Advice, Guidance, Flight Physical

[Manutech]

As I started my journey to become a Warrant Officer Aviator back in 2009 when I first started raising my GT score, Passing the AFAST and Passing the Flight Physical, building a strong packet and going to board on 2010 and not being selected, I never gave up, built my packet again in 2012 and passed my Flight Physical again going to the board again while Deployed in Afghanistan, and once again I was not selected,

 

While in Afghanistan in 2012 (pretty much by the same week the board convene) I was hit with an IED , but nothing serious happened

and continued the mission for the rest of the deployment (about 7 more months), when I returned Stateside at Ft Bliss for DEMOB (I'm a Reservist) the care providers asked me if everything was wrong with me and I told them that I was hit with an IED and felt a little back pain every now and them ( very minimal) , and they suggested me to stay as MEDICAL hold until I recover (which I accept it just to be safe) and they did an MRI and found something on my lower back, (i can't even spell it) and they told my all I need it a few physical therapy sessions and I should be good to go, ( to me make the long story short , I spent a year in the WTU program and went true 3 sessions of physical therapy and then released me back to Reserve status, while my time was ending in the WTU I took the opportunity to go ahead and retake my flight physical so I can apply again this time on the Reserve side since they didn't have Reserve aviation in Puerto Rico,..

 

Today I get the noticed that because of what they found on the MRI I was disqualified and my Flight physical got rejected including an exception to policy, which I didn't knew that I need it one but I guess my flight surgeon requested one, I rapidly went to the nearest flight surgeon (Ft Belvoir) and told me to find another MOS...

 

I have the most mix feelings I could ever imagine, I feel that I was betrayed by the own Army that I have been serving for the past 12 1/2 years... and pretty much I feel lost and even considered not reenlisting before I ETS in January 2015...

 

Is this really the end for me to pursue the life long dream of becoming a Military Aviator??

 

is there anything else that I can do to by pass this???

 

 

any thoughts and advice will be really appreciated

 

Thanks and sorry for the long story , just wanted you to see it from my point of view

 

--Manutech

 

 

 

 

[UH60L-IP]

Direct answer. Yes, you are probably done. I only say "probably" because all I know is what you've stated here and I am not the decision maker. But based upon what you said - Multiple times as a non-select, admitted to having back pain (this is a big one for aviators), documented having found something on your back, physical therapy for your back, a year in the MTU, found to be disqualified, AND your exception to policy was rejected. You then went to yet another flight surgeon and he told you to find another MOS.

 

I'm not trying to be mean here but it should be pretty obvious to you by now.

 

The Army did not betray you. You were given multiple shots but for whatever reason were a non-select multiple times, poor luck meant you got hit by an IED, and you (right or wrong) admitted to a disqualifying factor. That's not betrayal. That's just not being qualified and/or not making the cut. Not everyone that wants to become an Army aviator actually does. Sorry.

[smalltownguy]

Keep your head up, get out of the Army, use your GI Bill for flight training, fly the vast array of civilian aircraft and if you really want to fly in a military setting become a contractor. Your dream of becoming an aviator only dies when you give up... you may never fly in a uniform but it doesn't mean you can't fly. Now, GET AFTER IT MAN!!!

[Heericane13]

Got a quick question about the flight phys. I am AD army and was looking into the physical and noticed that you have to be 20/50 without correction, but then it states that you can be corrected to 20/20 with only one error per line. (USAREC website). I a little confused about this part. I took an eye test and I am like 20/50 on a good day. I also had lasik two years ago and was in the 20/30 ball park just last year. So I am trying to figure out if I show up to the physical with glasses to correct me to 20/20 or is that a no go.

[d10]

You're 20/50 at best after LASIK? That might be it's own issue. You need to be both 20/50 or better without glasses and 20/20 with glasses, so you definitely want to bring your glasses to the physical. LASIK has additional requirements though.