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waitin on meps

RighteousMile

RighteousMile

Cry Freedom
Vision, ADD, Depression, Heart

Hey guys,

I've been on this site for a while but only have a few posts. I have been trying to figure out for the past year and half which branch (Navy or Marines) to try to get commissioned by to try to get a SNA spot. But recently I have decided that I'm going to try and get commissioned via Marine PLC. I am currently a sophomore, but only about a freshman in terms of credit hours. But anyway, I'll be applying within the next year or so and I will need a waiver for a few things.

First is my vision, at about -2.5, and -2.75. From everything I've read on this site and the waiver guide, PRK should get me to 20/20 so I don't think getting a waiver for my vision will be a problem.

Second, is during my junior year (and throughout high school) I had been doing terrible in my classes because of my poor work effort and not ADD. However I always blamed it on ADD so I went and saw a specialist and was diagnosed with mild ADD. I started taking Concerta around May of 2005. Within the next month I started feeling depressed and didn't really say anything about it. However in January I started seeing a psychologist to talk about everything, and after about only 3 or 4 visits I stopped seeing her. A couple months later around April of 2006 I started feeling depressed again and decided to stop taking Concerta just to see what would happen. I have been off Concerta since then and have not had any problems with depression since then. I think that my diagnosis of ADD was "erroneous" as the waiver guide says, and that my depression is linked with the Concerta drug. How do I go about getting a waiver for this type of thing, and has anybody else had a similar situation and get a waiver as well.

Finally, when I was 12 I was diagnosed with II/VI low pitched systolic ejection murmur. It doesn't say anything on the waiver guide about this so does that mean that I am fine? CD? or something else.

I was wondering if I would even be looked at if I had to get all of these waivers, or would it not matter as long as I got the waivers. If anyone has or had a situation like this if you could please shed some light on the multiple waivers or any waiver specifically.

Thanks alot for listening to my long and boring post..
 
RighteousMile

RighteousMile

Cry Freedom
I am going to see a cardiologist in a couple of weeks to check out the murmur. Would that be disqualifying?

I am not sure if I was ever diagnosed with depression, I don't think I was but I'll have to check on that. If I was, is there a waiver for it or anything?
 
Schnugg

Schnugg

It's gettin' a bit dramatic 'round here...
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Feeling depressed is one thing...being diagnosed is another.

Who helped you see the psychologist, parents, school counselor?
 
feddoc

feddoc

Really old guy
Contributor
Talk to a psychologist/psychiatrist and ask them for a current diagnosis. You've been almost three years free of depression symptoms...should not be an issue.

The murmur .....Symptom free for you is a good thing. BTW, did you have rheumatic fever as a child?
 
C

cgoetz

Member
I haven't posted on here in a long time because I wasn't sure how things are going to turn out for me medical wise. Right know I'm still in limbo. I went to meps last week and went through the whole process. However at the end I was bounced because I know have to get waivers. One is for sclorosis, one hip seems to be higher thatn the other for some damned reason, but I'm not to concerned about because the doctor who examined me at meps said it was very slight and not a big deal. The other waivers I believe are for ADD and depression as well. These seem to have me a little spooked because the recruiter that I'm working with know says that he isn't sure if I will be able to apply for them. I was diagnosed for depression and as I have stated before on this forum there was a mention of suicide. I feel frustrated right know because I'm not going to be going foward with it until after the holidays and I am pretty much up in the air until then. I'm going to try and not let it affect too much I plan to have one hell of a Christmas no matter what. Oh yeah and that depth perception test to me seemed pretty ridiculous. I only got like three or four lines down and bombed the test. The ones I guessed I got right. I talked to my eye doctor about it and he said from his experience I don't seem to be someone who has a problem with it although it isn't something they typically test for in patients.
 
Makk85

Makk85

604KTS
pilot
History of Depression: to tell or not to tell

I am currently applying for a pilot slot and all is going very smoothly. I had a 3.8 GPA in aviation technology for my BS, I have about 1300 flight hours, currently fly professionally, 20/20 vision, volunteer time, varsity sports captain in 2 sports....etc. Everything is in order, however I am facing a serious decision about what details to release to the military.

When I was about 12 or so I was diagnosed with a seasonal affective disorder which is essentially mild depression related to sunlight exposure. If its dark and grey out I would get some symptoms of depression. It was never very serious, but I was put on meds for a couple years. I went off the meds nearly 10 years ago and have not had anything at all like that happen since. I tried to get ahold of my records from my psychiatrist, but he is now retired and has no idea what happend to the records.

My big question is should I tell the military docs or not about this detail. The only printed record that it happend is in my personal medical record that mentions "history of depression". If I do tell will it effect my chances of getting a pilot slot? If I don't tell, is there a good chance that they can find out, and what are the consequences if they some how do?
 
Slammer2

Slammer2

SNFO Advanced, VT-86 T-39G/N
Contributor
Makk85 said:
I am currently applying for a pilot slot and all is going very smoothly. I had a 3.8 GPA in aviation technology for my BS, I have about 1300 flight hours, currently fly professionally, 20/20 vision, volunteer time, varsity sports captain in 2 sports....etc. Everything is in order, however I am facing a serious decision about what details to release to the military.

When I was about 12 or so I was diagnosed with a seasonal affective disorder which is essentially mild depression related to sunlight exposure. If its dark and grey out I would get some symptoms of depression. It was never very serious, but I was put on meds for a couple years. I went off the meds nearly 10 years ago and have not had anything at all like that happen since. I tried to get ahold of my records from my psychiatrist, but he is now retired and has no idea what happend to the records.

My big question is should I tell the military docs or not about this detail. The only printed record that it happend is in my personal medical record that mentions "history of depression". If I do tell will it effect my chances of getting a pilot slot? If I don't tell, is there a good chance that they can find out, and what are the consequences if they some how do?
Click to expand...

Do not lie about it.
 
OUSOONER

OUSOONER

Crusty Shellback
pilot
Makk85 said:
I am currently applying for a pilot slot and all is going very smoothly. I had a 3.8 GPA in aviation technology for my BS, I have about 1300 flight hours, currently fly professionally, 20/20 vision, volunteer time, varsity sports captain in 2 sports....etc. Everything is in order, however I am facing a serious decision about what details to release to the military.

When I was about 12 or so I was diagnosed with a seasonal affective disorder which is essentially mild depression related to sunlight exposure. If its dark and grey out I would get some symptoms of depression. It was never very serious, but I was put on meds for a couple years. I went off the meds nearly 10 years ago and have not had anything at all like that happen since. I tried to get ahold of my records from my psychiatrist, but he is now retired and has no idea what happend to the records.

My big question is should I tell the military docs or not about this detail. The only printed record that it happend is in my personal medical record that mentions "history of depression". If I do tell will it effect my chances of getting a pilot slot? If I don't tell, is there a good chance that they can find out, and what are the consequences if they some how do?
Click to expand...

If you have integrity, you can answer your own question. Do you want to be an officer or do you just want to fly?
 
Tom

Tom

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
You owe it to yourself, potential crew members and the Navy to be truthful.
 
Makk85

Makk85

604KTS
pilot
Thank you for your bluntness and the wake up call. You are definately right. I am not sure how I can show the details of what happend since the psychiatrist no longer has any record of the details. I suppose I can see another doc for a checkout and hopefully a recomendation to clear up the taboo "History of Depression" comment on my record.

Any clue on how long a waiver process might take for something like this? I have seen anything from a couple months to a couple years in other posts for other ailments. Is this something I can have cleared up by summer if I am persistent?
 
Tom

Tom

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
I think a couple years is an overstatement. The medical process is thorough, but years would be ridiculous. Being off medication for over 10 years is a testament that you are better. I'm not a flight doc, nor will I make any promises, but I feel if you treat this situation positively and proactively you have a good chance at success.
 
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