Hello all, I've been wanting to become a naval officer for quite some time now and have hit a wall. In 2008 I found out I tested positive for latent tuberculosis and immediately saw a pulmonary specialist to begin treatment. I completed the recommended standard nine month treatment and had follow up x-rays for four years to confirm the treatment was successful. I've been working on a packet with my recruiter for a while and after completing MEPS I needed a waiver for my latent tuberculosis from the respective branch of service. My recruiter and I completed and submitted the waiver. A few days ago my recruiter informed me that the waiver was not approved and that I was disqualified.
Before I received the information that I was disqualified I started searching through the MANMED to see if it was absolutely disqualifying or if my waiver would have a chance. I came across these four points in chapter 15.
(8) Current active tuberculosis or substantiated
history of active tuberculosis in any form or location
regardless of past treatment, in the previous 2 years
is disqualifying.
(9) Current residual physical or mental defects
from past tuberculosis, that will prevent the satisfactory
performance of duty, are disqualifying.
(10) Individuals with a past history of active
tuberculosis greater than 2 years before appointment,
enlistment, or induction are qualified, if they have
received a complete course of standard chemotherapy
for tuberculosis.
(11) Current or history of untreated latent
tuberculosis (positive PPD with negative chest x-ray)
(795.5) is disqualifying. Individuals with a tuberculin
reaction follow the guidelines of the American
Thoracic Society and U.S. Public Health Service
(ATS/USPHS) and without evidence of residual
disease in pulmonary or non-pulmonary sites arc
eligible for enlistment, induction, and appointment
provided they have received chemoprophylaxis and
follow the guidelines of ATS/USPHS.
I also searched through the chapter 15 revisions and found this information on change 164 May 22, 2018.
(a) Active tuberculosis is disqualifying;
however, a waiver request will be considered
upon completion of all treatments resulting in sterilization
of the infectious lesion, and demonstration of
normal pulmonary function. Individuals diagnosed
with LTBI are non-infectious, but have the potential to
progress to active disease.
(b) LTBI is disqualifying for candidates.
A waiver request will be considered upon
completion of all indicated LTBI therapy.
I am in no way trying to say that my waiver should be approved or that I disagree with the decision regarding my waiver. I am seeking advice on if I should pursue an appeal for this waiver because I believe based on the information I've come across that my case is qualifying. The only conclusion I can come up with is that the documentation I submitted with the waiver did not provide enough or was not the right information the docs needed.
Before I received the information that I was disqualified I started searching through the MANMED to see if it was absolutely disqualifying or if my waiver would have a chance. I came across these four points in chapter 15.
(8) Current active tuberculosis or substantiated
history of active tuberculosis in any form or location
regardless of past treatment, in the previous 2 years
is disqualifying.
(9) Current residual physical or mental defects
from past tuberculosis, that will prevent the satisfactory
performance of duty, are disqualifying.
(10) Individuals with a past history of active
tuberculosis greater than 2 years before appointment,
enlistment, or induction are qualified, if they have
received a complete course of standard chemotherapy
for tuberculosis.
(11) Current or history of untreated latent
tuberculosis (positive PPD with negative chest x-ray)
(795.5) is disqualifying. Individuals with a tuberculin
reaction follow the guidelines of the American
Thoracic Society and U.S. Public Health Service
(ATS/USPHS) and without evidence of residual
disease in pulmonary or non-pulmonary sites arc
eligible for enlistment, induction, and appointment
provided they have received chemoprophylaxis and
follow the guidelines of ATS/USPHS.
I also searched through the chapter 15 revisions and found this information on change 164 May 22, 2018.
(a) Active tuberculosis is disqualifying;
however, a waiver request will be considered
upon completion of all treatments resulting in sterilization
of the infectious lesion, and demonstration of
normal pulmonary function. Individuals diagnosed
with LTBI are non-infectious, but have the potential to
progress to active disease.
(b) LTBI is disqualifying for candidates.
A waiver request will be considered upon
completion of all indicated LTBI therapy.
I am in no way trying to say that my waiver should be approved or that I disagree with the decision regarding my waiver. I am seeking advice on if I should pursue an appeal for this waiver because I believe based on the information I've come across that my case is qualifying. The only conclusion I can come up with is that the documentation I submitted with the waiver did not provide enough or was not the right information the docs needed.