Waiver for different branch (OCS)

[Confusedarmyperson]

Hi I have a family member who was medically disqualified and could not get a waiver a little over 2 years ago from NROTC for ulcerative proctitis (extremely mild- took medicine for 6 weeks and has not been affected since then). He is now about to graduate college and is interested in going to OCS for the army. Is it possible he go back through the waiver process? How would he initiate it? As I said, he has not been affected by the diagnosis at all in his daily life and takes no medicine.

 

[GoCubbies]

Hi I have a family member who was medically disqualified and could not get a waiver a little over 2 years ago from NROTC for ulcerative proctitis (extremely mild- took medicine for 6 weeks and has not been affected since then). He is now about to graduate college and is interested in going to OCS for the army. Is it possible he go back through the waiver process? How would he initiate it? As I said, he has not been affected by the diagnosis at all in his daily life and takes no medicine.

For Army OCS, your family member will have to go through a recruiter who will then arrange for the physical exam to occur at a nearby MEPS station. If DQ'ed, then a waiver will be initiated and go up to the US Army Recruiting Command medical waiver reviewers for consideration.

Let your family member know the MEPS has the ability to see most of the medical records on anyone for care received anywhere in the US. The MEPS physicians use an electronic medical record that will probably be able to see the evaluations on the ulcerative proctitis.

There is no cure for ulcerative proctitis. Just because he hasn't had a flare-up since a couple years ago, it doesn't mean he won't have a flare-up again. In fact, no one knows when he will have a flare-up again. The studies show that someone who was diagnosed at a young age (between the ages of 18-30 years) is less likely to go into clinical remission than someone who was diagnosed at an older age. Another study showed in 50% of those with ulcerative proctitis, there was an extension of colonic disease.

Good luck! Getting a waiver for ulcerative proctitis is an uphill battle.

 

[Confusedarmyperson]

Thank you for the information.

 

[Anonymous121]

Any form of IBD is disqualifying and very difficult to get a waiver. Having no symptoms for years is a good thing. MEPS will ask for evaluations from a gastroenterologist. Treatment records, medications used, etc. I think for OCS, it is very unlikely to get a waiver.