquez
- Start date
A1Janitor
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2018
- Messages
- 6,492
https://www.serviceacademyforums.co...rough-peanut-immunotherapy.65772/#post-645963
https://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/nut-allergy-dq.64658/#post-636700
Second link I think has someone who got waiver.
https://www.serviceacademyforums.com/index.php?threads/nut-allergy-dq.64658/#post-636700
Second link I think has someone who got waiver.
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2017
- Messages
- 6,746
He has already been DQ'd by DoDMERB. The "appeal" in this process is the waiver from USNA. If they don't grant a waiver, the outlook is dim.
I guess I wasn't clear. My son called his USNA contact and was told to wait for 3 to 4 weeks as his papers are with DoDMERB. I guess we are not waiting for Medical Waiver yet but reading through many posts, looks like that's what we will end up with.. Thanks for all the insights.
GoCubbies
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2018
- Messages
- 1,020
When you say “mild”, what happens to your DS exactly when he consumes peanuts?
Does he carry an epi pen with him?
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2017
- Messages
- 6,746
I imagine that it is frustrating to see something like a peanut allergy have the potential to stop this whole 9-month application process.
The Navy typically operates at sea, a long way from the sort of medical care that we take for granted here on land.
A reaction to peanuts could be life-threatening in the Fleet, because most ships don't have complete medical staff on board. They have Medical Corpsmen who are wholly capable of doing a lot of things and treating a myriad of illnesses and injuries which happen aboard ship and in foreign ports. (Nothing but respect to you, @Devil Doc ).
Now, if you're lucky to be on an aircraft carrier (shoehorned in with 5,000 of your closest friends) you will be pleased to learn that they have medical suites outfitted better than some hospitals ashore. They have imaging, dentistry, surgical suites with operating rooms, Med/Surg recovery, and a host of other things normally found in any first-rate hospital on land. They also have a staff of doctors and nurses. The trouble is that there aren't that many carriers, and if you're not on one, you're probably not near one, either.
Then there's the operational environment in which you're aboard a ship in a shooting war. I can guarantee you that everyone there is needed in that situation. Let's say you're in the middle of the Pacific so far from from land that getting a helicopter to you would require 2 or 3 in-flight refuelings. That's going to take a while. DoDMERB pays a lot of attention to pre-existing conditions which could become life-threatening at sea or in remote duty stations or in a combat zone where every single person is needed. Let's say dinner tonight was stir-fried rice and vegetables with cashew chicken, but the cashews turned out to be processed on the same production line with peanuts (but that wasn't on the label). The middle of the Ocean is not the place to go into anaphylactic shock, let me tell you.
All you can do is work through the DoDMERB remedials and hope for the best. The remedials give the deciding authority (USNA in this case) a good picture of the condition, and whether it would pose a problem in the operational environment. They have to decide.
That sort of gives you an idea of the why behind the DQ. It certainly doesn't make the wait for a waiver any easier.
I wish I could do that for you, but I can't.
The Navy typically operates at sea, a long way from the sort of medical care that we take for granted here on land.
A reaction to peanuts could be life-threatening in the Fleet, because most ships don't have complete medical staff on board. They have Medical Corpsmen who are wholly capable of doing a lot of things and treating a myriad of illnesses and injuries which happen aboard ship and in foreign ports. (Nothing but respect to you, @Devil Doc ).
Now, if you're lucky to be on an aircraft carrier (shoehorned in with 5,000 of your closest friends) you will be pleased to learn that they have medical suites outfitted better than some hospitals ashore. They have imaging, dentistry, surgical suites with operating rooms, Med/Surg recovery, and a host of other things normally found in any first-rate hospital on land. They also have a staff of doctors and nurses. The trouble is that there aren't that many carriers, and if you're not on one, you're probably not near one, either.
Then there's the operational environment in which you're aboard a ship in a shooting war. I can guarantee you that everyone there is needed in that situation. Let's say you're in the middle of the Pacific so far from from land that getting a helicopter to you would require 2 or 3 in-flight refuelings. That's going to take a while. DoDMERB pays a lot of attention to pre-existing conditions which could become life-threatening at sea or in remote duty stations or in a combat zone where every single person is needed. Let's say dinner tonight was stir-fried rice and vegetables with cashew chicken, but the cashews turned out to be processed on the same production line with peanuts (but that wasn't on the label). The middle of the Ocean is not the place to go into anaphylactic shock, let me tell you.
All you can do is work through the DoDMERB remedials and hope for the best. The remedials give the deciding authority (USNA in this case) a good picture of the condition, and whether it would pose a problem in the operational environment. They have to decide.
That sort of gives you an idea of the why behind the DQ. It certainly doesn't make the wait for a waiver any easier.
I wish I could do that for you, but I can't.
My DS was DQ’d medically and received an LOA, Friday Feb 8, his portal church changed from Requirements :medical ...to Requirements: none
This past Friday Feb 15, his portal changed to Offer of Appointment with the “accept” button!! We still haven’t heard about the medical waiver but are assuming it’s been granted!! We are THRILLED!!
A1Janitor
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2018
- Messages
- 6,492
You have heard about the waiver. It was granted because it went from medical qualification to none.
Congrats!
navy2022VA
5-Year Member
- Joined
- Dec 22, 2017
- Messages
- 150
Peanut allergy restrictions tightened up last year as I knew someone with LOAs to two academies and got denied from all three for the allergy. There is a recruited athlete in my squad who got waived, however.
Reaction is just hives. No, he doesn't carry epi pen.
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2014
- Messages
- 508
AT BGO classes last year Supe, "Peanut allergy = DQ!" Sorry.
Can I ask you if other allergies were talked about. Like an allergy to 1-2 tree nuts?!?
TomB
Member
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2018
- Messages
- 140
Or milk, that's my DQ unfortunately.
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2014
- Messages
- 508
They were not mentioned. I would guess they are both DQ also... but don't take my word for it!
TomB
Member
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2018
- Messages
- 140
On DoDMERB I am DQ'd. I actually talked to an admissions counselor on CollegeWeekLive about allergies and they told me that the only allergy they do not accept is peanut allergies, but I'm still skeptical. The waiting game continues...
It seems like they are more strict about peanut allergies over tree nut allergies. Army seems to be more tolerant of allergies especially with those with true nut allergies. Air Force seems to be strict about all allergies. Not saying they wont give waivers for any of them, just that some branches more lenient than others
Tom, are you waiting for appointment this year? Either way, please keep me updated. Fingers crossed!