PRK waivers and kicking the med. bureacracy

[Hangdawg13]

Alright, I've read JFK's post and all of the follow-ups. I still can't figure out what I need to know. I am a freshman and just got contracted into the PLC (ground). My eyesight is 20/400 -5.25 diopter with a slight astigmatism (pretty dadgum bad). I KNOW I must have 20/40 uncorrected to pass the flight physical. My OSO implies it is a simple matter of signing some papers and seeing a good military ophthamologist to get a waiver for PRK and transfered to PLC (air). I imagine he would say anything to keep a potenial recruit around long enough to get contracted in though, so I know its not as simple as it sounds. My current plan to defeat the medical bureacracy is to get PRK the summer before my junior year, which would give my eyes a year before the next OCS summer camp, but I will only do that if I know for sure I can get a waiver for it. I've heard all kinds of contradicting "facts" about this. I figure that if I do not get PRK before I am actually a Marine, I will have to wait until my active duty requirements are met, and the chances of me getting be a pilot will be almost nil. Does anyone out there really KNOW the facts about PRK waivers and the best way to get visually qualified without getting kicked out of the PLC?

 

[suicidechuck]

My brother just came into the Marine Corps, and is currently in Primary on a PRK waiver, so it's workable. He had to wait a year after he had the surgery to get the waiver, but he's down here in Pensacola flying the mighty T-34C, and if you want to go ground, it isn't too difficult to get into the fleet accessions program, I spent 3 years as a grunt in 29 Palms, and I start API in two weeks

 

[reapergm]

Oh man!!! You came to the right forum. I feel like a PRK expert now. Look at my post in the OCS section called "PRK tommorrow". That will answer all your questions. PRK is awesome! AWESOME!!!! Start reading up on old threads about PRK. Do a search.

 

[squeeze]

My experiences...
I had PRK done in Jan 02 and was commissioned in May 02. There is a 6 month post-op screening time during which you can't get a flight physical. Since I graduated during the probationary period, I couldn't get a flight contract prior to TBS. Luckily, we had 2 SNA slots available to our TBS company and I got one of them. For the PRK, I had to have both a commissioning waiver AND a flight waiver. They both come from the same people in Pcola, but they are seperate waivers. To be eligible for the waiver, you must provide pre-op data, one, two, three, and six month post-op data. After that 6 month period, you are eligible for a flight physical and to apply for a waiver. Once you apply for the waiver and have a flight doc sign off on the recommendation, it goes to the docs in Pensacola for them to review and approve. Once they approve it, they'll send a waiver to your current command. Once you have that waiver, make about a thousand copies and hang on to them. When you get to API, during the physical, you'll talk with the docs and they will enroll you in the PRK screening program. It's not a mandatory thing, but its "encouraged" if you catch my drift. After they sign off on your flight physical there, you're pretty much set from there on out. Each year at your flight physical, the doc will renew your waiver on your up-chit, but unless your vision has deteriorated, this is just a check in the box.

If I were you (I'm not a doctor, but I have done the PRK dance and jumped through all the hoops and I'm almost done in Primary.... so take all that for what its worth) - I would have my PRK done by a civilian doctor out of pocket (what I did) well before OCS. That way, you have plenty of time for 1) to be fully recovered by OCS 2) deal with the hassles of applying for the waiver and dealing with people who dont really know how to do it (oso/moi/etc types) and 3) if there are problems (unlikely), then you have plenty of time to either correct them with touchup treatements or explore other options (FO, ground, non-mil). You can shoot me an email if you got any other prk questions. Good luck.

Matt
mattp@alumni.utexas.net

 

[jfk]

i held off my plc app for another year, so i wouldnt have to do the waiver dance if i had a contract w/ ground, nfo, etc.
getting prk this april.

 

[squeeze]

You'll still have to get a waiver regardless of your contract. It's only a matter of how many waivers you'll need. If you go ground, you'll need only one waiver for commissioning. If you go FO or SNA, you'll need two - one for commissioning and one for aviation.

 

[EA-6B1]

I just got done with an hour long conversation over the phone with the Aviation Assistant for Officer Procurement (the guy that flies the king air) in my region. He's at the district board in PI, SC. I told him my plan and situation, and he said that the PRK deal is no big deal as long you follow the guidelines. He said it's been a great program, and no one has not met the cyclogenic test standards 90 days post op. So that's good news! My plan is to go this summer for Jrs on a ground contract. That way it gets rid of all the paperwork, application, meps, etc. When I get back, I'm going to get PRK. After my wavier clears (hopefully), I'm going to component change from ground to air (SNA). I asked him about component change, and he said it's just paperwork, and is really easy to do. He said they do frown upon guys that use an air contract just to get accepted, and then at TBS drop it. I don't like that either. That's another story though. Just thought I'd share this info with everyone else. This is a very credible source, so take it as you wish. Can't wait til Feb, when he's headed over my way in the King Air.

 

[DBLang]

Thats my plan EA-6B1. I have an SNFO contract right now so I am planning on getting custom PRK when I get back from Juniors. Of course, there is always the chance it wont work out, but I'll be just as happy as an SNFO contract.