Eight hour profiles

Z

Zinthos

PEB Forum Regular Member
Registered Member
Greetings,

I was wanting to know if there are any AFIs that dictate the reasons for someone to be on an eight hour profile or is it just something that is determined locally via SSIs or ORIs? I have checked the AFI 10 -203, but that just looks like a reg for determining a duty limiting condition.
 
Neither 10-203 nor any other regulations will state when a condition requires an 8 hour duty day limitation. It is simply the authority of your PCM to interpret your condition and required care or restrictions. AFI 48-123 states you must be able to perform a 12 hour duty day to deploy, and therefore for retention. Otherwise, there isn't much of a standard for such a specific question.
Common diagnoses I've seen that limit duty hours include recent surgery, sleep dysfunctions, chronic pain medication (causing drowsiness), and pregnancy. There are many, many other reasons, but these are the most common.
 
deaddebate said:
Neither 10-203 nor any other regulations will state when a condition requires an 8 hour duty day limitation. It is simply the authority of your PCM to interpret your condition and required care or restrictions. AFI 48-123 states you must be able to perform a 12 hour duty day to deploy, and therefore for retention. Otherwise, there isn't much of a standard for such a specific question.
Common diagnoses I've seen that limit duty hours include recent surgery, sleep dysfunctions, chronic pain medication (causing drowsiness), and pregnancy. There are many, many other reasons, but these are the most common.
Click to expand...

Hello deaddebate,

I see. Thank you for your insight. Do you think that experiencing sleep attacks immediately after working a 12-14 hour night shift when you are driving would warrant an eight hour profile? I also experience it during the shift as well. My PCM basically told me that it is my fault that I live so far away from base and that I would need to move closer since she would not be able to recommend an eight hour profile. I just got a second opinion from an off base doctor about my condition and he said that I had shift work disorder and recommended for me to get 7-8 hours of sleep, to work during the day and to get my CPAP titrated from a AASM accredited place. I also live an hour and a half from the base.

Thanks,

Zinthos
 
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deaddebate said:
Neither 10-203 nor any other regulations will state when a condition requires an 8 hour duty day limitation. It is simply the authority of your PCM to interpret your condition and required care or restrictions. AFI 48-123 states you must be able to perform a 12 hour duty day to deploy, and therefore for retention. Otherwise, there isn't much of a standard for such a specific question.
Common diagnoses I've seen that limit duty hours include recent surgery, sleep dysfunctions, chronic pain medication (causing drowsiness), and pregnancy. There are many, many other reasons, but these are the most common.
Click to expand...

Personally I would talk to my PCM and let them know what your other doctor said and if you don't get a satisfactory answer seek out the patient advocate and let them know the situation. I've used the patient advocate a couple different times and they were very helpful in resolving my problem. For whatever it's worth my profile states I can go home any time I feel the need due to my pain meds and muscle relaxers since I can't drive once they are taken.
 
I will make arrangements to see the PCM since I have not heard back from her at all in regards to what the other doctor had said two weeks ago. My issue then runs with the 96 MDG/Patient Advocate because that lady is truly a front-woman for system. I had gone to see her about this issue and she said that "there was nothing in the AFIs for my type of situation, that she spoke to the 96 MDG/CC who said "We normally do not issue eight hour profiles for people who drive while starting to black out constantly from 14 hour shifts". This patient advocate also mentioned that "it was sad that Security Force members think so badly of the healthcare that the military provides and that many of these people in the hospital sacrifice better opportunities in order to take care of the military." In my head, I said to myself, that may be true for a small minority but not everyone in the hospital. If anything, I will try to contact the base patient advocate if things do not pan out well with my PCM. Thank you for your reply.
 
PCM response:

"I have reviewed the note from the sleep medicine provider. I can put in a new referral for a sleep study at this time to make sure that your CPAP settings are correct.

As for his recommendation for 8 hours of sleep daily I agreed with that. However, you have 10 hours off between shifts and by living 1.5hrs away you are spending 3 of your hours off shift driving. I can only recommend to your commander that you work day shift, but I can not recommend restricted hours as it is your choice to live that far away."

My issue is that I can not move closer to the base for the following reasons:

1. Not able to financially afford the move, due to having to hire a moving company and the money I would lose selling the house.

2. I will be getting out within a year, it makes no sense for me to move closer to the base.
 
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