BRADLEY GARDINER
Survival Analysis of New Military Recruits Requiring Waivers for Scoliosis
Occupational Medicine, MPH
Preceptor: Jordan Firestone, PhD
Allowing exceptions to policy (also known as waivers) for physical criteria helps the military to continue to meet manpower needs by limiting disqualifications for service. If the physical criteria to waive a medical condition do not truly reflect the ability of a recruit with that condition to perform up to standards, early discharge from military service may be the result. Recruits with disqualifying medical conditions for one service branch may still be capable of performing required duties in another branch. The varying needs of the specific branches of service (Army, Navy, Air Force, and Maring Corps) allow that each may adjust its waiver criteris according to its particular duty requirements. Once accepted into service, attrition for recruits accepted under medical waiver standards becomes an issue. The United States General accounting office estimated that $39 million could be saved if attrition within the first 6 months of enlistment could be eliminated.
The purpose of this study is to review the experience of recruits with waivers for scoliosis to estimate their risk of premature discharge from service. The hypothesis of this study is that recruits with waivers for scoliosis suffer a greater risk of premature discharge from service, for all causes as well as for spine related conditions, than a similar cohort of recruits with no history of scoliosis.
Taken from the beginning of thesis.
