Found fit with Insulin Dep. Diabetes...

I have been in the Navy for 11 years. I have Type 2 Diabetes and have to have insulin everyday along with oral meds. I have just recieved my findings and I can't begin to tell you have angry I am at this system. I was found fit for continued duty. My question is how am I supposed to continue duty when I will not be found fit for full duty because I cannot serve on an Aircraft Carrier while taking insulin? I am an ABE1 and I cannot serve anywhere else. I realize I will not recieve retirement for my disability, but I cannot afford to be admin separated in this economy. I know I have to pay severance pay back, but its better than getting out with literaly nothing. Can someone tell me how long it will take to have the board reconcider, if I can do that at all. OR...Can I get perm. shore duty or change my rate to something that doesn't requir deployability. OR...what should I do? I am angry and lost....

Thanks
 
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I was diagnosed in Dec with diabetes and found out the beginning of Jan that it is Type 1, so my case is a little different. I too am insulin dependent, 5 shots of day. My A1C was 12.2% at the time of diagnosis.

I'm sorry I cannot add any input into your specific case as I am in the middle of mine. My NARSUM is on the 26th of Jan.

I am keeping my fingers crossed for med retirement so I don't have to worry about the high fit standards the AF is going to. I can hardly maintain fitness and experience hypo if I don't plan accordingly for workouts.

I do have a friend who was DMII and they offered 20% with severence. He appealed to the formal board at Lackland and was found fit. Although he is still non-deployable and dealing with cross train holdups.

My job is a HIGHLY deployable field. Most I've read is that Type 1 is big knock on staying in. I'm hoping for med retirement.

Best of luck to you, keep us informed. Hope it turns out with what you want in the end.
 
Welcome aboard,

You can appeal any decision, to include a fit finding. Or have you already accepted the findings?

Will they seek out admin discharge if you remain on shore duty?
 
Sorry to kinda go off topic. How long did it take to get your results back?
 
Parker...do you know something about outcomes for diabetes? If so, please share. I have seen a wide range of possibilities with outcomes.
 
xeno said:
Welcome aboard,

You can appeal any decision, to include a fit finding. Or have you already accepted the findings?

Will they seek out admin discharge if you remain on shore duty?
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I have not accepted the findings. I am going to appeal and ask for another decision. I am sure I will be found unfit once they find out what it is an ABE1 does. The had Marine officers set on my board. What a waist of money!

Yes they will seek admin discharge because I will not be deployable. They will not send me on shore duty.
 
What was your A1C level? Are you on a PT restricting profile? Do you get bad hypo?

Meds? Insulin, pills how much.

I'm trying to learn as much about this so I can kinda guage my situation.
 
:D Received my findings from the reconsideration yesterday. I was found unfit at 20%, which is what I was expecting the first time. Now, I have a few more questions...

1.How long does it take to receive severance pay after separation?
2.Do I get house hunting and job hunting leave?
3.Does the Navy also pay to move your dependents to your home of record?
 
You must show restriction of activities to get to 40%

Dear Friends,

1. Ma Parker is right on the money- to get above 20% with the Panel at the Navy Yard you have to specifically show that your physical activities are restricted secondary to diabetes.

2. With the current panel members- and believe me, the Marines are not a waste, they are the most favorable members of the panel- they do expect to see these restrictions in writing from your physician; however, they do not require it to be in an addendum format. A detailed entry on an SF-600 is sufficient.

3. As an ABE, your work within a rate that is very physically demanding. Therefore, board members will expect to see that your physician has placed limitations on your ability to lift, carry, operate heavy equipment, etc.

4. It would also be helpful to obtain nonmedical evidence letters from coworkers and first-level supervisors describing these limitations and how this deviates from what they would normally require of an ABE with your experience.

5. If you are able to obtain this information, then you should be aware that Navy Panel members are very open to what is informally called a re-reconsideration- this is a written submission with new medical evidence after the reconsideration stage and before the formal hearing itself.

6. If sufficient, then they will do an on the record memorandum decision on the Informal Panel level and issue new findings without a formal hearing.

7. Just bear in mind, while the panel at the Navy Yard is amongst the most flexible and generous of the various PEBs, the restriction of activities with diabetes issue is a pet peeve with their medical officers and the currrent directors of both the PEB and the NCPB. Therefore, if you intend to proceed, you really need to ensure that you can show medical evidence of restriction of activities.

Good luck!

v/r

Jack
 
I was diagnosed with Type 1 IDDM on 13 Oct 99. At the time, I was Command Senior Chief of a unit at Moffett Field...no longer flying, not in any "hazardous or arduous duty." My A1c was 11.6, but after a couple of months of control, I'd brought it down to 5.6. Despite that, upon reporting my condition to the Navy, I was promptly relieved of duty and suspended without pay (though in the letter from BUMED, it was phrased "hereby being placed in a non-drill, non-pay status pending outcome by a formal physical evaluation board").

After 18 months of reading every SECNAV, BUPERS, and BUMED instruction on the matter (each of which contained conflicting information about whether I was, in fact, unfit for duty...BUMED said "automatically unfit," SECNAV said "not so fast") and fighting other Naval entities, I ended up in San Diego at the PEB. After weighing the evidence, they agreed that my control was exemplary and saw the inequity of the "automatically unfit for duty" ruling, declared me fit for duty, and I was returned to full duty status in Aug 2001.

If you believe it's worth the fight, I'd say "go for it." Read, read, read everything you can get your hands on, and go in prepared to show your retention is in the best interests of the Navy.

Good Luck!

Mike
 
I was an IT2 on board a ship and was diagnosed with Type 1 and eventually found 40% went to TDRL and after a long battle I was found 40% PDRL. The problem I had was proving Restriction of strenuous activities. There were a lot of things that made my blood sugars low but they were not documented. If you have questions let me know.
 
Mike,

I have type 2 and will have to start my fight to stay in the navy in about 3 months. Do you have any insight to help me stay on active duty. I am an E-6, GM1 with 13 yrs on may 28th. I will be 3 months shy of 14 yrs at the end of my current duty. I have only had this for the last 3 yrs. Any guidance or adice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Gunnz
 
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