The question of joining the military with a history of migraines is complex, often depending more on the medical history’s details than on the diagnosis itself. While migraines involve neurological symptoms like visual disturbances, nausea, and severe, throbbing pain, a prior diagnosis does not automatically prevent military service. The Department of Defense (DoD) sets strict medical standards for accession to ensure all personnel can handle the rigors of training and deployment anywhere in the world. An applicant’s entire medical past is subject to review, and the severity and frequency of past migraine episodes determine the initial eligibility for service.
Initial Disqualification Criteria
Military accession standards, primarily governed by the Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 6130.03, Volume 1, clearly define conditions that prevent immediate entry into service. A history of recurrent headaches, including migraines, is medically disqualifying if the condition has interfered with normal function within the past three years. This interference includes missing work, school, or other activities more than twice within a 12-month period.
Disqualification is also triggered if the headaches required prescription medication more than twice within the last two years, excluding simple over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Furthermore, any history of complex migraines associated with neurological deficits, other than a visual scotoma (blind spot), is grounds for rejection. The Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) medical staff will flag the applicant based on these standards, requiring a detailed medical review of the condition’s history.
Applying for a Medical Waiver
When an applicant is found to have a disqualifying medical condition, the path to service shifts to the medical waiver process. The MEPS physician flags the condition, requiring the applicant to submit comprehensive medical documentation. This documentation must include all relevant medical records, such as neurologist reports, treatment notes, and a detailed chronology of the condition’s current status.
A medical waiver is a formal exception to the DoD’s accession standards, authorizing an individual to join despite a prior disqualification. The applicant does not directly request the waiver; instead, the military service branch must request it from the waiver authority. This ensures the military component is aware of the risk and is willing to accept the applicant based on their medical history.
Specific Factors Affecting Waiver Approval
Waiver approval hinges on specific factors that demonstrate the applicant’s fitness for military duty despite the historical diagnosis. Documented stability is a major consideration, with waiver authorities often seeking a symptom-free period of one to two years. Approval is more likely if the applicant has not required any prophylactic (preventative) daily medication, suggesting the condition is not chronic or currently active.
The type of abortive medication used to treat acute attacks is scrutinized; reliance on strong narcotics or complex drug regimens decreases the likelihood of approval. The absence of associated symptoms, such as prolonged visual disturbances, vomiting, or other incapacitating effects, strengthens the applicant’s case. The specific role the applicant is seeking also influences the decision, as high-demand positions, like combat arms or aviation, typically have stricter standards than administrative roles.
Service Implications and Retention Standards
If a medical waiver is granted and the individual successfully joins the service, they transition from accession standards to retention standards. Retention standards focus on a service member’s ability to perform their military occupational specialty (MOS) and remain deployable. If migraines return or worsen while in service, the service member may face deployment limitations, as the military requires personnel to be medically adaptable to any environment.
A significant recurrence of incapacitating migraines can trigger a review through the Disability Evaluation System (DES), which begins with a Medical Evaluation Board (MEB). The MEB determines if the condition meets retention standards, often focusing on attacks that interfere with duty three or more days per month. If the condition is deemed to make the service member non-deployable or unable to perform their duties, the case proceeds to a Physical Evaluation Board (PEB), which determines if the individual is unfit for continued service.