VA Disability - GAD ???

[jkilo]

Anybody here receive a VA disability claim for generalized anxiety? If so how has that impacted the hiring process for you or someone you know? Is it worth it to claim it or should it be left out entirely? I am worried if claimed then it would disqualify me from controlling outside the military/DoD. I am out very soon

 

[Shikaka]

Personally your health is more important, professionally it would be easier to get hired and then claim it. Additionally if it's already in your medical files then claim it since it's already an obstacle. Finally do a self assessment and determine if it would prevent you from doing the job in the first place.

 

[jkilo]

Personally your health is more important, professionally it would be easier to get hired and then claim it. Additionally if it's already in your medical files then claim it since it's already an obstacle. Finally do a self assessment and determine if it would prevent you from doing the job in the first place.

It is not currently in my medical files, nor does it/will it affect my ability to do the job. I just don't want it to be disqualifying

 

[Mr.Tickles]

Application Process for Medical Certification
Applicant History - Item 18. Medical History
m. Mental disorders of any sort; depression, anxiety, etc.
"An affirmative answer to Item 18.m. requires investigation through supplemental history taking. Dispositions will vary according to the details obtained. An applicant with an established history of a personality disorder that is severe enough to have repeatedly manifested itself by overt acts, a psychosis disorder, or a bipolar disorder must be denied or deferred by the Examiner. (See Item 47)."


Being former military myself I know how disability often goes. Biggest question to ask yourself is this a legitimate issue you have or something you sorta kinda might or might not have but because it's anxiety you can claim it? No one on here needs to know that answer.

Only a flight surgeon would be able to give you a true answer to if what you experience is something that would disqualify you.

I've been in the agency for almost two years now and just recently submitted my intent to file after being separated for three. I didn't want my VA claims holding up my medical so I waited to file specifically for that reason. Just something to think about.

 

[orochimaru]

I had a VA diagnosis of GAD in 2014, completed psychotherapy, and had no issues since therapy concerning anxiety. I was prescribed an SSRI that I didn't take during that time. Here is what happened concerning my medical clearance after my analyst received my active VA, then eventually my active duty records:

1. Spent $700 on a functional capacity evaluation for my disability claim concerning my knee

2. Spent $1400 many months later on a psychiatric/psychological evaluation for my previous GAD diagnosis. In this eval: I did another MMPI2 (despite not having issues with the first one), a trail making test, several questionnaires, a long interview, and the WAIS-IV.

--
I was from the 2018 bid, and my total wait time was around 570-something days. Everything sped up once the wizard checked me out.

Hopefully your process is better. 10/10 would not claim GAD, and if you've got this in your records they likely will see it and pick it apart.

 

[CLRD4TO]

File your VA claim after you’re hired. It took me over two years to get through FAA medical for insomnia. The DOD doesn’t care what your VA is.

 

[FightingIrish2012]

Everyone saying “claim it after your hired” you know you are then legally obligated to disclose that on your next medical (or technically the next day), right? If not you run the risk of being fired for one of essentially the only three things you can be fired for after CPC (lying on a medical, getting multiple DWIs, or sleeping on position/using a phone on position and having a accident).

Now maybe there is a point that once you are in they might be a lot less willing to medically DQ you for it, or that the VA and FAA medical systems are so fucked that they don’t “talk to each other” properly and the FAA will never know unless you report it. But I wouldn’t count on either of those things being the case forever, especially if it comes to light years later and was never reported.

My advice would be we all have some level of anxiety and after you get through the relative party of your life in your 20’s it tends to get worse not better as relatives start to age and die and higher level adult things are usually harder then what you deal with when you are younger. Rather then having a official diagnosis on your record I would do all I can to try to deal with it on my own through non-medical support channels, only if that fails open the other can of worms and work to clear it up through extensive FAA Medicine investigations or try to hide it for the next 25 years.

 

[Shikaka]

No one is saying lie on your medical, claiming it after you've secured the job and getting your medical back is far easier than the inital medical certification which more often just bars, or wastes years, people from getting in.

I'm happy I waited to file claims until after I got in the FAA. Gave me a good excuse to kill two months of leave.

 

[jkilo]

I guess a better question would be does the FAA get the breakdown of your disability claim or do they just know you are --% disabled? I imagine you would have to prove your percentage of disability to claim any sort of veteran preference when hiring. If I were to claim it it would only be in my claim. There is no evidence whatsoever of anxiety in my actual medical record

 

[32andBelow]

I guess a better question would be does the FAA get the breakdown of your disability claim or do they just know you are --% disabled? I imagine you would have to prove your percentage of disability to claim any sort of veteran preference when hiring. If I were to claim it it would only be in my claim. There is no evidence whatsoever of anxiety in my actual medical record

Everything is between you and the flight surgeon and he can ask for any record he wants. All the atc people get is if you have a valid medical.

 

[Shikaka]

And medical doesn't become ab issue unless you're officialy diagnosed with said disability. To have a succesful VA claim, there has to be a diagnosis, whatever percentage doesn't matter.

 

[Mr.Tickles]

If you're going file for disability before you get hired and you file for anxiety you've realistically got only one choice if you want this job.

Full disclosure on your medical. Under no circumstances should you try and keep the FAA in the dark about it.

 

[Ztron]

Anyone know anything about Tinnitus? Disqualifying?

 

[Shikaka]

Anyone know anything about Tinnitus? Disqualifying?

Nope, I got it, just pass the hearing test.

 

[Ztron]

Awesome thanks.

Nope, I got it, just pass the hearing test.

 

[Ahung1]

I had a VA diagnosis of GAD in 2014, completed psychotherapy, and had no issues since therapy concerning anxiety. I was prescribed an SSRI that I didn't take during that time. Here is what happened concerning my medical clearance after my analyst received my active VA, then eventually my active duty records:

1. Spent $700 on a functional capacity evaluation for my disability claim concerning my knee

2. Spent $1400 many months later on a psychiatric/psychological evaluation for my previous GAD diagnosis. In this eval: I did another MMPI2 (despite not having issues with the first one), a trail making test, several questionnaires, a long interview, and the WAIS-IV.

--
I was from the 2018 bid, and my total wait time was around 570-something days. Everything sped up once the wizard checked me out.

Hopefully your process is better. 10/10 would not claim GAD, and if you've got this in your records they likely will see it and pick it apart.

This is the exact answer I am looking for.. I suspect they will have me wait even longer at this point in time! I am much further behind. I have BQ for the 2021 bid, no TOL yet, but I am fully expecting my GAD w/ adjustment disorder, depressed mood and insomnia to be further investigated. I had a SSRI prescribed to me, but for VA purposes, I claimed this. I never took the medicine.. but I fully expect to be picked apart for this. I hope this doesn't set me back too far.. Seems that it was nearly 2 years for your experience!! just WOW!

For bullet point #2 did you do the psychological evaluation for the FAA or for the VA claim? That is a lot of money for a medical examination.