Recruits take the Oath of Enlistment in Nampa, Idaho, on March 29, 2024. (Becky Vanshur/U.S. Air Force)
The U.S. Air Force has added several medical conditions to its waiver program, a move that is expected to open career opportunities to hundreds of new recruits each year, the service said this week.
The new policy allows waivers to be granted in certain cases for asthma, hearing loss and food allergies, the Air Force said in a statement Monday.
The Air Force Accessions Center said about 600 applicants are expected to benefit annually.
“We are constantly evaluating how we can bring in the best talent while ensuring our members can serve effectively and safely,” AFAC commander Brig. Gen. Christopher Amrhein said in the statement. “By expanding waiver criteria for manageable health conditions, we can access a wider pool of qualified applicants without compromising mission readiness.”
The decision comes amid a difficult recruiting environment for the armed services, which have struggled in recent years to attract new members. The Air Force, after missing its new recruit goal in 2023 for the first time since 1999, bounced back in 2024.
Relaxed tattoo rules and increased bonuses are among the factors that helped the Air Force reach its recruiting mission goals in 2024, service officials have said.
Air Force officials say the recently implemented new waiver policy is a significant change from the previous standard, which disqualified all individuals with a positive asthma diagnosis and did not consider the severity of their condition.
Waivers are now possible for those with clinically diagnosed asthma, provided they do not require daily preventive medication, “and their rescue inhaler use is kept to a minimum,” the Air Force said.
Also, applicants with hearing loss in one ear that has been diagnosed as moderate hearing impairment can now be considered for a waiver if the opposite ear meets the standards of mild hearing impairment, the Air Force said.
Meanwhile, people with a documented history of food allergies can now qualify for a waiver, provided there have been no instances of severe life-threatening reactions.
All three of the expanded waiver considerations come with limitations to career fields that could put them at increased risk or worsen their medical condition, the Air Force said.
