Hey y'all! I was recently selected for BDCP SNA and ship out August 2nd, 2026. I currently have a ganglion cyst in my right wrist and am looking to have it removed prior to going to OCS. If I have the surgery will there be any problems with being medically cleared for aviation, such as recovery periods or wait time?
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The Doctor is in! Ask a Flight Surgeon!
- Thread starter FlightMD
- Start date
FormerRecruitingGuru
Making Recruiting Great Again
I would suggest informing your recruiter ASAP and getting the procedure done as soon as possible as well. You can probably find some info on cysts in the NAMI guide or in MANMED CH-15.
Framer
Member
What is the likelihood of me needing a waiver in this situation? I went to my medical professional about some issues in 2021, got recommended therapy and he said he didn’t wanna put me on medication but asked if I wanted to try it, I said “yes”. Filled once and never again. Therapy worked wonders. Turned out of my issues were a combination of childhood trauma which seeped into my marriage.
Corpsman says flight doc’s diagnosis of “unspecified mood disorder” isn’t on any NAMI waiver guide or something, but he wants me to get my therapist or another psychiatrist to write a note saying how I haven’t exhibited symptoms etc etc if I truly have recovered in preparation for potential waiver. Looking for gouge on this
Corpsman says flight doc’s diagnosis of “unspecified mood disorder” isn’t on any NAMI waiver guide or something, but he wants me to get my therapist or another psychiatrist to write a note saying how I haven’t exhibited symptoms etc etc if I truly have recovered in preparation for potential waiver. Looking for gouge on this
Some of your post is confusing. Was the original doc military or civilian? Did they say anything about submitting for a waiver or are they just having you do a consult?
Typically, SSRIs (which is what I'm assuming you went on) need a diagnosis of some kind to prescribe. That diagnosis would correspond to a page in the NAMI waiver guide. All psych stuff is chapter 14/p322 onward.
Regardless, you went to therapy of some kind, so they need a therapist's write-up to submit to NAMI waiver or not.
ladiesman2179
Active Member
Will there be a psychiatrist at OCS that can do an eval and written note for waivers? I haven’t seen a psychiatrist in 6 years and only saw one once. I got cleared at MEPS but that’s not the same as NAMI.
Yup.
I'd recommend bringing a synopsis note from your civilian psych to give to NAMI. Streamlines the process.
Flight doc at OCS should give you a reasonable idea of whether you'll need a waiver and odds of approval. You'll do the consult later on.
They'll have you take a long computer pysch exam, then a follow-on talk with a military psych.
If you havent had any issues in 6 years. No meds. You'll be fine.
Framer
Member
Sorry. I’m being somewhat ambiguous to protect my identity as this is (obviously) something I hold close to me.
My original doc was military. Right now it’s a matter of maybe we’ll need it. We haven’t gotten to the waiver part yet.
I wasn’t prescribed a SSRI. I was prescribed Wellbutrin and next to my diagnosis as to reason why I’m receiving said prescription, it just says “unspecified affective mood disorder” and looking that up pulls code F39, which isn’t on the NAMI waiver guide.
“Regardless, you went to therapy of some kind, so they need a therapist's write-up to submit to NAMI waiver or not.”
Would you be able to shed light on this? What is a therapists write up? Like a summary of why I receive therapy?
Sure. No worries, dont mean to pry for info.
Can shoot a DM to talk.
In short, yes. A summary note, usually one page synopsis from the therapist you saw, detailing what/how/when you saw them.
WOODENLEG
Well-Known Member
Taking Advice on my current medical situation.
Selected for SNA with a Nov 14 OCS start date. That date has clearly passed. I had pain in my right wrist and was told it was because a cyst, so i had the cyst removed and yet pain persists. So i pushed my OCS date to March. During rehab I’ve noticed similar pain in left wrist and got an mri, results show an ecu tendon tear. If this is also the case with right wrist, then i may need bilateral surgery on both. Still waiting to speak with my surgeon. If he says I can make a full recovery but it’ll go past March, will I be able to push my OCS date again? If LIMDU orders are required, will that be reason for my selection to be dropped? Obviously taking care of my health is priority but is there a better or worse way to go about things while currently enlisted?
Thanks
Selected for SNA with a Nov 14 OCS start date. That date has clearly passed. I had pain in my right wrist and was told it was because a cyst, so i had the cyst removed and yet pain persists. So i pushed my OCS date to March. During rehab I’ve noticed similar pain in left wrist and got an mri, results show an ecu tendon tear. If this is also the case with right wrist, then i may need bilateral surgery on both. Still waiting to speak with my surgeon. If he says I can make a full recovery but it’ll go past March, will I be able to push my OCS date again? If LIMDU orders are required, will that be reason for my selection to be dropped? Obviously taking care of my health is priority but is there a better or worse way to go about things while currently enlisted?
Thanks
FormerRecruitingGuru
Making Recruiting Great Again
No one here is going to be able to provide anywhere near a solid answer other than your recruiter. It truly depends.