Hello all, I'm hoping I could get some advice or indication if I'm way off base somehow. Sorry about the read.
My situation: I'm a CGO program manager in D.C. I'm currently 2 years into a bilateral hip dysplasia surgery journey (Peri-Acetabular Osteotomy) and I feel like I've hit a bit of a wall. The surgeries I've had done we're extremely invasive and recovery has not exactly been a cake walk. I'm still very much in pain, but the surgeon (Navy) has basically said "It's not your bones, must be your muscles" and while PT (also Navy) hasn't said they can no longer do anything, they've somehow thought it'd be a good idea to reduce the amount of in-office PT I'm having. A metric ton of people both active (including my boss, Air Force) and prior military have looked at my situation and ask how I haven't been med boarded yet and suggest forcing a med board rather than just separating. Today, my new PCM (my other PCS'd without telling me and I had to pick up the only available on in the DMV, Army) has taken this all in and said "If you can do your job, you shouldn't be med boarded." When I asked her for the information of a patient advocate, she insisted on knowing why and then refused to give me a straight answer because "If I don't know why I can't send you to the right person." This made me extremely uncomfortable and I dropped the subject.
My questions: What options do I have? I'll definitely be looking for a patient advocate, but would an Air Force affiliated one be the best option? After reading through tons of connecting regulations surrounding the med board and its processes, it seems like the PCM has to initiate the MEB, but is there any other way I can force it? Is there a special way to get a new PCM (maybe and AF specific one) when availability is low/non-existent? Am I missing something? I have 1.5 years left in a 5 year commitment and am an Academy grad. I was diagnosed in Sep 2022 and have had no prior indication throughout my life that I had a congenital issue.
My situation: I'm a CGO program manager in D.C. I'm currently 2 years into a bilateral hip dysplasia surgery journey (Peri-Acetabular Osteotomy) and I feel like I've hit a bit of a wall. The surgeries I've had done we're extremely invasive and recovery has not exactly been a cake walk. I'm still very much in pain, but the surgeon (Navy) has basically said "It's not your bones, must be your muscles" and while PT (also Navy) hasn't said they can no longer do anything, they've somehow thought it'd be a good idea to reduce the amount of in-office PT I'm having. A metric ton of people both active (including my boss, Air Force) and prior military have looked at my situation and ask how I haven't been med boarded yet and suggest forcing a med board rather than just separating. Today, my new PCM (my other PCS'd without telling me and I had to pick up the only available on in the DMV, Army) has taken this all in and said "If you can do your job, you shouldn't be med boarded." When I asked her for the information of a patient advocate, she insisted on knowing why and then refused to give me a straight answer because "If I don't know why I can't send you to the right person." This made me extremely uncomfortable and I dropped the subject.
My questions: What options do I have? I'll definitely be looking for a patient advocate, but would an Air Force affiliated one be the best option? After reading through tons of connecting regulations surrounding the med board and its processes, it seems like the PCM has to initiate the MEB, but is there any other way I can force it? Is there a special way to get a new PCM (maybe and AF specific one) when availability is low/non-existent? Am I missing something? I have 1.5 years left in a 5 year commitment and am an Academy grad. I was diagnosed in Sep 2022 and have had no prior indication throughout my life that I had a congenital issue.
