Possible MS diagnosis - can he stay in?

ekb88

PEB Forum Regular Member
My husband is an Active Duty Army National Guard officer. After a vision disturbance, he had some brain scans done which apparently point to likely MS. He will be undergoing more tests over the next few weeks to figure out if that is indeed the diagnosis.

Does anyone know the likelihood that he'll be able to stay in? Right now the visual disturbance has been his only symptom (he's had headaches but we're not sure if they are related). He had an incident with numbness 10 years ago which the doctor thinks was likely an episode.

At this point he has no problems with motor function. He works out all the time and has regularly maxed out the PT test. He wants to stay in. He considers the military his career and is up for promotion soon. Will a diagnosis of MS automatically force him out?

Any thoughts or advice is greatly appreciated.
 
I know an active duty Air Force member with MS diagnosed a few years back. He just passed is 21 year anniversary in the military. I'm sure it will all depend on symptoms and management of those symptoms.

Best to you and your family.
 
I was diagnosed w/ MS in March 2009. I think it really depends on what your job is because I fought hard all the way to the Sec. of the Air Force but in the end they told me it was incompatible with service. I was an enlisted aviator and that diagnosis meant I had to be retrained, I was non-deployable and USAF would have to jump through hoops if I would be assigned outiside of CONUS. Good news is the minimum rating you can get is 30% which is medical retirement. Knowing this is a nice "safety net" if you choose to fight to be retained.

GOOD LUCK!
 
I read an artical (base news paper) a few years ago, about a guy who was RTD, that had MS.
 
I have a frined who is still AD. Two promotions ago the got the MS diagnosis. He wrote a letter to the board and said. Yep I have it, Max the PT test each time, job performance is stellar, you just started giving me this medical treatment lets give it some time to see how my MS progresses and I want to stay on AD and we can revisit down the road. USAF concurred and things have worked out fine.

Tomcat98
 
i know one person who was allowed to stay in and i think is was because he is at the magical number of 15-20 years of service and was allowed to crosstrain to an afsc where he would be needed had some experience but non deployable and could ride out his last few years
 
In line with what others have said here, the answer depends on ability to perform in his military job (taking into account his grade and, though not technically part of the definition of "fit", years of service). Also important is the written opinion of military doctors in the narrative summary. The main point to be drawn from this question and all others concerning whatever condition is that the answer really depends on the specific circumstances of each case.

I hope all goes well for your husband.
 
Just wanted to come back and say thanks to everyone who replied. It's been very helpful. My husband is still waiting on tricare approvals for getting more tests done to see if he really does have MS. In the meantime his promotion came through, which is great. He's feeling more positive about the future, so we'll see how it goes. Thanks again.
 
I was diagnosed w/ MS in March 2009. I think it really depends on what your job is because I fought hard all the way to the Sec. of the Air Force but in the end they told me it was incompatible with service. I was an enlisted aviator and that diagnosis meant I had to be retrained, I was non-deployable and USAF would have to jump through hoops if I would be assigned outiside of CONUS. Good news is the minimum rating you can get is 30% which is medical retirement. Knowing this is a nice "safety net" if you choose to fight to be retained.

GOOD LUCK!

This is good information to know because I have an assignment with a PDD of June 2019 and I was able to request a waiver for the Code AAC 37 prior to them trying to cancel my assignment. However, I went through the 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 and what I found is that both fall under the same directorate at AFPC. 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.
 
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