Expert: Rod Powers - 5/20/2007

Question
hello I just completed my MEPS on thursday and was told that i was disqualified from the military because i have a condition called KERATACONOUS. Is there anyway that i can get around this?

Answer
Hi Scott,

Keratoconus (KC) is a condition of the eye meaning conical conea. It is a rare condition. Numbers affected vary between 1 in 3,000 and 1 in 10,000 depending on where they live. It usually affects both eyes, although one eye is normally affected before the other. Keratoconus literally means "conical or cone-shaped cornea" and it is a condition that affects vision.

The cornea is the major focussing surface of the eye. In keratoconus, the cornea becomes stretched and thin near its centre, and the thinned part of the cornea bulges making the vision more shortsighted and irregular. As a result the vision is distorted.

The condition is not specifically disqualifying under the Militay Medical Standards (see: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/intmedstandards.htm). However, under the section for "Miscellaneous Conditions Not Otherwise Listed," (see: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/misc.htm), it list as a disqualifying condition, "Any condition that in the opinion of the examining medical officer will significantly interfere with the successful performance of military duty or training (796) may be a cause for rejection for appointment, enlistment, and induction."

Now, I'm not a doctor, and I don't know what this particular condition involves. But, the doctors at MEPS, apparently felt that the condition would interfere with the proper performance of your military training or duties. That's enough for disqualification.

When MEPS medically disqualifies you, the doctor also makes a recommendation, in writing, as to whether he/she thinks a medical waiver should be considered. After that, it's up to the Military Service that you're trying to join (Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Army Reserves, Air Force Reserves, Navy Reserves, Coast Guard Reserves, Army National Guard, or Air Force National Guard). The recruiting commander of the service you're trying to join as the option of submitting a medical waiver for the medical condition for consideration by the head doctor of that service (generally known as the "SG" or "Surgeon General" of that particular service). Please note you have no "right" to have a medical waiver request submitted. It's not your choice, but rather up to the commanding officer of your recruiting company/division/batallion/squadron).

*If* the commander does decide to submit a waiver request, whether or not it will be approved in anyone's guess.

We have a "standard answer" when it comes to ANY waiver. There is simply no way to even guess whether or not a waiver will be approved, even if someone has gotten a waiver for the same condition in the past, or -- conversely -- if nobody has ever gotten a waiver for the condition in the past. Each and every waiver is evaluated INDIVIDUALLY, using SEVERAL individual factors, including but not limited to:

1. Is the condition progressive?

2. Is the condition subject to aggravation by military service?

3. Will the condition preclude satisfactory completion of prescribed training and subsequent military duty?

4. Will the condition constitute an undue hazard to the examine or to others, particularly under combat conditions?

5. Is the recruit *EXCEPTIONALLY* qualified, otherwise? (ASVAB scores, etc.)

6. How are current recruiting goals? How bad does that particular branch of the service need this particular applicant at this particular point-in-time?
There have been several cases of waivers approved for a specific condition, only to see a waiver disapproved for the same condition just a few weeks later.

Remember, if you require a waiver, that means that you are disqualified for military service. The waiver procedure is the process of you "begging" the military to make an exception in your particular case. There is no "right" to have a waiver approved.

For more information about the waiver process, see the information page about waivers (http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/blwaivers.htm).

For more information about the United States Military, feel free to visit my U.S. Military information site at: http://usmilitary.about.com

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com