Under Waiver Review

Butter Cup

Butter Cup

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Feb 27, 2023
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Everything was submitted and received in my DS portal. His application shows complete and under review. All good in his portal. He also has 2 Nominations. He completed his DODMERB and eye exam. His DODMERB doc said he was good to go. Yesterday, he was contacted by DODMERB that he was DQ due to color deficiency. No surprise...we were waiting for the ball to drop on that. We read all the paperwork on the DQ and it stated that Service Academies will begin a waiver process if the candidate is "competitive" for an Appointment. Here is where my question comes in... As we were staring at the DODMERB page we noticed this little box at the top next to my DS personal information that stated:

Agency: US Naval Academy
Cycle Year: 2023
Current Medical Status: Under Waiver Review

Is that telling us our DS is "competitive" and the Academy is reviewing a waiver for color deficiency? Has anybody seen this?
We see nothing in his portal about being Under Waiver Review. We only see it in his DODMERB account.

My other question is did the Academy have it's first Admissions Board?
 
"Under Waiver Review" does not equate to a waiver has been requested by the SA. If you search that phrase on this forum, you will see explanations from others on this board that are knowledgeable about the process. It causes so much confusion with each application cycle. If a waiver is requested by the SA, a letter/notification will come from the SA itself.
 
OfficerToBe750 said:
"Under Waiver Review" does not equate to a waiver has been requested by the SA. If you search that phrase on this forum, you will see explanations from others on this board that are knowledgeable about the process. It causes so much confusion with each application cycle. If a waiver is requested by the SA, a letter/notification will come from the SA itself.
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Just for info purposes, so you know what to look for: The USMA requested a waiver review and uploaded a letter to the portal. The USAFA only sent an email when they requested. The USAFA portal still says disqualified. Who knows what the USNA will do to share the info?
 
bethf said:
Just for info purposes, so you know what to look for: The USMA requested a waiver review and uploaded a letter to the portal. The USAFA only sent an email when they requested. The USAFA portal still says disqualified. Who knows what the USNA will do to share the info?
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Interesting, for our DS, it was a letter from USAFA uploaded to the portal. I wasn't exactly sure the process for the other SA's and I know they can change year to year. Regardless, the wait can be tough. Good luck to the applicant.
 
There typically isn't much "review" for colorblindness. USNA can only admit a max of 2% (~22 people) of each class that is red/green colorblind. They typically admit a smaller number.

If they really want someone, they give the waiver. But they have to keep track so they don't exceed the allowable number. Thus, it's not uncommon for folks awaiting colorblind waivers to wait until Feb, March and beyond.
 
OfficerToBe750 said:
"Under Waiver Review" does not equate to a waiver has been requested by the SA. If you search that phrase on this forum, you will see explanations from others on this board that are knowledgeable about the process. It causes so much confusion with each application cycle. If a waiver is requested by the SA, a letter/notificationmy will come from the SA itself.
Click to expand...
My understanding is my DS does not request a waiver for color deficiency. The waiver process starts all by itself and we just wait to hear from the SA. The eye doctor told us that along with other sources. Can anybody else confirm we just sit and wait at this point.

Also, could an LOA be given before a waiver is approved? I am thinking yes that is a possibility but I also know that does not mean an Appointment is up next. I am just wondering if they would bother with an LOA if everything is submitted and the only thing they need is the waiver approved. Speaking of the waiver...who determines if a waiver is given? I have heard it is the Supe, I have heard it is the Admissions Boards, I have heard it is another waiver board. Anybody know who actually approves a waiver? Not that it matters, I am just curious.

I do know we could be waiting waiting many months for a decision. We have a Plan B with a submitted NROTC to a few awesome programs.
Thanks all!! Beat Army!
 
OfficerToBe750 said:
"Under Waiver Review" does not equate to a waiver has been requested by the SA. If you search that phrase on this forum, you will see explanations from others on this board that are knowledgeable about the process. It causes so much confusion with each application cycle. If a waiver is requested by the SA, a letter/notification will come from the SA itself.
Click to expand...
I might be wrong about this (but do not think I am). My son was dq’d for being color blind. He was under waiver review. He never got a letter or notification that they were requesting a waiver.
 
SweetCaroline said:
My understanding is my DS does not request a waiver for color deficiency. The waiver process starts all by itself and we just wait to hear from the SA. The eye doctor told us that along with other sources. Can anybody else confirm we just sit and wait at this point.

Also, could an LOA be given before a waiver is approved? I am thinking yes that is a possibility but I also know that does not mean an Appointment is up next. I am just wondering if they would bother with an LOA if everything is submitted and the only thing they need is the waiver approved. Speaking of the waiver...who determines if a waiver is given? I have heard it is the Supe, I have heard it is the Admissions Boards, I have heard it is another waiver board. Anybody know who actually approves a waiver? Not that it matters, I am just curious.

I do know we could be waiting waiting many months for a decision. We have a Plan B with a submitted NROTC to a few awesome programs.
Thanks all!! Beat Army!
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My son got an LOA months before he took medical.

Although the Superintendent approves colorblind waivers … it is my educated guess that admissions ultimately decides who to recommend to Superintendent - which is a rubber stamp.

My son was under waiver review for approximately a month. As @usna1985 suggests - there is a 2% legal cap. In my son’s year, 15 were given total (less than the total max allowed under law).
 
SweetCaroline said:
Everything was submitted and received in my DS portal. His application shows complete and under review. All good in his portal. He also has 2 Nominations. He completed his DODMERB and eye exam. His DODMERB doc said he was good to go. Yesterday, he was contacted by DODMERB that he was DQ due to color deficiency. No surprise...we were waiting for the ball to drop on that. We read all the paperwork on the DQ and it stated that Service Academies will begin a waiver process if the candidate is "competitive" for an Appointment. Here is where my question comes in... As we were staring at the DODMERB page we noticed this little box at the top next to my DS personal information that stated:

Agency: US Naval Academy
Cycle Year: 2023
Current Medical Status: Under Waiver Review

Is that telling us our DS is "competitive" and the Academy is reviewing a waiver for color deficiency? Has anybody seen this?
We see nothing in his portal about being Under Waiver Review. We only see it in his DODMERB account.

My other question is did the Academy have it's first Admissions Board?
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Forgive me for changing the subject and for the stupid question, but I have to ask. Your DS has two nominations already? Our MOCs' deadlines aren't even until next month. Just curious.
 
an654 said:
Forgive me for changing the subject and for the stupid question, but I have to ask. Your DS has two nominations already? Our MOCs' deadlines aren't even until next month. Just curious.
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One was the presidential nom, which happens sooner.
 
A1Janitor said:
My son got an LOA months before he took medical.

Although the Superintendent approves colorblind waivers … it is my educated guess that admissions ultimately decides who to recommend to Superintendent - which is a rubber stamp.

My son was under waiver review for approximately a month. As @usna1985 suggests - there is a 2% legal cap. In my son’s year, 15 were given total (less than the total max allowed under law).
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Thanks for all your knowledge! Curious... was your son a Blue Chip recipient or was the LOA purely off of his Merit? Also, did he end up getting an Appointment and if so do you recall how long after he was DQ'd (I realize he had an LOA in hand due to waiting for his DODMERB to be done). Our DS is in a little different situation as everything is done.
 
an654 said:
Forgive me for changing the subject and for the stupid question, but I have to ask. Your DS has two nominations already? Our MOCs' deadlines aren't even until next month. Just curious.
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Just for the record...nothing is stupid. There are a gazillion scenarios so you probably helped answer someone else's question too :)
 
SweetCaroline said:
Thanks for all your knowledge! Curious... was your son a Blue Chip recipient or was the LOA purely off of his Merit? Also, did he end up getting an Appointment and if so do you recall how long after he was DQ'd (I realize he had an LOA in hand due to waiting for his DODMERB to be done). Our DS is in a little different situation as everything is done.
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My son was not a recruited athlete. He had a good application. He graduated this past May from USNA.
 
When USMA does the waiver process, they posted a letter in the portal that they're requesting a waiver review. For them nothing changed in the DODMERB site because they hadn't asked for anything new. For USNA, we didn't see anything on their site, but they asked for a remedial that hadn't been asked for yet by DODMERB and that showed up on the DODMERB site and he got an email specifically from Navy (or DODMERB, can't remember, but it was specific to USNA) saying they had asked for remedials.
 
SweetCaroline said:
My understanding is my DS does not request a waiver for color deficiency. The waiver process starts all by itself and we just wait to hear from the SA. The eye doctor told us that along with other sources. Can anybody else confirm we just sit and wait at this point.

Also, could an LOA be given before a waiver is approved? I am thinking yes that is a possibility but I also know that does not mean an Appointment is up next. I am just wondering if they would bother with an LOA if everything is submitted and the only thing they need is the waiver approved. Speaking of the waiver...who determines if a waiver is given? I have heard it is the Supe, I have heard it is the Admissions Boards, I have heard it is another waiver board. Anybody know who actually approves a waiver? Not that it matters, I am just curious.

I do know we could be waiting waiting many months for a decision. We have a Plan B with a submitted NROTC to a few awesome programs.
Thanks all!! Beat Army!
Click to expand...
An LOA can be given at any time, for any reason, with or without conditions - but it’s not something to look for. Most cadets and midshipmen never received them.

Yes, you wait. USNA has a cap on numbers of color blind waivers it will grant each year (a handful, usually in the teens), and they probably wait for all applications to come in, then assess the color blind DQ group as a parallel competitive group to whatever competition they are facing in their nom group.

If your son does not already know this, those who go into USNA with a color blindness waiver will be informed that certain communities in the Unrestricted Line family of offficer warfare specialties will be permanently closed to them, such as aviation, submarines, surface warfare. That group is provided opportunities in Restricted Line (intel, cyber, oceanography, etc.) or Staff Corps (Civil Engineering, Supply, etc.). They can also go Marine ground (not aviation). The needs of the Navy will dictate what is available. If he wants a full clarification on this, he should call USNA Admissions and have a candid discussion. These appointees go into USNA knowing their options are limited, but go they do.

He should also have additional alternate plans. NROTC uses the same DoD military medical accession standard, and color blindness would also be a DQ. It is my impression NROTC gives few to no color blindness waivers; career opportunities would be similarly limited. Marine option, ground, would not be a problem.

it is my impression USNA, USCGA, USMMA are the most stringent on color blindness and no or few waivers. USMA and USAFA seem to be more flexible. It’s not a frivolous difference. Waiver policies differ because operating environments, missions, gear and equipment differ across the Services.
 
Gannonfan said:
When USMA does the waiver process, they posted a letter in the portal that they're requesting a waiver review. For them nothing changed in the DODMERB site because they hadn't asked for anything new. For USNA, we didn't see anything on their site, but they asked for a remedial that hadn't been asked for yet by DODMERB and that showed up on the DODMERB site and he got an email specifically from Navy (or DODMERB, can't remember, but it was specific to USNA) saying they had asked for remedials.
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Thanks! No remedials for color deficiency. It is what it is :)
 
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