Aviation Medicine

Good afterrnoon gentlemen, I have an optic neuritis disorder only on my left eye. I can see well, I'm just a little sensitive to light on my left eye and can't see the color red as I can with my right eye (about 10% greyer). I've done some researching and can't find if waivers exist for this condition. Can anyone shed some light based on experience?

Any flight docs on here that I could PM with an orthopedic questions? Thanks for the help.

Hello everyone, I recently went to Wright Patt and when I was up there they didn't know what was on my cornea. They wanted to make sure it wasn't something that would get bigger. They told me to go to a specialist, which I did the Monday after getting back home. The specialist said that it is just a scar on my eye. So I faxed the paperwork up there saying that it's just a scar on my eye and I think nothing more of it because the specialist was 100% positive it was just a scar. Then I get called in by my commander and I'm told that I'm still DQed and now I'm reclassified into a different job. When I was up there the optometrist said that it wouldn't be a big deal and at a …

Would acute Pericarditis symptoms (that have not come back in 7 years) immediately DNIF a person currently on flight status? My Dad was diagnosed and treated for Pericarditis recently and the symptoms sound very similar to something I had happen to me a long time ago. Thanks

Hello, My current flight physical is only cleared for FCII. I was DQ'd for FCI due to refractive error. When Flight Med submited my stuff for a waiver, they said everything looked good and shouldn't be a problem getting a waiver. After it came back I only got a FCII and no waiver. Is there any way to get a waiver after a physical has been put in the "system"? Thanks.

Hello, I am hoping someone can ease some of my worries regarding my medical record. First of all I have researched this topic extensively and am aware that allergic rhinitis after age 12 is a DQ, however, I have somewhat of an extenuating circumstance. I am applying for guard units and work as a full time firefighter as a civilian. Common practice in the fire service is to get a prescription for Flonase as working the large wild land fires we have in California for weeks on end is a recipe for congestion. I explained this to my doctor in 2011 and in order to get the prescription he gave me the diagnosis of allergic rhinitis which I do not technically have (…

Had my name on documents.

Gentlemen, I've spent 3 1/2 years in the military; 3 years in Europe, including a one-year stint on active duty as an infantry officer, and six months in the USMCR after I immigrated. Just before shipping off to Parris Island, I had some hemorrhoids removed, and this triggered childhood memories I'd been unaware of. I made it through boot camp, but when I spoke to a chaplain on Lejeune about increasing nightmares, he referred to me to the wizard, who told me I had PTSD. Long story short, I was discharged honorable/RE-3P. No suicidal tendencies, no disciplinary problems, no PD or similar, excellent write-ups from my chain of command recommending that I re-enlist once he…

MEB

Hi folks, I am planning on getting back to flying here in Korea at Osan, though I need to go get my FAA med. done first. My question is about eyesight, I can not always see 20/20 with my right eye. Sometimes I can, sometimes on a bad day I can not. However I don't want to get a restriction on my license because of something that could be pseudomyopia or ciliary spams, I am planning to get an through eye exam done here on post and order contacts, though can you wear them for the FAA exam? As far as I know, for a first class, you need to have 20/20 corrected or uncorrected, if it is corrected, then it has to go on your license. I was wondering if anyone out there h…

Anyone have any thoughts on the recent articles that have been coming out of the NYT hammering military medicine? Although military medicine has its unique challenges, I found the articles unjust. Here are the links to the articles: https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/29/us/in-military-care-a-pattern-of-errors-but-not-scrutiny.html https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/02/us/smaller-military-hospitals-said-to-put-patients-at-risk.html?_r=0 1. Fat on tragic anecdote, sparse on scientific rigor. 2. Who are they comparing us to?! It seems like all the comparisons are to 'leading civilian hospitals'. Is it really fair to compare Winn Army Hospital to Johns Hopkins a…

All, Welcome Jedi Doc as the newest moderator to the forum. Current flight doc who has been given moderator access to the aviation medicine section.

Anyone had any experience with a pre-separation physical? What does it entail?

What do you want from the Medical Group? You probably only want two things: good healthcare when you need it, and to be left the hell alone when you don't. Both of these things can only exist with good communication, something the Air Force generally lacks in great quantities. There will be many times when you really need to talk to somebody about the results of a test, the documentation from an off-base visit, or the status of a special duty application. There will also be times that the MDG wants to talk to you, so they annoyingly call you 5 times a day. Or they'll call once and leave a message, but their line is constantly busy or they never answer the phone. You…

I was doing my IFC 1 at an MTF (really wished I'd gone to MFS for both IFC1 and MFS portion), when they pulled an old record and saw I was hospitalized in 2008. My blood alcohol at the time was 1.5 times the legal driving limit (0.115 IIRC). I was not driving, so I wasn't doing anything illegal. I don't recall any figures for C02, ALT, or AST. The flight doc was saying my BAC was "really, really high" and that she was worried about me having to sign some type of abstinence statement. I'm 27 now, and I've never had any issues or history of anything related to alcohol. The proximal hospitalizing event in 2008 required I stop by in ADAPT since the AF considered it, "an alcoh…

This may be more or a procedural question than an medical question, but it has a couple of facets. Background: I'm a 34 year current and qualified USMC tactical jet aviator with no USN waivers. I have 20/17 vision and am currently in a flying status. I'm in the process of ending my current contract and switching to either the an AFRC unit or an ANG unit. I've been offered a job with an AFRC unit, so they are running my flight physical up through AFRC(as far as I understand it). When I completed my flight physical the optometrist identified that I demonstrate a topographical pattern suggestive of keratoconus in one eye. Considering that I'm already a "trained" avi…

Hello all, I have been doing research for a few months now, and I am now adamant about joining the ANG. I would like to apply as a civilian to a fighter squadron when they have a position available. I am currently a civilian flight instructor with 400 hours flight time and I hold a First Class FAA Medical Certificate. While conducting research, I have found that the military medical standards, especially for flight, are high. Back in 2008, I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease after suffering from mild abdominal pain. I was put on Remicade treatment, and I still receive that every 2 months to keep the disease in remission. I consider myself fortunate, as the only side …

A new DD Form 2992, "Medical Recommendation for Flying or Special Duty," has been published. This form will shortly replace the AF Form 1042 (and the DA 4186 and NAVMED 6410 for the other services) which are now "obsolete" (so sayeth the form). Ideally it will allow electronic signatures so folks don't need to deal with physical routing and filing anymore. No news yet from the programmers that manage the medical system (ASIMS) on a timeline for the switch. I expect it will be fairly soon. It is available at: https://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/forms/eforms/dd2992.pdf

Quick question, I am trying to get back into the guard after a 4 year break in service, meaning I will have to go to MEPS again, My unit (recruiter)is saying after submitting my info to MEPS that it could take up to 5 Surgeon General Waivers to get back in. He says he could see one get approved but not up to 5. Is he right or just not willing to put in the work? His tone indicates he does not want to submit the waivers. Still waiting to hear from the OG though. Am I screwed? Do the SG waivers get any special consideration due to being previous active duty for 10 years opposed to a newbie off the street?

Ok, so here is a really weird questions, but one that I think is interesting. A lot of cadets at my Det want to be pilots, but a few of them are decided to go to Med school to be Flight Surgeons! I have a friend in the Navy who is a flight surgeon, (dang good one too! I guess he almost got flight surgeon of the year for the whole Navy!) This friend gets to fly F-18's and all too! What a deal! My question is: Have you ever heard of anyone being a pilot for 10 and then going to Med school after that? To either be a doc and/or flight surgeon. Highly unlikely I know, but just wondering. I do know that many people change careers and go to med school in their late 30'…

Good afternoon all, I'm an Air Force OTS Rated applicant with my package currently before the 15OT01 Review Board. We're expecting results within the next 2 weeks, and due to my age, I'm a priority for the next May BOT class. If selected, I would have to go to the May BOT class, or else I would be age disqualified. During my medical screening paperwork I filled out last year, I admitted to having dislocated my left knee in 2005 when I was 19 years old. My recruiter told me this would require a waiver, so this summer I visited an orthopedic surgeon and had a full consult with X-Rays. He filed a report with my recruiter stating that there is no long-term damage from…

I wore contacts for a couple years as part of the program for aviators, but now I'm in a non-flying billet and wish to continue wearing contacts. I'm perfectly content to purchase them myself if I have to, but does anyone know if pilots in non-flying billets can still receive contacts for free under the program? Thanks in advance for the help.

Hello, Quick question. I'm a non prior officer candidate that had some trouble doing the piss test at MEPS and just recently at the latest UA. I pretty much had to wait around for three hours each time and had a very hard time with it and managed to do it last minute prior to getting sent home. I don't want this to be a regular thing in a 20 year career with the anxiety and I recently got information on AFI44-120 Attachment 13 which allows you to get a waiver with proper documentation. My question is I saw my local physician who wrote up the paperwork and I submitted it to our base flight doctor. He seemed confused as he had never seen the waiver or form before an…

Edited for CYA. Good advice though, read and heeded.

When i took my FC1 the first time I was called back to retake another cholesterol test. I was told it was "higher than what the AF likes to see". Anything over 200 and you need to come back. I had 224. I retook it a week later and it was 199. Today, 7 months later, I tested myself with some kit I bought at Walgreens and it was 234. I'm off to OTS in Nov and SUPT soon thereafter. Is this something that could get me in trouble at Brooks or OTS?