All,
I was found fit for full duty with zero limitations in March of 2019 (Though I am unable to continue flying as my flight waiver was denied (Currently working on transition approval to drones), currently conducting a tour as an Air Officer/Forward Air Controller). I have been notified that the waiver granting physician (at Division, I am at the Battalion) is giving my command trouble with granting a waiver, to the horror and chagrin of my physicians, medical officers, and hematologist. I am currently on anticoagulants (Eliquis...not coumadin) due to protein S Deficiency (Discovered in 2017 after I experienced a DVT in my left calf). This stated, at what point are my PEB board results good enough to turn a single physician's, specifically a random Non-hematologically specialized physician's opinion? I understand that he/she is the person making waivers for consideration, but given that my condition was adjudicated by a competent authority, how does he/she have the authority to overturn what many others have stated otherwise, let alone assume the authority as an O-5 to overturn the findings of the O-6 who determined the "Fit" finding? I get a lot of ridiculous statements lately from the physician like, "what if you fall in your shower" or "there's no cardiovascular surgeon on island," both of which go well beyond an absence of even basic understanding of my condition/prescription (Protein S Deficiency/Eliquis) and warrant little more than concern for their lack of intellectual accuracy. My doctors are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to exploit the individual physician for what my doctors deem as "ineptitude." However, it appears likely to delay my ability to deploy to a specific region, and as a total surprise to my current battalion. So, now that I have rambled a bit, and you may be able to tell where I am coming from, what is the best course of action in this predicament? At what point can I have legal professionals begin to draft the appropriate documentation for doctors to universally accept the statements from the hematologists, and the PEB that was conducted and resulted in what I also wanted, a fit for duty determination (zero limitations was just the cherry on top), though I sincerely doubt that legal and medical really cross paths here, it does seem to be principally double jeopardy in taste and feel. As a note, there are no other medical conditions and I have been looked at inside and out, head to toe, MRIs, ultrasounds, and cardio/pulmonary stress tests included in order to resubmit to the FAA, zero findings, everything perfectly normal and no changes to status post-PEB submission/findings. I am seeking to continue my career and find a way to do so unabated by this highly stable medical issue. I greatly appreciate any advice anyone may be able to offer.
Warmest Regards,
Attilathescott
(15 yrs active duty, O-4, USMC, PME Complete, Competitive, 7532)
PEB 2019 - FIT FOR FULL DUTY (Protein S Deficiency/Sleep Apnea)
LIMDU Status - Full Duty (only one cycle of LIMDU as a result of awaiting PEB)
I was found fit for full duty with zero limitations in March of 2019 (Though I am unable to continue flying as my flight waiver was denied (Currently working on transition approval to drones), currently conducting a tour as an Air Officer/Forward Air Controller). I have been notified that the waiver granting physician (at Division, I am at the Battalion) is giving my command trouble with granting a waiver, to the horror and chagrin of my physicians, medical officers, and hematologist. I am currently on anticoagulants (Eliquis...not coumadin) due to protein S Deficiency (Discovered in 2017 after I experienced a DVT in my left calf). This stated, at what point are my PEB board results good enough to turn a single physician's, specifically a random Non-hematologically specialized physician's opinion? I understand that he/she is the person making waivers for consideration, but given that my condition was adjudicated by a competent authority, how does he/she have the authority to overturn what many others have stated otherwise, let alone assume the authority as an O-5 to overturn the findings of the O-6 who determined the "Fit" finding? I get a lot of ridiculous statements lately from the physician like, "what if you fall in your shower" or "there's no cardiovascular surgeon on island," both of which go well beyond an absence of even basic understanding of my condition/prescription (Protein S Deficiency/Eliquis) and warrant little more than concern for their lack of intellectual accuracy. My doctors are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to exploit the individual physician for what my doctors deem as "ineptitude." However, it appears likely to delay my ability to deploy to a specific region, and as a total surprise to my current battalion. So, now that I have rambled a bit, and you may be able to tell where I am coming from, what is the best course of action in this predicament? At what point can I have legal professionals begin to draft the appropriate documentation for doctors to universally accept the statements from the hematologists, and the PEB that was conducted and resulted in what I also wanted, a fit for duty determination (zero limitations was just the cherry on top), though I sincerely doubt that legal and medical really cross paths here, it does seem to be principally double jeopardy in taste and feel. As a note, there are no other medical conditions and I have been looked at inside and out, head to toe, MRIs, ultrasounds, and cardio/pulmonary stress tests included in order to resubmit to the FAA, zero findings, everything perfectly normal and no changes to status post-PEB submission/findings. I am seeking to continue my career and find a way to do so unabated by this highly stable medical issue. I greatly appreciate any advice anyone may be able to offer.
Warmest Regards,
Attilathescott
(15 yrs active duty, O-4, USMC, PME Complete, Competitive, 7532)
PEB 2019 - FIT FOR FULL DUTY (Protein S Deficiency/Sleep Apnea)
LIMDU Status - Full Duty (only one cycle of LIMDU as a result of awaiting PEB)