Why was my waiver denied?

Midwesternman

USAFA C/o 24'
Joined
Oct 8, 2019
Messages
121
Logged into DODMERB this morning to find that my AFROTC waiver has been denied for asthma. Could someone shed some light on this? I passed my methacholine test with flying colors and have notes from my doctor stating that I do not have asthma. Why was my waiver denied?
 
I don't think anyone can answer your question without reviewing the medical records and knowing all background information.
However, keep in mind it is not DODMERB's job to grant waivers ....DODMERB collects information, determines if a condition exists. IF the condition exists, the applicable program (whether Service Academy or ROTC) has its own policies regarding 1) if a condition is waiverable, and 2) whether a waiver is granted in a particular case.
 
Logged into DODMERB this morning to find that my AFROTC waiver has been denied for asthma. Could someone shed some light on this? I passed my methacholine test with flying colors and have notes from my doctor stating that I do not have asthma. Why was my waiver denied?


When you find out what's going on would you mind coming back to let us know an update?
 
I will defer to Midwesternman if he chooses to reply. He now knows the answer.
I will reply in general though. An MMCT is a snapshot in time. An agency will only request that or similar testing if they have doubt regarding: " History of airway hyper responsiveness including asthma, reactive airway disease, exercise-induced bronchospasm or asthmatic bronchitis, after the 13th birthday." If they don't have doubt, they will deny the waiver. Another waiver authority, may look at the same facts and choose to seek testing, again on an individual basis and the needs of the program/Service. The same person may receive a waiver from one program and a waiver denied from another. I refer you to https://dodmerb.tricare.osd.mil - Link - "Questions about the process"; paragraphs 11-21
 
When you find out what's going on would you mind coming back to let us know an update?

Here’s the story. Roughly 2 weeks ago I was awarded a type 7 scholarship by the December AFROTC board. I was then introduced into the DoDMERB system through rotc (i have already been in for USAFA). Then, within the span of a couple of days I was disqualified, reviewed for a waiver, and denied. I was somewhat confused as I had submitted multiple doctors notes and test results demonstrating that I don’t have asthma anymore. Thus, I reached out to Mr. Mullen to see if he could shed some light on the situation. He was extremely helpful and I am glad I talked to him. It turned out that the ROTC waiver authority had not seen some of the documents I had submitted to USAFA (primarily the mcct, as MullenLE alluded too). He then made sure to get them the test results (which I passed with only a -4% drop in fev1 over the whole test). But alas, something must have still been an issue for the waiver authority and they upheld the denial. Not really sure exactly why, but that is the current situation.
 
I will defer to Midwesternman if he chooses to reply. He now knows the answer.
I will reply in general though. An MMCT is a snapshot in time. An agency will only request that or similar testing if they have doubt regarding: " History of airway hyper responsiveness including asthma, reactive airway disease, exercise-induced bronchospasm or asthmatic bronchitis, after the 13th birthday." If they don't have doubt, they will deny the waiver. Another waiver authority, may look at the same facts and choose to seek testing, again on an individual basis and the needs of the program/Service. The same person may receive a waiver from one program and a waiver denied from another. I refer you to https://dodmerb.tricare.osd.mil - Link - "Questions about the process"; paragraphs 11-21
So, if I may be so bold as to ask, why do MD's that have not personally examined the candidate in person have more sway than an MD who has conducted an in-person evaluation of a candidate? In the case of the original poster, he has in-person evaluations of multiple MD's as well as objective testing, at least from his report, that document he does not currently have asthma. This is what is frustrating about DoDMERB to the average lay person: that a physician panel that hasn't physically examined the candidate has such sway over whether a candidate is medically qualified or not. I know I am venting, but I am also curious as to your response. Thank you for listening/helping frustrated parents and candidates!
 
I'll let Mr. Mullen weigh in (as the ultimate authority on the subject), but here are two points to consider. First, the MD examination is a point in time review. DODMERB is considering your entire medical record. So, for example, assume a candidate had cancer but is currently cancer free. The "history of" portion is likely sufficient to cause a DQ. Ditto with history of concussions and many other conditions.

Second, the MDs who do the exams are civilian contractors. They are not in the business of deciding who is and is not qualified for military service. Most of them probably have little idea what types of environments and stresses military members must endure, let alone requirements for individual services and accession programs. Thus, they provide their medical findings, and MDs at DODMERB who do have this knowledge/expertise evaluate that information to determine if the person is qualified/DQ for military service -- and in the case of a DQ, the individual accession programs (including MDs with those programs) decide whether or not to grant a waiver.
 
So, if I may be so bold as to ask, why do MD's that have not personally examined the candidate in person have more sway than an MD who has conducted an in-person evaluation of a candidate? In the case of the original poster, he has in-person evaluations of multiple MD's as well as objective testing, at least from his report, that document he does not currently have asthma. This is what is frustrating about DoDMERB to the average lay person: that a physician panel that hasn't physically examined the candidate has such sway over whether a candidate is medically qualified or not. I know I am venting, but I am also curious as to your response. Thank you for listening/helping frustrated parents and candidates!

The physicians who see the patient do not know the physical accessions standards; do not know the 2nd and 3rd order effects of the medical condition in a deployed or austere environment; and do not have direct guidance from the service waiver authority on how strict (or less strict) to apply waiver criteria.

The physicians who are waiver reviewers know all of the above. That’s why it’s so important for the applicant and his/her doctors to paint the most accurate picture of the case.

Waiver criteria can change from year to year based on new guidance or new evidence in literature. Maybe a service got burned too much in previous years on giving waivers to those with “x” condition so that service may not be more strict with giving out waivers for “x” condition.

When a civilian doctor writes in his notes that Johnny’s condition shouldn’t preclude successful military service, I don’t give that much weight at all. Has that doc ever been in a combat outpost in Iraq? Has that doc ever lived in a forward operating base with a burn bit that’s going all day long? How can that doctor give an accurate opinion on someone’s ability to perform a job when that doctor has no formal training in the medical standards and probably has never seen that job being done before.

What’s more valuable for a reviewer is for that doc to lay out the facts- what’s the range of motion, how big is the rash, what’s the motor strength of the extremity, how long has it been since the patient has had symptoms, etc...
 
The physicians who see the patient do not know the physical accessions standards; do not know the 2nd and 3rd order effects of the medical condition in a deployed or austere environment; and do not have direct guidance from the service waiver authority on how strict (or less strict) to apply waiver criteria.

The physicians who are waiver reviewers know all of the above. That’s why it’s so important for the applicant and his/her doctors to paint the most accurate picture of the case.

Waiver criteria can change from year to year based on new guidance or new evidence in literature. Maybe a service got burned too much in previous years on giving waivers to those with “x” condition so that service may not be more strict with giving out waivers for “x” condition.

When a civilian doctor writes in his notes that Johnny’s condition shouldn’t preclude successful military service, I don’t give that much weight at all. Has that doc ever been in a combat outpost in Iraq? Has that doc ever lived in a forward operating base with a burn bit that’s going all day long? How can that doctor give an accurate opinion on someone’s ability to perform a job when that doctor has no formal training in the medical standards and probably has never seen that job being done before.

What’s more valuable for a reviewer is for that doc to lay out the facts- what’s the range of motion, how big is the rash, what’s the motor strength of the extremity, how long has it been since the patient has had symptoms, etc...

Thank you for your detailed reply. I understand your points mentally, emotionally still can't get rid of the frustration at the "under waiver review" status. It is what it is, and I am sure dd will have an awesome path in life no matter what. Thanks for giving the perspective from the "other" side!
 
And now they are both back to under waiver review. I have really got to stop checking so obsessively. I am going to give myself a brain aneurysm from pure stress!
Did you recently send in some documents? If so, they may have been uploading.
 
Trailside - Those posts are from Jan 2020:wiggle:
 
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