Enlistment Sitrep and one question

[GMT-NYC]

Greetings Rangers,

It has been about two months since I posted my introduction ( viewtopic.php?t=41176 ), and I wanted to update you all on my progress and request some advice for my current situation.

On June 2nd, I met with a recruiter here in NYC, and he confirmed that I can secure an 11x OPT 40 contract. He wanted to get my into MEPS asap to determine what bonuses I could receive. I ran into a bump in the road due to a kidney operation I had when I was 4 years old, and the doctor, whom I have not been in contact with since - over two decades ago, said he no longer had the records of the procedure. In fact, he barely remembered it. His first letter to my Recruiter was insufficient. After sending him a detailed letter requesting specific information to be stated in the letter, I'm now waiting on his response to provide my recruiter. For the record, I was born with two horseshoe kidneys (equivalent of four kidneys), and one was working improperly and needed to be removed (so I now in effect have three functioning kidneys). Needless to say, I couldn't schedule a MEPS visit without some documentation regarding this surgery. Unfortunately, my work responsibilities mushroomed due to the current crisis in the financial markets, and prevented me from being able to dedicate the time necessary to complete my pre-MEPS obligations until this last week.

Do you think my kidney surgery disqualify me from a shot at achieving my goal of becoming a Ranger? My recruiter said it wouldn't DQ me for the Army in general, but he could not speak to Ranger Regiment specifically.

[edited ~7pm ET on 7/2/08 to stay focused on recruiting question as per Ranger Bill's suggestion]

[K.Ingraham]

This isn't much help but I do know a female medic on active duty with but one kidney, so I'm guessing that this shouldn't be an issue.

(Offer to volunteer her your third kidney maybe? )

Seriously tho', someone with access to the actual regs might appear soon.

[Ranger Bill]

I suggest you make a separate post in the PT forum so we don't clutter this thread up disucssing both your recruitment issue and your PT. Your recruitment question is beyond me, but I can discuss exercises.

[Jim]

Recruiting Command has several full-time medical doctors who are responsible for reviewing and granting waivers, If the request is properly written, the waiver is a one-time issue. On the other hand, if the decision is made that a waiver cannot be granted, your medical condition is serious.

[hit_it]

This is a new one. Like was stated earlier, there are people on active duty with one kidney, though you must have two to enlist.

As far as having surgery to remove on but still having three, you win. I'm actually stumped.

I think you situation will be a first for recruiting command. I would venture to guess (and that's all this is) that you will be good to go as far as enlistment, seeing as you have the required two kidneys for initial enlistment.

Now as far as an Option 40 or even Option 4 (Airborne), I'll be waiting to hear. I honestly can't tell you how this will turn out.

[QtMedic4Life]

I looked it up in the AR 40-501; Medical Services Standards of Medical Fitness

Chapter 2: Physical Standards for Enlistment, Appointment, and Induction

Subsection 2-15. Urinary System bullet f. on Kidney's (4) Current or history of horseshoe kidney (753.3) is disqualifying.

You can still get in on a waiver depending on the MEPS doctor. Surgery being at 4 should definitely not be a problem unless the MEPS doctor is less than kosher and is having a bad day. However, when I further scrolled down to
Page 50 where it stated that if you are disqualified in anything from chapter 2 you are disqualified from Airborne training, Ranger training, and Special Forces training and Reconnaissance and Surveillance Leaders Course training. Therefore if you were waived to get in you would have to be waived to go to any of the aforementioned courses. The probability that MEPS will allow you to get the 11X Option 40 contract is not in your favor, but once you get in you will have more opportunities to get the necessary waivers to go to Airborne and Ranger School.

Now that is all said and done I am going to add my 2cents. Fight for it if you want it, but if you get defeated at MEPS get in and keep fighting it. You can get a lot of things if you know the rules, regulations, and what can be waived. I know someone who got to go to airborne even though she needs spinal fusion one day and I'm going to be fighting to get to go pretty soon as well. Anything is possible and as all the Rangers say NEVER QUIT!!!

~Azi J Over and Out


P.S. Here is the link for the regulation if you wish to go there and browse through it yourself: http://www.usapa.army.mil/pdffiles/r40_501.pdf

I would love to hear how it turns out for you.

(Edited to add: If I am stepping on toes or posting in the wrong please let me know. I know I'm not Airborne yet and I'm only a female so never a Ranger but I am medical and I do know how to read the regulations so I thought I would contribute in any way I could. )

[hit_it]

I don't see how you would be stepping on toes you just gave the best information so far to help this young man along. Good luck on your future endeavors.

You an expert on protocol or something, fuckknuckle?

Medic, you're G2G as far as I'm concerned. We'll hope for the OP's sake that the MEPS docs and ultimately the Army Surgeon's Office interprets the regulation as you did, and that they don't have an additional guidance they have to follow.