deaddebate

Take the medicine, get better, stop taking the medicine, see the flight doc.

AFI 48-123 para 6.20., AFI 41-210 para.s 2.9., 2.10.12., 2.34.4., & 2.50.7., and AFJI 44–117 para 3-8.b. Also coordinate with your local TOPA Flight in the MDSS.

Afrin and Phenylephrine (Sudafed), but require temp DNIF--talk to your local Flight Doc.

Read AFI 48-149 para.s 7.4. and sub-paragraphs. You cannot be forced to take these stimulants or sedatives. However, in the rare instances that the Wing/CC and MAJCOM determine that fatigue management medications are necessary to perform a mission, you may be excluded from that mission. Separately, you MUST perform ground testing on Ciprofloxacin (an antibiotic) IAW AFI 48-123 para 1.1.2.1.

FYI, these AFSC's are projected to be undermanned and in demand. 14N, 17D/17S, 21R, 32E, 41A, 46F, 52R

Tangentially related but I'm posting here anyways. http://www.defense.gov/News/Speeches/Speech-View/Article/713736/remarks-on-goldwater-nichols-at-30-an-agenda-for-updating-center-for-strategic

So eventually the DOD will station folks at only one of these five locations at a time for an indeterminate but temporary length, with a fixed rotation of locations. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2016/03/254833.htm From the text of the EDCA at: http://www.gov.ph/2014/04/29/document-enhanced-defense-cooperation-agreement

Surgery is usually a last resort. Other, better, solutions include weight loss, reducing alcohol/tobacco use, and sleep hygiene/positioning. Next could be an oral device (like a mouth guard, just keeping your mouth open and jaw forward). After that would be a discussion with your ENT/Sleep Medicine Specialist about CPAP/BiPAP vs surgery.

The third character, called a "Career field subdivision" (AFI 36-2101 Table 1.1.), is what differentiates this AFSC from RPA Sensor Op. That character is defined as a "division of a career field that groups closely related AFSs in one or more ladders" (Attch 1). Meaning this new AFSC is highly related to the existing 1U0X1, but not necessarily dependent on it as a feeder AFSC. But that could be a requirement as a retrain-only AFSC--we won't know until 1 Apr 2016 when the final AFECD is published. Also, I forgot to mention that the approved prefixes for 1U1X1 are: Prefix K - Aircrew Instructor / Prefix Q - Aircrew Standardization/Flight Examiner / Prefix T - Formal Training Instructor / Prefix U - Information Operations

New AFSC - 1U1XX, Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Pilot Source: https://gum-crm.csd.disa.mil/app/answers/detail/a_id/4668

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't see any indication the -4.00 D is astigmatism. In fact, if you're wearing a contact lens it is likely sphere. In that case the limit is -8.00 and you should be good to go with a good surgical outcome. Whoops, meant anisometropia, which has a 2.0 diopter limit for pilot applicants. See top of 5th page of Refractive Surgery entry.

derail (sorry): except for loss of consciousness events. I know a dude who got kicked the curb for a minimum of 2 years even after 2 separate neuros gave him clean bills of health. Yeah, I also know a guy who totally was healthy and like was friends with four different doctors and each one said he was good but then the dumb FAA guy was like "nuh uh," but I totally know the whole story and there's no way that my buddy didn't tell me everything and that he knew his whole medical record and I memorized the FAA standards last night.

Because you haven't yet actually had a venous thrombus event (to your knowledge), you're in a much better category if you indeed do have this deficiency. The deficiency alone is just a risk factor for Thrombophilia, but it's probably enough to require a waiver. Read these MSD excerpts of "disqualifying" conditions: Remember "disqualifying" doesn't mean the Air Force will throw you out the door as soon as it's discovered. It just means a waiver and further consideration is necessary. Though the title isn't totally accurate, the Waiver Guide entry for "Deep Venous Thrombosis/Pulmonary Embolism" is most applicable to you. Whether you will require anticoagulant therapy will be the deciding factor in your waiver consideration. I imagine you'll be categorized as having a "Transient Risk Factor," meaning certain actions will increase your likelihood to experience a VTE. Thus you'd only be DNIF'd in response to things like major surgery, trauma/bone fractures, etc. You'd already get DNIF'd for such events, but the DNIF would last longer. But what do I know? You haven't been tested yet for anticardiolipin antibodies, lupus anticoagulant factor, protein C, protein S, factor V Leiden, prothrombin gene mutation, and antithrombin III. I don't have access to your medical records. You might be mis-remembering whether you've had a VTE. Or not. Get tested, and go from there. For the FAA, damned if I know, but I can't imagine it would be anything other than more lenient than the AF. Every interaction I've ever experienced with FAA clearances is how ridiculously low the bar has been placed.

A, B, or C is a fail. D, E, or F is a pass. You typically test corrected and that's the one that counts. AETC/SG is the only authority that can actually DQ. Everybody else in between is a barrier with no real authority, but annoying people that well try to stymie you. Now, that isn't all bad for the Air Force; keeping out the easy "No's" speeds up dispositions and routing. But this forum exists to give you an unfair advantage and use regulation to your benefit. Push until you get an official response from the owning office.

Read the entry in the waiver guide for "Refractive Surgery:" http://www.wpafb.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-160106-025.pdf You exceed the pre-surgery astigmatism by a full diopter. Waiver likelihood is very low. Sorry.

You are eligible for a waiver per the waiver guide, because you are an H2 due to only one frequency in one ear. You do not sign or formally request a waiver--it's all routed with or without you, unless you specifically ask to withdraw from the Recruiting process. Your first major step is to determine which office actually disqualified you? There are several waiver middle men. AFRC/RS, AFRC/SG, or AETC/SG? Most likely it was RS (Recruiting), who is not the actual authority but they act as a gate keeper. If it was Recruiting, you can absolutely fight it.

As said above, this is nothing new. 2015 - http://i.imgur.com/qiXDVAY.jpg 2014 - http://i.imgur.com/lW8Bf1T.jpg 2013 - http://i.imgur.com/Aib28E3.jpg 2012 - http://i.imgur.com/mlpglWh.jpg This is a game played by the AF to boost numbers when reporting annual NDAA end-strengths. I saw some older versions of this going back to 2000, but it may have more history than that. Folks are allowed to stop participating, they are technically still in and could conceivably be recalled, though I haven't heard of it ever happening.

Next AFRC board will be June. Again, get your medical clearance completed before the package submission deadline. Meaning if you need MFS, you should be scheduled a full month ahead. Remember if you already did MFS, the clearances are good for ~4 years, so just reapply with your last certification.

They may be suspicious that the scope also treated a torn ligament. Would a scope be justified for first round treatment of "mild" chondromalacia, or was it more symptomatic and chronic, after other care? Did you continue care with PT or an Orthopedist, and where is that documentation? Anyway, get the doc to document your memory of the injury and treatment, then assess for instability, weakness/strength, range of motion, ability to run/jump/bear weight, and pain. When civ doc's write shit like "Joey's knee is recovered and he is able to fully participate in military duties," it means nearly nothing. A good note might look like this: "Joey injured his left knee during the summer of 2004 during a basketball tournament, and it worsened through the season. He was evaluated by his PCM in the fall of 2004, referred to Physical Therapy, and later diagnosed with mild/moderate chondromalacia. He attended PT for 2 months, and then evaluated by an Orthopedic Specialist, who recommend MRI. An MRI in Nov 2004 identified moderate chondromalacia and probable bucket-handle tear of the meniscus. He underwent corrective arthroscopy in Dec 2004 and continued PT through Apr 2005 to full recovery, never requiring retained hardware. My assessment today shows no complications/no sequalae from this injury. He has full, pain-free range of motion, no weakness nor instability, 5/5 strength, and able to run and jump without limitation. He can maintain an active lifestyle, and recommend he continue to exercise regularly."

http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/639998/department-of-defense-press-briefing-by-pentagon-press-secretary-peter-cook-in

BLUF: as stuckindayton wrote, he should get a cycloplegic assessment ASAP. I encourage you to provide those results to us, either here or in a PM. Refractive Surgery (PRK or LASIK) might be his best chance for pursuing a Pilot position. We can't give a good answer as the contacts prescription is not as comprehensive. Also, everybody's vision changes as they age. But guesstimating from the prescription you provided indicates he does not meet IFCI standards for a both Hyperopia (farsightedness) and Anisometropia (difference in vision for each eye). Again making assumptions, he would be eligible for a IFCI waiver for his Hyperopia but not for the Anisometropia, not to mention the very likely possibility he would have trouble passing depth perception. Also, this would be very borderline for a Navigator applicant.

This is worth 7 minutes of your time. http://homebrave.com/home-of-the-brave//on-the-ferry-from-lesbos-to-athens The host used to work for NPR, and is now independent. He spent some time in Afghanistan and other places.

Because sleep apnea is an easy diagnosis, 6 months is possible but unlikely. Be proactive and get your sleep study done asap if you haven't already. A realistic timeline for the MEB and waiver is probably around 6-9 months.