Expert: Rod Powers - 4/25/2007

Question
My son is trying to enlist but has been told that he can not due to having only one kidney. He had an operation when he was 9 months old and the defective kidney was removed. He has had no issues since and, in fact, is in excellent physical condition. Is there a waiver he can obtain or a way to request reconsideration. Thanks in advance.

Answer
Hi Ernie,

Medical disqualifying factors for enlistment can be seen on my site at: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/intmedstandards.htm

As you can see in the section at: http://usmilitary.about.com/library/milinfo/intmedstandards/blurinary.htm absence of a kidney is medically disqualifying.

Waivers are based on individual circumstances. There is no "this will get a wiaver, and this will not get a waiver" criteria.

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.

I don't know if a waiver for a missing kidney would be considered, or approved. The best chance is probably for the active duty Army, Army Reserves, or Army National Guard. These branches are the ones that need the most new recruits. Chances for the Air Force, Coast Guard, or Navy, are probably very small. Chances for the Marine Corps - maybe.

The important thing to realize is that your son is medically disqualified under the current standards. *If* he can find a recruiter willing to work with him to try and get a waiver considered, that would be great. But, there is no requirement, or *right* that any such waiver be submitted or considered.

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