USN Headache Waiver for Navy NFO

[Eric888]

Hello Air Warriors,

My name is Eric and I am just starting my junior year in high school. I am extremely interested in becoming a Navy NFO through an NROTC program. I think that I can pass all aspects of the flight physical except that there may be a problem with one thing...a few years ago I had frequent bad headaches. Not so bad that I couldn't function, but a large amount of pain that made concentration hard. I usually just went to sleep if I wasn't at school and they would go away. Just had to deal with them at school unfortunately. Of course my mom was worried and overreacted and I went to my regular doctor. She said they were migraines sent me to a neurologist and he attributed them to puberty and lack of sleep and he was right. I haven't gotten them in a long time. The thing is, they weren't actual incapacitating migraines. I know this for a fact because my dad has had several bad migraines, one where he had to go to the hospital and lie in a dark room for 2 days. So I am afraid that the "migraines" will show up on my medical records and screw me out of becoming an NFO because I read that migraines were a disqualifier. If there is a problem, is there a waiver I can obtain for this? Any and all answers will be appreciated. Thanks so much in advance.

-Eric

 

[jointhelocalizer]

Hey Eric,

Glad you're looking at the Navy and your career options early. NFO is a very valuable position, regardless of what people tell you. Even though I am a Plebe at USNA, my top service selection is NFO. The best answer I or anybody could give you is "it depends." While a Doc/Flight Surgeon will be a lot more well versed than I am, it is ultimately up to your commissioning source on who gives a waiver. DoDMERB screens applicants and gives them a qualified or disqualified status. Keep in mind too that the human body acts differently while engaged in aerial flight. You could get them up in the air, but be fine on the ground. Some things that should be considered are your medical records. Do they state you suffered from chronic migraines? If so, you could see your doctor and see if you can discuss your aspirations and if your migraines are simply a thing of the past or would they be aggravated by flying. If not, get tests done to prove so if possible. A couple other options are applying to the Naval Academy. They use the same DoDMERB standards as NROTC, but they are a different commissioning source. There have been situations where USNA waived and NROTC disqualified and vice versa. Also, consider looking into DoDMERB Consultants. It is a private company that helps applicants through the DoDMERB process and their bread and butter is providing cases for a waiver. However, don't think it is a slam dunk if you use them. You can still get disqualified. Lastly, if you make it past the DoDMERB physical, there are still pre-commissioning physicals that determine what communities you are eligible to service select. There are also NAMI exams that sometimes end people's dreams of flying right before and during flight school. Don't worry though. You have a long time before these physicals. If you are really worried about it, look up the Class II Flight Physical requirements. Lastly, the Navy is a dynamic organization. I wouldn't be surprised if standards have been amended by time you go through your physicals (provided you get there. Best of luck!

 

[Bravo Kilo]

If you're just going into your junior year in high school, then you're ~15-16 years old. If these issues were happening a few years ago, then you were about 12-13 at the time. You still have 2 years of high school left, and at least 4 years of college putting you at about 22 when you graduate. It's really unlikely that the Navy is going to dig 10 years into your past to disqualify you over something that was attributed to puberty and lack of sleep. Everyone goes through puberty, and there is an easy fix for lack of sleep. If you aren't having migraines right now and leading up to commissioning, then it won't be an issue unless you bring it up and give people cause to doubt you. You have a long way ahead of you. Don't sweat the small stuff, keep your grades up.

 

[jointhelocalizer]

Eric,

Two other lessons that will help you immensely in the DoDMERB process: Don't answer anything but the questions asked and don't become a doctor (self diagnose yourself). That is like an ordinary person jumping into the cockpit of an airliner. They would have no idea what they are doing and it probably wouldn't end well, regardless of the Hollywood movie endings. If you say you have X when you don't have it and X is disqualifying, you might like the letter that comes from DoDMERB. Also, like I said above, don't expand on anything if you don't need to. The docs might see a red flag in your explanation and dive deeper. No need to get scrutinized any more than you need to. If they need more info, they will ask for more. Lastly, Bravo Kilo is correct in the fact that it more than likely won't be an issue if it isn't an issue now. Doctors understand the weird things that happen during puberty and they have age cutoffs for a certain reason (I think asthma is the 13th birthday, ADHD is he 14th birthday, etc.).

 

[Hair Warrior]

Headaches may be a gut-brain thing. Eliminate gluten, other grains, dairy, soy, processed sugar, and artificial foods from your diet. Keep it that way for 21 days. Log your results/symptoms daily. Check and re-vector (if needed) at 21 days. For more info, read Dr Perlmutter's book.

 

[Eric888]

Hey Eric,

Glad you're looking at the Navy and your career options early. NFO is a very valuable position, regardless of what people tell you. Even though I am a Plebe at USNA, my top service selection is NFO. The best answer I or anybody could give you is "it depends." While a Doc/Flight Surgeon will be a lot more well versed than I am, it is ultimately up to your commissioning source on who gives a waiver. DoDMERB screens applicants and gives them a qualified or disqualified status. Keep in mind too that the human body acts differently while engaged in aerial flight. You could get them up in the air, but be fine on the ground. Some things that should be considered are your medical records. Do they state you suffered from chronic migraines? If so, you could see your doctor and see if you can discuss your aspirations and if your migraines are simply a thing of the past or would they be aggravated by flying. If not, get tests done to prove so if possible. A couple other options are applying to the Naval Academy. They use the same DoDMERB standards as NROTC, but they are a different commissioning source. There have been situations where USNA waived and NROTC disqualified and vice versa. Also, consider looking into DoDMERB Consultants. It is a private company that helps applicants through the DoDMERB process and their bread and butter is providing cases for a waiver. However, don't think it is a slam dunk if you use them. You can still get disqualified. Lastly, if you make it past the DoDMERB physical, there are still pre-commissioning physicals that determine what communities you are eligible to service select. There are also NAMI exams that sometimes end people's dreams of flying right before and during flight school. Don't worry though. You have a long time before these physicals. If you are really worried about it, look up the Class II Flight Physical requirements. Lastly, the Navy is a dynamic organization. I wouldn't be surprised if standards have been amended by time you go through your physicals (provided you get there. Best of luck!

Thanks for the detailed response! I'll definitely look into the thugs you said.

 

[Eric888]

If you're just going into your junior year in high school, then you're ~15-16 years old. If these issues were happening a few years ago, then you were about 12-13 at the time. You still have 2 years of high school left, and at least 4 years of college putting you at about 22 when you graduate. It's really unlikely that the Navy is going to dig 10 years into your past to disqualify you over something that was attributed to puberty and lack of sleep. Everyone goes through puberty, and there is an easy fix for lack of sleep. If you aren't having migraines right now and leading up to commissioning, then it won't be an issue unless you bring it up and give people cause to doubt you. You have a long way ahead of you. Don't sweat the small stuff, keep your grades up.

Thanks for the response. I didn't think about the fact that it would be 10 years since I've had migraines if I don't have more in the future. Lol!