Finally my results have been recieved by DoDMERB, and it says "Waiverable (See item 9). Vision is worse than 20/40" or something of that nature. Well, what is item 9? I can't find an item 9 anywhere! I am under the understanding that if I have bad vision, but it is corrected to 20/20, then a waiver for me is automatically considered correct? I probably don't make any sense I'm sorry...thanks for helping.
"9. For the U.S. Naval Academy Program you are medically qualified to enter the Naval Academy. However, if your uncorrected visual acuity is worse than 20/40 the Naval Academy is limited by the Chief of Naval Operations in the number of candidates that can be accepted who require correction of their vision in order to meet the commissioning visual requirements for specialized duties. The admissions board will automatically review your record in a supplemental selection process; you need not request this review."
I had the same thing. The "items" are listed on the page stapled to the first page that has your status. Basically it means that you are qualified except for your eyes, and since there are a limited number of spots for students with bad vision, the Academy will have to give you a waiver for this. You can't do anything else at this point regarding DoDMERB status; the Academy will take care of the waiver if they deem you qualified. Don't worry, it doesn't necessarily hold up the process...I still got my Appointment pretty early.
It means you are competing for that 30% of spots available allowed to mids who need vision waivers, as opposed to competing in the whole pool of candidates...does that make sense? (If you get an LOA, you have a MUCH easier time of getting an eye waiver. If not, you just have to be at the "top" of those who need waivers.) You're actually lucky because they used to require anyone with vision worse than 20/20 to get a waiver, instead of 20/40, which made the pool much tougher. Don't worry, tons of people get eye waivers every year, and there's nothing you can do to help yourself re: DoDMERB status anyway. Just present your best application possible so that you can be at the top of the pool! Good luck!
One correction boston usmc:
Dash-9 will be competing with the entire pool of candidates who require medical waivers. These include more than just vision waiver candidates--could be any waiverable medical condition.
No more than a limited number of candidates (30%?) may be admitted under a medical (not just vision) waiver.
CM
Oh okay, I thought I read somewhere that this was just the number for eye waivers, not overall waivers...don't know where I might have seen that though. Thanks for the correction.
I would call your academic advisor to see what advice he or she gives you. My son was medically disqualified twice last year and his academic advisor gave his excellent advise. If he just waited to see what would happend I am not sure he would not have had the opportunity to have been a member of the class of 2010. With his academic advisors input and his persevernce received a LOA in the first week of February and and a Letter of Appointment in March. Just don't sit by and wait I would be as active as possible and I think with a strong application the waive is easily yours.
Make sure that you understand everything on your dodmerb page. If you don't, PLEASE call them.
My son ended up with so many errors (flight surgeon clinic errors) that they sent us duplicate paperwork to have filled out, since the first was illegible (they ARE having doctors perform their physicals and their writing IS atrocious). They lost his urinalysis results and didn't send them (they were sitting in the flight surgeon's In box).
