Expert: Howard Lorenz - 2/28/2008

Question
I am trying to enlist into the Army reserves, but I am currently waiting on a medical waiver concerning ADD(treated by Ritalin), and having been treated by a psychiatrist for a period longer than 6 months. I have been off the medication since I was 13(toward the end of my eighth grade year), but I was diagnosed with and treated for my ADD by a psychiatrist, thus requiring a yes to another question on the MEPS form. I have obtained a letter from my psychiatrist summarizing my treatment(though due to the new HIPAA laws, the statement says nothing more than the dates that I was being treated for ADD and the medication I was proscribed), as well as a statement from my parents that states that I have not been treated since I ceased seeing the psychiatrist in March of 2002. In addition to these documents I have included my High school transcripts as proof that I no longer required treatment(I had approximately a 4.5 weighted GPA/ 3.9 unweighted GPA). I also never had to ask to take untimed test or anything of that nature during the entire time that I was being treated, nor when I ceased to be treated. Do you think that this information as well as the 98 I received on the ASVAB will be enough to get a waiver? I know from reading articles that I technically qualify for a waiver, but I also know from the same articles that waivers are given out so inconsistently that it would make a statistician cry.  

Also, how long can I expect it to take before I find out whether or not I will get the waiver and is there anything I can do to expedite the process?

Answer
Since I am not the Chief Medical Officer at the MEPS right now, I can not make that determination. Sounds to me like you have your ducks in a row and stand a good chance to be selected. The DoD does not take into account the facdt that you are a scholar. They look at the regulation and what you ahve on your Meps Brief...thats it!

I am sure that it will more than likely go to the Surgeon General for review. Its tourture I know to wait it out, but sometimes good things come to those who wait...

HW