Joining the Air Force with history of childhood cancer

[henrygb]

Hey everyone. I am a newbie to this forum. Based off of what i've read so far you guys seem like an informative bunch. So, perhaps one of you may have some insight to contribute to my question.

Here's my situation. I have had a life long ambition to fly for the Air Force. In one year I will graduate college with a BS in physics. I have a good GPA, no felonies, in great shape, etc. In a recruiters eyes I check all the right boxes for a Pilot hopeful.   

However, back in 2009 doctors found a small tumor in my shoulder. Long story short, the tumor was removed via minimally invasive surgery. Once out of me, the tumor tested positive for cancer. Good news is, since the docs caught it and removed the tumor early enough, not a single cancer cell spread into my body. I was announced cancer free in early 2010. I have been returning to my doc on a bi-annual basis to run scans. So far, no cancer in sight. 

Now I have done my research. I know the DoD says in general a history of cancer is a DQ but outside 5 years of treatment an applicant will be reviewed on a case by case basis. 

What I would like to know is if any of you guys were able to join under similar circumstances? How hard was it to get a waver? Were you (or someone you know) automatically PDQ'd from entering service. 

Any insight will be helpful. Thanks in advance 

[hispeed7721]

I personally know 2 dudes who had ball cancer and, while they did have to do some legwork, are both pilots right now.

I am not familiar with the intimate details of what waivers they had to get or what the whole process was, and I'm sure every situation is a little different. One had it discovered/treated about a year before he was even commissioned and had no major delay and another had it discovered during UPT and he got delayed about a year because of treatment, but once he was clean they started him right back up again.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[M2]

This guy was enlisted, but he was able to join after having a cancerous tumor removed from his abdomen ...

https://archive.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=48386

His dreams of serving in the military, however, persisted. While attending college, he learned that he could apply for a waiver to enter the service since he had been cancer-ree (sic) for more than four years.

Applications for waivers required documentation that he had no reoccurrence of cancer and an OK by the Air Force surgeon general. After getting approval to join, he received a call with the news that he would be allowed to serve in the Air Force at last. "That was a great phone call," he said of learning from his recruiter that his waiver had been accepted in January.

[henrygb]

Ahh thats excellent. Thank you both for the responses. Good article. Hopefully ill catch some of that young mans luck.