Will suffering a traumatic experience DQ me from the USNA?

Rising11th

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Hello,

I am a rising Junior and I recently decided that I wanted to apply to the Naval Academy. I have very strong academics and am training to meet the physical requirements for admission. However, in middle school I was in a school shooting. Fortunately I was not physically harmed and, despite seeing a counselor afterwards, I believe I do not have PTSD (was not diagnosed with it) or any related stress disorders. I have previously suffered from depression (and I was given medication) though it lasted less than a year.

Will either of these conditions disqualify me from admission?
 
I expect the "...previously suffered from depression and I was given medication..." will trigger a remedial from DoDMERB, but not necessarily a DQ.

You won't know for sure until you apply and wait, which is its own sort of traumatic experience.;)
 
I expect the "...previously suffered from depression and I was given medication..." will trigger a remedial from DoDMERB, but not necessarily a DQ.

You won't know for sure until you apply and wait, which is its own sort of traumatic experience.;)
Got it, I just looked into the whole DoDMERB process. Do I have a good chance of getting a waiver if I was only on medication about a year, over 5 years ago, with no hospitalizations, suicide attempts, self harm, etc?
 
Got it, I just looked into the whole DoDMERB process. Do I have a good chance of getting a waiver if I was only on medication about a year, over 5 years ago, with no hospitalizations, suicide attempts, self harm, etc?
None of us can speak on the chances. The only way to find out is to apply. Good luck!
 
I agree with NavyHoops, only way to know is to try. Make them tell you no. And hope you are such an exceptional candidate that they pursue a waiver.

Also, when our admission cycle comes around, get a quality application to at least a 50-75% completion early so the DODMERB process is activated. That gives you more time for any remedial paperwork you may be asked to provide.
 
My three older kids lost their mom to an aggressive cancer when they were fairly young (11, 8, 5). I took them to counseling, which the current Academy dude disclosed in his app. But, never got on meds. The Academy/DoDMERB did not ask anything further on that.

His oldest sibling took things a lot harder and was on a darker path. They (gender withheld for various reasons) did try to join the Air Force but they had been diagnosed with depression and anxiety. Even though they had been off meds for three years, because they didn't disclose all of that in their enlistment stuff (totally on the recruiter as he told them not too mention it since they were off meds), during Basic and wanting to be honest and have integrity, they told their chain of command and got pulled from their training group pending a waiver review. They were denied the waiver and shipped home.

Be up front about the challenges you faced, any treatment involved, and any follow-up from the later periods. There can be periodic levels of mental health issues, and there can be permanent/genetic ones. It sounds perhaps as if your situation was periodic. But, I am not a doctor/psychiatrist, and cannot presume what DoDMERB and the Academy medical review team would do in this instance.

And, I'm so sorry you had to experience that. It breaks my heart every time I hear about those situations. :(
 
Got it, I just looked into the whole DoDMERB process. Do I have a good chance of getting a waiver if I was only on medication about a year, over 5 years ago, with no hospitalizations, suicide attempts, self harm, etc?
We don’t the specifics of your case, but there are plenty of stories of people (including on the forums) being granted waivers who were on antidepressants for longer than that, and also were on it more recent than that when they applied.

Every case is different, and you won’t know what happens unless you apply
 
Oh and if you were never diagnosed with PTSD by a professional (which it sounds like you weren’t), check the “no” box for it on the medical questionnaire. Do not self-diagnose

You’ll have to check “yes” for the counseling question though. It’s worded vaguely iirc (like “have you ever talked to a counselor?” or something along those lines)
 
Oh and if you were never diagnosed with PTSD by a professional (which it sounds like you weren’t), check the “no” box for it on the medical questionnaire. Do not self-diagnose

You’ll have to check “yes” for the counseling question though. It’s worded vaguely iirc (like “have you ever talked to a counselor?” or something along those lines)
"Do not self-diagnose"

One of the most valuable tips I've seen on this forum in my short time here.
 
Also, everyone should be aware that a few years ago the military implemented a system that can look up every medicine your were Ever prescribed. Can't remember the name of it, but a retired recruiter wrote a long opinion piece about it within the last year describing the medical clearance issues it has created for All candidates trying to enter the military in anyway. Long forgotten medical visits where something was prescribed that even just COULD BE potentially disqualifying are getting flagged needing extra medical records about the prescription, diagnosis, and result. But sometimes the provider is long gone and the records cannot be easily recovered which is causing delays, or even denials, of medical qualifications.

The point being disclose all your prescriptions that you know of because MEPS/DODMERB, or whatever, will know about them through the fairly new system that has access to everyone's prescription history.
 
My son was also in a school shooting in high school where several students were shot. He was not physically harmed but his story of how he reacted and how it affected his life and future ambitions made it into an essay he wrote for his application in a section about past hardships. School being closed for several months after, of course, affected academics. We didn't have to deal with any PTSD or depression issues, so I can't speak to that - but there is a section of the application to write about any particularly difficult past situations in your life to be taken into consideration.
 
I will tell you the following: if you have been medically diagnosed with PTSD, you WILL be DQ—period, end of statement. I just went through this with a candidate.

If you have NOT been diagnosed...no.

It is up to you what you tell medical personnel about YOU that's not in your records.
 
My son was also in a school shooting in high school where several students were shot. He was not physically harmed but his story of how he reacted and how it affected his life and future ambitions made it into an essay he wrote for his application in a section about past hardships. School being closed for several months after, of course, affected academics. We didn't have to deal with any PTSD or depression issues, so I can't speak to that - but there is a section of the application to write about any particularly difficult past situations in your life to be taken into consideration.
Bless him. I can't imagine what he went through but imagine what I would / will do in the event of a shooting in my school. Ask a teacher what their number one job is and they answer: (1) provide rigorous instruction, (2) prepare the student to be a productive citizen, (3) ready them to pass the state's required tests.

Wrong. Teachers' number one job is the safety of their students. Our direction for a lockdown is to cower in the corner and be quiet. Oh, and turn out the lights. Every year during the first lockdown drill I tell my students what we will do including laying the big science tables I call them on their side. I talk to them about the importance of being quiet with phones on silent. Our governor just proclaimed a ban on phones by students in the building. I don't agree with that. Kids and parents need to be able to get in touch during the school day.

We had a bomb threat late last school year and were evacuated to the stadium for three hours. Cops, dogs, and police helos were everywhere. The bomber/not bomber stayed on the phone with the principal's secretary over two hours. No bomb was found and we eventually went back in. Students being able to communicate with their parents was key in keeping them calm.

We had a credible threat a few years ago and an actual lockdown. It was between classes and I was waiting on my kids to show up on their buses and had only two students. I had them get under a counter, well out of sight. I had a now missing large wooden podium in front of the door. I armed myself with a letter opener cleverly disguised as a dagger and an antique three hole punch that weighs (I still have it and keep it by the door) about seven pounds. The lockdown lasted an hour and a half. I was by the locked and blocked door when it was opened by a school security guy. I peeked into the small opening between the jam and podium and the security guy said, "You can't block the door during a lockdown." I said, "That's exactly what we should be doing."

My apologies for the essay. I'm still off for the summer and have no hobbies.

P.S. - the OP hasn't been seen in eight days.
 
I'm generally a fan of candidates leaving parents out of the SA application process (or give them limited involvement), but being certain about medical issues IS a time to involve them.

As others have pointed out, there are several issues. First, was there a diagnosis by a medical professional? The fact that you believe you had or have some medical condition (or, believe that you do NOT have it) isn't relevant. What IS relevant is what (if anything) the medical professional diagnosed and wrote in your medical records.

Second, be very careful about prescriptions. Read the question. Usually it is "Were you prescribed. . . " not "Did you take . . ." or even "Did you fill the prescription?" Thus, if you were prescribed a medication, inhaler, etc., that may be enough to trigger a "yes," even if you never used what was prescribed or even had the prescription filled.

Third, as noted above, there may be questions about seeing a counselor, psychologist, etc. MANY people have sought counseling for all sorts of issues. The answer might well be yes. If you have sought counseling, you end up with #1 above . . . was this person a medical professional and was there a medical diagnosis?

You want to be accurate. You may need to f/u with the relevant medical professional and/or obtain relevant medical records. Parent(s) can be a huge help with that. They also were adults when you were a child . . . meaning they have a more complete understanding of what doctors said during times when you were too young to understand.

Finally, the fact you've been diagnosed with something or prescribed / used meds is not necessarily fatal to your application. Your situation may or may not be disqualifying and, even if it is disqualifying, may be waiverable. The only way you will know is to go through the process.
 
Bless him. I can't imagine what he went through but imagine what I would / will do in the event of a shooting in my school. Ask a teacher what their number one job is and they answer: (1) provide rigorous instruction, (2) prepare the student to be a productive citizen, (3) ready them to pass the state's required tests.

Wrong. Teachers' number one job is the safety of their students. Our direction for a lockdown is to cower in the corner and be quiet. Oh, and turn out the lights. Every year during the first lockdown drill I tell my students what we will do including laying the big science tables I call them on their side. I talk to them about the importance of being quiet with phones on silent. Our governor just proclaimed a ban on phones by students in the building. I don't agree with that. Kids and parents need to be able to get in touch during the school day.

We had a bomb threat late last school year and were evacuated to the stadium for three hours. Cops, dogs, and police helos were everywhere. The bomber/not bomber stayed on the phone with the principal's secretary over two hours. No bomb was found and we eventually went back in. Students being able to communicate with their parents was key in keeping them calm.

We had a credible threat a few years ago and an actual lockdown. It was between classes and I was waiting on my kids to show up on their buses and had only two students. I had them get under a counter, well out of sight. I had a now missing large wooden podium in front of the door. I armed myself with a letter opener cleverly disguised as a dagger and an antique three hole punch that weighs (I still have it and keep it by the door) about seven pounds. The lockdown lasted an hour and a half. I was by the locked and blocked door when it was opened by a school security guy. I peeked into the small opening between the jam and podium and the security guy said, "You can't block the door during a lockdown." I said, "That's exactly what we should be doing."

My apologies for the essay. I'm still off for the summer and have no hobbies.

P.S. - the OP hasn't been seen in eight days.
Oh my goodness

Such a strange world we live in.

This made me sad, mad, nauseous, and proud of my SAF friend all at once.

God bless our educators. They didn’t sign up for this stuff.
 
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