<p>Sorry for carpet bombing all the service academy boards but I'm trying to get a quick answer on this. I just posted this over on the West Point forum but maybe someone here will see it first.</p>
<p>Just got a call from my son (HS Sophomore) who went in for a physical today in preparation for running Cross Country next year. Doc wants him looked at for what sounds like a possible inguinal hernia. No symptoms and the doc says he can continue to work out, run, go to BSA camp etc for now.</p>
<p>My son's obvious concern is what will this mean down the road when it's DoDMERB time. I found a copy of AR 40-501 Standards of Medical Fitness. It says, in part:</p>
<p>23. Abdominal organs and gastrointestinal system
The causes for rejection for appointment, enlistment, and induction are an authenticated history of: ....
h. Abdominal wall.
(1) Hernia, including inguinal (550), and other abdominal (553), except for small, asymptomatic umbilical or asymptomatic hiatal.</p>
<p>That doesn't sound good.</p>
<p>Does anyone have any experience with this? Does "history" mean "ever"? Not a problem if corrected before age X? Waiverable? </p>
<p>Son is going to to be all over me when I get home wanting to know what this means for his Army career and USMA dreams.</p>
<p>Army standards and Academy standards can vary. I need to get my West Point folders and check. I can also contact our Academy rep and get his opinion. One can always go for a waiver. I have seen it happen with screws in the ankle, which is an Army disqualification usually, but the candidate was admitted. Give me a few days, and I'll post again.</p>
<p>Thanks, eternalkdet. Any info you can get from "official sources" would be be of great interest. I understand that there is no way to really know what will happen until the physical and, if needed, waiver are done. My greatest interest right now is advice on how to proceed with any options offered (appointment with surgeon is next week). If surgeon says it needs to fixed "at some point" (basically what the family doc said), is it better to fix it now or wait and let the Army decide.</p>
<p>I'm no doctor, nor do I play one on the internet, but my GUESS is if the condition is cause for rejection, then you're probably better off fixing it early and hoping the FIX is acceptable.</p>
<p>Have you contacted the Candidate Guidance Office for guidance? They may be able to settle this quick one way or the other.</p>
<p>i had an inguinal hernia...it is painless but i did not like how it looked (female)...so i had it operated on...under LOCAL anaesthesia....it was a no brainer, simple op...but could not exercise for a couple of weeks....</p>