I am a 20 year old, 6'2" male in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC) at college. It has always been my dream to become a Naval Pilot, but I am worried that I will be disqualified for my Pectus Excavatum.
I believe my case is mild/moderate, because I have never been officially diagnosed with it by a physician. I am of quite athletic build, so it may be hard to discern with my pecs and abs. Nevertheless, I am sure I suffer from the condition.
When I was applying for the NROTC scholarship, I had to go to a DoD facility for a lung spirometry because I "had asthma" when I was younger. I used an inhaler at about the age of 12 (very rarely) before physical activity. (Looking back at it now, I think my lungs were probably just out of shape 😛 or it had something to do with my pectus excavatum.) I had a doctor send a letter to the Department of Defense review board to say that I did not have asthma and it may have been a misdiagnosis. The results of the spirometry showed that I had healthy lungs, though my lung capacity was under average for a male of my height and age.
Now I am a sophomore in the NROTC program, and as I approach service assignment selection and commissioning, I am getting more worried that my condition, if discovered by DoD/Navy physicians, will not allow me to become a pilot. I have some friends in the NROTC Unit who are seniors and are selected to be pilots, so I know all about the physicals they need to have before going to flight school, which includes a chest xray (I'm not sure if I have ever had one done).
Is just having this condition going to disqualify me medically? Would they try to treat my condition? Currently it does not bother me much, except it definitely makes me self-conscious. I would not oppose the procedure, purely out of personal cosmetic reasons. I would do it but I don't know if having that procedure would disqualify me either. And if I am not a good candidate for the procedure, I would regret bringing it up and making my condition known to the doctors who could disqualify me.
I really think it would be a mistake of their part if they disqualified me. I have flown in trainer airplanes before and I seem to have a knack for flying. I was a varsity athlete in track and football in high school and I went to state for track in a few sprint and jump events. I can also run about a 5:10 mile, and get nearly perfect score on the NROTC fitness tests. So clearly I am in good shape and the condition doesn't affect me (even if it does, I have worked hard to overcome it).
If anyone could help me figure out what to do with this issue or if anyone has a personal experience regarding the topic, your help would be greatly appreciated.
Let me know if you think you need anymore information about it. Thanks!
I believe my case is mild/moderate, because I have never been officially diagnosed with it by a physician. I am of quite athletic build, so it may be hard to discern with my pecs and abs. Nevertheless, I am sure I suffer from the condition.
When I was applying for the NROTC scholarship, I had to go to a DoD facility for a lung spirometry because I "had asthma" when I was younger. I used an inhaler at about the age of 12 (very rarely) before physical activity. (Looking back at it now, I think my lungs were probably just out of shape 😛 or it had something to do with my pectus excavatum.) I had a doctor send a letter to the Department of Defense review board to say that I did not have asthma and it may have been a misdiagnosis. The results of the spirometry showed that I had healthy lungs, though my lung capacity was under average for a male of my height and age.
Now I am a sophomore in the NROTC program, and as I approach service assignment selection and commissioning, I am getting more worried that my condition, if discovered by DoD/Navy physicians, will not allow me to become a pilot. I have some friends in the NROTC Unit who are seniors and are selected to be pilots, so I know all about the physicals they need to have before going to flight school, which includes a chest xray (I'm not sure if I have ever had one done).
Is just having this condition going to disqualify me medically? Would they try to treat my condition? Currently it does not bother me much, except it definitely makes me self-conscious. I would not oppose the procedure, purely out of personal cosmetic reasons. I would do it but I don't know if having that procedure would disqualify me either. And if I am not a good candidate for the procedure, I would regret bringing it up and making my condition known to the doctors who could disqualify me.
I really think it would be a mistake of their part if they disqualified me. I have flown in trainer airplanes before and I seem to have a knack for flying. I was a varsity athlete in track and football in high school and I went to state for track in a few sprint and jump events. I can also run about a 5:10 mile, and get nearly perfect score on the NROTC fitness tests. So clearly I am in good shape and the condition doesn't affect me (even if it does, I have worked hard to overcome it).
If anyone could help me figure out what to do with this issue or if anyone has a personal experience regarding the topic, your help would be greatly appreciated.
Let me know if you think you need anymore information about it. Thanks!
