I had prk performed on my eyes in august 2001, and now my vision is great. I'm in the process of try to get a sna spot. However I'm having a problem with MEPS. According to MEPS in Louisville, KY you have to wait a year after your surgery before you can take your physical. It's been over 6 months since my surgery and they won't even let me come down to take the physical. From everything that I have read, the current policy states that after 90 days you are allowed to take the physical. I told this to my recruiter so he called NAMI and they told him you have to wait 6 months?, I'm not sure who he talked to because I thought it was 3 months. Either way I should have been allowed to take the test as far as the Navy is concerned. So my recruiter calls back down to MEPS and tells the Cheif Medical Officer about only having to wait six months instead of a year. According to my recruiter the CMO told him that MEPS was part of the department of defense not the Navy so this does not apply to him. The CMO keeps insiting that some DOD regulation about laser surgery in general says that you must wait one year. Anyone that has had PRK and gone for the MEPS physical would you mind telling me which MEPS it was so my recruiter can give them a call. Apparently the people in Louisville have never done this before and are not being very cooperative. Thanks for your help.
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problem with prk and meps
- Thread starter JD
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The post-op wait should be 3 months. Check BuMed's site for the official policy (for that matter show it to your recruiter as well). I just got my waiver a month ago out of NRD Houston, and as much of a pain in the a$$ as I was the whole process is no doubt still fresh in their minds. Give them a ring.
Jared
Jared
JD,
Ask MEPS to show you their instruction -- then wait to hear the uh-um-uh-uh. As you will find throughout your military career, you will have to do a lot of your own leg-work if you need any type of exception or waiver.
The fact is, the PRK policy doesn't say anything about how long you have to wait to get your physical. All it ways is that before you apply for the waiver you must wait 3 months and have two exams at least 30 days apart which demonstrate stability. Technically, you could go in the day after your surgery for your flight physical. You would just then have to wait for the three months and two exams before they could put in the paperwork for the waiver.
Check the points of contact at the bottom of the following page. One of these individuals should be able to help:
http://navymedicine.med.navy.mil/PRK/corneal_refractive_surgery_physi.htm
Final thought: Although it seems that your MEPS station personnel are either uninformed or just lazy, you need to be careful. These people can end your career before it even starts, so don't make them mad.
Ask MEPS to show you their instruction -- then wait to hear the uh-um-uh-uh. As you will find throughout your military career, you will have to do a lot of your own leg-work if you need any type of exception or waiver.
The fact is, the PRK policy doesn't say anything about how long you have to wait to get your physical. All it ways is that before you apply for the waiver you must wait 3 months and have two exams at least 30 days apart which demonstrate stability. Technically, you could go in the day after your surgery for your flight physical. You would just then have to wait for the three months and two exams before they could put in the paperwork for the waiver.
Check the points of contact at the bottom of the following page. One of these individuals should be able to help:
http://navymedicine.med.navy.mil/PRK/corneal_refractive_surgery_physi.htm
Final thought: Although it seems that your MEPS station personnel are either uninformed or just lazy, you need to be careful. These people can end your career before it even starts, so don't make them mad.
Thanks for the help but I still not sure what to do. My recruiter already talk with some of the NOMI people and they said that I woiuld be fine it's just the MEPS CMO that's the problem. When I talked to my recruiter he said they faxed him a copy of a DoD regulation that says that you must wait a year before they will do a physical. It seems like a wavier won't help get a physical from MEPS. This CMO doesn't care what the Navy says. Which MEPS did you guys go to? Jared is NRD a MEPS or is that Navy? What's your recruiter's name and # I would like my recruiter to talk with them.
Did you have a waiver before you went to take your MEPS physical?
Edited by - jd on 02/20/2002 11:06:15
Did you have a waiver before you went to take your MEPS physical?
Edited by - jd on 02/20/2002 11:06:15
JD,
NRD is Naval Recruitng District. If MEPS is still giving you a hard time ask your recruiter if you can go to one of the local bases to get your physical. I went NAS Jacksonville on a Saturday and took my flight physcial with a reserve unit that trains there. Almost all of my recruiters applicants go there because of all the problems that arise when going through MEPS. I was also able to get my entire flight physical done in about 3 hours, vice the normal all day affair at MEPS.
NRD is Naval Recruitng District. If MEPS is still giving you a hard time ask your recruiter if you can go to one of the local bases to get your physical. I went NAS Jacksonville on a Saturday and took my flight physcial with a reserve unit that trains there. Almost all of my recruiters applicants go there because of all the problems that arise when going through MEPS. I was also able to get my entire flight physical done in about 3 hours, vice the normal all day affair at MEPS.
I would say that Gator has the best idea. In addition to the fact that the Navy docs will have a clue what's going on, they will probabaly also be much more helpful during and after the physical.
The PRK wiaver will actually require the eye doc to do a little extra work and follow-up. Even if MEPS gives you the physical, do you think they're going to do any extra work to help you out?
Ask your recruiter if you can go to the nearest Navy or Marine Corps base (I think you'll need one that has a flight surgeon -- not every base clinic has one.)
The PRK wiaver will actually require the eye doc to do a little extra work and follow-up. Even if MEPS gives you the physical, do you think they're going to do any extra work to help you out?
Ask your recruiter if you can go to the nearest Navy or Marine Corps base (I think you'll need one that has a flight surgeon -- not every base clinic has one.)
Thanks for your help guys I'll think that I will try gator suggestion about going to the NRD and deal with the Navy docs not the MEPS staff. I wouldn't say that my recruiter isn't letting me take the physical it's just the MEPS CMO. This whole thing is just very frustrating because it took the docs at MEPS over 2 weeks to review my medical documents before I even had answer.
Edited by - jd on 02/20/2002 16:07:48
Edited by - jd on 02/20/2002 16:07:48
I don't think that it matters where you get your physical (NAS, MCAS,..) so long as they complete all required tests. I do know that a flight surgeon had to sign off on my initial physical. For those of you who are having problems with the paper pushers saying conflicting statements you should check up on the info yourself. Ask them what order or directive they are using as a reference and then look it up on line. I know that both Marine Corps and Navy orders are available on line, along with DoD. If you have any problem locating anything specific just e-mail me. I've become fairly proficient over the years, from getting screwed around by desk jockies.
Whats up guys,
OK here is a little tid bit for you. You do not have to get a flight physical to get an SNA slot. All you need is a pre-commisioning physical. The two physicals are almost identical. I flight physical is no big deal anyway, because even if you pass it then get the ol NAMI Whami it doesnt really matter does it? I went to NAS Jax and got my physical as well. The Pre-Com physical and Long Flight physical are almost identical. If you pass your pre commisioning physical you should be ok. You can get the Pre commisioning physical paperwork from your local NRD. You can then take it to your nearest base and have it completed esp. if you are already active duty. No offense here, but most of the people at MEPS are complete jerk offs. You have to remember that these guys deal with a bunch of young kids enlisting and like to give them a ration of crap. Dont let these guys give you any. If you must use meps and arent getting anywhere ask the CMO of that meps who his boss is and what his number is. Tell him you need to get this issue resolved so you can get your package in. Dont let the numb nuts keep you down. Remember... Improvise, overcome, adapt. Do what ever it takes to get your stuff done (and win). If youre not cheatin your not tryin. Best of luck.
Dave
Edited by - EodDave on 02/20/2002 19:39:30
Edited by - EodDave on 02/20/2002 19:40:31
OK here is a little tid bit for you. You do not have to get a flight physical to get an SNA slot. All you need is a pre-commisioning physical. The two physicals are almost identical. I flight physical is no big deal anyway, because even if you pass it then get the ol NAMI Whami it doesnt really matter does it? I went to NAS Jax and got my physical as well. The Pre-Com physical and Long Flight physical are almost identical. If you pass your pre commisioning physical you should be ok. You can get the Pre commisioning physical paperwork from your local NRD. You can then take it to your nearest base and have it completed esp. if you are already active duty. No offense here, but most of the people at MEPS are complete jerk offs. You have to remember that these guys deal with a bunch of young kids enlisting and like to give them a ration of crap. Dont let these guys give you any. If you must use meps and arent getting anywhere ask the CMO of that meps who his boss is and what his number is. Tell him you need to get this issue resolved so you can get your package in. Dont let the numb nuts keep you down. Remember... Improvise, overcome, adapt. Do what ever it takes to get your stuff done (and win). If youre not cheatin your not tryin. Best of luck.
Dave
Edited by - EodDave on 02/20/2002 19:39:30
Edited by - EodDave on 02/20/2002 19:40:31
I think my best option is to avoid MEPS all together. I'm not sure where the nearest NRD or Naval station because I live in the middle of Kentucky. I don't plan on letting some CMO at meps keep me from what I want to do. Thanks again guys for your suggestions, hopefully I can get this worked out soon.
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