NPQ'ed for NFO

[jmiller82]

I'm currently at OCS and was "informed" the other day that I was NPQ for NFO. I had taken a breathing test (methacholine challenge) because I put down on my sheet that I had had asthma-like symptoms as a child (reactive airway diseas symptoms at the age of 7) at MEPS prior to coming to OCS. MEPS did not see any problem with it.. Anyway, my recovery rate from the induced asthma attack was not sufficient enough, so the flight surgeon recommended NPQ with no waivers recommended..

My question is this: Should I try and fight it, or does it matter? I've heard that anything with asthma or vision for aviation is basically unchangable. Am I right or wrong with that? Also, I'm not exactly certain, but I think I will be able to redesignate (they are working on speaking with the different communities), given that I am through with the graded portions of OCS (I'm a candidate officer) and will be an Ensign in less than a month. I'm not a program guy, however, so there is no "investment" in me, like with BDCP. My options right now seem to be Supply and SWO. I'm liking the Supply route, with a potential change/ application to be in the Law Education Program (read: JAG Corps) after two years of service with Supply.. However, I don't want to totally give up Aviation (NFO) unless I am 100% positive that there is no waiver or process by which I can get reinstated. I am almost 95% sure that when I took this breathing test, I had bronchitis, and the flight surgeon is aware of this. I've spoke with several doctors on the outside about it (my wife's family is made up of doctors and Thanksgiving is always fun when you're talking about "shop" with them!), and everyone says that the bronchitis would have impaired my lungs enough that I would have tested below par. Also, I have not had any trouble in over 17 years (since I was "diagnosed/misdiagnosed" with reactive airway disease) with my breathing, and I am a certified diver (my civ. doctor knew about my childhood and did all necessary tests and concluded I was fine.. Any suggestions on how to go about appealing this/ getting it waived? Also, I am to graduate in 3 weeks. I wouldn't mind sticking around and postponing the graduation date so long as I know what I'd be doing (reinstated back into NFO, etc.), but if I am just delaying the inevitable (waiver not possible), then I'd like to go ahead and move on with things and get ready for Supply School (whatever my other designator is)...
Any help is appreciated!

 

[Scamahmrd]

I put down asthma when I enlisted in the Navy. I also failed my initial Methacoline Challange test. It was a long and painful process which included getting my Congressmans support, but I was able to enlist, and eventually get through flight school. Moral... Don't give up because one person said that you were disquallified. Keep plugging away and asking questions. There are very few things that you can't get a waiver for if you get the right signatures. Good luck with everything.

 

[Fmr1833]

Another point, those forms for MEPS ask if you had any problems SINCE age 12. I know plenty of guys who marked yes when they had problems prior to age 12. Bad idea, having asthma or symptoms thereof prior to 12 is not an indicator of a problem. Your lungs continue to develop and, in most cases, if you haven't had a problem since 12, you're fine. Not saying that this is your fault or is your case, nor am I saying to lie, but for those new guys here on AW who have not read the other 40 threads on Asthma, volunteering irrelevant health information is a BAD idea.

Good luck, don't give up, and keep us informed.

 

[spitfiremkxiv]

If you really want to fly, fight the good fight to the end. If you don't, you may never forgive yourself. Push that Bronchitis argument as far as it will go.

Getting back to P'cola for another test is probably impossible, but you can see if there is a way to retest and submit for the waiver locally. I'm guessing flight docs know how to do these sorts of things, that's where I would go first. Time seems to be your biggest problem here though.

 

[STLEngineer]

He's at OCS now, so it's really a short walk down the road to NAMI.

He's working on a re-test right now. We'll see how it works out.

 

[m3driver]

"My question is this: Should I try and fight it, or does it matter?"

Fight it till you can't fight it no more! How bad do you want it?

Let me take you back nearly 20 years in time. I was a SNFO just about out of VT-86. I think I had 3 flights left and was fighting to be #1 in class. Then I took my flight physical. You see at the time I was as blind as a bat. Somehow I got even more blind. I had barely crossed the diopter limit (didn't even know there was one for SNFO) and was NAMI Whammied. Told to pack up my shit and go home. But I decided to fight it. Hell they let me start on the borderline, why knock me out 3 flights from finishing? I fought it up the chain the whole way to then Chief of BUPERS, Adm Boorda. He told NAMI to put me back in flight status.

So I finished in the class after my original class. Had I stayed in my class I would have been #1 and gotten my first choice. Tomcats. I ended up #2 in my new class and got Intruders. In the long run I'm glad it happened that way. I loved being a B/N, IMNSHO it was the best job for a NFO in that time period.

So if you want it, fight it. What's the worst that can happen? Right now you're screwed, it's not like you'll be more screwed.

Marco

 

[MasterBates]

This comes to mind. I had to fight to keep flying after I got banged up pretty bad in the TRACOM. NOMI cleared me with no restrictions.

 

[usnphoenix]

I had to do one of those tests Plebe year at USMMA (I had problems breathing on a run because I had a head cold but the docs somehow convinced themselves that it was asthma). I failed it the first time because I was still sick, but passed the second when I was 100% healthy. All of this was documented in my medical record with the Navy and I was still cleared for SNA (and it didn't require a waiver).

I'd say go at it and give it another shot...worst case scenario you fail it again and you are back to where you are now.