Enlisting in Reserves - Medical waiver for shoulder

[deanfd44]

Hello Marines,

This is my first post here so excuse me if I'm missing something I'm supposed to be doing here. Also, apologies that this is so long, I'm just very concerned as this is my future and I only get one chance at doing this right.

Anyway, I have searched this forum and read many posts but I keep reading conflicting answers. I've also talked to several Marines and even an old/former Navy MEPS doc; still hearing conflicting answers so I figured I'd ask all of you. I know that "talk to you recruiter" is the next step and real answer, just would like your experiences and wisdom/advice on this. So here it goes.

I've been planning on joining the Reserves after college and know what unit/MOS I want to pursue. Intelligence Analyst in an Infantry unit very close to me.

I've been very active through high school and college with wrestling, weightlifting team and boxing. My shoulder seems to have been weakened over the years and I recently visited my doc because I felt that I lost some stamina while boxing, but no pain. Had an MRI and it came back inconclusive saying something like "Labral tear not found but can not be ruled out". Doc thinks the Labrum is partly torn and he said he can fix it easily, maybe just has to clean it up arthroscopically. He sent me to physical therapy to strengthen it and said maybe I won't need surgery. It feels good, and it's important to note that as it stands I can hit a 1st class PFT with NO problems doing pushups/pullups/carrying a ruck sack... only time it gets fatigued is throwing a ball for a long time or greatly/unnecessarily extending it far back and pushing hard.

My concern here is obviously that now I'm hearing my chances are over and there is no hope for me. I've been told by several people that this is a PERMANENT DQ - and they NEVER EVER grant a waiver no matter how big or small the shoulder issue is... then I've been told by others and found over 9 people on this site who said they have seen or gotten waivers themselves! I know you can't tell me if I will get one, but does anyone know IF a waiver is possible at all if I leave it or if I have the minor surgery and enlist in 8-12 months?? The USMC is the only branch I've wanted to join, so this is potentially devastating for me to hear. Please help and advise.

Thanks for this site and everyone who helps answer questions for people like me.

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[USMC 2571]

Welcome to the site. I sent you a PM to help get you started in the right direction, and that is to PM some of the most knowledgeable people here. But, you're right, see a recruiter! Good luck to you. Keep us updated here on this same thread.

[MunkyVsRobot]

youve got two ways at looking at this 1 do nothing and suck it up and work through the pain and fix it once you ge tto the fleet. there are many Marines dealing with pain on active duty that still get things done. I deal with constant shoulder pain on a daily basis not sure what it is but I dont wan tto go on light duty. All in all which isnt probably a smart idea because light duty is there for a reason but a lot of Marines dont want to appear weak or admit that they are hurt and go to the GAS and get what is going to heal them. Then again my injuries didnt happen before I enlisted.

Choice two is go get your surgery and see what happens if you want to lie and say it never happened or tell select truths that is on you i am in no way advocating to lie to your recruiter or meps but because if HIPA if you want ot do it that is up to you. I in no way advocate to be an integrity violator its all on what you think you need to do.

[deanfd44]

I understand. I'm going back to the doc in 2 weeks to discuss with him, but let me say from the get go and even now I have NO pain. It's literally only a fatigue and stamina issue. And as I said, the MRI came back saying only a tear can not be ruled out. So we obviously don't know 100%, but then again nothing is ever 100%.

I'm debating going in and telling them I've had some fatigue issues, but I'm worried about submitting my doc's files saying it could be a tear but he's not sure vs looking into it more and having the surgery. I'm simply worried that I'll never get a waiver with or without surgery, as many people and an old Navy MEPS Chief Medical Officer told me... but then I've found over 6 Marines on this site who say in posts they have gotten waivers after 1-2 surgeries, so I don't know what to believe.

I personally believe I can get through boot camp as I am, but the obvious risk would be injuring it badly during boot camp and being discharged because it was an issue in the past.

[Tennessee Top]

You are going to hear conflicting answers here too. There are too many varying factors in your case. Nobody here can give you a definitive course of action. One thing I would say definitively is never lie about anything nor gamble with fraudulent enlistment. I just read of a case in bootcamp where a recruit is being discharged for fraudulent enlistment and his recruiter is being relieved for cause because he instructed the recruit to lie about his medical history (and the recruit followed his instructions).

Medical waivers are unpredictable. I have seen cases where one would think there was no way but the waiver came back approved and the Marine went onto graduate bootcamp. Some of these cases were even so called "automatic/permanent disqualifiers" if there is such a thing.

So. Only answer I can offer is talk to your recruiter and seek their guidance since they know how the MEPS docs there lean toward situations like yours. Good luck.

[deanfd44]

Thanks, yes I'll tell them it's not officially diagnosed and see if they recommend some surgery first or what.

As as I said, I'm more here to ask if a waiver after surgery, or without surgery, is even a possibility. Because I've had some people including a Navy Chief Medical officer at MEPS that he has never seen a waiver from the USMC for any upper body extremity issue including any small shoulder issue... Sounds extreme and was very disheartening but then as I mentioned, I'm finding Marines here and elsewhere who have... or so they say. Kind of looking for confirmation that anyone has or has seen it happen.