Prior Service Marine Hearing Waiver
 

Greetings all,

I EASed from the Marine Corps this past December as a Staff Sergeant after 11 years of service as an infantryman. I initiated a Conditional Release to join the Army last Summer, but the MEPS process took so long that my Marine Corps contract ran out and I was unable to extend because I had declined reenlistment in order to join the Army and was given an RE3O. Prior to initiating the Conditional Release process, I was screened by Special Forces Proponent, and informed that I would be accepted into the 18X Program. The screening included a medical screening, during which I failed the hearing test, however I had a consult with a Hearing Conservation Specialist and obtained a memorandum stating that my hearing loss was moderate, did not prevent me from being able to carry out my duties as an infantryman, and should not prevent me from serving in Special Forces. I was assured by my regular Army Recruiter that this was sufficient and that I would be receiving a waiver for my hearing loss, so it was nothing to worry about, otherwise I would not have accepted an RE3O and terminated my Marine Corps career at 11 years. Now, nearly 9 months since this process began, I am being told that hearing loss cannot be waived and that I am disqualified from entry into the Army.

I have spoken with the Special Forces Proponent Recruiter who did my initial screening, and he is saying that if my recruiters resubmit the request for my waiver to the SORB surgeon rather than the USAREC surgeon who denied it, it might get approved. My recruiters haven't been able to figure out how to do this. Can anyone on this board recommend a course of action for me so I can straighten this out and get into the Army to do what I set out to do?

Thank you for your time

If this is truly your first post, you've probably missed the part about posting an intro.

For reasons unbeknown to me, I sent your question to the SORB here at Bragg. If I hear anything of value I'll post it.

PM Inbound. We'll see what the FBNC SORB can do with your stuff.

Thank you very much! Intro posted.

Update:

Thanks to 1stindoor, I followed the lead he gave me and successfully obtained a waiver signed by the CO of the Medical Training Group at the JFKSWCS, clearing me to attend SFAS and SFQC. We then attached this to my packet and resubmitted for the waiver from USAREC to get me into the Army.

Unfortunately, this was denied by the Surgeon General of the Army, with a statement that the Army is not allowing any waivers for hearing loss for enlistment.

I'm not giving up however. As of today my regular Army recruiters are transferring all of my documents and information to National Guard recruiters, so I'll be picking up with them next week. One way or another I'm determined to get to selection. In the meantime I'm going to work on getting an EMT certification to make myself more valuable to SF when I get there.

Again, thanks for the advice.

Great mindset. Best of luck and keep at it.

Thanks for the follow up. As Joker said, that mindset will take you far in life, whether in uniform or out of uniform. I'll leave with some "ifs." If you get to enlist, and if you get to go to selection, and if you pass, and if you make it through the SFQC....pay it forward.

I most certainly will.