oppykm

Hey AP community! I was just wondering if any of you had experience with obtaining medical waivers. I had childhood staring spells when I was about 8, but have been free of the spells for almost 15 years now with no help from medication. I received a current neuro eval in order to begin my PPL and he said they are often outgrown a majority of the time. He declared me healthy and free of the ailment. What are the odds I can pull off a medical waiver for something like this granted I provide all the documentation from my neuro and max my AFOQT/other pertainable scores?

Thanks for the help thus far!

clipperskipper

You won't get a waiver for this condition, it's either go or no go. If you have a clean neuro exam, mri, eeg , and deny any condition under Item 46, you should get your medical. Try to deal with your regional flight surgeon, certification is much faster, and your stuff won't get lost in Ok city.

USMCFLYR

I'm assuming since he posted this in the 'Military' forum and he mentions the "AFOQT/ and other pertainable scores" that he was asking about medical waivers for military flight training.

I say since you were officially diagnosed with it then you would need to disclose it on your medical. Don't offer up any further but the required information. IF they come back and say that you need a waiver for it, then you will have the doctor's sources that you have already mentioned. I suggest this course of action because throwing all the paperwork at them from the start just highlights this long past condition that might not raise any unnecessary flags if you don't bring it to the forefront to begin with.

As far as waivers in general go - - - LUCK.
Sometimes if the conditions / timing are right then you can get a waiver for just about anything. If the timing is wrong, you won't be able to get a waiver for a cavity (slight joke here - but the intent remains the same).
Good luck and let us know what happens if you pursue it.

USMCFLYR

KC10 FATboy

Knowledge is Power. Here is the USAF Aerospace Medicine, Medical Exams and Standards regulation.

http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/share.../AFI48-123.pdf

Personally, I think you are disqualified. Section 5.3.11 discusses neurological disorders. When I Googled "staring spells", the words neurological disorder were paired up with almost ever listing. However, I am probably mistaken (I'm a pilot, not a doctor but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express). Get the advice of your local doctor.

Go to section 5.3, it has all of the disqualifying items. Print the regulation, take it to your doctor. Have them look at it and see what he/she says. The flight surgeon isn't going to care what your personal doctor says only if that person's expertise is neurological disorders or whatever specialty "staring spells" fall into.

I would have your doctor call an OFFICER accessions recruiter (not an enlisted recruiter) and ask them for the contact info of a Flight Surgeon (someone at Brooks AFB who deals with officer accession physicals) or perhaps the USAF Surgeon General's office. Have your doctor float your condition to see if it is DQ. Your doctor might be able to "word" the documentation in such a way that makes your condition passable.

Good luck ... and ALWAYS get a second opinion. But before you go down that road of trying to get into the USAF, know what is going to happen to you before you sign the dotted line.

Ball Breaker

I would not recommend even bringing it up if it was just childhood symptoms and you did not go through specific therapy or meds for it. Others may disagree, but the docs are not real likely to "work with you" especially during an initial qualification stage. They can quickly eliminate someone and they will not spend any effort over-ruling the initial assessment. Just my opinion, but if this is a dream of yours, realize the system can be brutal. Wish u the best of luck!

ryan1234

+1

to the OP: Do you really remember what happened when you were 8? I don't!

Spells? What exactly do you mean...? You sure your parents weren't being a little over the top?

It is definitely bad to be a hypochondiac when filling medical paperwork. That bad part is that Neuro exam...i.e. leaving a paper-trail and opening the door to questions.

The military has disqualified people for less than what you're saying... just keep that in mind.

LivingInMEM

Notice to all applicants:

Failing to disclose a childhood medical anomaly IS NOT a criminal offense. You can either admit to it and definitely get disqualified, or let them find it and maybe get disqualified if they do.

There are no bonus points for honesty, you are not irreplaceable (i.e. they can easily tell you no because the next guy in line will take your spot), it is not about the individual, etc, etc.