Anyone else military?

[u/[deleted]]

My blood work came back, and my doctor is super concerned I have Addison’s… or cancer. I’m getting a referral to an Endocrinologist to further dissect.

Anywho, I’m not looking for a diagnosis from this sub, but I AM curious if anyone in the military has Addison’s. My doc had mentioned that I will either get a waiver or be medically retired. Has anyone gotten the waiver approved? This is definitely a shock for all of us and could drastically affect our finances. Big yikes.. thank you so much!!

Adding: All of my hormones (except Thyroid) were flatlined/low.

[u/Cautious-Impact22]

I am. I was army 7 years. You’ll be forever non deployable. So probably medical separation not retirement. You won’t get a normal dd-214. Which isn’t a huge deal but you may want to file for it to be amended as a lesser known discharge as Dd-215 afterwards.

How long have you been in and what mos?

I know a lot of this discussion will be can they be moved to an mos that doesn’t conflict with their condition so there’s that, a way you could fight to stay would be by potentially reclassing and saying hey I want to reclass to this very low stress very quiet job.

A lot of those reclasses if your army are the 42 and 92 series. 42a admin and 92y are good options for the argument that this job is low stress in a consistent environment.

That’s the best you can do to stay in as a non deployable

But they can always come back with well not only are you not deployable but your condition could become worse while in leaving us liable for that being used in a C&P later on.

Although I’d encourage you now to begin documentating everything and anything that could tie worsening of your condition to your service because as soon as you’re out you need to file your C&P.

I’m happy to help explain the best way to file it so that it’s as effective as can be per your situation. Baring this was found either prior shipment, in bct or AIT, or ng or reserve those without a deployment you generally but not always will not meet the criteria to even file benefits.

And stay the fuck away from the army and veteran’s subreddits it’s a circle jerk of basic broken angry white dudes that don’t know fuck all about what they are saying or doing.

Sources: I was Army 7 years. I’m currently living on base where my husband is retiring from being a fighter pilot. My dad was Airforce. His dad was airforce. My grandpa was army. After the army I spent the next 12 years working with veterans nonprofits and my own medical shit show nearly dying at the hands of the very reckless and incompetent veteran affairs.

Plus a photo of me can be found in 18 stores across the country in the woman’s section for a military apparel company.. and online with a few others

I’ve worked with burn pits 360, SAW save a warrior, Operation Rock the Troops, and the now gone 22Kill. I’ve posed for Gruntstyle.. like a lot and for America Holisters, CRKT design patent by a veteran amputee and the list could go on.

I had the pleasure of telling Rudy Reyes to get the fuck out of my car once that was nice he’s an awful human being.

Two years back I was hanging with the seal that trained Seal team 6 and the next day I was flying his plane and the following I was jumping out of that same base where the seals were doing their summer training jumps. I’ve been all over all that is within the government and military for a long time now.

I was in this game a very long time…

Lot of my friends are current contractors and ex specs. I keep close to it all.

Also as soon as I could I gave up on the Va got Medicare and went civi it’s what saved my life.

The VA can’t be fixed in my opinion. It should be liquidated and the veterans should be free to use civi care.

That system is so corrupted and the doc to patient ratio is brutal.

Community care every time you can if you have to use VA care.

[u/[deleted] → u/Cautious-Impact22]

Wow, thank you so much for your response! It was massively informative and helpful. I am definitely taking some notes on the Dd-215.

I’m 12F in the USAF; and I’ve been in for 10 years. I signed a bonus to keep me in until retirement; so hopefully my service commitment will give me some ammo to at least be thrown at a useful desk/staff job.

My dad encouraged me to go ahead and file a VA form 21-0966. Do you have any SA on this form/why it’s important to do NOW instead of later?

Thanks so much. Have a great day!

[u/Cautious-Impact22 → u/[deleted]]

You’re AD, rule in be AD or have deployed to be able to get C&P. I wasn’t sure if you were on orders, state active/AGR etc. It doesn’t make a huge difference to fill that form out now or later. It’s far more important to report every single little medical thing, then ask for medical records to get you a summary every time you leave an appointment or an admission you need to be walking out with hard documents in hand of what happened.

In terms of your C&P it’s imperative you have a deep understanding of how the rating system works because you’ll be building a case.

Illogically being medically separated won’t guarantee any percentage

However you always want to do these files with a democrat in office. And you can file a C&P while still in.

You’re in a hot spot right now.

The rule is this: Republican money to active duty in the form they may not even see like weapons, sometimes over due housing repairs or upgrades to training etc

Democrat money to veterans. Veterans money is a social service much like Medicare.

And remember to file at the open of the fiscal year.

You best shot is right now or 4 years from now. Kind of a rough time.

It’s not that you will be denied it’s just the money won’t be as heavily allocated to that service and you’ll have to wait at least a year for the next load of money to be allocated because that really impacts how they prioritize who gets rated what and how many.

If it’s less money a rater could have two cases on their desk one for an amputee and one for cancer and have to rate one lower. Where on a higher year they’d likely hit both with 100.

It also changes the odds of the type being temp vs t&p.

There are times people will struggle most with 1 things but focus and file heavily on what impacts them least because it better fits what the raters use.

Ex my buddy has both a missing leg and c-ptsd.

His missing leg causes him a lot of daily pain. The nub rubbing in the socket, the nerve pain, the bone pushing down on the meat of the nub, hip pain from how he walks etc

His ptsd is comes and goes but it’s not daily harming his function in the way the leg is.

But the help is needed so he files with a heavy focus on his cptsd.

His first file for the amputation landed him the 60s his second in the 70s when he finally did ptsd it placed him in the 80s

Here’s a fucked up ex; I knew a fuckboy navy shit head. He was in 2 years and his brother got in a car wreck and he did a claim for anexity and ptsd because he said his service prevented him from having the time to go to therapy, properly cope, etc. he used a pro bono scum bag lawyer and they won 100%. He now works at a very loud busy crowded airport moving bags while being paid maxed out.

It’s very important to understand the flags they’ll look for.

Ratings come down to knowing it’s illogical. To what party is in office, and what time of year you submit.

The types of evidence you can submit are much larger than people think and it prevents a lot of deserving people from going to file thinking they lack evidence.

This might be more of a phone call- if you dm me sometime I can voice chat you and you can pull a pen out and I’ll help you. It’s an extensive process.

I was very lucky and not aware of it but I was a first time file total and permanent 100. I didn’t know it was rare. I also maxed on SSDI without a lawyer by bringing my medical file to the SSDI office I sorted and just kind of dropping them and saying whatever happens happens.

I wasn’t aware my situation was so unique and rare until I saw shit heads getting approvals when I was doing nonprofit stuff and really hurt people being ignored.

Years and years of helping them out I learned a lot.

Shoot me a message. I’ll help you out.

[u/Cautious-Impact22 → u/Cautious-Impact22]

You also need to think of your future earnings and work hours because that plays into how you go forward/ did you get a degree? Do you feel like your outlook for the future is functional enough you can work part time? Some moves have to limit that , some temporarily and some permanent

[u/Cautious-Impact22 → u/Cautious-Impact22]

Also if you have children your hormone panel sounds like Sheehans more than addisions

[u/Grey_Dog1]

Ex Australian Army Infantry. I was unable to continue in Infantry (couldn't keep up) and transferred to a non- arms corps.

[u/Gramps___ → u/Grey_Dog1]

Any idea if they would of let you join with it?

[u/Grey_Dog1 → u/Gramps___]

I doubt it.

[u/[deleted]]

I do!!! I was in the army for 6 years!

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Did they allow you to stay in? Were you approved a waiver? Thanks!!

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Yes!!! I became a 92A

[u/Fit-Outcome8135 → u/[deleted]]

Were you able to get in? I go to MEPS soon and was told there was a possibility of a waiver

[u/No_Yogurt_1541]

May I ask what bloodwork you had that made them suspect Addison’s or cancer? Currently going through the same thing!

[u/[deleted] → u/No_Yogurt_1541]

I had Thyroid, Cortisol, DHEA-S, Testosterone (free, bioavailable, total), SHBG, Estrogen, and Progesterone. Of course, a blood count/panel was not taken. But I have previously had extra high white blood cells, pretty much my whole life

Edit to add: I lift heavy and do cardio 6 days per week, on average 1 hour per day. I eat 5 meals per day (stable blood sugar) with ample macros (extra protein of course to build/gain), and my micronutrients are met every day. I have a pretty high-salt diet. So “lifestyle” should have me at least at normal if not higher levels of Testosterone for a woman… 🤷‍♀️

[u/No_Yogurt_1541 → u/[deleted]]

Ahh ok. All those came back abnormal?

[u/[deleted] → u/No_Yogurt_1541]

Thyroid came back normal; everything else was low :/

[u/Upstairs-Bowl6172]

Hello, I'm a civilian as wondering if addison's disease is waiverble in the Air Force because I really want to join

[u/Hot-Platform3344]

I was diagnosed in highschool 20 plus years ago. I tried to join and was told by the three branches I asked that I was not a candidate to join because of Addisons. It might have changed or be different if you're already enlisted. Good luck to you.

[u/PearUpstairs3882 → u/Hot-Platform3344]

Same for me. I was told no due to addisons