Aviation Medicine

Hi all, Back when I was going through the motions for the AF Academy, during my physical I had to get a waiver for a polyp in my sinuses. I went to a specialist, and without any grief he said it wouldn't be a problem at all, unless I started smoking a few packs a day. I don't have any problems with it, and am in super health. Soon I am going to be taking a physical for a AF Reserve tanker pilot slot... will this come up again and be a problem?

Does the Air Force care if pilots chew tobacco?

Anyone with some insight or experience with this one? I am currently in the process of getting my initial FC1 physical approved by Guard Bureau. I thought I finished the process last fall with out being concerned about anything being that the medical personel said I looked "good to go" and should be fine with getting approved. Weeks later, Guard Bureau sent my FC1 back to the base asking for further documentation on a fainting incident I had 1 1/2 years ago during a guard drill. Here's what happened during this incident: Basically, My buddy was telling me a detailed and gruesome story about his brother during break. I was over tired and I felt myself growing…

can you get DQ at brooks if you have a scar on your retina?

Hi all, A few days ago I was contacted by the National Bone Marrow Registry. I had registered with them in 2003 and now it appears that I am a possible donor. I don't think it would be a problem, but does the USAF or Brooks give any grief to guys going for their flight physicals who have gone through this process? The lady at the Registry who I spoke to was very nice and said they work with DOD a lot because they have a lot of military donors. She didn't think it would be a problem, and neither did I, but I just want to make sure. I really want to go through with the process and help someone out. Thanks...

Is Tinea Versicolor going to DQ me on the flight physical, or even the initial physical for ROTC? I know other skin irritations do, but I didn't find anything on here about this one. I'll get into the specifics of my case (very mild) if there is reason for concern later. Thanks!

I will be graduating from college this June, and have already received a pilot slot in the AF through AFROTC. As anyone who has gone the AFROTC route knows, long leave periods after graduation for pilot select guys such as me are not uncommon, and I'm no different - I don't EAD until December 18th. During my six months off, I was thinking about getting some minor surgery done to correct a couple of things while I'm waiting. First, I have a bunyon on my right foot that isn't especially painful, but it is annoying and inconvenient, and I would like to have it fixed before I start my AF career. Also, I broke my nose some time ago, and my septum is still deviated, which is al…

Has anybody been an FFDO and then try and go to MEPS? I am having some trouble and wondering if anybody has been through this and can help me.

Along with two other chronic medical conditions, I was just diagnosed with sleep apnea. It's the central nervous system version, as opposed to the obstructive type that gets most people. Everyone I've spoken with that has started using a CPAP machine says that it helped them immediately. I've used it for three weeks now, and if anything, I feel worse when I get up in the morning. The mask is also knawing a sore on the bridge of my nose. Is there anyone out there that has had the same trouble?

What if you are correctable to 20/20 (within refraction limits), pass MEPS.. But then you goto your FC1 Physical, and under Cycloplegic tests, they see your refraction is more than +2. like +2.5, which is beyond limits. Is there some sort of discretion there? Reason is that my eye muscles are juiced up beyond belief, so good, that they make up for one of my eyes being an actual +2.5 in cycloplegic tests.

Greetings, First off I know this isn't necessarily a flght question but this seems a good place to get the answer I'm looking for, so forgive me if I'm wasting time. I've been searching through numerous AFI's and AFPAM's about this issue, but I cannot seem to find a straightforward answer. I know that for a SMOD physical, normal color vision is a requirement. However, is it possible to get a waiver? Has anyone ever heard of it? The only waiver guide I can find says a waiver will not be granted for a flight physical. I'm highly interested in the 13SX field (Missile side to be exact) but I'm green weak and I cannot pass a PIP exam. Other than that I don't th…

Hi all, I wanted to get some opinions on the FC1 Medical History review. I am thinking about applying for ANG UPT, but I don't want to go through years upon years of trying only to be stopped at the FC1. I have seen a lot of back and forth on just what to include on the DD 2807. I think it is fair to argue that the majority of folks, to say the least, leave out some information on the DD 2807. For many folks on the civilian side this won't present much of a problem because there are no medical records directy accessible by the flight doc. However, for the prior enlisted/commissioned guys there are electronic records and hard copy records readily available. My question…

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…

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…

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

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…

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?

I've been jogging for the past 13 years of my 14 year career in the AF. When I was enlisted in the AF, we took the bike test. But I decided to switch over to the officer side and I jogged about 6 days a week in college. Just so I could get a pilot slot and be the fastest guy in my AFROTC detachment. Jogging 6 days a week made me unstoppable on the track. I don't even say running, I call it jogging because my dog is normally by my side. I say jog so I get out there and do it at a leisurely pace. You think you are going at a leisurely pace but its pretty fast to everyone else. I developed Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) so I listened to the doctors and I've been t…

I recently did my initial flight physical. I was initially told my vision would disqualify my from pilot, which I knew, but I would be good for CSO. My recruiter call me back yesterday and said I had been disqualified from both due to vision. When I was at the clinic that day, the med tech and I checked a vision standards chart and my refractive error fell into the CSO acceptable category, my refractive error is -4.00 in both eyes. I'm corrected to 20/15 in both eyes. Does anyone know if the standards have been changed recently, or if there is some other mix up that could have caused this? Thanks

deleted

When I was 8, I had something called a Testicular Torsion,its where the testicle twists and cuts off circulation. By the time I got to the hospital it had untwisted and I was fine so the doctor sent me home. 7 years past with no problems until a few months ago it happened again when i was upnorth camping, It thought it would go away like the previouse time but it didnt, with no hospitals around I had to wait about 5 days till i got home. I finally got home and we rushed to the hospital for about a two week period i was in the hospital every two days, the doctors had no clue what was wrong. The hospital doctors finally sent me to the Urologist after 3 weeks of pain. I…

I have a question concerning hypoxia; I did a search on this site and couldn't find any previous threads on this subject. I retired from the USAF in 2001 after many years of flying on the AC-130U Gunship; big fun, I still can't believe they paid me to do that job, haha, I would have paid them. Since my retirement I've been doing "contract" work flying over the friendly skies of Kosovo for the US KFOR and NATO. Lately we've been spending a lot of time around 13K MSL for up to 6+ hours unpressurized while flying over our targets. We have the wimpy civilian nasal cannula type O2 system on board. I've noticed that I'm experiencing hypoxia while climbing through 11.5 for 1…

I have a quick question regarding Thalassemia Minor. It's a gene that I've received from my family that shows wacky blood levels. I produce more blood cells than normal. It does not affect me at all, just shows up in my blood and I've always had it. I was recently picked up for a pilot slot and I am waiting to see when I go to Brooks for my flying class I. I'm no longer anemic, I've been taking folic acid to raise my hemaglobin/hematocrit levels and they are normal. Is this condition waiverable? I'll provide more details if needed, but I can't stress enough how it does not affect me at all. Thanks.

I was diagnosed with viral myocarditis 3 years ago and had my afrotc scholarship snatched out from under me for it last year, is all lost? Also, I have something like 20/25 vision with a slight astigmatism which evidently put me into the not ppq catagory. Anything I can do about either problem? I am currently not connected to the military in any way shape or form, fyi i guess.

Is Speech Impediment from past hearing loss consider DQ'd? And if so, can I get it wavied?