Usma waiver denied

[Forrestor]

First things first. I am 2Q’d with a nomination and a letter of encouragement.

I am a class of 2022 hopeful.

However, after much encouragement that my waiver would go through, it was denied.

When I was younger (14 or so) I had a lot of eczema all over my body. Now, i have very little on the inside of my elbows and knees mainly only because of the weather and how dry it makes my skin.

I turned in my medical records to DODMERB from my child doctor and they asked for more information; I asked my present family doctor to write me a letter. He told DODMERB that I had a lot of eczema all over my body, which isn’t true anymore.

I am currently seeking a rebuttal by getting a military doctor to evaluate my skin.

What else can I do to make the best case posssible? Are my chances for the class of 2022 over?

 

[JWP]

For clarification....is this a medical dq by DODMERB or is this a waiver request initiated by USMA that was denied? There is a difference...

 

[GHTeam]

Ugh. I feel awful for your situation. I’m certainly not an expert in this area, but I’d fight this until the end. Having said this, if my DS was in your shoes, we would be taking the same action with the rebuttal. We would also seek out another doctor (ie. dermatologist-specialist!!) immediately to evaluate/document the current skin situation. By going to a specialist, I’d think they’d be far more qualified to make a determination. Don’t give up!!

 

[Forrestor]

For clarification....is this a medical dq by DODMERB or is this a waiver request initiated by USMA that was denied? There is a difference...

The waiver was denied.

 

[Forrestor]

Ugh. I feel awful for your situation. I’m certainly not an expert in this area, but I’d fight this until the end. Having said this, if my DS was in your shoes, we would be taking the same action with the rebuttal. We would also seek out another doctor (ie. dermatologist-specialist!!) immediately to evaluate/document the current skin situation. By going to a specialist, I’d think they’d be far more qualified to make a determination. Don’t give up!!

Thank you. I’m not gonna give up; it’s my dream school.

 

[davejean90]

Time for reality. Unless you are a highly recruited D1 athlete or an under-represented minority you have very little chance of success. The hard truth is that there are many another candidates who have similar files, but do not require a waiver, so the academy will take the path of least resistance and offer appointments to them.. If you have a good file academically, then there are other opportunities out there. Find those opportunities and stop banging your head against the wall.

 

[AROTC-dad]

I asked my present family doctor to write me a letter. He told DODMERB that I had a lot of eczema all over my body, which isn’t true anymore.

Important rule....don't ask for a letter from someone who you aren't 100% certain is going to support your cause.

How did this doctor "fabricate" your condition? If he made a mistake, he should be asked to send a corrective letter.

If at the time he wrote the letter, your skin condition was substantially symptomatic, then as davejean90 summarizes, you have little to no hope.

 

[Forrestor]

I asked my present family doctor to write me a letter. He told DODMERB that I had a lot of eczema all over my body, which isn’t true anymore.

Important rule....don't ask for a letter from someone who you aren't 100% certain is going to support your cause.

How did this doctor "fabricate" your condition? If he made a mistake, he should be asked to send a corrective letter.

If at the time he wrote the letter, your skin condition was substantially symptomatic, then as davejean90 summarizes, you have little to no hope.

At the time he wrote the letter, I did not have symptomatic eczema. He did not even evaluate me lol. I just asked him for a letter and he wrote one. He even wrote that my eczema was not symptomatic.

 

[Forrestor]

Time for reality. Unless you are a highly recruited D1 athlete or an under-represented minority you have very little chance of success. The hard truth is that there are many another candidates who have similar files, but do not require a waiver, so the academy will take the path of least resistance and offer appointments to them.. If you have a good file academically, then there are other opportunities out there. Find those opportunities and stop banging your head against the wall.

Why would they offer the waiver route if they did not want to pick me up? Why would they go ahead and start the process if they were going to not give me an appointment? I understand that’s not literally how it works, and I understand my odds aren’t good, but I’m going to try.

 

[AROTC-dad]

Have you asked your doctor for a corrective letter?
Why did he say you had "a lot of eczema?"
Did he understand how damaging an incorrect letter was?
Does he understand how strict DoDMERB is?

 

[Forrestor]

Have you asked your doctor for a corrective letter?
Why did he say you had "a lot of eczema?"
Did he understand how damaging an incorrect letter was?
Does he understand how strict DoDMERB is?

I have not. My liaison officer told me to cancel my appointment with my general physician and make one with an Air Force doctor he recommended to me. He is not very knowledgeable about DODMERB.

 

[justdoit19]

Why would they offer the waiver route if they did not want to pick me up? Why would they go ahead and start the process if they were going to not give me an appointment? I understand that’s not literally how it works, and I understand my odds aren’t good, but I’m going to try.

As I understand, the waiver application is automatic. In other words, if DoDMRB finds something, a waiver is the next step. There is a flow diagram on the DoDMRB site that you can look at for a visual. So that may be what is going on. I do not have experience with the process as DS was qualified after a few remedials (which is what sent me to the flowcharts).

 

[boatsfordays]

Why would they offer the waiver route if they did not want to pick me up? Why would they go ahead and start the process if they were going to not give me an appointment? I understand that’s not literally how it works, and I understand my odds aren’t good, but I’m going to try.

As I understand, the waiver application is automatic. In other words, if DoDMRB finds something, a waiver is the next step. There is a flow diagram on the DoDMRB site that you can look at for a visual. So that may be what is going on. I do not have experience with the process as DS was qualified after a few remedials (which is what sent me to the flowcharts).

Respectfully, no, a waiver is not automatically initiated. Remedials and waivers are different. A waiver process is initiated at the discretion of the academy. In the case of USMA, it is at the discretion of the RC to initiate a waiver process based on the "candidates likelihood of being successful in the rest of the application process" (west-point.org)

 

[nykaby71]

Why would they offer the waiver route if they did not want to pick me up? Why would they go ahead and start the process if they were going to not give me an appointment? I understand that’s not literally how it works, and I understand my odds aren’t good, but I’m going to try.

As I understand, the waiver application is automatic. In other words, if DoDMRB finds something, a waiver is the next step. There is a flow diagram on the DoDMRB site that you can look at for a visual. So that may be what is going on. I do not have experience with the process as DS was qualified after a few remedials (which is what sent me to the flowcharts).

A waiver request is only automatic if you are awarded an ROTC scholarship. In that case, a medical waiver will be requested (this does not mean that the waiver will be granted). The SA's are all together different as they use their discretion to request waivers if they wish. They have the option of not requesting a waiver for a medically disqualified candidate.