Do YOU want to Enlist but b/c of WLS you can't?
I don't know how you made out in this plight since it seems like no one responded to your post. I don't know if you realized that there is The Military Standards of Medical Fitness document of which lists items that need waivers (harder to get) and those that need a medical evaluation board review (easier to get). I also know that they state that WLS is not waiverable. However, I found a large discrepancy in the document. It states on page 5 that you would require a waiver for :
"i. Other. History of any gastrointestinal procedure for the control of obesity does not meet the standard. Artificial openings, including, but not limited to ostomy (V44), do not meet the standard."
However, they also state on page 22 that you only need an MEB (medical evaluation board) for
"e. Gastrectomy, subtotal, with or without vagotomy, or gastrojejunostomy, with or without vagotomy, when, in spite of good medical management, the individual develops “dumping syndrome" which persists for 6 months postoperatively; or develops frequent episodes of epigastric distress with characteristic circulatory symptoms or diarrhea persisting 6 months postoperatively; or continues to demonstrate appreciable weight loss 6 months postoperatively."
The procedure that they describe in this second item that only requires a review is essentially the same procedure that is performed in WLS, but not for weight loss. Hence, the military is discriminating against a surgery because it is for those who are obese. And that is inexcusable. It would be the same as saying that someone with high blood pressure could not get in because they are on medicine that now normalizes it. This is a blatant demonstration of discrimination against the obese who seek to cure their disease through surgery and the diet and exercise that follows. I am disgusted by this. The following website will direct you to the medical standards of fitness that are listed online so you can see that this is true! The military discriminated against gays, and now too the obese!The full document can found at: www.army.mil/usapa/epubs/pdf/r40_501.pdf
So hopefully more people will respond and push this issue. Has anyone gotten anythwere with this?