Diagnosed with MS Jan 2018

E

Excellius

Well-Known Member
Registered Member
Greetings,

For whatever reason I was not able to post on this site or even register for many months. I just wanted to tell my story briefly to give others hope concerning this diagnosis.

I was on a 365 deployment in April 2017, had 3 months to go, and started having double vision/dizziness in Jan 2018. After going to Landstuhl Germany, then Walter Reed in D.C., was diagnosed after MRI's and LP as having MS. I am a Air Force O-4 flyer with 13.5 years currently in service AD. Over the years, I definitely had other symptoms that the flt docs couldnt figure out why, like Urinary Frequency/Urgency issues, and other stuff pop up. In June/July 2018 my CC recommendation form was sent up as Do Not Retain, and I added my rebuttal comments to the form. Suprisingly, the DP2NP did not concur with the DAWG/docs, and I was retained. However, my flying career is done as that waiver was not approved.

Mainly, I wanted to share this for anybody currently with this diagnosis or going through the process, that getting diagnosed and having this disease does not mean you will definitely be medically retired. I fully expected based on what I researched for months prior to have to go through the MEB process, to ultimately be medically retired in the end. I will still each year have to do an annual RILO, but unless I have severe issues pop up (hopefully not), there wont be any issue to make it to 20.

If anyone has any questions, please message me and I will help as best as I can concerning this diagnosis and retention.
 
Hello, welcome! (finally :) I was also a flyer E-7 AFRC and diagnosed with MS after MRI's, LP, blood work, etc....
My story is similar to yours, but my CC recommendation letter was sent as Retain member. In the end, ARPC called and said AFRC found me Un-Fit. In my case, I had enough TAFMS to get a full AD retirement, not medical, so I retired 1 April. I wanted to stay in, but only if I could remain flying, and that was not going to happen. When I was diagnosed, I immediately filed VA claims, to which I am still working on. I'm at 80% VA right now, with two secondary MS related claims that are in the works.
Good luck with your journey, and the MS.
 
Excellius said:
Greetings,

For whatever reason I was not able to post on this site or even register for many months. I just wanted to tell my story briefly to give others hope concerning this diagnosis.

I was on a 365 deployment in April 2017, had 3 months to go, and started having double vision/dizziness in Jan 2018. After going to Landstuhl Germany, then Walter Reed in D.C., was diagnosed after MRI's and LP as having MS. I am a Air Force O-4 flyer with 13.5 years currently in service AD. Over the years, I definitely had other symptoms that the flt docs couldnt figure out why, like Urinary Frequency/Urgency issues, and other stuff pop up. In June/July 2018 my CC recommendation form was sent up as Do Not Retain, and I added my rebuttal comments to the form. Suprisingly, the DP2NP did not concur with the DAWG/docs, and I was retained. However, my flying career is done as that waiver was not approved.

Mainly, I wanted to share this for anybody currently with this diagnosis or going through the process, that getting diagnosed and having this disease does not mean you will definitely be medically retired. I fully expected based on what I researched for months prior to have to go through the MEB process, to ultimately be medically retired in the end. I will still each year have to do an annual RILO, but unless I have severe issues pop up (hopefully not), there wont be any issue to make it to 20.

If anyone has any questions, please message me and I will help as best as I can concerning this diagnosis and retention.
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Thank you for sharing your journey! I'm an Air Force, E-8, and I have an assignment with a PDD of June 2019. I was able to request a waiver for the Code AAC 37 prior to them trying to cancel my assignment. However, I went through my first IRILO last year with a disposition received in May 2018. In April 2019, my ARILO went up and something was not properly documented or accounted for and my PEBLO said AFPC said full MEB now. I'm uncertain of what to expect as I've read all the AFIs for medical and personnel. I found that both (medical & personnel) fall under the same directorate at AFPC. Medical 'C-code' not a deployment disqualifier

My MTF does not offer Neurology services here; however, my gaining assignment does. I'm asking to have the MEB transferred for continuity of care. Working with PAs and civilian doctors have caused me to go without medications due to the formulary forms that are required by the prescribing doctor (civilian). I will reach 16 years of active duty service on the 28th of May. My leadership supports retaining me and I'm asking to be retained as well. My current job (8T) is not a deployable position so the job is not of concern. We are just concerned about the timing of it all because I have my orders because I was medically cleared at the time. Almost done out processing, it's just the MEB Clearance that needs to be cleared.
 
I hope it winds up going well for you! I can't imagine having to move and then still go through the MEB process at the new base. Its just scary because things could go one way or another, and your future is at stake at a new base.

Last year when I had my diagnosis and came back to my duty station, I had an assignment come down for me, but i was put on complete hold of moving because of the Code 37. I am finally PCSing at the end of July. During those months of waiting though, I fully prepared myself and started planning my future for a life outside the AF. But what really threw me for a loop was when the Commander recommended Do Not Retain. He came to me and told me to write a rebuttal to it after he signed the form. He was supportive of me staying in the AF, but the form was specifically just for my part in flying ops, and he said he had to put it for the best interest of the Squadron. After I wrote my rebuttal, he came to me and said that what I wrote was exactly what he wanted me to write, without telling me directly. Still though, I felt really unsupported by him, because in other cases with different medical conditions of members in the flying world, they mostly received Retain from the CC, even though they wouldnt be able to fly again.
 
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