Expert: Rod Powers - 2/11/2006

Question
Ok heres the thing, my friend left for the Marines id say about a month ago, but he was discharged for having scoliosis, I myself have enlisted in the coast guard and now my friend is also interested in joining. Is there anyway possible that he could be allowed into the coast guard with this problem. Possibly a medical waiver of some sort?

Answer
Hi Chris,

Medical conditions which are disqualifying for military service can be read at: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/l/blintmedstandar.htm

As you can see, under the section for "Spine and Sacroiliac Joints," lumbar scoliosis greater than 20 degrees, thoracic scoliosis greater than 30 degrees, and kyphosis or lordosis greater than 55 degrees when measured by the Cobb method, are disqualifying conditions.

With that being said, each of the services have the authority to individual waive medical conditions if they choose to.

I 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 one requires a waiver, that means that they are disqualified for military service. The waiver procedure is the process of them "begging" the military to make an exception in their particular case. There is no "right" to have a waiver approved, and there is no guarantee that a service will even submit a waiver.

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

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com