Standards of medical fitness

[JsonD13]

Wow, the ego in this forum is huge!  Makes me pretty glad I dont post much anymore.

While I will not get caught up in the specifics of diagnosis, regardless of your situation, there will be those that will do what they can to keep you in (whether you want that or not), will accuse you of trying to sleaze out early, and very few (most of them probably will not be on the nuclear side of things) will relate and side with whatever you are trying to accomplish.

What I can give you is a bit of information that may ease your fears.  There are alot of jobs that do not require you to control a reactor that your education and experience would contribute to (yes, even at a nuclear power station).  So do not worry about employment if it is decided that you will no longer be a nuke in the Navy.

Back to my relative obscurity and comfort in my own life.

Jason

[DLGN25]

It sure looks like the Navy has not changed much in dealing with medical conditions since I left the service all those decades ago.  That is your immediate chain of command is composed of engineers who are only interested in the safe operation of the plant and watch station manning.  Which of the two is more important to them is of question.  I suggest that every effort to over look your medical condition will be made just so the watch rotation requirements can be met.  When the time comes that your medical condition causes you to collapse or otherwise obviously perform below expectations, they will move fast to get rid of you.

There has been some good advice posted here about seeking all the medical work you can get while in the Navy and consulting JAG. 

As far as medical treatment goes, sadly it is up to you to push the system for treatment or confirmation of the diagnosis or it's severity.  As long as it remains boarderline, you will stay in the world of medical limbo.  Keep in mind that boarderline means a decision on your future has not been made.  Do not be intimidated by command structure or what rank or rate a person is wearing.  You have a responsibility to your shipmates to be healthy enough to do what is expected of you, just as you have a responsibility to yourself for getting treatment.

You should to talk to a JAG attorney.  The reason is simple.  Whether the legal process to have you mustered out of the service has started or not, it is more then likely in your future.  Given any discharge is a legal process, you need to know as much about that process as you can, and what options are available to you.

The point is, that once you are officially on the path to a medical discharge, your options for medical care diminish, as do your legal options.  One of the things you need to consider is treatment after dishcharge.  It is likely that your condition was not service related, but if service aggravated, VA benefits may be available.  Again, your doctors and JAG can, or should help you here.

What has happened to you is unfortunate, but what happens in your future is up to you.

[GLW]

It sure looks like.....

The OP has not revisited the boards for a dozen days, this is the only board he visits, and this is the only thread he posts in,...

Typically that would deem DLGN25's post an essentially futile post to an essentially dead thread,...

Nobody mentioned the VA before this post,...

Thanks DLGN25, perhaps the OP will visit again and glean that perspective,...

I do wonder if he is still driving around on the interstate feeling drunk to the point that he has to pull over,...

[DLGN25]

I do wonder if he is still driving around on the interstate feeling drunk to the point that he has to pull over,...

Of course he is, after all he still thinks he is medically qualified to shim rods and operate the pressurizer and the other little switches on the control panel.  I can only imagine the panic if he passed out during a startup...