Aviation Medicine

I am a Cadet at the Air Force Academy and I recently had my vision tested for pilot qualification. I passed all my tests with flying colors except the Red Lens Test which I failed. The docs told me to come back for in-depth testing of my depth perception (which is a more thorough examination then the Red Lens Test) since I failed the Red Lens Test. The depth perception test was the one with the circles etc. I passed that one with flying colors as well. The docs then retested me on the Red Lens Test at the end of the depth perception test and I failed it again. The docs said they are going to try and get a waiver for the Red Lens Test and my myopia. The docs said that I pa…

The recruiter I'm working with submitted our SG Prescreen Waiver for a PDQ Relook about 60 days ago (this is for a guard slot). The PDQ was for minimal mitral valve prolapse in an echo I had done. I saw a cardiologist more recently, and there was no prolapse or leakage indicated in any of the valves. This report, a supporting letter from the cardiologist, and my entire medical history in the past 5 years were submitted in this waiver. My question isn't so much about the medical issue, but about how patient I should be, and how much I should or shouldn't pester my recruiter. If I were 24, this wouldn't be stressing me out so much, but I'm freshly 28, and feel the …

I saw a policy memo from AFPC of an upcoming guidance memorandum for AFI 36-2110, Assignments, expected to publish on 30 June. Post-pregnancy deferments for Deployment and PCS (aka Assignment Limitation Code "A") will increase from 6 months to a full year. This action will be retro-active for any child-births from March 2015 to present. Note that para 2.39.5. allows for members to voluntarily request removal of this deferment, which certainly will be a very important option as a year is a very LONG time and assignment possibilities will arise in that time. The change was also supposedly spear-headed by SECAF James. It's also very important that this deferment is not pushe…

(please bear with the lingo and "perspective"...ROTC cadets like myself are more than an amateur in the processes and lingo of active duty) Current status: - ROTC cadet (3rd year, approaching senior year) with a rated categorization, specifically CSO 12XXX - In process of getting my flight physical scheduled...filling out the self reported inventory of what's "wrong with me" - have a current knee injury (or so i believe an injury) waiting for official doctor diagnosis of whats wrong with it, MRI has been done, waiting for results Problem: - I do not want to lose my CSO slot for something as minor as a knee injury. - possibility of going on MRS when …

Hello everyone, So recently I was selected by a AF reserve unit as a candidate for their upcoming pilot board. After a few months of talking to a recruiter I took the MEPS physical. I was told I passed by my recruiter and the MEPS doctors, and that he would go ahead and start the process with getting my FC1 scheduled. About a month later my recruiter called me and told me that the AF surgeon generals office disqualified me from even taking the FC1 due to my hearing being out of H1 limits at the 6000hz frequency in my left ear. Besides that I have no medical issues and my vision is 20/40 in both eyes. I just can't believe that I would be denied from even taking the p…

Anyone have any experience with deploying with an epi-pen due to severe allergies?

There are two common points of confusion with flight surgeons. The first is whether or not a military flight doc is a surgeon as understood by the definition of a particular type of physician who carries privileges to perform invasive surgery. The second is whether or not flight docs are pilots. Many junior enlisted members see the flight doc wearing the same uniform, patches, and rank as a pilot and assumes since they fly, they are also pilots. There is another forum post on the pilot physician program, but this makes up only a very small number of individuals. The majority of flight surgeons are: 1. Not surgeons 2. Not pilots The followup question typicall…

The recent Germanwings crash has stirred a lot of discussion on several topics: 1. Importance of having more than one person in cockpit at all times 2. Reporting mechanisms for mental and medical health from all sources of medical care 3. How to address depression and mental health disorders in pilots I have read quite a few blogs and editorials suggesting there is no room for depression or mental health issues in anyone allowed in a cockpit. My personal opinion is that this is the wrong direction to go. There needs to be a way for pilots who are depressed to get back in the cockpit, a pragmatic rational approach is preferred to a 'zero tolerance' on…

I recently had the opportunity to hear some some folks from AFMSA and AFMOA speak, plus Lt Gen Robb. He was really good at talking without actually saying anything. https://www.health.mil/About-MHS/Leadership-Biographies/Lt-Gen-Douglas-J-Robb A common sentiment was that if one service has an existing medical program or solution that does 95+% of what that service wants, but one or two of the other services has a program or solution that can perform 80+% for the whole DOD, the DOD MHS will push to adopt that 80% solution in the belief of interoperability and work to make it a 95% solution at a later date. The logic is that division and stovepiping capabilities, th…

Currently an Active Duty AF officer with a TS-SCI clearance. I disclosed in my commissioning physical and background check that I experimented with marijuana <5 times 8 years ago when I was a teen. I was completely open about it....didn't want my integrity challenged in any way. I've got everything together to apply for the '04 Active Duty UFT board except for the flight physical which I plan on proceeding with in May '03. Is the flight doc going to ask me about prior drug usage again? If so, will I need a moral waiver for it? I would think that if I needed a waiver, I would've had to get it upon commissioning. Thoughts?? I appreciate your help.

Couldn't find anything via search. I was diagnosed with Stage 1 Polycystic Kidney Disease earlier this week. My kidney function is normal and my blood pressure is good, but I have over a dozen cysts in and on both kidneys. I discovered it during a BFM flight (pain) and it got worse a few days later, which led to the CT Scan and ultimate diagnosis. I'm also in the middle of a transfer from the Navy Reserve to AF. 1) Assuming the MRI/MRA is good and I have no signs of aneurysm or neural cysts, what are my odds of continuing to fly fighters? Has anyone gone through that waiver process here? How long does it take? 2) WRT the transfer - assuming NAMI approves a waiver, would A…

I recently received my 1042 to return to fly after a year and a half on the ground. I wanted to pass along my experience in case some poor bastard has to go through any of this. The issues I had included vertigo, an unrelated brain cyst, meningitis as a side effect from the brain surgery, and headaches as a result of the meningitis and surgery healing process. I'll also throw in my experiences at ACS. I am (now was) a fighter guy and after a BFM sortie experienced some dizziness and vertigo. The vertigo was diagnosed as Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). The big take away from this for me was that there are only a handful of issues that lead to vertigo a…

If I am going for a pilot slot in AFROTC, what are the odds of getting a waiver for color some color blindness ?

Active Duty question here. I was referred to an allergist over 2 hours away due to the town the base is in having none. Is there something about getting milage reimbursed for my weekly shot appointments? Thanks Bros.

I just got notified today that I was Permanently DQ'd for a pilot slot from Unsponsored AFRC. My recruiter sent up my documents with passing MEPS physical besides hearing and 4 outside audiograms showing 35db @500hz and MRI showing normal. Rest of my hearing is normal 5-10db across all frequencies. ENTs cant figure out why I have hearing loss. Anyways recruiter says that Surgeon General denied my waiver and that this is end of the road. The thing is, I don't remember signing any waiver documents like I have in the past for a shoulder surgery, also it was a really short turn around than before. Can it really go straight to Surgeon General without a waiver? Maybe I am…

Doc, Thanks for looking in on this thread. Long story short(ish): Current rated senior pilot, ~3000 hrs My father had 2-3 blood clots when I was a little kid and has been on blood thinners ever since. When it happened, my parents got blood tests for my sister and I and they found that we had protein S deficiency. That was pretty much that and I had basically forgotten about it. That is until my sister got pregnant, got retested, and just reminded me that I have it too. Her retest showed that her level is 17 (I think normal is 60-150?) and her protein C was normal. She 'thinks' my level was lower than hers when we were kids (she was a bit older and appare…

I saw the flight physical counts for flying general aviation now. Is it the initial class 1 or the yearly PHA that counts for it? Also, does the CSO PHA count for flying GA? I'm trying to figure out what exact piece of paper I need to carry with me and if I need to do a civilian medical or not.

Has anyone taken this stuff? Was on leave in Central America and experienced "travelers diarrhea". Cause unknown, most likely local water. In an effort to curtail my symptoms I took this stuff on a local doctors recommendation. You can get this at the local pharmacy and all it is is a set of probiotic vials w/ a set of pills. BL, do you think I am required to tell the flight doc I took it upon my return or no? It did work and I feel fine now. Thanks

Hey everyone. I am a newbie to this forum. Based off of what i've read so far you guys seem like an informative bunch. So, perhaps one of you may have some insight to contribute to my question. Here's my situation. I have had a life long ambition to fly for the Air Force. In one year I will graduate college with a BS in physics. I have a good GPA, no felonies, in great shape, etc. In a recruiters eyes I check all the right boxes for a Pilot hopeful. However, back in 2009 doctors found a small tumor in my shoulder. Long story short, the tumor was removed via minimally invasive surgery. Once out of me, the tumor tested positive for cancer. Good news is, since t…

Hello - I have a religious requirement about what I put into my body (at least when it comes to psychotropics and other substances including caffeine, etc). I was told that I have to ground test no-go pills before my UPT class starts next week. Flight doc indicated that if I wouldn't proceed with the ground-test, the air force would show me where the door was. Are there any waivers or known ETP's that, AFI's, etc. that might let me skip this? Please note, I fully understand why we are ground-testing, I just can't reconcile it for the religious reason I mentioned before. Thanks for any advice.

BLUF: Can anyone suggest a good remedy/sinus decongestant for sinus barotrauma? I've experienced mild sinus barotrauma a couple of times and, what I'll call a severe occurrence once (felt as though someone was stabbing me in the forehead with an ice pick), over the past three years. All times have been on commercial airliners only on descent from over an hour long flight. The most severe occurrence was on an overnight flight from the States to Europe; the entire descent was downright debilitating. I've probably taken about 150 commercial flights over the last three years and only noticed it on about three of them. I've also piloted Cessnas below 8,000ft reg…

Will a Varicocel DQ me at MEPS or my Flight Physical? I am really concerned and thank you for your help in advance!

Anyone have experience or know anyone that successfully contacted a Senator, Congressman or a Surgeon General and revered a decision after getting disqualified medically? I have H2 hearing (35db @ 500hz) in one ear, rest frequencies are perfect and mild chondromalacia in my shoulder which my surgeon said was caused by her doing my labrum repair surgery back from 07. Both of these conditions would not be a problem if I was already trained and still not an issue with FAA. I'm not expecting much, just wanted to make sure I exhausted all resources. Also would anyone know the best way to contact a surgeon general, specifically AFRC?

Anyone received it? I am getting two stories, it is up to the max of your military pay or straight up replaces lost civilian pay, regardless of mil pay. Example: milpay is 7k a month. Civilian pay, 8K a month... incap is 8K Make sense?

Can anyone talk to the assignment process once an 11F is medically disqualified from all flying duties but remains qualified for military service? Would the fighter porch remain ownership and determine assignments? Is conversion to a new AFSC possible? Which office would control the process and decide the outcome? Thanks for the help.