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Careers: Military--Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines, Coast Guard/History of Asthma
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Question
Hello Sir,
I joined the army several years ago despite having asthma. I got an EPTS discharge since they found out before I completed OSUT at Ft. Benning (my mom spilled the beans about me having asthma, as bad as that sounds). I didn't actually have an attack while in the service and I wanted to stay but they discharged me. I'm a healthy firefighter right now, but I know the Army is where I belong. When I got home, about two months after this my recruiter called and said I have a great chance of getting back in now. I have since talked to other recruiters and they expressed the same opinion. My goal is to get back in as an officer commissioned though ROTC. In your opinion, what is the best way of getting back in with an EPTS? I have heard of taking a Methochlorine Challenge Test. I have also heard that officers can't have waivers, is this true because the ROTC staff I spoke to said that they can't consider my case until I become a student at their school. Very confused, yet dedicated. Thank you for your consideration.
Hi,
The Department of Defense changed their standards for previous history of Asthma a couple of years ago (see: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/asthma.htm).
If you haven't had an Asthma attack since the age of 13, it may not even require a waiver.
If ROTC determines that a waiver is necessary, they will inform you about the type of test they will require to consider the waiver (usually either a Pulminary Function Test or a Methochlorine Challenge Test).
Whoever told you that officers can't have waivers simply didn't know what they were talking about.
Hope this helps!
Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com
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Rod Powers
Expertise
Rod Powers is considered one of the premire experts about U.S. Military career information on the planet. He has more than 30,000 articles about U.S. Military career information on the About.com U.S. Military Careers Information website at: http://usmilitary.about.com. Additionally, he is the author of "ASVAB for Dummies," "ASVAB AFQT for Dummies," (available in Dec 2009), and "Veteran Benefits for Dummies," all published by Wiley Publishing. He is also the author of "Barrons' Guide to Officer Candidate School Tests," published by Barron's Educational Series.
Experience
Rod Powers is a retired Air Force first sergeant, with 23 years of active duty service, 11 of those years as an Air Force First Sergeant. He has helped thousands of military members, recruits, and military applicants since he took over the About.com U.S Military Careers Information site in 1999. He has a reputation for "telling it like it is," so questions may not be answered based on "what you want to hear," but will be answered based of the bast available information, concerning the service/situation.
Education/Credentials
Rod is a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Noncommissioned Officers Academy, the Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, and the Air Force First Sergeant Academy. He also holds an Associates Degree in Personnel Administration from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF).
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