VA Hearing Test

I now have my general medical and mental health appointments set with the VA office. Though my VA counselor said she would also schedule me for a hearing/audiology appointment for my hearing loss and tinnitus, so I was concerned that she missed part of my claim.

Just today I received a call from a Lockheed-Martin phone number that turned out to be the person scheduling my audiology appointment. After I talked to her and scheduled an appointment for my screening I've figured out the VA actually contracts their audiology screening here in North Carolina. An interesting piece of information I thought might be helpful for others going through an MEB regardless of they're in the Air Force or not.

Medical Evaluation Board

Over the last 10 years of my career in the Air Force I have been complaining of chest discomfort and chronic shortness of breath.  The doctors I have seen have simply said either I am out of shape or that I should just take Motrin for the discomfort/pain that I experience during exertion.  Finally after nearly nine years of complaining I was sent to the cardiologist for testing.  On the first appointment it was discovered that my aortic valve was regurgitating and on a subsequent transesophogial echogram they discovered that my aortic valve is bicuspid instead of tricuspid.  The cardiologist sent me to Walter-Reed to have a cardiac MRI, which confirmed that two of my leaflets are fused together, more than likely since birth.

Now after over a year of tests and appointments AFPC Medical Standards confirmed my doctors finding that I am unfit for duty and now get to enjoy the MEB/PEB/IDES process with the Veterans Affairs (VA) doctors.  I hope to keep track and a journal on here of my adventures with the VA and the entire Air Force MEB/PEB process as there really seems to be nowhere on the internet that outlines the process.

So after being on a medical profile for over a year my PCM completed a RILO (Review in Lieu of) on my condition that "may" be service disqualifying.  The base deployment working group (DAWG) reviewed my record and the RILO and agreed that I was unfit for continued service to which the medical commander agreed and forwarded the recommendation to AFPD Medical Standards.  Then AFPC confirmed that I was unfit for duty and returned the package to my PEBLO and PCM and order a full MEB/PEB on me in order to medical separate or hopefully retire me.  My commander had already prepared his recommendation that I be medically retired as I an unable to perform my primary duties, which I helped author.  Now the PEBLO has sent me to the VA office for my exams to determine what disability rating my service disqualifying condition will be and my other disabilities that I will claim.  After the percentage is calculated my PEBLO will have a local board review my record to ensure everything that is disqualifying is included and forward the package to AFPC for MEB/PEB processing.

But for now it is a wait game for my VA appointments over the next month.

Alameda Sun - DOD Teachers Caught in Bind

Alameda Sun - DOD Teachers Caught in Bind

Complete biased garbage produced by the news outlet. Military dependent have the option to evacuate, not a mandate. So they want the teachers to be able to up and quit, who will teach these children that stay behind? These teachers signed up for this and know that they are in this category and are not in the same priority as military members. These DoDDS teachers get paid very well overseas and are given better housing allowances than many military members. To top that off they are the most rude people on any installation. Here at RAF Lakenheath they are totally out of line when dealing with our uniformed members working in our post office, if they don't get their way they raise hell but don't realize that they people they are screaming at are in uniform!?! We should not be treated that way, ever! Then at the commissary and BX they are the same way, rude and arrogant to all the workers. It's amazing they don't drown with all the rain here in England, with holding their nose so high.

If you ask me this is karma full circle. These teachers can leave, nothing is stopping them from buying their own way out with all the cash they are pulling in, but they are greedy and don't want to give that lucrative pay check up. What this article is failing to mention is how the teachers could leave, but still want their jobs and $$$

Overseas US Military Local Currency Exchange Rate Ripoff

In response to letter in March 24th, 2011, Stars and Stripes paper entitled “On-post exchange rates worse.” CLICK HERE TO VIEW

While I appreciate the problem of military banking facilites ripping off their customers being brought to light I cannot help be frustrated this abuse from Department of Defense (DoD) sponsored banking facilities has gone on for so long. Here in the United Kingdom an E-5 with dependents pays on average $55 extra a month in rent, totaling $660 annually just in rent alone if using the military banking facility. Factoring in the utility allowance annually that E-5 is paying nearly $1,000 more than they should if using these DoD banks. Making matters worse, these same banks (Bank of America in the UK) offer the worst interest rates on loans and even worse rates on savings and certificates of deposit. On RAF Lakenheath (RAFL) alone the bank makes over $6 million dollars annually off this lofty exchange rate in their favor and return none of it to the customers or community. The question is why does the DoD standby and let this abuse happen?

The DoD needs to overhaul its overseas banking system and make the business fair for their customers stationed overseas. These is no reason that there should be such a difference in exchanging your money on base than off, if anything the on base rate should be better for the consumer than what the local banks are charging off base. I could only imagine how our MWR fund would benefit from an extra $6 million here at RAFL or even how that struggling E-5’s family could benefit from an extra $1,000 a year in his/her pockets. More needs to be brought to light about the dealings of military banking facilities overseas and where exactly the exuberant amount money made from their criminal like exchange rate is going towards.

In the meantime supervisors should be educating their subordinates about financial dealing with their local military banking facilities. Our Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines, deserve better than this and the DoD owes it to us that fair and ethical business practices are conducted with our money overseas. A monopoly provided by the DoD does not give the right to charge us the maximum rate possible, yet the DoD allows this to continue and it is truly shameful.

Internet Discoveries While Deployed

One of the hardest things to do when deployed is to find something to do with the insane amount of time that you have to do nothing! Trust me, I've done the deployment Rodeo several times and can say what you start doing in your off time when you first get in place is completely different than what you end with. That being said I've come across LIVE streaming video sites, not to be confused with streaming video sites like Youtube or Dailymotion. No we're talking about Live here! You might say to yourself, "Well you have AFN to watch those shows?" Yes, but you can't always make it back in time to get to see the Superbowl, Olympics, or your favorite TV shows.

The solution. Go to JustIn.tv (which is my favorite right now) or the more popular UStream.com which has video loops of these programs. Weither you want to watch the channel that loops the Superbowl all day or re-runs of your favorite shows, they have it! Now it's not the best quality, but this makes it so much easier to watch when you have a poor internet connection! Plus, it seems companies are having a hard time in getting these channels pulled unlike Youtube which has roving copyright patrols.

Just a note in how to help pass your time at work or when deployed. Give it a try, you might find a channel that has a movie or show you like!

Is Tebow for Real?

Seriously, what is up with this Tim Tebow character. He's revealed as "God's gift" to the NCAA but every time this guy loses he cries like a little girl. How can anyone argue that this guy should be taken seriously? Yes I concede that his TEAM has won almost every game he's played but after every loss he cries like a baby. Enough is enough, no more sympathy or empathy for this guy. This is how he gets his edge on his adoring fans and I'm sick of seeing people buy into it.



Yes, you can say that it was his last game but here are some more Tebow tears:

This guy can't be taken seriously and I sick of hearing about how everyone loves Mr. Goody-tissues! Watch he will go no earlier than the 2nd round of the NFL Draft and will amount to nothing. So much love for a Gator QB hasn't been shown since, you remember, Danny Wuerffel? And what did Heisman Trophy winner Danny accomplish in the NFL? Nothing, absolutely nothing! He did however win the MVP in the NFL Europe World Bowl, in case you didn't know, the NFL Europe was considered beneath the Canadian Football League. Now Danny is handing out blankets and pillows to homeless people.

Sadly for Tebow, Danny was a far superior QB to him. Gator nation is falling apart before our eyes and all the bragging that Tim is the greatest of all time is just that, bragging. Tim is just an overrated cry baby.

Just want to brag about Florida sports

As much as I hate the University of Florida and Miami as a Florida State fan I can't help but to relish in the fact that our state is superior in athletics compared to the rest of the nation.

I mean Florida State has two national championships in football and countless baseball world series victories. They've always had an awesome track and field team with many members being Olympians. Then there's the basketball program that has just come out of nowhere, a band of sophomores that will surely be outstanding in the years to come.

Then there is UF, I mean this school has had a phenomenal decade. Three CFB championships and two basketball championships, it's just amazing. Also they are the only school to ever win a men's basketball, women's basketball, and a CFB championship all in the same year! They've won more national championships in the past ten years than most states have since there inception to the union!

Let's not forget Miami, they always have the potential to be awesome in all athletics. University of South Florida is growing in CFB and so is UCF. Plus all of the other schools we have in the state. I mean no other place in the nation can compete with our athleticism!

The journey ends and a new one begins...

So the assignment guy in Europe that was suppose to get my report date to Lakenheath moved up never did the job. Actually I had to do some pretty intensive research finding the right people in my new career field (that's right I'm cross training to be a mailman) to help. So now I know the head mailman in Europe and they guy who pumps all the assignments out for mailmen (I refuse to call myself a "Postal Specialist", please I deliver mail) in the Air Force. So now maybe I can butter them up some and get that dream assignment to Langley or San Fransisco!!! Oh the dream, they'll probably stuff me in Korea for a year with my luck.

So now me and the wife will be leaving Utah and the United States around the 19th of September. It feels so weird to be leaving Hill AFB after three years here, I mean it's the place where I really did grow up life wise and career wise. I of course met my beautiful wife here, deployed to Iraq, and took many TDYs from Wyoming to Florida! I even met the best friend I probably could ever of had in Mikhail (Mike) Strong and unfortunately lost my best friend in a tragic traffic accident. Either it was the pleasure or the displeasure of being the last person he spoke to before he died, I remember that morning well, I was at the Air Force Academy and had been woken up by Mike's call, he was still trying to talk me into letting him pick me up at the airport in Salt Lake but I told him I was just going to have Erin do it, then we talked about the bad weather he was having and the crazy weather and snow at the Academy, we said our good-byes and maybe now I would of thought of something better to say than just "...take care, talk to you later."

That night I got a phone call from Andrea at work at Hill and I thought it was going to be the taunting phone call making fun of my blindness from the PRK, but it was the unimaginable. She told me to sit down and that she had terrible news. She told me of the accident and at first I thought it was a joke and then I realized it wasn't. I sat there for a few minutes and had no tears (other than my eyes were teary due to the PRK surgery) or emotion after I hung the phone up. I sat there and sat there, doing nothing, in this lame hotel room all by myself. I called Erin and we talked about it for a good half-hour, a few tears were shed. That night I cried like a little baby and went to sleep without any medication for the eyes. The next day I got a phone call from a friend at work and they told me when the funeral was going to be, the day I got back to Utah, I couldn't even go to his funeral, I was never so depressed. All my life I've had very few friends and the ones, especially Mike, that were able to crack me have become my best friends. So leaving Utah will definitely hurt me, though I may not shed a tear, as I'm very stoic, I will have a broken heart leaving this very special place in my life, the place where I met my wife who I love so dearly, the place where I grew from a high school graduate to a highly respected and decorated Airman, the place where I met and lost my best friend ever, and the place where all of these memories will rest in my heart.

In the words of Confederate General James P. Longstreet: "I may be a Georgia man but part of my heart will always lay here in old Virginia." Speaking of his service in the state of Virginia under Robert E. Lee.

As of late...

Ok so I figured I'd give a little update everyone. The Orlando Airport still has my Wii, on to other things:

I leave for the United Kingdom (England for those less inclined) to be stationed at RAF Lakenheath and I get to take my beautiful wife. Who by the way is pregnant with our first child, exciting! I certainly hope it's a boy, less to worry about I think. The bad news is Erin may have multiple sclerosis (MS) which explains her bad head aches and general/horrible pains she has. But on the brighter side, we're going to the UK, the place with the best medical treatment of MS in the world. So after we have the child we'll be able to get her the best medical care compared to what she is getting here (see her blog).

Well I've been really tired as of late, almost feel like my body is telling me no more. All the stresses of being in Utah on top of moving is a complete pain. Not to mention my assignment manager is a certified retarded jerk. He asked me to report two months early which I was happy with getting to the UK early and told him. He sent no response and even ignored my read recepit, what an ass! So I'm sure he'll be in my next blog. I can smell a retard a mile away!

So much for the Wii

So everyone knows that the Nintendo Wii is extremely difficult to get a hold of especially in Utah. So while I was on vacation in Florida I decided to buy one when I surprisingly found one at Toys'r'Us. Well I play it a few times and even buy Mario 3 online with my debit card. All in all it was totally awesome!

The day I was leaving Orlando International I packed my bag up and carefully packed the Wii up and put it deep in my checked luggage since it was too much for me to carry on. Well when I go to check my bag I have to take 2 pounds out because I was over the 50 pound limit, my Wii was comfortably under all of my clothes and then I give the bag over to TSA.

When I get to Salt Lake City I think my bag is lighter and I jokingly say I bet my Wii got stolen. Well I get to the car and think maybe I should check and I open the bag and low and behold my Wii is gone and my clothes are all in disarray! Well the TSA people had the balls to put a slip saying my bag was randomly opened and screened. How bold can you be? I mean what jerk does that?

So I'm pissed and I go to the Southwest baggage office to report it and hope they can help. Well the guy is nice, but useless and files a report but says there is nothing they can do, suck! He tells me to call TSA and file a claim, of course their phone system sucks and tells you to file the claim online, well when online you can fill the form out but you have to fax it. So I fill out this form, fax it in, and I have to wait 6 days for an investigator to call me back. On top of all of this I had to report my debit card stolen since all of it's information was on the Wii. So thanks to whoever is the a$$hole is who works for TSA at Orlando International, hope you enjoy and I hope even more that you will enjoy jail time and unemployment!

So now I'm waiting for TSA to call back and hope they pay me the amount for the Wii. Needless to say I won't be buying a Wii again and my congressmen will be getting letters.