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Hey folks, if you read the title of the topic you might be thinking that I'm asking for advice regarding the appeal process, but rather I'm asking how you could make an argument to get a second review of my file. I know the military doesn't owe me anything and that I'm not a special snowflake, so that's not the point I'm making. What am asking for is advice on how to proceed, since I'm not alone in thinking the decision was made poorly. If any of you could spare a few moments, I'd really appreciate the advice/feedback.
I got the letter of doom stating that I'm medically unfit because of a condition I have known as Raynaud's, which basically means I have bad circulation in my hands. During the medical I brought this up with the med officer who then called someone in Ottawa to ask about the way people with my condition are evaluated, and was told that it's evaluated case-by-case. This is further backed up with the way the condition is outlined in CFP 154 (the common medical standards document) as seen here http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/about-policies-standards-medical-occupations/dermatological-conditions.page (under section 10 part e. iv). After the medical, the officer pointed out that I had prior enlistment into the reserves, and while I wasn't officially diagnosed with the condition at the time, I've had it for my whole life.
Naturally, the medical officer gave me a form to have my family doctor fill out. When I read what she filled out, she gave me best case scenario stating that my condition was mild, required no form of medication other than gloves (such as those in the standard kit) in cold environments (-10 and below), and said I would still be a good applicant.
The problem is that despite doing what the military asked by having this form get filled out, I was still denied. When I was called by a med tech that received my file and explained the situation to him, he said he was also confused why I was declined. I was cleared as medically fit 6 years ago, my condition requires gloves in the standard kit in colder environments (no medication), and I gave them a best case scenario form filled out by my doctor which should have made the difference in an evaluation that apparently is made "case-by-case". I can't shake the feeling that whoever did the final evaluation looked at the condition on my file, did a quick read up on it, and made a decision without consulting what my doctor had even written down.
Is there any way I could request a second review as stated in the letter under the appeal process? So far, it seems the only way to do that is to provide some sort of evidence on how my condition wouldn't affect me, however my condition isn't something well documented. I'll be trying to book an appointment with a specialist later (which will probably get booked a few months from now) and hope that maybe they'll be able to do some sort of test I could use as proof of the mild severity, but in the mean time is there any advice you guys could offer on what I should be doing? If you managed to to get to this point, thank you for giving me part of your time. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
tl;dr: considered medically fit 6 years ago, got diagnosed with a condition I've had all my life after prior enlistment, did a new medical earlier this year and was requested to get a form filled out since the condition is evaluated case-by-case, brought in a best case scenario form filled out by my doc, got medically declined despite best case scenario for case-by-case evaluation, unsure how to progress.
I got the letter of doom stating that I'm medically unfit because of a condition I have known as Raynaud's, which basically means I have bad circulation in my hands. During the medical I brought this up with the med officer who then called someone in Ottawa to ask about the way people with my condition are evaluated, and was told that it's evaluated case-by-case. This is further backed up with the way the condition is outlined in CFP 154 (the common medical standards document) as seen here http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/about-policies-standards-medical-occupations/dermatological-conditions.page (under section 10 part e. iv). After the medical, the officer pointed out that I had prior enlistment into the reserves, and while I wasn't officially diagnosed with the condition at the time, I've had it for my whole life.
Naturally, the medical officer gave me a form to have my family doctor fill out. When I read what she filled out, she gave me best case scenario stating that my condition was mild, required no form of medication other than gloves (such as those in the standard kit) in cold environments (-10 and below), and said I would still be a good applicant.
The problem is that despite doing what the military asked by having this form get filled out, I was still denied. When I was called by a med tech that received my file and explained the situation to him, he said he was also confused why I was declined. I was cleared as medically fit 6 years ago, my condition requires gloves in the standard kit in colder environments (no medication), and I gave them a best case scenario form filled out by my doctor which should have made the difference in an evaluation that apparently is made "case-by-case". I can't shake the feeling that whoever did the final evaluation looked at the condition on my file, did a quick read up on it, and made a decision without consulting what my doctor had even written down.
Is there any way I could request a second review as stated in the letter under the appeal process? So far, it seems the only way to do that is to provide some sort of evidence on how my condition wouldn't affect me, however my condition isn't something well documented. I'll be trying to book an appointment with a specialist later (which will probably get booked a few months from now) and hope that maybe they'll be able to do some sort of test I could use as proof of the mild severity, but in the mean time is there any advice you guys could offer on what I should be doing? If you managed to to get to this point, thank you for giving me part of your time. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
tl;dr: considered medically fit 6 years ago, got diagnosed with a condition I've had all my life after prior enlistment, did a new medical earlier this year and was requested to get a form filled out since the condition is evaluated case-by-case, brought in a best case scenario form filled out by my doc, got medically declined despite best case scenario for case-by-case evaluation, unsure how to progress.
