Med Down limit

[sickboy]

I've been hearing that there's a problem with students being med down for excessive periods of time, both on here and in Flight Management. Does anyone know the limit? Is it the CO's discretion?

My FS said I was probably fine, but that was without the surgery that I'm likely going to get (suspected Bankart lesion, waiting for an MRI to confirm), which will likely put me out for a few more months.

 

[BACONATOR]

There is a time limit. Ask your flight surgeon. Rumor I'll spread is that I vaguely remember something about 6 months and then they can switch your orders/drop your designator. Not a definite, but they can depending on your situation.

 

[RHPF]

I recall six months too. Once you are winged it is no longer six months though. I knew of a guy in advanced who had about three days to spare to the limit.

 

[statesman]

KCOTT got an ultimatum like that if memory serves...

 

[nittany03]

Don't forget that going to a medical board != getting attrited, any more than going to a FNAEB means losing your wings or being processed for ADSEP means you're going out on civvie street. You might, but each just starts a process to review the evidence and make recommendations whether going down that road is appropriate.

 

[sickboy]

Don't forget that going to a medical board != getting attrited

Now that is good to know. I'm going to be pushing the six month limit for sure if I get the surgery.

 

[nittany03]

Now that is good to know. I'm going to be pushing the six month limit for sure if I get the surgery.

It doesn't mean you're NOT getting attrited, either. Any "board," be it a TRB, Admin Board, FNAEB, etc. is part of processing you for attrition/separation/removal of flight status, and if the case is cut and dried, it's really a formality. However, if there are mitigating circumstances, by all means any of those boards should consider them. Generally, a "board" of any kind is tasked with gathering all relevant information and using it to make recommendations to some higher authority for a decision. The boss then reviews the proceedings and makes a decision. Admin board results go to BUPERS, FNAEB results to the big Air Boss, TRBs to the local Commodore, etc. Generally none of them are good places to be, but are also not rubber stamps.

I don't have personal experience with a med board (though I flirted with it being med down for a long time), but have been involved with some others in one way or another. CNATRA instructions should have a guide somewhere which details the process of a long-term med down situation. Find it, and be sure to distinguish any "shall" be attrited language from "should" language. I hope I'm not talking out my ass in my last two posts; maybe the six-month limit means you're screwed for all I know. But I piped up because I've noticed that sometimes students tend to view things like TRBs, HFBs, FNAEBs, and other "boards" as a rubber stamp on the road to getting canned, when they tend not to be that way in less cut-and-dried situations. Generally, good higher-ups will at least try to give you a fair shake. Granted, if you suck, that "fair shake" may involved a one-way ticket to COMCIVLANT, but still.

 

[feddoc]

.....I don't have personal experience with a med board ...

I have some experience on both ends of the med board. It is a review and nothing else. EDIT: >>>>meant for mikwat. I suspect if your case goes that far and you are represented well by your command, that your med down experience will be nothing but a minor bump in the road.

 

[Flash]

One of the guys I went through VT-86 with was med down for 9 months before getting back on flight status, he broke his leg bad and was healing so the board was not a big deal. He turned out to be a real shitbag but that had nothing to do with his medical issues, he was just an idiot.

 

[squorch2]

Yes, there is a med down limit. It's in the MCGs and in the TA manual. Among other deadlines:

NFSs medically grounded for 120 days (continuous or interrupted) shall receive Local Flight Surgeon Review (LFSR) to determine if continuation in training in warranted.

and

Unless granted a waiver by CNATRA N7 IAW paragraph 614.c.(5), at 180 days medically grounded (continuous or interrupted), an NFS shall be medically attrited by CNATRA N71, with concurrence of CNATRA 00M.

 

[BACONATOR]

Yes, there is a med down limit. It's in the MCGs and in the TA manual. Among other deadlines:


and

There you go. Double check the language in those instructions, but it appears that 4 months is a review and 6 months is attrition (barring a CNATRA waiver).

point - squorch2

 

[sickboy]

There you go. Double check the language in those instructions, but it appears that 4 months is a review and 6 months is attrition (barring a CNATRA waiver).

point - squorch2

Thanks, that's exactly the source I was looking for.

 

[sickboy]

Just passing a chunk of gouge I got today, apparently if you can get LIMDU orders, CNATRA stops counting your med down time.

 

[ea6bflyr]

Just passing a chunk of gouge I got today, apparently if you can get LIMDU orders, CNATRA stops counting your med down time.

I think that might be your Time-to-train.

One of the guys I went through VT-86 with was med down for 9 months before getting back on flight status, he broke his leg bad and was healing so the board was not a big deal. He turned out to be a real shitbag but that had nothing to do with his medical issues, he was just an idiot.

@Flash: I remember him, C+12 IIRC!

-ea6bflyr