Terminal Updated on April 2, 2022

Medical clearance is an important simply confusing part of joining the military. Acceptance into an ROTC plan is no exception.

This article will talk over automatic medical disqualifiers for ROTC and intermission downwards the entire process, explaining how DoDMERB plays into the procedure. If yous accept yet to apply for an ROTC scholarship, learn more about the dates and deadlines for the available programs here.

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Many candidates wonder what the well-nigh common disqualifiers are. Just considering these are disqualifiers, there is still hope. Some of these conditions are eligible for waivers, information technology actually but depends on your specific situation.

Common ROTC Medical Disqualifications- DoD Pedagogy 6130.03

  • Vision –
    • Your vision must exist correctable to 20/20.
    • PRK and LASIK can disqualify unless specific preoperative atmospheric condition are met and you finished the procedure at to the lowest degree 180 days earlier the DoDMERB exam.
    • Substandard color vision
  • Currently have braces
  • Hearing levels outside of acceptable standards for commissioning
  • Food allergies (fish, shellfish, peanut, or tree basics)
  • Peel conditions including psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and eczema (after the age of 9)
  • Mental health conditions including a history of depression or feet requiring medication (within the last 36 months)
  • Learning disorders later the 14 th birthday (ex. IEPs, 504 Plans or work accommodations)
  • Asthma (afterward the 13 th birthday)
  • Bronchospasm (afterwards the xiii thursday birthday)
  • Heart abnormalities and defects
  • Bedwetting and urinary tract abnormalities (within the past 24 months)
  • Hepatitis
  • IBS
  • Scoliosis
  • Major articulation bug
  • ACL reconstruction
  • Seizure disorders after the age of 5
  • Recurrent or severe headaches
  • Add/ADHD

Learn Near Top Medical Disqualifiers

title for ebook about common dodmerb medical disqualifiers

Sympathize the Abbreviations

What is DoDMERB?

DoDMERB is the agency responsible for your medical clearance for your acceptance into ROTC. DoDMERB is the Section of Defense Medical Examination Review Lath. It's a big organization and a large bureaucracy and so you can expect the entire process to take actress time and effort!

What is DoDMETS?

DoDMETS is an online organization that tracks your medical status. DoDMETS is the Department of Defense Medical Exam Testing System. This is the system that tracks exams, making sure scheduling happens, and helping you complete all the medical requirements for DoDMERB.

Beginning the DoDMERB Procedure after you lot accept the scholarship offer

Once yous accept the scholarship offer, yous will receive an email to start the DODMERB process. We recommend scheduling the physical as early on equally possible.

Scheduling your DoDMERB Physical Exam

You'll have three options for scheduling your physical:

  • Concorde contractor
  • Medical Treatment Facility
  • Individual doctor

The first ii options are both paid for by the authorities, merely if you choose to use your ain doctor you'll demand to pay out of pocket for the exam.

When you get correspondence from DoDMERB once your physical is consummate, yous could hear 1 of 3 things:

  • Qualified – (also called Q) Congrats, y'all passed the medical process!
  • Butterfingers – (also called DQ) There is a condition that does not come across medical standards, nevertheless at that place is yet a risk you may be granted a waiver. It'south not the finish of the world and but another hurdle in the application process to overcome.
  • Remedial – More information is needed before DoDMERB tin can make a determination either way. Make sure yous take care of the actress requirements quickly.

Through the process of going through DoDMERB, you might receive a disqualification code or a remedial lawmaking. Y'all tin look upwardly what these hateful on the DoDMERB website here .

The results subsequently your physical can take from 6-8 weeks to come back with a Q/DQ decision.

Follow Instructions for Each ROTC Plan

Each ROTC program in unlike services has slightly different methods for the DoDMERB physical. Agreement these differences is key to making sure you are able to complete everything on time!

Air Forcefulness ROTC

If you desire to wing, you lot'll need a Class one Flight Concrete which must be completed by November of your inferior yr of college. This procedure happens once you are already an Air Force ROTC cadet.

If you are applying through the Loftier School Scholarship Plan, DoDMERB volition automatically forwards the waiver to the Air Education and Preparation Command Surgeon Full general for consideration. You'll still desire to proceed a close heart on the status of your waiver.

If yous are already in college, the AF ROTC Detachment Commander at your schoolhouse volition submit your waiver.

Navy and Marine Corps ROTC

The waiver dominance for Navy ROTC is the Agency of Navy Medicine and Surgery (BUMED). Once your physical is completed, any disqualifying atmospheric condition will brainstorm the waiver process through BUMED. Follow the waiver procedure closely and make sure you schedule all required appointments equally presently equally possible.

Be Honest During your ROTC DoDMERB Concrete

Exist honest with your providers. Nothing adept can come of hiding atmospheric condition. Your ROTC scholarship will be put in jeopardy if you hide a condition.

If you are honest about a condition upfront you may have fourth dimension to work a waiver. The more time you can provide to get a waiver for your medical condition the better.

If yous need a waiver, y'all volition receive instructions from each service relayed through DoDMERB, directing DoDMERB to request boosted tests, studies, or medical records/information. If this happens, it'due south important to get these additional tests washed as chop-chop as possible as the process can sometimes be quite lengthy.

The waiver authorities for each service receive all the documentation through DoDMERB to grant waivers, so information technology's very important to consummate all requirements through DoDMERB.

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