Dukecush

Any E-3 or RC-135 driver updates?

Definitely one of my favorite pictures of all time. I am also one of those bean-towners! Go SOX!!!

I searched around and could not really find anything on poison ivy and contact dermatitis. I have applied to the current 08OT03 board for a pilot/nav slot. I have yet to do my FC1 yet but just two weeks ago i got an extremely severe case of poison ivy on my ankles/legs, arms etc. So i had to go to the ER and follow up for 4 days and then followup again last week with a dermatologist. I was put on prednisone, antihistamines and antibiotics. The dermatologist added another 12 days of prednisone last week after being on it for 10 days. I am just wondering if this will have any impact on my FC1, if and when it comes time to have it (i.e. would this be disqualifying)? Also is there anything else i would need to do except to notify my recruiter and would anything have to be changed with my records since i never had this when i had my initial MEPS physical back in feb? Your help is greatly appreciated.

Hey rtstolwo, I know i had cited the current crs policy in the sticky thread but i don't see anything about the 3 month policy that you speak of. I know i had read some where a while back that you could begin the waiver process between 3 and 6 months if you vision had stabilized with less thana 0.50 shift in diopters between checks or something to that affect. I understand this time frame is to begin the actual waiver process, though i have no idea where it shows up in any of the AF CRS policies or memos. Do you know if you have to wait for the 3 to 6 months post op until you actually apply to OTS, or can you apply before that? I only ask because i probably won't be able to get the time off of work i need until august but the next board is in october... so would i be able to apply to this board of have to wait until the rated 0803 board, which i believe is next May? Also, you mentioned you had PRK done this past winter... what type of documentation, policies or checklists did you give to your surgeon when you had the PRK performed? Even though i am a civilian, i was wondering if it was possible to get the official checklist that the AF wants filled out for the preop and postop evaluations? Thank you. If you don't mind me asking, how much did your surgery end up costing (i know it varies and i am expecting it to cost atleast $4000 or so)? One last thing, since no one really specifies... the crs waiver states 12 months post op until you can start UPT (i believe for active duty who are applying for waiver)... so for a civilian applying to OTS, is it 12 months until you can begin UPT or 12 months until any training including OTS? THanks.

I am just following up my previous thread. I am a civilian and have my PRK consultation set up for July 7th. I have just begun the process of applying to OTS and have my first meeting with my recruiter on July 9th. I am really hoping to have PRK this summer and apply to the board in October. However, the recruiter told me that he is under the impression that if i have PRK done, then i will not be able to apply to OTS until next year. He said he would get back to me on this. I am just wondering if i would have to wait to apply until next year, presumably when i apply for the CRS waiver, or can i apply this year? I thought i had read somewhere, either on this forum or on the Airforceots.com forum that you can apply before you have the waiver. Any help would be greatly appreciated as i would really like to get the process moving along. Also, are there any checklists available to bring to the surgeon so that i have everything documented the way the Air Force wants it for when i apply for the waiver? Thank you.

I have posted on a few other boards with questions regarding PRK, the waivers and refractive limits. However i have one other question regarding PRK, how soon after you have the procedure, can you actually apply to the OTS Boards? I understand you cannot start the waiver process until i believe 3 months after the procedure ( i have seen both 3 months and 6 months) and cannot get the waiver approved until after 12. I know you cannot attend OTS until 12 months postop, so when can you apply for OTS? One other random question, does anyone know what the excessive refractive limits and visual accuity have to be to apply for a standard vision waiver for both pilot and nav slots? My vision is currently about -4.50 and -4.75 in each eye with little if any astigmatism (maybe -0.50) (these are not cycloplegic refraction values).

Do you know if there is any time table for when the pre-op refractive limits for pilots will be -8.00? My refraction was no cycloplegic thats why my refraction is probably borderline. I am a civilian with no prior service planning on applying to OTS, are there any checklists, or guides that i should bring when i go in for a consult so that before i have any procedure done the surgeon will know whether or not i am within all the specified refraction limits? and if so, where can i get a copy of them?

Gray Beard, you wrote in January 2006 that: I am just wondering where i can find information about the current USAF navigator pre-PRK limits. I understand that according to the current policy of the US Air Force Refractive Surgery Program that the pre-CRS limits (or Prk limits) for pilot applicants is set at -5.50 for myopia, hyperopia less than +0.50 diopters. astigmatism less than 3.00 diopters and anisometropia less than 2.50 diopters (Table 4.1 page 14 of 24). My question is that no where does it say that pre-PRK cycloplegic limits are set at -5.50 diopters in any meridian. I am just wondering where i can find that information as well as the information and policies for prePRK limits for USAF navigators and nonpilots. I could not find any information on the US Air Force Refractive Surgery Program website. I am hoping to have PRK done but looking at all available information i have so far (except that of navigators/others) my vision is very close to the waiver limits. Sphere Cylinder Axis Prism OD -4.50 -0.50 158 OS -4.75 -0.50 145 If cyclinder is indeed my correction for astigmatism. Then my current presciption is -5.00 diopters for right eye and -5.25 diopters for left, which is essentially borderline. (mind you that this is just a standard prescription and i did not have a cycloplegic test done or whatever its been called on this forum where they add drops to relax the muscles in the eye) So any help would be great. Hopefully i will be within limits when i have a pre-PRK consult done but i wanted to find out where i could find the limits for nav/others before i had one.