Thumb Tip Reach/Function Reach: Too Short- Help?

[Demi Durkin]

Hi everyone,

Long story short, I had a waiver under review at NAMI when NAMI NPQ'd me for my anthropometric measurements- staff at flight physical should have caught it and I shouldn't have even been submitted for an unrelated waiver. Heartbreakingly, I've already bee pro-rec Y.

I failed the thumb tip/functional reach- my arms are too short. I have read "success stories" on people jumping to get shorter and using a rack to get longer...anyone have any advice or experience with getting a farther reach? Going to reach out to some physical therapists etc, but if anyone has personal experience I would love to hear it.

Thank you,
Demi

 

[TimeBomb]

You really can't make your arms any longer. If you want to change your functional reach measurement, you might be able to achieve that result by making the soft tissues of the back thicker. Increasing muscle mass on your back and shoulders will change the length measurements, since they are taken with your back flush against a wall. Is functional reach the only measurement where you're on the edge?
R/

 

[FormerRecruitingGuru]

I'm going to say "ask a recruiter" just for the fun of it.

In all seriousness, best bet is to Google though many websites on there might have inaccurate or simply wrong information or means to improve so. You might be out of luck here.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

They would have found the issue anyway, it isn't the staff's job who takes the measurement to decide if the measurements are in or out of spec it is the doc's who signs off on the physical.

What was the result of the waiver? Often if a person doesn't meet the anthro requirements they won't even bother with looking at the waiver.

I don't see NAMI changing their mind on this, they measured, they reviewed, they said no.

It could be worse, USN applicants are not supposed to have their physicals and NAMI reviews prior to OCS, if you hadn't you would have been at OCS and been told you were NPQ and to redesignate or go home.

 

[Demi Durkin]

You really can't make your arms any longer. If you want to change your functional reach measurement, you might be able to achieve that result by making the soft tissues of the back thicker. Increasing muscle mass on your back and shoulders will change the length measurements, since they are taken with your back flush against a wall. Is functional reach the only measurement where you're on the edge?
R/

That's good advice I hadn't considered. Unfortunately, my back is already pretty big as I'm a competitive powerlifter/strongman, and thus it will take a lot of time to make any additional significant gains.

 

[Demi Durkin]

I'm going to say "ask a recruiter" just for the fun of it.

In all seriousness, best bet is to Google though many websites on there might have inaccurate or simply wrong information or means to improve so. You might be out of luck here.

I definitely will keep googling; unfortunately haven't found much which I'm sure is my answer...

 

[Demi Durkin]

They would have found the issue anyway, it isn't the staff's job who takes the measurement to decide if the measurements are in or out of spec it is the doc's who signs off on the physical.

What was the result of the waiver? Often if a person doesn't meet the anthro requirements they won't even bother with looking at the waiver.

I don't see NAMI changing their mind on this, they measured, they reviewed, they said no.

It could be worse, USN applicants are not supposed to have their physicals and NAMI reviews prior to OCS, if you hadn't you would have been at OCS and been told you were NPQ and to redesignate or go home.

No result on the waiver- as you said they won't continue to look at it since I've been NPQ for functional reach. According to my flight surgeon, however, some people (mostly ROTC since OCS candidates usually don't get their physical beforehand) go to Pensacola and get re measured.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

No result on the waiver- as you said they won't continue to look at it since I've been NPQ for functional reach. According to my flight surgeon, however, some people (mostly ROTC since OCS candidates usually don't get their physical beforehand) go to Pensacola and get re measured.

That was my thought, they did the initial screen and since you don't meet the requirements no reason to bother and spend time on a waiver.

Do you know how short you were on the reach?

 

[Demi Durkin]

That was my thought, they did the initial screen and since you don't meet the requirements no reason to bother and spend time on a waiver.

Do you know how short you were on the reach?

About an inch too short- which I know is a mile.

 

[exNavyOffRec]

About an inch too short- which I know is a mile.

yep that is quite a bit short, I would start thinking about other designators you might want to apply for.