Medical Disqualification Question
I want to get people’s thoughts on my chances as to whether it’s worth it to apply as an Air Force reservist officer given my medical history. For context, I have a deep military (AF specific) family history that I planned on continuing, but my medicals ultimately stopped my from pursuing active duty (pilot training was the original goal).
When I was 13 I came down with a pretty bad MRSA infection in my right hip, which was misdiagnosed for about two months and thus resulted in two hospitalizations, two major surgeries, and a year and a half course of antibiotics. I developed osteomyelitis as a result, and my doctor told me I couldn’t play football/contact sports without risk of it shattering.
Fast forward a few years, and when I was 15 I was diagnosed with Charcot Marie Tooth disease, an incurable peripheral neuropathy that primarily affects the hands, feet, and occasionally other parts of the peripheral nervous system. For me it required surgery to flatten the arches in my feet, and I have a screw in each still. Stress fractures for the first year after surgery in my right foot, none since.
Finally, I’m about to undergo shoulder surgery to repair my labrum (been torn for about 8 years (I’m 24 now), didn’t have health insurance to deal with it until now). Because of this timeline, if I do apply, it’ll likely be a year+ from now, at least.
I’m a lawyer now, and coming out of law school I interviewed for active duty AF JAG. I was denied an initial offer, and speaking to one of my references that spoke to the LTC, I was denied for my medicals and not my credentials. I was also in frequent contact with the Marine recruiter, but after speaking to another active duty marine JAG I was advised to probably not pursue it due to the medicals.
Now the first two issues are to me the most pressing, but my CMT hasn’t been a problem since my surgery and my hip hasn’t given me the kind of problems my doctor thought it might. That said, I know I’m going to need a waiver if I even try. For those with experience, do you think it’s worth it to give it a shot? Or just keep trucking along as a civilian? Any and all advice is appreciated.
(Further context, while I wouldn’t mind a JAG reservist option, I’d be interested in non-legal work my ASVAB opened me up to. Pretty sure being a reservist pilot is way out of the cards but a man can dream)