Air Force medical requirement question
 

Hey guys.

Becoming more and more aware of how rough it is getting a decent paying pilot job these days (not to mention paying for the necessary ratings), I've become more and more interested in joining the Air Force. If I did this, I would join about 3 years from now upon completion of my bachelors degree and I would have at least PPL (ill have mine by january 9th) with either/or an instrument and multi-engine rating.

Now, obviously the USAF has very VERY strict medical requirements which brings me to these two questions:

1. Would they accept me considering that, while I cannot see the color blindness charts 100%, that I have an FAA waver which states I have sufficient color vision to fly an aircraft? Although I do have a SODA, the letter states "..such examiner is authorized to issue you any class of medical certificate if you otherwise meet the medical requirements. You do not require a Statment of Demonstrated Ability (waver)."

2. I read that they require "no history of allergies or hayfeaver since age 12." You cant tell me that out of all Air Force pilots, not a single one of them is allergic to anything can you? I have allergies, but only to the point of getting stuffed up and sneezing occasionally.

Other than those two things, I am in pretty good shape (6'3'' 195lbs), am recieving good grades in college, and, of course, love and am willing to defend my country. Would any of you know what the Air Force's stance on people in my medical situation are? Thanks

1. The Navy/USMC/USCG are very rigid about color vision. The USAF is probably not much better. But they have used different tests than the FAA in the past, so you might have a chance. I believe they will let you try more than one type of test. But if you fail the military test(s) you are done...there are no waivers that I have ever heard of, and your FAA medical is meaningless to the military. About all you can do is take the test and see what happens.

2. I suspect there are probably no military aviators who have a "history of allergies since age 12". The trick is to not have a history...hint, hint.

Hold that sneeze!
 

The "word" we got in OTS was that if you put down any allergies on the medical history, they would order "further testing". This involved spraying a toxic stew of ragweed juice and other foul irritants up your nose, and if it didn't kill you, then you passed. :eek:

Yea, I sort of figured that the color vision thing would kill me more than the allergies. Couldnt you get in major trouble if you check "no history of allergies" when your supperior officer suddenly finds you stuffed up and sneezing during ragweed season? lol All they'd have to do is check my medical records and find i have a very detailed "history" of allergies.

tomgoodman,

Man, that spray would kill me. I'd probably be sneezing for a week! haha

I don't believe I ever produced medical records from my private doctor to the AF. Well, I sort of did but it was regarding a knee surgery that I had the scars to prove. The rest of my med history I'm pretty sure I checked no on the rest of that form(s).

Hypothetically speaking...

The FAA has been known to subpoena civilian medical records.

I have never heard of the military ever doing anything of the sort (I've been around a while).

Basically with the military, once they accept you they are responsible for you medically. The entry standards are high, but after that they will work with you if something comes up. However if you have bad allergies, you might not want to be in the military...you have no choice as to where you live and you might be outdoors a lot.

I can't even remember my childhood medical history...I was just a kid at the time.

Rickair777,

Regarding bad allergies and being stationed somewhere, i live in Florida and work outside on the ramp at NW. I think thats about as harsh an allergy envrionment as i can be in haha. I never really got allergies year-round until I moved to this God-forsaken state im in now lol.

I guess I'll just have to wait and see. I'm going to speak to a recruiter on Wednesday to see what he has to say. I'm sure he'll do everything he can to tell me im garunteed in and that with a PPL and multi engine rating in hand I can jump right in as captain of a 707, but that's probably not what really goes down lol.

how much does the af care about surgeries that happened a long time ago?

They only care if it was a sex change, and if it was unsuccessful.

They will refer you to the Navy.

lol i couldn't make up my mind and went back to male form(joking)