Expert: Rod Powers - 3/23/2007

Question
Dear First Sergeant,

I have requested your expertise before via your military info website (?) and you have been very helpful and insightful.  I therefore am seeking your knowledge once again.  My question deals with how long is normal to be waiting for a decision on a medical waiver? I did not pass an EKG test taken at meps as per the doctors there. I retook the EKG during my normal check-up a month later at the va and I was told that everything looked fine to them.  My recruiter and I then submitted some paperwork along with the EKG print out to apply for a medical waiver. This was in January of 2007. In early February, my recruiter informed me that meps wanted an endorsement from my va doctor which I requested from the va and received and gave to my recruiter. In late February my recruiter informed me that meps had told her that they were unable to "read" the EKG report that I had received from the va and could I get a typewritten transcript from the va. In early March I went back to the va and requested a transcript but apparently it was not what meps wanted as my recruiter called to tell me that she was going to contact the va direct and explain to them what meps was requesting. Is this wait normal? Is the longer the wait the better such as with a special request chit where as long as it is active it hasn't been disapproved?  Is there any thing that I can do while I am waiting for a decision? I am trying to re-affiliate into the navy reserves and I only have until July 2007 before my age eligibility expires. Any help, suggestions or comments are sincerely appreciated. Thank You Very Much.

Answer
Hi Frank,

As you said, "no news is good news." It means your waiver request hasn't been disapproved.

Medical Waiver requests for enlistment must be approved by the office of the Chief Medical Officer of the service you're trying to join. Nothing goes up to the "top" without first going through every single person and their brother and sister. You've been in the Military before -- you know that.

The very first step is a recommendation from the Chief Medical Officer at MEPS. It sounds to me that as early as this month (March), your request hadn't gone further than the CMO at MEPS. Once it gets out of MEPS, the process can take anywhere between three weeks and six months (I've seen both). Remember, the request must go through all the various command levels, and each and every one gets to review it and hack off on it. If someone is on leave, or TDY, or etc., during the process, it generally waits in their in-box until they return.

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com