<p>How has everyone’s experience been with DoDMERB. ALL I know is that it has been a nightmare trying ot get any inofrmation out of them for the last two months since my Physical. I have a hernia and am having a consultation on it for surgery on monday. However it was just this last week that DoDmerb finally gave me the answers I have been lookign for. That it is ok to go ahead with surgery on it. I called at least ten to fifteen times on this subject and every time got the same answer of “we don’t know what to tell you” Meanwhile i just finished up my paperwork and missed a deadline with my senator and represenative because I got disheartened about the whole thing and did now know what to do. I was actually going to give up on my dream because of it. Thank god for my alo. He called me and told me to get my ass in gear. Anyways i was just wondering what all of your experiences have been with DoDMERB. I know mine has been unpleasant. ( at least everytime I got a hold of them) I want this so bad. Both of my parent were in the military and my dad is a retired disabled vet. My mother just got back from Iraq for 18 months.</p>
<p>I suppose anyone who is medically qualified would classify as having at least an OK experience.</p>
<p>Last year i was not medically qualified because of "history of mood disorder." My main gripe actually was with admissions because they refused to send my waiver request b ecause i was not the most compeititve person in my nominating distrcit (what ever happened to the qualified alternative pool?).</p>
<p>Look up my posts about DodMERB nightmares, it will tell my whole story.</p>
<p>I had a relatively painless experiance...but then again everything checked out fine.</p>
<p>I've had a fairly decent run. It took 2 months for my initial exam to be reported, but that was the testing facilities fault. The DoDMERB has been really helpful, I have had to send all my medical records birth to present which was a hassle with old doctors. However, the DoDMERB has been quick in processing. I had a spirometry pulmonary lung test done today for them, it was the last thing needed. I tested well above the 100% predicted curve for lung function and this should conclude anything disqualifying for the DoDMERB. So I am almost done with them. But I had a good experience with them.</p>
<p>Just think of DoDMERB as representative of some of the bureacracy in the Armed Services. If you can survive DoDMERB, the rest of it will be easy.</p>
<p>My problem was with MY doctor. She told me she sent in test results I needed. Twice. 7 weeks later... I call DoDMERB. They never received it. I call my doctor, of course they sent it. I call DoDMERB again, no, they would have gotten it by now. I call my doctor again, can they just fax it?? By now I am pretty sure they dropped the ball and didn't send it. I call DoDMERB, sorry, but we don't accept faxes. I drive to my doctor's office, have the recpetionist make a copy of the fricken test, drive to the post office, and overnight it to DoDMERB. I was qualified within 2 weeks. </p>
<p>Its a struggle. I've started to look upon everything as a test of just how bad I want this. I still want it.</p>
<p>Well hey I just wanted to taek this chance to let everyone know that this forum has been a big help. This is only my second post but i have followed everyone else's stroies religiously and have been so thankful for the help from Docfrance. I started reading these forums last year when i was trying to figure out the application process and tehy were invaluable to me so thank you very much.</p>
<p>Hardball, you're right. I think this forum is a great way to get through the process because you get the sense that a lot of people are going through exactly what you're going through and they are going through it together. And everyone is very support of everyone else -- something that the AFA is really all about!</p>
<p>AFDAD - i agree with you about the support...this year.</p>
<p>Last year on these boards was a totally different story, in my opinion. I was told by several people that after i got my rejection letter that i should not consider reapplying because there was not a chance i would make it. It wasnt just me, many people were told to not even consider applying for what ever reason - a few people thought they knew everything. My ALO even came on the boards, read a few posts and told me i shouldnt come here anymore because it would not be helpful. I heeded his advice till the admissions cycle was over.</p>
<p>This year is a LOT different. I know everyone here is SO supportive and helpful. I have been given so much encouragement and it really helps. I think because everyone supports everyone else just like it would be at the academy. I am so greatful to have a palce to come, talk, vent, and offer/give adivice. Also i am glad that those of negativity have left the board and/or chose to offer better advice.</p>
<p>I want all of us in if not just to be able and meet everyone. The support here is far better than you could get anywhere else imho.</p>
<p>I definately agree, and thank you all for the tremendous support and knowledge everyone on here has about the process when everything is pooled together. This was always the first place I came/come when I need a question to be answered. It probably would've been a lot more difficult for me to find some answerd to the questions I've had if I hadn't known about this. I really truly hope everyone on here gets in, and I have a feeling that since all of you here have had the inclination to come here all the time to ask questions and talk about it, that you are surely qualified in terms of dedication and desire to attend the academy, and are certainly deserving of the honor.</p>
<p>I know that over the next three to four weeks my senators office is going to be on speed dial. I am goign to do everything in my power to get in. I am applying from montana. I will give everyone a little background info on me and my stats. Both of parents are career military personnal. Each only has about ten years active duty. My dad is retired with twenty percent disability, he blew his knees out in the coast guard. My mother just got back form Iraq for 18 months with her national guard unit. I have wanted to go into the military since I was little. I actually wanted to go into the coast guard when i was younger because of my dad. We were the caretaker of a lighthouse on the puget sound in Washington state. Anyways, mainly because of my parents(this may sound corny) I have this incredbible desire to go into the military,I may enlist if i don't get in. I feel like it is something i just need to do. Anyways I will show you my stats</p>
<p>stats
3.48 GPA (low I know) unweighted
Couple of honor courses, NO ap classes offered
will have six college credits through a running start program
30/84 Advanced and honor courses are not weighted in rank
3 Years of football (missed sophmore year due to a move and mothers deployment)Team captain this year and all-conference first team last year
4 yrs of american legion baseball(no high school baseball offered) Team captain for two years, no awards given out in our league
4 yrs of key club, am serving on the Montana District of Key Club Board of Directors (oversee six clubs in division, am the go to man for everything between six clubs, similair to a president)
22 english
29 science
33 Reading
29 Math
will be retaking act's for english score in december.</p>
<p>Thats what I will be applying with. Hopefully they will over look the low english score, but we will see. It shoudl be higher after the nxt test date. Hopefully they will be taking a good look at my leadership. I feel I have proven myself in that category.</p>
<p>Forgot one important thing, am working year round about 20 hours a week, and during the summer full time on top of baseball.</p>
<p>I think you are a pretty stong candidate. Just be sure to make it known your desire to attend/go into the military and your leadership qualities. You can always submit scores again after you finish the test, and everything on that ACT you have is excellent but the English. I'm sure you can raise that up with some effort. Even though it may look low, your GPA actually isn't too bad- I had a simliar GPA and recieved an LOA (granted, I'm being recruited for XC, but still.) As long as you have some advanced/more difficult classes, that GPA is fine. You look to be highly qualified athletically as well, if you were a team Captain and all conference first team. The working is definitely a plus too. Good luck with everything.</p>
<p>Agree with Patriot. You have the heart and the numbers aren't bad. A knock-your-sox off interview with you ALO could have a big impact too. Keept taking the ACT and round up some awsome recommendations and I can easily see it. My son got in with a 3.89 weighted GPA which was probably not too far from your unweighted. His math was lower but reading higher on the SAT. He was also a football team captain which I think makes a real difference. Leadership is so critical. Best of Luck!</p>
<p>The best part with the ALO is the fact i have been talking to him before i even started applying. i happened to meet him at a college fair my sophmore year and talked to him about the academy and have been talking with him since. I am sure i will get a good recommendation from him.</p>
<p>I got disqualified my first year by DodMERB findings and had to go through the whole application process all over again the next year. The next year I easily got a waiver. Don't give up if coming to the Academy is something you really want to do. And when you do come up against obstacles along the way, you appreciate it that much more once you get it.</p>
<p>Wow...I guess I should be thankful I didn't have any trouble. Though I did have to have about 5-6 eye exams, they said certain doctors weren't qualified enough and stuff.</p>
<p>I wonder if not having the most recent test scores in mnade a difference. I had mine from my sophmore year in at the academy still (it was like a 26) I wonder if i wasn't competitive enough it it had anything to do with the way i was treated. It also could have been just me and the questions I was asking, they finally tapped me through to a physician who answered my questions. it could have been the questions i was asking, the people i was talking to were not qualified or had permission.</p>
<p>Well wish me luck guys I go into surgery tomorrow to fix the hernia that disqualified me. Hopefully when it is said and done they will give me the waiver. I really don't see why not, bt you never know. TTYL</p>