Posted on Aug 2, 2019
SGT Ben Keen
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Hey everyone,

I got a friend who is looking to the military and a few years they got a surgery done to correct an issue with their chest where bars were inserted to correct a dip that had form. Since then the bars have been removed and they are able to complete phyiscal activity with little to no breathing issue. They are trying to join the National Guard and were told they would need a mediacal waiver. I was never a recruiter or involved with a medical waiver during my time in so I figured I would see if anyone can tell me what the process is. THe Cheif Medical Officer at MEPS is the one that told them they will need a medical waiver. Is getting a medical waiver just haivng a docture interview the possible recruit or is there a battery of tests that must be complete or is it different based on the situation?
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Capt Michael Wilford
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The specific waiver is called a BuMed waiver and it is a medical review board from the specific branch of service for which the applicant has applied. The waiver process involves some of what you have asked in your question; it is a review of the issue, a review of the correction to the issue and a review to determine if the correction of the issue will satisfy the minimum requirements for enlistment. Part of this review process may include having the applicant see additional doctors who specialize in whatever it is that is being reviewed. Getting waivers can be simple, or they can be complex. From what you have described about your friend's issue, it seems that an orthopedic consult would be appropriate, but do not take that as gospel truth. MEPS is a strange animal...
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Capt Daniel Goodman
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https://search.aol.com/aol/search?q=national%20guard%20bureau%20leadership&s_it=loki-tb-sb

Purely as a thought on my part, you might wanna suggest looking through some of these...I'd expect there'd be someone on the senior clinical staff of NGB that'd know, certainly...that's just one idea, obv, of course....
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Capt Daniel Goodman
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When I was in residency, before my total perm disability, a good deal of enrichment training I'd had to do, even though I'd been allied health, we shut my license because of the whole disability thing, had been in assisting with genl surg, incl a good deal of cardiothoracic stuff...I haven't seen all of it, by any means, and, that specific condition I'd known of, though hadn't dealt with, per se, even as a resident on assist, however, I'm fairly certain that's gonna be it, as I'd said...at least, those are my initial thoughts, at any rate.....
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What is the process behind a medical waiver?
1st Lt Padre Dave Poedel
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His condition is called a pectus excavitum, which was surgically corrected with the extensive process of raising his sternum (breast bone) and the ribs to create a normal, or closer to normal space for his heart, lungs, esophagus, etc. I have known 2 people who were born with this and had it corrected surgically as you describe. I am not up to what the regs say, but there would be some concern about the kinds of PT and especially combat. I am not optimistic, but I love to be proven wrong when I am.
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Capt Daniel Goodman
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http://www.amsus.org

You could also vary the search for other svcs, as well, however, you ought to be able to find something in those...you might also want to suggest calling here, this is the main professional med society for the military and VA, I can almost guarantee there's gonna be someone here whom you can ask about it, esp dealing with cardiothoracic surgery and clinical waivers for related conditions, I'd expect...just another idea that occurred to me....
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Capt Daniel Goodman
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/?term=pectus+excavatum+military+army

These are explicitly for Army, there are 104 on here, also all free....
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CPL Gary Pifer
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Real World: keep mouth shut.
Already told them world: grab a physical evaluation checklist and take it to the old treating doctor. Beware of trying to repeat or explain a diagnosis or prognosis... have the Doctor write it. Watch wording like LITTLE to no breathing issues. (LITTLE)...Really.. red flag....Also make sure ahead of time he can pass the PFT and has a good cardio work up just to be safe. The Captain is correct..simple or complex.. depending on diagnosis.
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Capt Daniel Goodman
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/?term=pectus+excavatum+military

This list is far narrower, deals expressly with mil aspects of it, and, once again, are all free...there are only 284 on this list, so it should be reasonably searchable, with a little effort....
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SGT Ben Keen
SGT Ben Keen
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Thanks for all the links!! I'm passing them to the person I mentioned!!
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Capt Daniel Goodman
Capt Daniel Goodman
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Enjoy...if you wanna yak more, just lemme know, no rush, whenever you'd want, obv....
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Capt Daniel Goodman
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/?term=pectus+excavatum

These are all free, no fee for any of them....
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Capt Daniel Goodman
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=pectus+excavatum

He'll wanna look through these, not all of these have to be paid for, however, that's the most complete listing of articles on it routinely found....
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