Aerospace Control Officers-AEC [merged]

[Kruggle]

What happened with your medical?

I haven't had my Medical exam yet, but I really don't think I will make it through. A month ago, I was curious so I went to take a food allergy test with my friend. To my surprise, I am sensitive to things like milk, eggs, wheat, gluten, peanut, and codfish. There goes a list of my favorite snacks.. PB&J sandwich, milk and chocolate muffin, fish and chips..etc..
If I didn't go take the test, I would never even find out that I am sensitive to these things. I have never even had a reaction to those things. I was told that if I restrict my diet for 3 months and re-introduce those things back into my diet, I MIGHT not be sensitive to them anymore.
Well, according to the threads in enrollment Medical, food allergy is a pretty big thing, but then sensitive isn't the same as allergic. I really dont know what the doctors in Borden are going to think. :-\

 

[dwalter]

Oh Yeah......where ?

I havent been to an underground military IFR facility yet.

Speaking of above ground IFRCC.......

Whidby Island's center was, from what I could tell, underground. Or at least it felt like it. We went down a lot of stairs to get there. OK, let me re-phrase, the IFRCC is not in a tower like the VFRCC.

 

[dwalter]

Might want to check on that, the reason why allergies are a big deal I think has to do with people who have sever allergies and need to be within range of a hospital in case of exposure. If it isn't going to kill you, it might not be a problem, but go to the medical anyways, and just tell them the facts. The PA or MO at the recruiting center should be making accurate notes on your file to send to Borden.

 

[Celticgirl]

I haven't had my Medical exam yet, but I really don't think I will make it through. A month ago, I was curious so I went to take a food allergy test with my friend. To my surprise, I am sensitive to things like milk, eggs, wheat, gluten, peanut, and codfish. There goes a list of my favorite snacks.. PB&J sandwich, milk and chocolate muffin, fish and chips..etc..
If I didn't go take the test, I would never even find out that I am sensitive to these things. I have never even had a reaction to those things. I was told that if I restrict my diet for 3 months and re-introduce those things back into my diet, I MIGHT not be sensitive to them anymore.
Well, according to the threads in enrollment Medical, food allergy is a pretty big thing, but then sensitive isn't the same as allergic. I really dont know what the doctors in Borden are going to think. :-\

If you eat those foods and have never had a reaction, it may not be something that disqualifies you. Don't give up just yet. Go do your medical and tell the med tech about the tests. S/he will guide you from there. It could be something as simple as your doctor signing a form saying you are sensitive but not severely allergic. Stay positive!

 

[Kruggle]

Intelligent Design and Celticgirl, so I called my doctor this morning and she said the test I did was NOT the standard allergy test. It was just a test to see what I am sensitive to and she said that almost everyone is sensitive to something. It's just a matter of whether the individual takes the test to find out or not. She did not even recommend the actual allergy test as I had no indication that I was allergic to anything. I was so worried for 4 days for nothing!

I have been calling the CFRC trying to book my Medical Exam and interview for a few days with no luck. Today, however, when I got my own concern sorted out, I called the CFRC again to see if anyone there had a minute to pick up the phone. A lady picked up right when I called and I will have my Medical and Interview a week from today. What a good day! My application for AEC will go on as usual. Phew.

 

[Kruggle]

This can't be the same form I filled out then because they DID ask me to provide names of immediate family members along with many details about where they live and work. I also had to give the name, address, and phone number of a neighbour. I guess they want to know if I keep a well-manicured lawn and get my garbage out on time.

Maybe this is the form that I was supposed to fill out after I wrote my CFAT. I did go in the next day after my CFAT to try to find out and the lady who guided us through our CFAT happened to step outside of her room when I got to the reception area. I talked to her about it and she said she will give me a call once my file gets to her. Before I left, she asked for my name. When I gave her the necessary information, she winked and said, "I will remember you from now on."  ???

 

[Celticgirl]

I will have my Medical and Interview a week from today. What a good day! My application for AEC will go on as usual. Phew.

Good stuff! You have a lot more time to prepare for the interview than I did. Study up!

 

[Celticgirl]

Any updates from the AEC applicants? Kruggle? KJL? Deepinit?

I'm stalled by a couple of snags for the time being (medical and security). Just wondering how everyone else is progressing with their career aspirations. 

 

[Kruggle]

Hey Celticgirl,

There was blood in my urine sample when I did my medical exam, so I had to go see my family doctor for that. On top of that, I had to get my orthodontist to sign some forms. Just like the rest of the people who are applying for the aircrew, I had to get blood work, ECG, and eye exam done as well.

After a few weeks, I have finally managed to get everything done. I will drop by the CFRC next week to drop off some forms and ask for my application status as well.

What is the medical issue that is holding you up?

 

[Celticgirl]

What is the medical issue that is holding you up?

I was a little overzealous checking things during my medical and one of the things I checked was Raynaud's based on a discussion I had had with my doctor years ago. I was denied because of Raynaud's even though I was never tested or formally diagnosed (and really had no clue this was something the CF would consider a serious medical issue, go figure). The letter from the DND said I don't meet the "common enrolment standard". I'm extremely healthy and now after months of working out, very fit, so it's a bit ludicrous to me. In any case, now I am awaiting an appointment with a rheumatologist (my family doctor referred me) so that I can be tested and I'm hoping for a negative result. It could take a while to get that appointment, though. In the meantime, I have contacted my CFRC and requested they keep my file open until I get the test results. I'm going to call again tomorrow to see if they are still keeping it open for me. I am concerned that if they close my file, any progress with the security clearance may be lost by the time I get them to (hopefully) re-open it when the test results are ready.

There is a little road not far from my boyfriend's place called "Patience Lane" and I told him I should probably move there for a while.  ;D

It sounds like you are making progress, Kruggle. That's great! I'm glad to hear that you are still plugging away at it.

 

[Kruggle]

Good on you for doing everything to keep your application going

When did you get the letter from DND? I'm surprised you weren't told to go get it checked out before your medical file was sent to Ottawa?

PS. To be honest with you, I didn't know what Raynaud's was until I saw your post and looked it up online.  :-[

 

[Celticgirl]

When did you get the letter from DND? I'm surprised you weren't told to go get it checked out before your medical file was sent to Ottawa?

I got the letter a few weeks ago. I did have to get my doctor to fill out a couple of forms after my CFRC medical, one re: migraines and the other re: Raynaud's. I didn't think anything of it, to be honest. My doctor just told them that I had told her my symptoms (years ago, while on a visit for something else) and she told me that based on the symptoms, I "probably" had Raynaud's phenomenon. She advised me to keep my hands warm in colder temperatures. That's all. I never pursued testing at the time to find out if I did, in fact, have this "phenomenon" because it was such a minor thing, and then when I saw Raynaud's in the long, long list of things on the medical form at the CFRC, I just checked it without realizing how grave all those checks really are. I'm floored that the DND would refuse someone based on this. Nonetheless, I hope to get it overturned a.s.a.p.  I haven't had those symptoms in years, so I think that the test results are almost guaranteed to be negative. I'm just kicking myself a little bit for my own stupidity on this one. I cost myself quite a bit of time in an already lengthy application process.  :-\

 

[dwalter]

It's interesting about having check boxes on the medical. My medical questionnaire was done orally. The PA just asked me questions about my medical history, but I never got a form with boxes to tick off that included anything like Raynaud's.

 

[PMedMoe]

It's interesting about having check boxes on the medical. My medical questionnaire was done orally. The PA just asked me questions about my medical history, but I never got a form with boxes to tick off that included anything like Raynaud's.

It wasn't on the questionnaire I filled out for my PHE last year, either.
I'm wondering if this is a "new" thing, as in:  Someone on Basic said they couldn't go to the field in the winter because of having this condition.  ???

 

[Celticgirl]

It's interesting about having check boxes on the medical. My medical questionnaire was done orally. The PA just asked me questions about my medical history, but I never got a form with boxes to tick off that included anything like Raynaud's.

Mine was both the form with the check boxes and the oral interview (as well as a full checking-over, hearing test, etc.). The Warrant told me to first go through the list and check off anything that applied and that "we would discuss it afterwards", which we did, at length, while she took copious notes. My medical appointment lasted two full hours. 

 

[X-mo-1979]

Mine lasted 5 minutes.Look left...NEXT!

 

[dwalter]

My medical was about an hour when you include the eye exam and audiogram. The actual history/ physical was only about 20 mins. I think handing people a list of possible conditions is bad because people read them, panic about "Oh I don't want to lie about anything." and then start checking off things that they might have, but aren't sure about haha. You'd be surprised how stressful a single piece of paper can end up being. That's why I like the way my PA did it.

We are however getting a bit off topic as this is now falling under the medicals heading as opposed to the AEC heading.

 

[Celticgirl]

I think handing people a list of possible conditions is bad because people read them, panic about "Oh I don't want to lie about anything." and then start checking off things that they might have, but aren't sure about haha. You'd be surprised how stressful a single piece of paper can end up being.

You are preaching to the choir, my brother!    :-X

 

[Grando]

Hey, I'm a new member here applying to be an AEC - I was wondering if there's there any further testing past the CFAT to determine whether one is qualified for AEC?  As in extra interviews or aptitude tests?

This thread has been very helpful in answering my questions, so thank you all!

 

[Jorkapp]

Hey, I'm a new member here applying to be an AEC - I was wondering if there's there any further testing past the CFAT to determine whether one is qualified for AEC?  As in extra interviews or aptitude tests?

This thread has been very helpful in answering my questions, so thank you all!

Just a good score on the CFAT is all you need. I took no additional tests for eligibility.

There may be an additional medical portion, though. I believe AEC needs to be suitable for aircrew.