Air Force GMO to Civilian Residency

[DefinitelyNotMatt]

Air Force Flight Surgeon/GMO here with a few questions. I have one year on my ADSC and plan to separate in time for a civilian residency in Emergency Med in 2021. I have two questions about the process:

1. I was told that I would be allowed to separate 30 days prior to program start date (plus leave) according to AFI36-3207 2.4.8. The physician assignment manager said 12 people last year did the same thing and were all allowed to leave in time for residency, even if their ADSC was after residency start date. Can anyone confirm that we can early separate in order to go back to a civilian residency? Anyone know of someone who's done this?
2. I am currently talking to civilian program directors/coordinators about starting up as a PGY-1. Every once in a while, I get concerns that I would potentially not get funded through Medicare because I already completed a PGY-1 spot in a different program. From my understanding, I should still get funding because I'm going into a PGY-1 position and because my previous internship was military funded. Anyone with any experience here? I have no idea how the funding process works and would love to hear some insight that I can use if PD's have concerns about funding me.

Thanks!

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[Apollyon]

The funding issue is not related to military funding or not. The Medicare clock goes for residencies that lead to board certification. Since prelims (or transitional) don't, they don't start the clock. It's like this FMG I knew of when I was a med student - he did 4 years of prelim surgery (not as PGY-1 every year, but moving up), hoping to get a GSx spot (and apply to ACS to have his prelims be considered for categorical). In PGY-4, it was clear he wasn't getting a spot. So, he went off to IM, and that was when his clock started. As to the rest, I can't tell you, because I'm civvie.