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High VA rating but want to apply WOFT


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I have been looking and searching through every forum, group, recruiters and just asking everyone around me for actual experience applying for the woft program with a high va rating.

 

I just finished 5 years in the Marine Corps as an Air traffic Controller and was going to apply my last year but got pretty hurt during a training exercise. It was a back lumbar sprain that took me out for a year, pushed through my PFT and CFT to get 1st class,but have taken the last year to rehabilitate and recover. I thought my chances of ever applying were just destroyed with this injury so I put in for disability to continue getting rehab and physical therapy. Since that year, I have regained my mobility and flexibility, I can get a high apft no problem and dont have the issues I had from my initial injury. I'm looking to see if anyone has any experience with meps in regards to this. My rating includes tinnitus, due to the ear piece and pilots talking my ear off, and secondary injuries that sprang up due to the back injury, which I have recovered from. Ive talked to a great recruiter and he says I'm a great candidate but that meps is my biggest hurdle. Hes never heard of anyone over 50% get in but I can get supporting docs from doctors and therapist to attest to my progress and full health.

 

Any suggestions, tips, or just stories? Thanks for the help.

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I have been looking and searching through every forum, group, recruiters and just asking everyone around me for actual experience applying for the woft program with a high va rating.

 

I just finished 5 years in the Marine Corps as an Air traffic Controller and was going to apply my last year but got pretty hurt during a training exercise. It was a back lumbar sprain that took me out for a year, pushed through my PFT and CFT to get 1st class,but have taken the last year to rehabilitate and recover. I thought my chances of ever applying were just destroyed with this injury so I put in for disability to continue getting rehab and physical therapy. Since that year, I have regained my mobility and flexibility, I can get a high apft no problem and dont have the issues I had from my initial injury. I'm looking to see if anyone has any experience with meps in regards to this. My rating includes tinnitus, due to the ear piece and pilots talking my ear off, and secondary injuries that sprang up due to the back injury, which I have recovered from. Ive talked to a great recruiter and he says I'm a great candidate but that meps is my biggest hurdle. Hes never heard of anyone over 50% get in but I can get supporting docs from doctors and therapist to attest to my progress and full health.

 

Any suggestions, tips, or just stories? Thanks for the help.

 

I know for sure you would have to give up your ratings in order to apply for any AD positions (enlisting, WOFT, OCS). As far as being medically qualified you would have to go back through MEPS. This means you will have to get a physical through MEPS and list all previous injuries. If your injuries require a Waiver then that will be a major speed bump. Also, if you do need a waiver and it gets approved (through USAREC) you will still need to pass the flight physical. My guess is they would clear your flight physical pending another waiver from FT Rucker Aeromed. After all that is said and done you would be able to submit a packet. Again, it does not seem totally undoable but may be a drawn out process.

Hope this helps.

 

-AD Recruiter

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Yeah I know I will have to give up my rating but I expected that since the purpose of the disability was to get me healthier if possible. Which it has. I know the meps process, I'm just not sure how they would take into account my prior rating, even if I get reevaluated and get the rating off, and how much they would see it as a liability. Havent found someone who has a high rating, has gotten it down to 0% and how they faired at meps. I'm just gonna have to roll the dice and see what happens. I feel confident in my physical fitness and as a candidate but meps is the unknown here.

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Lopez,

 

you may want to glance over the Armys medical standards. I dont have the document title or number off hand, but it breaks down what the requirements are for enlisting, what is waiverable and what isnt. Its broken down by body part and condition. It will tell you if the condition is disqualifying if it is still current or if its disqualifying if you have a history of the condition.

 

I believe the same standard covers flight physicals.

 

If youre going to get doctors to write you notes, Id brush up on the standard and use the same exact verbiage in the notes.

 

Good luck

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  • 3 months later...

It might be of some use to download the MedStandards App. It was handy when I was working on my flight physical to know exactly what I needed to ask the flight surgeon and optometrist when I had questions.

 

It has a guide to standards, waivers, letters and so forth as well.

 

It probably wont answer all your questions but certainly has some good supplemental info.

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I downloaded the APLs for issues and I know that according to those I am good to go. Does anyone know.... If I get a waiver from USAREC at MEPS does that count for Rucker or do I need to then get a second waiver from Rucker on my flight physical?? And does Rucker automatically approve a waiver or is there some step that I have to physically accomplish before they do?

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