First, I would like to say thank you in advance for your time and input. I have been researching and googling everything to try and find out what exactly is going on in my case.
I'll start off with the fact my squadron ALONE had 10 deaths by suicide the past year of 2025. I developed a strong depressive mood along with high anxiety due to the job requirements of an Aircrewman and becoming a first-time parent. I went to my LPO for advice because my mental health was destroying my marriage and work ethic. I ended up utilizing Military One Source and my local MFLC. I wasn't getting the results I needed so I self-reported to mental health. I was taken in and long story short I was diagnosed with "adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression". My flight doctor prescribed me medication at my request. Long story short, after about 8-12 months have passed my symptoms have either disappeared or are at least manageable. I went to my flight doctor and told them I no longer needed medication and reported to mental health that I no longer need further appointments.
During that period of being "down" as a flyer I decided to take care of my physical issues that have been persistent for quite some time. I was having chronic back pain along with bilateral knee pain and finally went to flight doc. First, I was admitted to physical therapy for 20 sessions. Reported back to doc after that timeline and was told to try again so I did roughly 40 sessions of physical therapy with ZERO improvement. Doc said I had "patellofemoral pain syndrome" and that it would heal over time. I received an MRI back in June of 2025 on my back with the results being: MILD GRADE 1 SPONDYLOLISTHESIS, L5-S1 BILATERAL PARS DEFECT, MILD DDD, AND MILD LOWER LUMBAR ARTICULAR FACET ARTHROPATHY at L4-5 and L5-S1 along with DISC BULGES at L3-L4, L4-L5, L5-S1. My flight doctor's exact response to these findings were "If I did an MRI of everybody in this clinic, I'd get the same results from exactly 10 different people". I was taken back due to the fact he dismissed my chronic pain due to the word "mild" on the results. I had to fight tooth and nail to receive a referral to pain management. I tried a nerve block and two epidurals with absolutely no relief. Just recently I got a referral for orthopedic spine surgeon to listen to what the next steps might possibly be. He ordered a CT scan, and the same results came back but more disc bulges starting at L1-L2 all the way down to L5-S1.
I got an MRI down on both my knees as well and had tears in both my medial patellar facet along with a left knee joint effusion. I also received a referral to a sports medicine doctor for my knees and mutually agreed surgery would best fit our case. During surgery he found a grade 4 cartilage defect measuring 1X1.5cm. Medial shelf plica. Implanted a Cartiheal to help with regrowth. Surgery ended up being a LEFT KNEE ARTHROSCOPY, OPEN MICROFRACTURE OF PATELLA, ARTHROSCOPIC CHONDROPLASTY, PLICA RESECTION, OPEN OSTEOCHONDRAL CARTILAGE REPAIR. Currently in physical therapy and heal time is 5-6 months.
Right before my procedure my flight doctor submitted a med board referral which was ultimately denied due to not finishing (MAXIMUM TREATMENT) referring to surgery. The MEBAA final decision marked "I do NOT concur with DES/PEB referral and recommended ADSEP CnD. His comments don't make sense to me stating criteria has not been met in accordance with DoDI 6130.03 V2 Chap 5.5.b which ends up being under a disqualifying chapter about EARS?????? During my current healing period I was informed my command/medical has submitted an adsep for my mental health diagnosis from last year. It has reached the point of me being assigned a JAG defense attorney. I am at a loss for words knowing all my physical ailments are impairing me from being fit for full duty at this time. (LIMDU since July of 2025) equaling 8 months so far of Limdu. Something doesn't add up in all this fishy, loopholeish case.
Any information would be greatly appreciated due to the fact that I plan on fighting this the whole way. (P.S.) I have been active duty between 6-7 years in the Navy.
I'll start off with the fact my squadron ALONE had 10 deaths by suicide the past year of 2025. I developed a strong depressive mood along with high anxiety due to the job requirements of an Aircrewman and becoming a first-time parent. I went to my LPO for advice because my mental health was destroying my marriage and work ethic. I ended up utilizing Military One Source and my local MFLC. I wasn't getting the results I needed so I self-reported to mental health. I was taken in and long story short I was diagnosed with "adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depression". My flight doctor prescribed me medication at my request. Long story short, after about 8-12 months have passed my symptoms have either disappeared or are at least manageable. I went to my flight doctor and told them I no longer needed medication and reported to mental health that I no longer need further appointments.
During that period of being "down" as a flyer I decided to take care of my physical issues that have been persistent for quite some time. I was having chronic back pain along with bilateral knee pain and finally went to flight doc. First, I was admitted to physical therapy for 20 sessions. Reported back to doc after that timeline and was told to try again so I did roughly 40 sessions of physical therapy with ZERO improvement. Doc said I had "patellofemoral pain syndrome" and that it would heal over time. I received an MRI back in June of 2025 on my back with the results being: MILD GRADE 1 SPONDYLOLISTHESIS, L5-S1 BILATERAL PARS DEFECT, MILD DDD, AND MILD LOWER LUMBAR ARTICULAR FACET ARTHROPATHY at L4-5 and L5-S1 along with DISC BULGES at L3-L4, L4-L5, L5-S1. My flight doctor's exact response to these findings were "If I did an MRI of everybody in this clinic, I'd get the same results from exactly 10 different people". I was taken back due to the fact he dismissed my chronic pain due to the word "mild" on the results. I had to fight tooth and nail to receive a referral to pain management. I tried a nerve block and two epidurals with absolutely no relief. Just recently I got a referral for orthopedic spine surgeon to listen to what the next steps might possibly be. He ordered a CT scan, and the same results came back but more disc bulges starting at L1-L2 all the way down to L5-S1.
I got an MRI down on both my knees as well and had tears in both my medial patellar facet along with a left knee joint effusion. I also received a referral to a sports medicine doctor for my knees and mutually agreed surgery would best fit our case. During surgery he found a grade 4 cartilage defect measuring 1X1.5cm. Medial shelf plica. Implanted a Cartiheal to help with regrowth. Surgery ended up being a LEFT KNEE ARTHROSCOPY, OPEN MICROFRACTURE OF PATELLA, ARTHROSCOPIC CHONDROPLASTY, PLICA RESECTION, OPEN OSTEOCHONDRAL CARTILAGE REPAIR. Currently in physical therapy and heal time is 5-6 months.
Right before my procedure my flight doctor submitted a med board referral which was ultimately denied due to not finishing (MAXIMUM TREATMENT) referring to surgery. The MEBAA final decision marked "I do NOT concur with DES/PEB referral and recommended ADSEP CnD. His comments don't make sense to me stating criteria has not been met in accordance with DoDI 6130.03 V2 Chap 5.5.b which ends up being under a disqualifying chapter about EARS?????? During my current healing period I was informed my command/medical has submitted an adsep for my mental health diagnosis from last year. It has reached the point of me being assigned a JAG defense attorney. I am at a loss for words knowing all my physical ailments are impairing me from being fit for full duty at this time. (LIMDU since July of 2025) equaling 8 months so far of Limdu. Something doesn't add up in all this fishy, loopholeish case.
Any information would be greatly appreciated due to the fact that I plan on fighting this the whole way. (P.S.) I have been active duty between 6-7 years in the Navy.