# Question - Medical Eligibility (aortic stenosis)



## Il Duce (Jul 3, 2015)

Friend of a friend's son has his heart set on a military career.  He was born with a heart defect called aortic stenosis.  Apparently he had surgery and has lived a completely normal life.  He's a PT stud who dreamed of a career in the USMC but told his recruiter about the condition and was told 'I wish you hadn't told me that, I'll ask my boss - answer came back no' - or close to that effect.

My understanding from research (partially on the forums on this site) is a medical denial from MEPS is final - as the Joint medical eligibility standards are the same.  However, if you haven't been to MEPS and not been evaluated by a military physician there word from a recruiter is not necessarily final.

I consulted AR 40-501 (Standards of Medical Fitness) and only found one reference to aortic stenosis in paragraph 2-18a (quoted below).  My reading - as a complete layman - is that it's definitely disqualifying when combined with another condition - but I'm not clear if it's independently disqualifying.

Passage: "Current or history of all valvular heart diseases, congenital (746) or acquired (394), including those improved by surgery, do not meet the standard.  Mitral valve prolapse or bicuspid aortic valve is not disqualifying unless there is associated tachyarrhythmia, mitral regurgitation, aortic stenosis, insufficiency, or cardiomegaly."

I sent my friend a copy of the regulation and advised they take it to the family doctor and get his interpretation on whether he met medical eligibility standards or not - and what the consequences would be if he did not report that aspect of his medical history (as the USMC recruiter seemed to indicate would have been preferable).

My major question to those of the forum who might know (bottom line at the bottom, MI style) is there better advice I can give this family?  Does anyone have direct experience/knowledge with this condition and can give the answer on eligibility?


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## Ranger Psych (Jul 3, 2015)

Given that it's a valvular heart disease....and the way you read regs, It's the other way around. Mitral valve prolapse, or Bicuspid valve is not a DQ unless you have additional conditions.  Even with surgery, he's done before he even got to the starting line.


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## Il Duce (Jul 3, 2015)

Ok, thanks.


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## Red Flag 1 (Jul 3, 2015)

He could have had aortic stenosis with or without valvular involvement. This, http://www.apd.army.mil/jw2/xmldemo/r40_501/main.asp, may have the answer, down around 2-18.


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## Il Duce (Jul 3, 2015)

@Red Flag 1 roger, thanks.  It sounded like what @Ranger Psych was saying is that aortic stenosis by it's nature is a valvular heart disease - hence my misreading of the regulation.  Sounds like you're saying that might not necessarily be the case.  Obviously I know jack shit about valvular heart disease so I appreciate the views from those who know more than me regardless.  It seems like at some point this guy is going to have to take his chances at MEPS.


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## BloodStripe (Jul 4, 2015)

I'm not sure if the email account at BUMED still exists, but several years back there was an email address you could email questions to about obtaining waivers. I sent one myself and within 24 hours I had a response. I'll see if I can remember which email I used and try to locate the email address.

I can't find the email between my three main email accounts. I'm going to say I used my school email which I have been locked out of since I graduated a year and a half ago. I found the email address while searching for waivers about psoriasis. If I recall correctly I discovered it on a psoriasis forum.


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## Il Duce (Jul 5, 2015)

@NavyBuyer no worries, thanks for the heads up that it exists.  I'll do some googling with the information you've provided and see what I can come up with.


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## BloodStripe (Jul 5, 2015)

I hope if you are able to find it you get a more positive response back than I received.


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