Some survivors of childhood cancer wish to enlist in the Armed Services; qualify for the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), the Reserves, or the service academies; or work for a police or fire department. Applications from survivors for the Armed Services are considered on a case-by-case basis, and you may be eligible for a medical waiver to obtain admission.

Applicants are asked to provide information about their disease, its treatment, and their current health status. The recruiter should also be given the results from a recent medical examination and articles from the latest medical literature. If you are granted a waiver, you must still meet the physical requirements for the position sought. These regulations are outlined in the Department of Defense’s Instruction No. 6130.03, called “Medical Standards for Appointment, Enlistment, or Induction in the Military Services” (see www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/613003p.pdf ).

Childhood cancer survivors interested in applying for training or jobs in police and fire departments will need to check their local department’s standards for physical requirements. Generally, though, current physical condition is what matters, and employers cannot ask about health history until they have made a conditional job offer. ³