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DoDMERB Shoulder Dislocation Is Always a DQ

DoDMERB shoulder dislocation is one of the clearest history of standards in the entire medical review, and this video explains why and what to do about it. Retired Army physician and former DoDMERB official Dr. Arthur Cajigal joins LTC Rob Kirkland to break down the shoulder rules and how to build a waiver case. You will learn that any history of dislocation, subluxation, or instability of the shoulder is disqualifying, and that it does not matter how long ago it happened or whether surgery fixed it. Even an applicant who is now a state champion wrestler is still disqualified on paper, because the standard is written around laxity and the risk of the joint coming out again during obstacle courses, combatives, and swimming. Dr. Cajigal also covers AC joint separation within the last 12 months. He then walks through exactly what the waiver authority wants, both for a shoulder that had surgery and one that was only rehabbed, including the operative or procedure report, imaging such as an MRI that shows the severity of laxity, clinical notes from the full course of care, a focused orthopedic exam, and proof of a return to a shoulder heavy sport. The video closes on the waiver mindset. DoDMERB weighs both the diagnosis and current function, so records are everything, and playing sports again helps the story but does not erase the diagnosis, the timing window, or the recurrence history. If your family needs help navigating a DoDMERB disqualification or waiver, contact us about DoDMERB Consulting: https://dodmerbqualified.com/start 00:00 Intro 00:57 What DOD Really Cares About 02:06 Shoulder Dislocations Overview 03:06 Why Any History Is DQ 03:50 Waiver Records After Surgery 04:12 Proving Function Post Surgery 04:57 No Surgery Cases and Rehab 05:32 How Waiver Reviewers Assess Risk 06:33 Diagnosis vs Function Explained 08:17 Sports Participation Myth 08:31 Key Takeaways and Wrap Up