POKESC17

Started getting constant headaches that were getting more frequent and more intense (almost to migraine levels)and the thing that finally pushed me to going in was constant double vision in the left gaze. After I saw the Doc and the Optometrist I was diagnosed with Vertical Phoria, Something I was apparently born with at started showing itself as I got older.

I just wanted to pass on some information so that if anyone ever has this happen to them they will have a road map. I was diagnosed back in August with 4th nerve palsy (vertical phoria) in my right eye. I was immediately DNIF'd. Got to visit Brooke's again and even the Chief Ophthalmologist at Willford Hall. Needless to say I didn't get great news from either. Brooke's told me the chances of fixing my eyes were pretty small but if the double vision that I got in the left gaze could be corrected without glasses then they would recommend the waiver. Willford Hall just kind of laughed and said I had three options. 1. surgery (didn't recommend it because it was very invasive and under no circumstances would it fix me enough to fly again) 2. Glasses (again didn't recommend this because it would just make things worse in the long run). 3. Do ABSOLUTELY nothing. This was actually the option they recommended. The actual words were to just suffer until I couldn't stand it. I didn't like either of these answers so I requested a second opinion(actually this would have been a 4th opinion just the first that wasn't military). Flight Doc said hell yes and we set to work looking for an Ophthalmologist that had experience with my situation. As luck would have it the University of Oklahoma has an institute called the Dean McGee Eye institute. These guys operate on the cutting edge of eye surgery. Met with a Dr. Bradley Farris and with in five minutes of hearing my story and looking at my files he laughed, said those doctors were still working with procedures that were 10 to 20 years old and the he said "I can fix you". Yesterday I had a 30 minute outpatient surgery in which he adjusted muscles to correct my right eye. So far everything seems normal. I still have slight double vision but he said this would take up to two weeks for this to correct and should go away but I could require one more surgery for fine tuning. Still no guarantee that I will get the waiver and return to the cockpit but things are definitely looking up. If anyone ever has medical issues and your not getting what you think is the best help you can get go see a civilian. Do your research and find someone who is a leader in that field. While I'm not knocking military doctors (especially flight doc's since without the help of my flight doc I would probably still be trying to get things done) the cavalier attitude that the eye doc's took with me and pretty much just writing me off has shaken what little confidence I had in them. Ok rant off. I will post an update after my checkup and visit to brooke's/wright pat. If anyone has any question just PM me and I'll give you specifics.

I remember that book from basic and the shadows of aircraft and being tested on them. I don't have my 1995 edition though. I also remember the "Talon" and getting asked very specific question not only about the A/C in it but also the Satellites and Launch systems while at OTS.

Thread Revival. Ok going to put the question out there since all my research has turned up ZIP. I'm looking at a probable medical DQ. Knowing that this DQ is probably going to happen I've been looking at my options. I have the opportunity to get a full time slot with a guard unit (non-flying obviously) and I'm wondering if I will still be held to the 10 year ADSC if I'm Medically DQ'd or does this fall under the it depends category? So far all my questions receive blank stares from the MPF crowd and the Regs give very little guidance. Does anyone know of someone doing something like this or know what Reg would specifically talk about this. I've been through 36-3207, 3202, 2107 and countless others and walked away more confused than when I started.

The Vantage isn't bad. I'm here now. I live over by the Main office and the neighbors make more racket than the train does unless you end up in the units closest to the train.

Jeppesen allows members of the U.S. Military to have an account for free. Every pilot in my squadron had an account. Check the baseops link for details. Very easy. Echarts

So here is my story. Rated guy who is getting a lot of headaches, (going on several years and getting worse). Finally caved in and went to the doc. After talking with the doc he sent me to Optometry. After doing the prerequisite exam and reviewing my records he noticed something about a slight lazy eye in a previous exam. After playing with the little black stick for awhile he asked me some very pointed questions. Do you read with you head tilted, is your head tilted in photos, do you see double when tired. Answer to all the questions is yes. He suspects Vertical Phoria and I undergo about another 3 hours of various tests. His analysis is vertical phoria with a left gaze diopter of 16 and a straight and right gaze diopter of 8. He also discovers (and I can't believe I never noticed this) that I see double any time I look any father left than about 75 degrees and farther back. Of course I was immediately DNIF'd. I was told that the waiver process was being started but I was being recommended to be sent to Brooks to the folks over at ACS. After doing some initial research I see a waiver as being highly unlikely. I know it can be corrected with prism'd glass and even surgery (what I'm expecting since mine seems so severe). My question is what are the chances of me remaining on flying status if i have to undergo the type of surgery it seems I will need. Any input or additional information by those a little more knowledge than myself would be greatly appreciated. Poke

They are currently handing out Non-A's. Billeting is going through renovation and they have a ton of guys going to through right now.

Our Shirt wore this one on my last deployment.

2!

Guard, Reserve, or Active? Someone could be just helping a bro out up at MPF. They pulled the reg out and read me paragraph by paragraph on more than one occasion. Good on him if he got under the radar. Nothing more frustrating than giving 10 years (4 of that as a technician) and only getting a couple a years credit. If someone could come up with regs that say otherwise that would be a good chunk of change in back pay.

Good luck, I fought that fight for about 4 years and finally just said to hell with it. I'm AD now so wasn't working through the guard. Plus side is I start out topped out at each pay grade.

I commissioned back in 04 so things probably changed some since then, but at that time it was AD points only. I know of one guy who says all his points counted but I'm not real confident that he understood what points were counting. I've looked into that all points scenario several times since that would have helped me get the E pay but no luck there. My suggestion if you really want the E pay is to just try and soak up that last couple of months if you can get it.

2

As far as UPT right out of OTS goes, you will know before you go to OTS if you got a UPT spot or not. If you apply for a pilot slot you will looked at for a pilot slot. I left Maxwell and started UPT at whiting NAS exactly one month later. Your buddies suggestion about going over to OPS and introducing yourself and getting to know the pilots is spot on. I actually applied to my unit and interviewed with them and received an alternate slot. At that point the only way I was going to get a flying spot was AD since my age was not helping me.

I'm another ANG to AD guy. Spent 10 years in the Guard and now I fly C-17's AD. I got picked up with a degree in Aviation MGT and about 50 hours flight time. Like it was stated above, I worked my tail off in the guard and got some good LOR's from higher ranking pilots and the AG. If you have any questions just PM me and I will answer what I can.

Also known as the Five most dangerous things in the Air Force. Edited for stupidity and not being able to read while drunk.

I've had it take as little as a day and up to five days when I have submitted them for the squadron.

Not every airfield we go to has a DOD approach

This policy was rescinded by AFCENT about a year ago. AFCENT went on to use the Army's definition of "Engaged", meaning you had to be fired upon and return fire. I don't have the email anymore since I'm finally out of that hell they call A&D's but your folks should be able to find the info out fairly easy.

No! your Ass make your Ass look fat

heard several transmissions like this while deployed. It's always good for a laugh

I've got the Gremlin as well. On the C-17 it works awsome in the crew position and playing it over the PA. Not so good in the private position but if I'm not using it for the crew then I'm using ear buds anyways.

Three shots sounds right. I started talking to a recruiter in sept and graduated in dec. I got picked up on the Jan board. My package was pretty much already done since I had applied to a couple of guard units prior to active duty so beginning of your senior year is a good start.

VFR is correct. I was in the guard before I went to OTS so I had my physical done before my package went to the board. I'm not sure if that helped my selection or not but it did cut down on my wait time between selection and OTS. If I remember correctly the only physical you have to have before the board is the pre commission physical. Your recruiter will set that up at the nearest MEPS station.