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Anyone with orthopedic hardware?

N

navyblue84

Registered User
Hey guys, I was just wondering if anyone out there at OCS or in the process of going has any remaining orthopedic hardware in their body and was it difficult to get a waiver? I've recently been pro rec'd SNA and the issue is that I broke my leg 7 years ago and still have the two little orthopedic screws they had to use. My leg is totally fine now and I'm able to run 8 miles daily, haven't had any pain or discomfort in 7 years, so I don't think its a big issue. I've heard of guys still being able to join the Navy with different bits of metal in them, but just wondering if anyone out there has experienced the process of getting the orthopedic hardware waiver. I go to MEPS on April 5th, so do you seek out the waiver there and is it difficult to get? Thanks for your input!
 
feddoc

feddoc

Really old guy
Contributor
I'm far removed from OCS, but I can tell you that if you are asymptomatic .... especially for seven years ... your waiver should be a matter of paperwork and not a big deal.
 
Lawman

Lawman

Well-Known Member
None
Screws are a no go. We just had a guy that looked great on everything else. Had a couple pins and screws in his arm, and it was a "sorry about your luck," situation.

Im not saying dont try for the waiver, but I have never in conversation with my father (Air Force Flight Medicine) or anyone else in the medical community heard of a waiver being handed out for pins and screws especially in the lower half of the body.

Good luck man, seriously. If you want it bad enough it would suck to have somebody like you not get in because of this.
 
Brett327

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Lawman said:
Screws are a no go. We just had a guy that looked great on everything else. Had a couple pins and screws in his arm, and it was a "sorry about your luck," situation.

Im not saying dont try for the waiver, but I have never in conversation with my father (Air Force Flight Medicine) or anyone else in the medical community heard of a waiver being handed out for pins and screws especially in the lower half of the body.

Good luck man, seriously. If you want it bad enough it would suck to have somebody like you not get in because of this.
Click to expand...
FYI, I know lots of people with metal in them that still fly.

Brett
 
S

snow85

Come on, the FBI would have given him twins!
screws are a go, but you'll probably need a waiver. to get that, you might need an outside consult or two, new x-rays, etc. the navy pays for those consults and x-rays, (MEPS, etc.), so you shouldn't have to foot the bill.

furthermore, your bones have probably already rendered the screws useless-- i.e. they've already served their purpose, but it would be a pain to remove them.

try to get the waiver. you shouldn't have a problem.
 
N

navyblue84

Registered User
Hey guys thanks a lot for all your replies, and especially for that NOMI link, guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens at MEPS. Again thanks!
 
T

The Stinkster

Now who do I blame?
pilot
I had two screws in my ankle that they had me remove before I was medically cleared to fly, but that was a while back. As the NOMI info indicates, shouldn't be impossible to get a waiver. I know a couple of guys with hardware that are still flying, but they got the hardware post wings, so I have no first hand knowledge of how they handle that. Give it a go, definitely worth the effort.
 
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