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WOFT and Medical Waiver?


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I have recently decided to apply for WOFT as a civilian. My recruiter and I are going to set a MEPS date soon for processing/testing. However, I have a concern that might disqualify me from enlistment eligibility requirements: I have a family member that has a mental illness and I have recently (within the last year) visited his counselor on an outpatient basis for family counseling regarding his illness. I have no personal history of mental illness and otherwise no medical conditions that disqualify me. I informed my recruiter and he suggested to lie, which I refuse to do (I am positive the SF-86/security clearance would reveal this information anyways).

 

My questions:

 

Will this disqualify me medically?

 

Would a waiver be possible?

 

If a waiver is possible, could this hurt my chances at selection?

 

Again, I have asked my recruiter these questions. I am going to call the counselor tomorrow (he is a retired VA employee with a current private practice) to see if he would have any answers.

 

This is the only hangup I see hurting my process. I have relatively strong stats (minus the tests) but I fear this will disqualify me completely. If anyone could give some guidance that would be excellent.

 

Thanks in advance

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I am positive the SF-86/security clearance would reveal this information anyways.

 

ALL your medical information is protected by the HIPAA act. The Army will not be able to get ANY medical records about you. They will only know what you give them.

 

Check this out, on my MEPS AND my Flight Physical I said that had NEVER been in a hospital, even though I have broken one bone, had my tonsils removed, and had nose surgery. HOWEVER when I was asked about fractures, and surgeries I listed Tonsillectomy only. and there is a reason why..

 

This was explained to me by the station commander.. the Army sees any visit to a hospital as disqualifying. For every visit they need paperwork showing that you are at 100%. They want to make sure that when you are in the field you don't have a medical condition that will prevent you from doing your job correctly, hence putting yourself or other soldiers in danger. They want to make sure that you are not going to hurt the Army.

 

So.. regardless of the nature of your counseling .. think about the following question.. "Does the illness that your family member has, prevent you from focusing and performing 100% on your assigned job as an Army Aviator?" If the answer is "No", then don't bother the Army with extra paperwork that may or may not delay your application process...

 

Do you have any civilian flight experience? do you remember the acronym IMSAFE? it is a flight fitness self evaluation that every pilot should do before engaging in a flight.

 

and BTW, the security clearance is more regarding criminal charges, other names that you have had, previous addresses and that you don't have any links with criminal organizations or loyalty to other countries.

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Are you mentally unstable?

 

No. I do not currently have any mental illness/disorder nor have I had any issues in the past.

 

So.. regardless of the nature of your counseling .. think about the following question.. "Does the illness that your family member has, prevent you from focusing and performing 100% on your assigned job as an Army Aviator?" If the answer is "No", then don't bother the Army with extra paperwork that may or may not delay your application process...

 

and BTW, the security clearance is more regarding criminal charges, other names that you have had, previous addresses and that you don't have any links with criminal organizations or loyalty to other countries.

 

My family member's current illness is stable and has been for a few years. He has actually just retired and is doing very well, and he has excellent family support from others and myself so my military service would have no bearing on his illness.

 

Regarding the SSC, the SF-86 form asks about previous counseling. After reading the question, I could answer 'no' to this question according to the form so likely no issues there.

 

I talked to the counselor this morning about our visits and he said there would be no issues. He was a VA mental hospital director for many years and is now retired and does private social work and counseling. I trust his judgement on the issue. He did, however, say that I should consider Air Force and Navy and not the Army. I have considered other branches but I have decided to go with Army WOFT.

 

Anyways, I appreciate the answers and any other information is appreciated.

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If your answer is no, then what's the problem? Don't tell them anything they don't ask.

 

We're downsizing; the flight docs job IS to fail you. Don't give him/her a reason to fail you. Do what you have to do.

 

YOU'RE stable. That's all that matters.

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I agree. I have disclosed only my tattoos and my broken leg from when i was 4 and my penicillin allergy. No waivers for me and didnt need to provide any additional paperwork to meps. Of course ive been to the er before and of course ive had other sicknesses but they dont and wont affect me so why bother...

 

Id think of your situation like this, if you recieved the counseling because youre the patient then you need to tell them, that might make me or my brothers unsafe which pisses me off. If you went to the counsel session to aid in your relatives counseling where they are the patient then youre not the sick one so dont mention it. The army only cares about you, not your sisters cousins uncles brothers illness that you helped with...

 

Make sense?

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If your answer is no, then what's the problem? Don't tell them anything they don't ask.

 

We're downsizing; the flight docs job IS to fail you. Don't give him/her a reason to fail you. Do what you have to do.

 

YOU'RE stable. That's all that matters.

 

I see what you're saying. The only reason I had questioned this is because on the pre-MEPS recruiter form it asks about counseling. Basically, I didn't want to lie and be approved only to have problems with this issue later. Considering the nature of the counseling, I would think it would either be easily overlooked or waived. If I am eventually accepted, I plan on making this a career if possible. I just want to cover all the bases.

 

Planning the application process, this was the only hangup I can see and I want to be sure to make my application as perfect as possible for my situation. I do not think there will be an issue but I wanted to double check. My recruiter didn't seem to know much about this scenario which is why I asked here.

 

Thanks to everyone for clarification.

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You could tell them that you went to counseling for your family member. That isn't for you, doesn't go against you, you're there to support them. You shouldn't need anything and shouldn't be an issue.

 

Is there anything on the paperwork (like patient info) that involves you? If not, probably no reason to even mention it.

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  • 1 month later...

Something came up today that I wanted to ask about and didnt want to start a whole new thread for it.

 

I found out my B-12 and iron levels are low. The hemotologist (who i have been seeing since august) recommended injectiable B-12 indefinitely and to get my levels checked every 6 months or so just to make sure they get back up and stay up. This is something that was noted in my flight physical and the army knows about it so i am not really worried from that standpoint.

 

The questions i have are 1) does anyone know if i will have issues with future flight physicals if i am getting b-12 shots on a routine basis (once per moth) as long as everything else checks out and 2) does anyone know if i can take the b-12 prescription with me to basic, if not is it possible to bring a multi-vitamin with me to get some extra b-12?

 

Thanks!

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