I am an active duty Army officer and I have been diagnosed with severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea (34.6 events per hour). What am I facing career-wise? I have read varying posts on this issue from , no change move on, to immediate discharge with no retirement.

Is anyone familiar with how the Army is currently hadnling this issue. I have been prescrivbed a CPAP machine, and I go into the Army physician on September 8th for my follow-up following my off-base specialist treatment.

Here are the possible army responses as I see them:
1-No change in status, stay deployable, take your CPAP with you to deployments good lluck soldier carry-on

2-We don't need you with this darn CPAP get out good luck

3-We-don't need you with this CPAP thing, here's 50% good luck move out

4-We'll keep you aroudn but we can't send you overseas

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

hello

I don't have any information on this but If you have been going over other posts on this topic PM some of the members who are in the military.I think you might have to register on the forums first before you can PM someone.

good luck

My son has OSA, ever since he was a small child. Untreated. We didn't even know about this until I was daigonosed a few months ago. I want my son to go and get it checked out. He is only in the Military for four yrs and he says he has no intention because he will be released. They will say that he is not deployable and now has a disability. Says he has to wait a few yrs yet.
It sounds crazy but that the way he says the Can Military will handle it.

hey sir
i have severe sleep apnea n been in military 5 yrs got diagonised wit it 3 yrs ago when i was overseas when i came back stateside they made me go to medical board but didnt kick me out let me stay in as fit for duty i also requested to stay didnt see point of kickin me out if it doesnt effect me working  its not true u cant go overseas cuz im goin overseas again wit sleep apnea n i have it bad n im still in they say im only deployable unless i have a electrical outlet which makes sense but um its 50/50 sum stay in some dont i lucked up n stayed dont be surprise if ur unit put u thru medical board mines did cuz once they know all they gotta do is tell a doc but like i tell peeps if i can do my job y kick me out its only when i sleep i have the problem give me a electrical outlet im good

Hey sir, sounds like you have it pretty bad. I think I only had about eight events per hour. Anyway, I'm currently going through the med board process. I was told by my PA and Brigade Surgeon that most people with OSA are winding up fit for duty. My unit just deployed recently, and I'm stuck behind, at least until the med board process is over. I'll post on here how it goes once everything's all said and done.

I have been in the AF 22 years now.  I can only speak for what happened to me.  Got sleep apnea AF med boarded me.  They returned me to duty with a code C 4T none deployable.  I may only PCS stateside, Hawaii, and Alaska.  I also know a Capt on base that I have talked with.  They med boarded him with the same restrictions.  In the AF that officers have to deploy to be promoted, so it would affect your career more than mine.  But me sitting at 22 years and enlisted it does not hurt me any, just gives me more VA disability.


_________________

21 years navy. found out at 12th year had sleep apnea and started using cpap. All testing was done at AF base in MS. Navy Dr sent me back to airforce for possible med board but AF Dr said by AF standards I was ok. By Navy Standards I would have had to be med discharged due to shipboard life. Temp removed sleep apnea paperwork from my med record till 2 months prior to retirement. Now get 50% disability from VA for sleep apena alone.

Anonymous wrote:

21 years navy. found out at 12th year had sleep apnea and started using cpap. All testing was done at AF base in MS. Navy Dr sent me back to airforce for possible med board but AF Dr said by AF standards I was ok. By Navy Standards I would have had to be med discharged due to shipboard life. Temp removed sleep apnea paperwork from my med record till 2 months prior to retirement. Now get 50% disability from VA for sleep apena alone.

I was recently diagnosed with osa by the VA and put on the cpap machine. I've been out of the service for 30 years. Am I entitled to a 50% disability and if so, what explanation does the VA except in order to relate it to the military? What should I say when I file a claim?

Well, now that those pointless posts have reminded me that I was going to post here, I will.

The med board process is over. I was found fit for duty and am on leave right now. I'll be leaving by the end of the year and will be meeting up with my unit over in Iraq. Now you know.

Glad to hear things came out how you wanted them to.

You've got the reassurance through the med-board that you are good to go.  As I've learned so well, they don't always follow the forms with apnea.

sandbag wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

21 years navy. found out at 12th year had sleep apnea and started using cpap. All testing was done at AF base in MS. Navy Dr sent me back to airforce for possible med board but AF Dr said by AF standards I was ok. By Navy Standards I would have had to be med discharged due to shipboard life. Temp removed sleep apnea paperwork from my med record till 2 months prior to retirement. Now get 50% disability from VA for sleep apena alone.

I was recently diagnosed with osa by the VA and put on the cpap machine. I've been out of the service for 30 years. Am I entitled to a 50% disability and if so, what explanation does the VA except in order to relate it to the military? What should I say when I file a claim?

You don't get disability for what happens after you get out. It is for what happens before - "SERVICE CONNECTED", Can you show that it existed while you were in the service?

We'd all be getting tons of disability if our problems after we got out counted. I only get disability for what happened while in the service.

JohnP

Sir, currently undergoing med board. I'm AF enlisted, 19yrs. Have moderate OSA. Have been told by doc's, probably wont seperate, probably return to duty with a 4T profile, no OS assignments, stateside only AND non-deployable. I think thats !@#!, I am fine when on CPAP, just need a power outlet.

Does sleep apnea affect your performance in pt at all?

midiclexic

The apnea did, but since I've been using CPAP, it hasn't been a problem for me.

I left for Iraq on the 28th of December, and so far no problems pertaining to having my CPAP. I had one night the power went out, but it could have been put back on almost immediately. Oh well, learn that after the fact. Other than that, only once did it go off, but it was back on within two minutes. Word of advice: Ship water before you deploy, and lots of it. Mailing it is bad. :) I lost about three quarters of a gallon overall from three gallons of water.