Waiver Review - Testing

Just_A_Mom

Just_A_Mom

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RetNavyHM:

Posted on DoDMERB website for AROTC waiver for a "History of Asthma, etc..." DQ:


R242.01 - REQUIRES A PHYSICIAN'S APPOINTMENT: PROVIDER INSTRUCTIONS: Please obtain a baseline Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) including the values for FVC, FEV1, MEFR 25-75%, and lung volumes. APPLICANT ONLY INSTRUCTIONS: DO NOT use any type of bronchodilator, steroid, or other asthma/breathing and allergy medication for 72 hours prior to the test.

Questions:
1. Can you decipher this?? She has never had any of this testing done before.

2. I assume we have to wait for the paperwork in the mail to find out where she would go?

3. The Big Question: Not to put you on the spot or anything but - If she passes (I think she will) do you think the waiver will be granted?

Thanks.


 
Just_A_Mom,

A pulmonary function test (PFT). This is a basic test that will give the wavier authority an idea of exactly where your daughter’s lung functions are.

Once DoDMERB sends the letter to your daughter you will have 3 options where you can get the test done. Your family physician (at your cost), a Concorde physician (At DoDMERB's cost) or at a military treatment facility (at the government's cost).

The fact that the wavier authority requested this information is a positive sign. If your daughter does well on the PFT then most likely the waiver authority will grant the waiver.
 
Just_A_Mom said:
RetNavyHM:

Posted on DoDMERB website for AROTC waiver for a "History of Asthma, etc..." DQ:


R242.01 - REQUIRES A PHYSICIAN'S APPOINTMENT: PROVIDER INSTRUCTIONS: Please obtain a baseline Pulmonary Function Test (PFT) including the values for FVC, FEV1, MEFR 25-75%, and lung volumes. APPLICANT ONLY INSTRUCTIONS: DO NOT use any type of bronchodilator, steroid, or other asthma/breathing and allergy medication for 72 hours prior to the test.
Click to expand...

Just to give you a little more idea what all those letters mean:

FVC = forced vital capacity, basically how much the lungs can hold if you try really hard

FEV1 = forced expiratory volume in 1 second, how much you can breath out in one second. They'll have you blow as hard as you can.

MEFR25-75%: I have no idea on this one, I've never heard this before.

In asthma a person's FEV1 will be decreased due to the constriction of the bronchi.
 
RetNavy & Kp - Thanks for all of your good information. We should get the letter soon and weigh our options as far as where to get the test done.
 
As a military dependent, I can tell you getting appointments on a MTF is a long drawn out process. I can't tell how many times I been told that all of the appointments have been booked. If I can get a non availability statement I try. I needed at CT scan last year it took two months since it was "routine".

Blood, urine and eye test can be done quickly, everything else..... With this testing, time is short if you can do the DODMERB contractor or your own doctors. I have gotten to the point were I just go to urgent care for routine stuff. It is 30 bucks Vs 4 hours in the ER 20 miles from my house.

If you are not the AD member forget anything quick. Hence my screen name--been told that so many times!
 
RetNavyHM,

The new remdial showed up last week online. No letter from DoDMERB yet so I called today. The woman I spoke with was really nice and said they got the request from Cadet Command yesterday, Monday. How can that be if it was up Friday?

Anyway, she said the file went to the medical reviewer yesterday and the remedial might change. She should get the letter in about a week and not to do anything until we get the letter. This is all confusing.

Justawife - thanks for the good advice. We will either use Concorde or her physician - weighting our options while we wait.
 
Ah.. You've found one of the flaws with DoDMERB's web pages, and their business practices. Currently, as soon as the wavier authorities add a remedial to an applicant it shows on the applicant's DoDMERB web site, even though no one at DoDMERB has taken any action on it. The secretary for that service will then forward the request for additional information to the reviewer on the case, who then forwards it to the DoDMERB physician for final approval (since it is now DoDMERB's money that the wavier authorities are spending). Once the physician approves the waiver authority requested remedial the letter is then generated to the applicant.

I can say that DoDMERB is working on a way to have the remedials not show on the applicant web site until the letter is generated to the applicant, but until that happens you just need to be patient.

I hope this helps to clear up some confusion, and if you need any other info feel free to ask.
 
Ah Ha! Well then, we will just wait. One thing I just thought of:
We sent two letters. One to DoDMERB that was rebutting the DQ. The other was to Cadet Command to request waiver considertaion (with Army ROTC the candidate is responsible for requesting the waiver). Maybe DoDMERB hasn't acted on the rebuttal letter yet and Cadet Command got the ball rolling sooner? So I guess DodMERB has to review their rebuttal letter from us and issue a ruling, then move on to the waiver consideration from Cadet Command.
 
RetNavyHM:
Thank you, thank you thank you.................

She got a letter in the mail last week USMA was going to send her file to the Surgeon, USMA for a waiver review.....
Just got back from Disney World and guess what??? She is cleared for West Point!!
The DoDMERB web site shows:

"
Agency: US Military Academy
Sub Agency:
Current Medical Status ( as of 3/8/2007) :
Medical waiver granted D241.30 - Asthma/reactive airway disease/exercise induced bronchospasm after age 13
D259.00 - Waiver Approved - USMA"
Click to expand...
Army ROTC requested the spirometry and we finally got the paperwork for it on March 1st. She had the test done March 2nd.
I can't believe that DoDMERB would have the results that quick for West Point to see it on March 8th?
Anyway - ROTC has yet to rule. Hopefully, they will grant a waiver as well. From our experience - things moved very slowly, then boom. They happened fast.
Thanks again!!
 
Last edited:
Congratulations on the waiver!! Great news! See what happens when you visit the "Magic Kingdom"? :shake:

I'm sure that AROTC hasn't seen the information, and appearently USMA decided they had enough info to grant a waiver. Most likely AROTC will grant the waiver, but I've seen it where its been different.

Again, congratulations to your daughter!
 
Finally!!!

After waiting patiently (and not so patiently) her Army ROTC waiver was finally granted!

I called DoDMERB at 9 am - Waiver was granted by 3 pm :thumb:

After waiting weeks and weeks - her remedial was posted to the waiver authority on 3/12/07 - and West Point had already granted her waiver - she emailed her ROTC Battalion and asked if they could find out what was going on. He got back to her last night saying the Cadet Command could not find her tests -
I called DoDMERB first thing this morning - she said she would re-post her file and they would have to go look for it.
I passed the message back to her Battalion right away and the waiver was granted! The entire process from the exam date to her waiver being granted was over 7 months.

Many, many thanks to RetNavyHM for his many months of encouragment, patience and knowledge. I seriously doubt this maze could have been successfully navigated without his help.
 
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