ROTC & Dyslexia

[BlsdMama]

ANY experience?

DS wants to contract.  He has been rejected on the basis of dyslexia.  He has NO accommodations and never has.  We thought about having an assessment done by someone fairly incompetent to overshadow his previous diagnosis in 2013.  Kiddo is definitely dyslexic but was remediated with OG methods and scored a perfect on the ACT in reading - phenomenally high memory even though homonyms throw him. 

Help? They are appealing but they hope to make the argument stronger.  I'd do a reassessment at our research hospital but the wait is 14 MONTHS.  His deadline is August.

[MamaSprout]

So I have ZERO experience... but my dd is medically ineligible and has basically been told, "Lie if you can fake it."

(Not advice we are heeding, BTW, but it wasn't a civilian who told her this.)

I hope you get better info than mine, though!

Edited June 14, 2021 by MamaSprout

[chiguirre]

Can he take the OCS applicant test and submit that score? It's called the OAR for the Navy but each branch has their own test or uses parts of the ASVAB. There's also the ASTB for aviation.

Could he talk to an officer recruiter about applying directly to OCS instead of contracting through ROTC? Even if he doesn't want to do this, they may be more knowledgeable about the waiver process. He should also try other branches since the requirements and waiver procedures are slightly different. 

[BlsdMama]

This kid was born green - he will consider nothing except Army. I have pictures of him in DCUs when he was probably 4? If he must, he’ll graduate college first, then go. If I’d known, we never wold have mentioned it at all. He never had accommodations, a 504, extra time, etc. He tests exceptionally well. Unfortunately, he did mention it, they did request documentation, then he was medically DQ’d. We’re now in the appeal process. I think the plan now is to find someone who can assess a neuropsychological profile - cognitive function, processing speed, IQ, etc., and create a new assessment and go forward with the appeal process. 
 

There is a Plan B, I guess, but he wanted this badly. 

[Lecka]

Is the appeal process to receive a waiver?

Do you know who grants the waiver?  Could you call this person and explain?

*To me* it sounds like it would be an obvious waiver, if the appeal process is a waiver.  
 

Are you talking to the ROTC recruiter for the school?  Have you talked to this person?

A lot of waivers are — the kind of thing where a waiver is required, but it’s an easy decision for one to be granted.  There just needs to be an authorizing person, that it is submitted to, who is allowed to grant the waiver.  But someone lower isn’t allowed to make exceptions, they have to submit it to their boss or someone whose job description includes reviewing waivers.  

Edited June 14, 2021 by Lecka

[Lecka]

Separately — can you look for private neuropsychs instead of the research hospital?  
 

Could you drive?  Could you look at major cities, possibly across state borders?

 

 

[Lecka]

I think you could Google “city, state, neuropsychology” and then call people, tell them your situation, etc.

You might be able to do a telehealth appointment.  
 

 

[Lecka]

I would ask the recruiter if it would help if there is certain language like “no longer meets criteria” — it that would be helpful.  
 

And then maybe that can be written in.  
 

That is just a thought.

 

My son got a report with wording of “early weakness...  now largely remediated.”

 

If that language wouldn’t be strong enough — you can ask for stronger language.  
 

I think that someone would be able to write it up in a way that was truthful and honest but also saying what it would need to say.  

[BlsdMama]

3 hours ago, Lecka said:

I think you could Google “city, state, neuropsychology” and then call people, tell them your situation, etc.

You might be able to do a telehealth appointment.  
 

 

This is what we’re going to do - thank you. The gal from the University called me back today and said what we really want is a full assessment that gives a fuller picture of his intellect and abilities. She gave me the name of a doctor who could do this for us. I called and left a message today. 

[Lanny]

Sadly, I think this is going to be very very very tough for the DS of the OP with the U.S. Army.  The cat is out of the bag and it is very difficult to put the cat back into the bag.  If he would consider another branch of the military (U.S. Marines, etc.) possibly they wouldn't have his information, but the U.S. Army has it and he is probably toast with them. The August deadline is a killer. It might take a year or 2 for the appeal for a Waiver? (Today is June 15th)

My now late Cousin, a retired M.D., eminent in his specialty, enlisted in the U.S. Marines, twice, before he went to college and he was always a Marine...  Looking back, I have known (to my knowledge) at least 2 other people who were veterans of the USMC.  Stellar people. 

[BlsdMama]

Lanny,

 

 I’m not sure you’re wrong. Sigh. We’ll see. He’s actually willing to take a semester off to make it happen awaiting appeal. That said, I think that’s ridiculous because he’s more than half way through. When he graduates with his undergrad, he can just apply to OCS - the general here is of the opinion that while his ability to join ROTC may be hindered, his ability to be an officer by joining after graduation will not. I guess we’ll see. 
He has his heart set on Army. I sincerely hope something this minor doesn’t hinder it. 

[Lanny]

My belief is that getting into ROTC is very tough. Not quite as tough as getting into an academy, but there is a LOT of competition. When I was a boy, we had friends whose son was several years older than me. He went to a highly ranked Private university on a Navy ROTC scholarship.  I remember that they measured his arms in several places.  He made a career of the Navy. I think he retired as a Commander.

What makes this much harder is that if your DS is in a U.S. Army Database now, with his SSN and this issue, if they search for him he is toast.  I do know that my late cousin if he had it to do over again, would have graduated from college first and then gone in as an Officer.   More responsibility than being an Enlisted person, but more privileges. I wish your DS good luck in trying to get the waiver.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I think the concern over a dyslexia diagnosis would be that strings of alphanumeric characters would be misread. This could create a problem with things like coordinates for fire support. 

You might want to search the Service Academy Forums for info related to medical qualification and waivers. 

 

Edited June 17, 2021 by Sebastian (a lady)
Add link