DC

I couldn't at all find the Air Force standards on this (without putting a ton of effort in anyway) but here's what the Navy has to say: ___________________________________ 8.5 THALASSEMIAS Rev APR 04 AEROMEDICAL CONCERNS: Thalassemias produce a low-grade anemia that can cause problems at altitude. Splenic enlargement and worsening of the anemia can occur under conditions of stress. The condition is much more widespread than commonly suspected. WAIVER: viation personnel must meet the hematocrit standards previously listed. Personnel with beta thalassemia minor (heterozygous carriers – beta thalassemia trait) or with alpha thalassemia minor (1 or 2 gene loci absent) may be considered for waiver provided there are no other hemoglobinopathies present. Any anemia must be limited to a mild, microcytic anemia. Patients who have required splenectomy because of their thalassemia are disqualified from military flying. INFORMATION REQUIRED: Establishment of the detailed diagnosis by estimation of HbA2, HbF, serum Fe and ferritin and by quantitative electrophoresis. The diagnosis of thalassemia cannot reliably be made in the face of iron deficiency, hence iron studies must be provided that document normal iron status with submission of the waiver request. TREATMENT: N/A. DISCUSSION: The thalassemias probably constitute the world's largest gene disorder. Beta thalassemia occurs widely in a belt extending from Southeast Asia, through India, the Middle East, the Mediterranean (as far north as Romania and Yugoslavia), and to north and west Africa. Carrier frequencies can vary from 2 to 30% in these populations. Beta thalassemia also occurs sporadically in every racial group. Splenectomy results in a greater risk of overwhelming infection and of severe malaria, which can effect an aviator’s fitness to deploy. The flight surgeon will not uncommonly make the diagnosis of thalassemia after chart review turns up a chronic, low grade microcytic anemia that does not respond to iron therapy. Homozygous beta thalassemia or deletions in more than two of the alfa chains are almost always severely symptomatic or anemic, and as such rarely make it into the military. https://www.nomi.med.navy.mil/Text/NAMI/Wai...tm#Thalassemias Take a multi-vitamin once a day to keep your iron levels where they should be and disclose all. That should help, if only a tiny bit. You said "thalassemia minor". That "minor" sounds promising for you (see my added emphasis above).

1) I am not sure of an average but from everyone that I've heard from it usually takes a few months. You're above that average now, but my package was sent to Brooks (pretty sure it was not Randolph) in February and it didn't clear until early June. So that is about how long you've waited now. I wasn't selected until June (I was an 04-03 non-select) so it didn't end up mattering for me, but.. well.. yeah. 2) When I went in after being selected to do my fingerprints I had my recruiter check on my FC1 status. He clicked on his computer database (looked like it was over the internet) and checked my status. Right there, along with my select status and my AFSC and my class date (said N/A) was my FC1 status. It had cleared a few days earlier. So it isn't difficult for your recruiter to check if it is cleared or not. I am not sure how YOU can find out if it is even being processed or not, but I bet your recruiter would be able to find out if you pressed him hard enough.

As long as you do it regularly. Do you compete ever? I know I put downhill skiing and paintball on my OTS app, neither of which I've done "organized" (though I was technically on a paintball team, we just weren't all that organized.. only did a few tournies.. mostly just set up fun days for other people through a local company). I did both of them very regularly though. I think they are looking for two things in sports. One being a competitive person and another being an active person. Because you're still in high school I'm goign to give you very good advice. DO NOT count on OTS if you want to be an Air Force officer. The only benefit it would bring is if you want to be a pilot and do not want to be an officer if you are not a pilot. I would say that if you want to try for the Academy, go for it. It is one of the few colleges out there without an application fee. The only cost is the time to apply (considerable). If that doesn't work, definately do ROTC at any University.

wxpunk- I did! There is a big fat disclaimer on the front page. Every single other page has a link right to an anchor at that disclaimer. There really isn't anything worth seeing on the website yet. The good stuff hasn't started yet. I'm working on getting some actual usefull information up there today though, it should be uploaded by tonight. [ 24. July 2004, 14:45: Message edited by: Dennis ]

Fair and competitive enough that I recieved nominations to both Navy and Air Force from the same congressman. To this day I still think that was stupid-- And I do feel remotely bad about not taking either. I guess.

Also not sure about the Academy here, but as far as a 4-year scholarship for ROTC what you heard was wrong. A home schooled student can definately get one. ALSO- keep in mind you do not need a scholarship to do ROTC. Something I wish I would have considered for school. I got a civillian scholarship and didn't need the ROTC one, so I didn't do ROTC. I still could have (w/o the scholarship) and I would be 1/2 way through UPT by now (if not finished) instead of sitting on my butt waiting for and OTS class date.

check out www.airforcelife.net -- that guy is in phase II now

I can speak from personal experience that it is not absolutely necessary to be accepted. BUT-- if I would do it again, I would definately get my PPL. I feel I was extremely lucky to have been selected for pilot and I wouldn't want to risk it next time.

When applying to OTS the only people that do not need a MEPS physical as part of their package are current Air Force Active Duty. EVERYONE else needs one, including active duty in other forces I believe.

Kyle, Just contact a TCO at a location where they do offer the BAT? Patriot, your link is busted!

I only have my two bottom ones. The top ones never existed. Apparently that is fairly common. Anyway, they came in fine, except they are totally useless without anything above them to bite against. They are also difficult to keep totally clean way in the back of my mouth. I have been told for about 6 years now that I need to get them removed sooner rather than later for hygiene reasons. I had been very busy though college and never got around to doing it. Now my dental insurance really isn't good enough to consider doing it. I had my FC1 a couple months ago (my OTS board meets today) and they told me the same story I've heard over and over. Get them removed as soon as possible. He suggested as soon as I go AD (after OTS) to get them yanked. Now, from what I can understand, you were probably disuaded from going it at wherever you are because.. well.. I guess the dentists in the Air Force don't exactly have the best reputations for doing stuff like that effortlessly. Anyway, the point of my ramblings.. If your wisdom teeth are causing absolutely no problems because they grew in all the way and completely straight with plenty of room, don't worry about them right now unless you can afford to get them taken out. Wisdom teeth are useless, but if they are fine they won't stop you from being a pilot in the Air Force - at least before Brooks.