-
Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?
Go here:
Edit Account Details and Profile
asthma and NROTC
- Thread starter RXSilver
- Start date
- Status
snizo
Supply Officer
Usually asthma is a disqualifier. If you think it might be an allergic reaction to something, or don't think you really have it anymore, you can get tested if you want to try and get a waiver. The test, though, basically causes an attack to see if you still have it and can be quite risky/dangerous.
Talk to your ROTC recruiting LT for more specific information.
Talk to your ROTC recruiting LT for more specific information.
well its definately not a severe case of asthma. ive never had an asthma attack and i dont use medicine regularly. i dont get it from excercise but more if im sick. if i get a cold, i might have to use an inhaler but thats about it. i can pass the prt for my age too. ive never had to use my inhaler because of physical activity.
American_Ace
AFROTC
Oh Christ, I can tell you all about that BS. I applied to USAFA, USNA, NROTC, and AFROTC, and they all required a DODMERB physical. I was dumb enough to tell the military that my doctor gave me an inhaler when I was nine because I had trouble breathing after a soccer game (who doesn't when its 90 degrees with 99% humidity?).
Anyway, they made me take a test called a Standard Broncho-something Study. You put a tube in your mouth and inhale as deeply as possible, then exhale as fast and hard as possible. They use it to measure your lung volume, strength, etc. Then they make you breath in an agitant that would kill someone with asthma, and have you repeat the test. They slowly increase the doses, in case if you really have asthma, but you have to repeat the process like five times. It sucks. The agitant affects everyone, but if you cross a certain line then you are diagnosed with asthma.
And don't take the test if you've had a cold within the last month. I had been over a cold for two weeks when I went to take the test the first time, and after the initial test the doctor told me I would not pass if I continued. So I went home for a few weeks, then returned and passed the test. Which sucked, because I had to take the test in CA and I live in AZ (the airfare was cheaper than having a non-military hospital do it).
Anyway, they made me take a test called a Standard Broncho-something Study. You put a tube in your mouth and inhale as deeply as possible, then exhale as fast and hard as possible. They use it to measure your lung volume, strength, etc. Then they make you breath in an agitant that would kill someone with asthma, and have you repeat the test. They slowly increase the doses, in case if you really have asthma, but you have to repeat the process like five times. It sucks. The agitant affects everyone, but if you cross a certain line then you are diagnosed with asthma.
And don't take the test if you've had a cold within the last month. I had been over a cold for two weeks when I went to take the test the first time, and after the initial test the doctor told me I would not pass if I continued. So I went home for a few weeks, then returned and passed the test. Which sucked, because I had to take the test in CA and I live in AZ (the airfare was cheaper than having a non-military hospital do it).
American_Ace
AFROTC
Oh yeah, if you are diagnosed with asthma you're screwed.
An AF Lt Col who was an A-10 pilot told me they really go ape $&it about asthma, since they don't really know what causes it, not because they truly think you'll gag to death and crash their $40 million plane.
An AF Lt Col who was an A-10 pilot told me they really go ape $&it about asthma, since they don't really know what causes it, not because they truly think you'll gag to death and crash their $40 million plane.
H20man
Drill baby drill!
i do belive it is complete disqualification from any branch. Because on the DODMERB physical if you have asthma your disqualled medically.
Usually what nails a lot of people are the medical disqualifications. I know a guy at my school who got disqualled from USMMA this year because he had a broken leg and another guy who is doing more tests for urinealysis for USNA cause he had protein in his urine.
The medical really trims down the pool of qualified ppl.
Ace i bet you were sweating bullets on the results.
I belive i messed up on one of the eye exams and was sweating the day the letter would arive, but thank god it said QUALIFIED.
Usually what nails a lot of people are the medical disqualifications. I know a guy at my school who got disqualled from USMMA this year because he had a broken leg and another guy who is doing more tests for urinealysis for USNA cause he had protein in his urine.
The medical really trims down the pool of qualified ppl.
Ace i bet you were sweating bullets on the results.
I belive i messed up on one of the eye exams and was sweating the day the letter would arive, but thank god it said QUALIFIED.
RXSilver,
Ignore the bad gouge. You're not "screwed". It's just going to take some persistence and legwork on your part. I had a diagnosis almost identical to yours and now I'm an Officer in the SNA training pipeline with an asthma waiver.
Allow me to also suggest that you don't march into a military doctor's office and start throwing around terms like "allergic" unless you REALLY have allergies. While not an end-all, it would only complicate things for you.
I have posted extensively on this topic, so do a search for asthma waiver or "methacholine challenge test". This was about a 1.5 years ago, so I apologize if the process has changed.
If you have any questions after reading, feel free to PM me.
-Greg
Here, I did some of the work for you (from an old post)...
Marti,
Looks like you found a tough crowd. Here's the quick version of my story...
Childhood asthma. I took a Methacholine Challenge Test (special type of Pulmonary Function Test) in March through a private doctor and passed with no problem. Went to MEPS, got disqualified due to the history of asthma. However, at MEPS, a doctor recommended me for a waiver. Waiver recommendation goes to Millington, TN where head Navy doctor reviews waiver requests. After about 3 months, waiver comes back "REJECTED" but they gave me the opportunity of taking another Methacholine Challenge Test through a Navy doctor. No explanation provided... "this is the way it is."
Went to a Navy hospital and took the second test. Test results were fine. Rejected waiver application was re-submitted. This time, after only about a week, the waiver comes back APPROVED.
I'm not sure why it took 3 months the first time and only 1 week the second time. Anyway, that's where I am now. I have my waiver but now I'm looking into the Aeromedical waiver requirements to make sure I can fly (I'm applying for pilot).
Anyway, here's some tips that helped me (maybe in a small way) get a medical waiver:
1) Be healthy. You know if you're healthy or not.
2) I really felt like the "Catch more flies with honey" approach helps. I can't prove it, but I swear part of the medical diagnostic process is subjective. If you treat the doctors/nurses/medics with respect and a good attitude, I think it makes them want to root for you. I even got one nurse to write "GREAT TEST RESULTS!" on the actual test results.
3) Get a private doctor to verify results. I started the application process knowing I would probably need a Methacholine Challenge Test so, first things first, I went out and got one before I even talked to a Navy recruiter. That way, at every step, you can have a document in your hand that says you're healthy.
4) Ask for or make copies of everything and carry them with you everywhere. I took copies of my "GREAT TEST RESULTS" so that, at every turn, I had something tangible that I could show someone. Even to my final doctor interview at MEPS.
5) Have an active history of success in athletics. An athletic history is a good example of how healthy you are. I'm not trying to brag, but there were a couple of times that I impressed some of the doctors by telling them about some of my athletic accomplishments.
6) Have patience. There were times I thought the Navy had forgotten about me.
Lastly, waivers are a lot like reviewing a play in the NFL. The doctors want to see conclusive evidence to overturn a previous call. Give them all the evidence possible, then sugar coat it and become their friends. Would you want to reject your friend?
If anyone has any questions about an asthma waiver, feel free to email me.
-Greg
Ignore the bad gouge. You're not "screwed". It's just going to take some persistence and legwork on your part. I had a diagnosis almost identical to yours and now I'm an Officer in the SNA training pipeline with an asthma waiver.
Allow me to also suggest that you don't march into a military doctor's office and start throwing around terms like "allergic" unless you REALLY have allergies. While not an end-all, it would only complicate things for you.
I have posted extensively on this topic, so do a search for asthma waiver or "methacholine challenge test". This was about a 1.5 years ago, so I apologize if the process has changed.
If you have any questions after reading, feel free to PM me.
-Greg
Here, I did some of the work for you (from an old post)...
Marti,
Looks like you found a tough crowd. Here's the quick version of my story...
Childhood asthma. I took a Methacholine Challenge Test (special type of Pulmonary Function Test) in March through a private doctor and passed with no problem. Went to MEPS, got disqualified due to the history of asthma. However, at MEPS, a doctor recommended me for a waiver. Waiver recommendation goes to Millington, TN where head Navy doctor reviews waiver requests. After about 3 months, waiver comes back "REJECTED" but they gave me the opportunity of taking another Methacholine Challenge Test through a Navy doctor. No explanation provided... "this is the way it is."
Went to a Navy hospital and took the second test. Test results were fine. Rejected waiver application was re-submitted. This time, after only about a week, the waiver comes back APPROVED.
I'm not sure why it took 3 months the first time and only 1 week the second time. Anyway, that's where I am now. I have my waiver but now I'm looking into the Aeromedical waiver requirements to make sure I can fly (I'm applying for pilot).
Anyway, here's some tips that helped me (maybe in a small way) get a medical waiver:
1) Be healthy. You know if you're healthy or not.
2) I really felt like the "Catch more flies with honey" approach helps. I can't prove it, but I swear part of the medical diagnostic process is subjective. If you treat the doctors/nurses/medics with respect and a good attitude, I think it makes them want to root for you. I even got one nurse to write "GREAT TEST RESULTS!" on the actual test results.
3) Get a private doctor to verify results. I started the application process knowing I would probably need a Methacholine Challenge Test so, first things first, I went out and got one before I even talked to a Navy recruiter. That way, at every step, you can have a document in your hand that says you're healthy.
4) Ask for or make copies of everything and carry them with you everywhere. I took copies of my "GREAT TEST RESULTS" so that, at every turn, I had something tangible that I could show someone. Even to my final doctor interview at MEPS.
5) Have an active history of success in athletics. An athletic history is a good example of how healthy you are. I'm not trying to brag, but there were a couple of times that I impressed some of the doctors by telling them about some of my athletic accomplishments.
6) Have patience. There were times I thought the Navy had forgotten about me.
Lastly, waivers are a lot like reviewing a play in the NFL. The doctors want to see conclusive evidence to overturn a previous call. Give them all the evidence possible, then sugar coat it and become their friends. Would you want to reject your friend?
If anyone has any questions about an asthma waiver, feel free to email me.
-Greg
In my experience, I don't think aviation required extra stuff above and beyond just the normal officer asthma requirements. I think you'll have to go through the same process because an asthma waiver is needed for any service in the military, whatever job you're applying for. Do more searches on this board, there's more info out there. By the way, I went to OCS -- I'm not sure how ROTC works.
American_Ace
AFROTC
Sorry, I might've scared you pretty bad when I said you'd be screwed if you got nailed with asthma, but I can tell you an asthma waiver isn't the easiest waiver. That's the reason I returned to CA rather than risk turning up a positive test. But with persistance you can probably get it. It might depend on the mood of the person when they review your results, so just keep at it.
But during the test remember to push your stomach out when you inhale and push it back in when you exhale. Give it everything you've got and practice breathing and exhaling as hard and fast as possible (don't let anyone see you though). When you take the test they measure everyhting at once: lung capacity, lung strength, did you exhale as much as you inhaled, etc., so it's important that you give it everyhting you've got.
Good luck passing the test or getting the waiver, and yeah H20man, I was sitting in a pool of sweat by the last test.
Also, check DODMERB's web site for your results. You'll usually find out about your status there long before you'll get the letter in the mail.
But during the test remember to push your stomach out when you inhale and push it back in when you exhale. Give it everything you've got and practice breathing and exhaling as hard and fast as possible (don't let anyone see you though). When you take the test they measure everyhting at once: lung capacity, lung strength, did you exhale as much as you inhaled, etc., so it's important that you give it everyhting you've got.
Good luck passing the test or getting the waiver, and yeah H20man, I was sitting in a pool of sweat by the last test.
Also, check DODMERB's web site for your results. You'll usually find out about your status there long before you'll get the letter in the mail.
- Status