18x Medical Waiver Question

journeyman5691 · 10-07-2009, 18:09

I have recently entered the 18x process and my recruiter sent my medical information for a pre-med read. I have a few questions regarding the process. I realize that this is a medical question and could easily have been put into the medical section, but I searched through the forums and I saw a few medical questions that were similarly listed and answered here.

On my pre-med screening, I gave information about a few surgeries that I had earlier in my life. The first was a bilateral pneumothorax on my lungs and it occurred the day I was born. I was inside of my mother for longer than expected during labor because they decided to do a c-section. That surgery has never affected me and I am currently 24 years old. The second surgery that I had was for a broken bone in my wrist when I was 15. I broke my scaphoid and I had surgery that put a pin in my scaphoid bone.

I checked the r40-501 medical standards and I supposedly am qualified as long as the pneumothorax didn't occur within 3 years and if it is not spontaneous (It is neither). My other surgery was done in my wrist as previously mentioned and it states that I need to have full mobility and I do.

I am an active and physically fit person. My lungs have never affected me since the day I was born and I currently run 7-9 miles Monday thru Friday. My wrist doesn't affect me either. I work out often and I have taken the APFT at my Recruiting station and I am currently scoring a 300 (100 pts on each event).

To get to my question, I am wondering if because I had these surgeries, if that means that these require medical waivers? I sent all my medical records to MEPS regarding those two surgeries and I am awaiting a reply from them sometime this week or the next.

I did my research and I have heard a few different things regarding medical waivers. I heard that since I am giving my personal records to a pre-med reading and because I still qualify under the r40-501 that it is not going to be a medical waiver if I pass the MEPS physical. I also read and heard from a few that because I am sending this to MEPS as a pre-med reading that this will be constituted as a medical waiver. My recruiter does not know the exact answer (unfortunately they don't know everything and I have heard mixed answers from other recruiters...). My recruiter did tell me that I am required to have a 1 for my upper and a 1 for my lower on the MEPS physical so my next question would be, do these surgeries mean I will be receiving a 2 instead of a 1 for my upper physical?

And for my last question, I have again researched and heard several different things depending on the person and the time of year (regarding the needs of the 18x program). Does a medical waiver disqualify me from an 18x contract or even from going SF later in my ARMY career?

Any help would greatly be appreciated because I am curiously waiting and wondering if anyone else has come across a similar situation as this. I hope to someday call the men of SF my brother and I realize it is a long journey of dedication within mental and physical stamina. I am prepared for both and I am hoping that MEPS doesn't keep me away from entering through the 18x program. I am aware of the other paths that lead to SF but after a lot of thinking, I have come to the conclusion that I would like to go the 18x route instead of OCS to SF, etc. I know neither are easy but hopefully these prior surgeries do not scare away the doctors at MEPS from giving me the chance to become a Quiet Professional. Thank you for your time.

PS Sorry for the long post...

**The Reaper** · 10-07-2009, 18:51

You know, no one here can commit to an answer to your question that will be authoritative, and the MEPS will.

Why do you newbies persist with these incessant medical questions?

Do you normally seek out medical advice from anonymous people on the internet?

Wait for the MEPS response. Then request a waiver if you need one, and wait on the reply. Get used to it. It is the Army way.

TR

journeyman5691 · 10-07-2009, 19:37

I apologize if my question seemed as seeking personal medical advice. I am curious about the medical waiver process and if giving information prior, means that it is automatically designated as a medical waiver. All the information I was giving was for any clarification to other people on this forum in case they asked. I know medical waivers are unique. My extensive medical history was for anyone that may have had a similar problem and if future recruits have similar ones as well. If future recruits have a similar problem, then they will have been able to see this thread.

Coincidentally, 40 minutes after writing the thread I was called by my recruiter (working extremely after hours) stating that my pre-med reading went through and that I should be prepared to go to MEPS within the week. This is all great news but I still do not know whether this means a medical waiver is needed due to any kind of prior surgeries. I do know that medical waivers are extremely questioned for 18x contracts which is why I was worried and asking. If anyone is familiar, it would be of great help to me and to anyone else looking into similar things.

To make my question more clear, do any kind of prior surgeries listed on the pre-med reading automatically require a waiver or is it still a unique thing? I researched the internet and my recruiters and I can't seem to find the exact answer.

Thank you for your time.

Surgicalcric · 10-07-2009, 20:02

Apparently you misunderstood my esteemed brother or you have a thick skull. And asking your question again, in a different manner doesn't change what you are asking for.

It is up to the MD at MEPS to decide if you need a waiver based on "their" impression(s) of your medical records. We cannot tell you what they will determine.

As for the rest, you need to do more reading here and much less posting of questions which can be answered thru reading previous posts of a similar nature.

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