I am a staff sergeant with about 12 years TIS and I was just diagnosed with moderate obstructive sleep apnea last week. A year or two ago I was diagnosed with chronic non-allergic rhinitis as well. I am a 13B by trade and after I completed my recruiting tour I attempted to reclass to 35P. I went to the DLI in Monterey, CA where I was dropped from the course after six months or so. A big part of my sub-par performance was because of constant daytime sleepiness, but that doesn't matter to my school - they are sending me on my way.
After talking to the army doctor he said he was putting me in for a P2 profile because of my sleep apnea and the fact that I need to use a CPAP machine. The profile states that..."CPAP machine must be used for a least 4 hours/night for at least 70% of nights. Service member not deployable to remote areas without reliable electricity." While I'm relieved that I have validation that something is going on with my health, I'm kind of bummed that I'll have to carry a machine around whenever I go somewhere. My main concern at this point is how compatible with my job is me being tied to a CPAP machine? In case you don't know, artillery units constantly head to the field for training exercised lasting from a few days to a few weeks at a time. The conditions are often rough and dirty. When I was in Afghanistan my platoon was assigned to an outpost pretty far off the beaten path. It took us a few months before we got electricity and phones/internet set up.
The P2 profile does not limit me ability to be a 13B, as per the 222221 PULHES code for the MOS, but does the CPAP machine make a difference? I'm told that there's not much I can do at this time except to PCS to an artillery unit and go from there and see if I'm going to have to suck it up or go through a MAR2 or MEB. Does anyone have some experience with CPAP machines and combat jobs?
After talking to the army doctor he said he was putting me in for a P2 profile because of my sleep apnea and the fact that I need to use a CPAP machine. The profile states that..."CPAP machine must be used for a least 4 hours/night for at least 70% of nights. Service member not deployable to remote areas without reliable electricity." While I'm relieved that I have validation that something is going on with my health, I'm kind of bummed that I'll have to carry a machine around whenever I go somewhere. My main concern at this point is how compatible with my job is me being tied to a CPAP machine? In case you don't know, artillery units constantly head to the field for training exercised lasting from a few days to a few weeks at a time. The conditions are often rough and dirty. When I was in Afghanistan my platoon was assigned to an outpost pretty far off the beaten path. It took us a few months before we got electricity and phones/internet set up.
The P2 profile does not limit me ability to be a 13B, as per the 222221 PULHES code for the MOS, but does the CPAP machine make a difference? I'm told that there's not much I can do at this time except to PCS to an artillery unit and go from there and see if I'm going to have to suck it up or go through a MAR2 or MEB. Does anyone have some experience with CPAP machines and combat jobs?