Expert: Rod Powers - 12/18/2007

Question
My son is 18 yo.He wants to be an Army Officier.The problem is his hx of asthma.Currently he is doning well in the program.Not any signs or symptoms of asthma at all.Apparently the Army Surgeon says my has reactive airway disease.thus disquified for 4 year army rotc scholarship at FIT. Can you help him? He has worked hard for this.Next semester he looking forward to joining the rotc ranger company.

Answer
Hi Gregory,

I wish I had better news for you......

There is no *right* to join any of the branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. The Department of Defense (DOD) has set certain minimum medical standards in order to qualify to join (see: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/intmedstandards.htm).

As history of Asthma after the age of 13, or a diagnosis/history of reactive airway disease is medically disqualifying.

Now, when an applicant has a medical condtion or history of a medical condition which is considered to be disqualifying under the DOD standards, they can sometimes "appeal" the disqualification by applying for a waiver to the service's "Surgeon General's Office" of the service they are trying to join (if the service agrees to process a waiver). For details, see my article at: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/medicalwaiver.htm

I'm afraid that if the surgeon general's office of the service the individual is applying to join disapproves the waiver, there are no further appeals. That's as high as the appeal process goes. There is no higher waiver/appeal authority for medical conditions in any of the branches, other than the surgeon general's office of that service branch.

He could try for a waiver in a different branch, but -- to be truthful -- the Army has the reputation of being the most "lenient" when it comes to medical waivers, and -- if the Army denied the waiver, it's extremely doubtful that any of the other branches would approve it.

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

I wish I could be of more help.....

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com