U
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Ok, this is a bit long-winded so bear with me, but I'm going to put down all the information to the best of my knowledge and recollection.
In mid 2010 while serving in the Army, I was told that I had an Adjustment Disorder w/ Depressed Mood after going to sick call feeling down with suicidal ideations. The mental health worker at the med clinic basically said I could volunteer to be hospitalized or they would essentially force me to go (not much of a choice there!) so I volunteered to go. I never made a suicide attempt, only mentioned during my intake that I had thought about it. I spent 10 or 11 days in the facility going to group meetings, talking to a doc there and they placed me on Sertraline to ease the depression. I attended some mental health sessions weekly for the first couple of months once I was released from the hospital. Fast forward to the end of 2010 and I received an Honorable Discharge under Chapter 5-17 (other designated physical or mental condition). I would say that my total time on the Sertraline was less than 6 months, though at this point I'm not exactly sure. I felt good and the greatest relief came from no longer being bound to the Army. I picked up a job quickly and life was good.
In May of 2011 I began training for my PPL. Once the time neared to solo I filled out my form online for the Student Pilot/Third Class Medical combo. Prior to my hospitalization I never had a condition that merited placement on any medical forms for prior history, and in my haste to get everything filled out I omitted the diagnosis for Adjustment Disorder. It wasn't out of any malicious intent, I was just so accustomed to skipping all the questions which had to do with medical history that I flew right past it all and didn't think twice about it.
In around Sep of 2012 I ran out of money to fly, and at this point I had not yet received my Private Pilot Certificate. The company I worked for fell on some hard times and I was forced to look elsewhere for work.
In May 2014, not having insurance, and with the fines from lack of coverage with Obamacare looming, I contacted the VA to apply for medical coverage. I went in for an initial appointment with my PCP at the VA, and during past history questions I mentioned the hospitalization, Sertraline, etc. With no "real" job lined up at the time, and being tight on money I was feeling a bit down (no ideations or any thoughts of self-harm), so after my physical and such the doc set me up on a scrip for the Sertraline again. I wasn't necessarily pleased at the thought of taking meds again, so I dumped them as soon as I got home.
Shortly after this all happened, I applied at a local college and started going to classes. With the income from my GI Bill I was able to get my own place again, and with some changes in the way I viewed things, I stopped thinking about depression and started concentrating on school and myself. Just about one full year later I decided to get back on the horse and finish up my pilot certificate, and two months later I took and passed my check-ride.
At some point I decided I wanted to pursue a career in aviation, and I knew that I likely needed to disclose the fact that I had seen the VA for depression and began some research to find out what sort of documentation I would need. Of course during this research I came across some information from the FAA covering the depression as well as adjustment disorders and recalled that I had never disclosed it on my initial medical certificate application.
From how the documentation on the FAA website reads, it looks to me as though the previous occurrences of the adjustment disorder and depression are both issuable assuming that I am currently stable and off the meds for 3 months? What concerns me is what type of (excuse the language) ****-storm I will be stirring up by disclosing the previous omission, and what steps I should take to disclose this to the FAA so it is not looming over my head in the future. I have read a lot of "Hey just don't tell them and they will never know" but that isn't exactly a chance I want to take on something I'd like to make a career out of.
I would appreciate any advice, but criticism at this point is wasted on me as I already feel awful about the whole thing and since I can't change what has already happened, I'd just like to know what steps I should take and what to expect in my dealings with the FAA and getting this whole situation cleared up. Will I be able to get my medical? Will it need to be a Special Issuance? Or should I plan on never being able to fly again because of the mishap?
Thank you in advance,
Unreg
In mid 2010 while serving in the Army, I was told that I had an Adjustment Disorder w/ Depressed Mood after going to sick call feeling down with suicidal ideations. The mental health worker at the med clinic basically said I could volunteer to be hospitalized or they would essentially force me to go (not much of a choice there!) so I volunteered to go. I never made a suicide attempt, only mentioned during my intake that I had thought about it. I spent 10 or 11 days in the facility going to group meetings, talking to a doc there and they placed me on Sertraline to ease the depression. I attended some mental health sessions weekly for the first couple of months once I was released from the hospital. Fast forward to the end of 2010 and I received an Honorable Discharge under Chapter 5-17 (other designated physical or mental condition). I would say that my total time on the Sertraline was less than 6 months, though at this point I'm not exactly sure. I felt good and the greatest relief came from no longer being bound to the Army. I picked up a job quickly and life was good.
In May of 2011 I began training for my PPL. Once the time neared to solo I filled out my form online for the Student Pilot/Third Class Medical combo. Prior to my hospitalization I never had a condition that merited placement on any medical forms for prior history, and in my haste to get everything filled out I omitted the diagnosis for Adjustment Disorder. It wasn't out of any malicious intent, I was just so accustomed to skipping all the questions which had to do with medical history that I flew right past it all and didn't think twice about it.
In around Sep of 2012 I ran out of money to fly, and at this point I had not yet received my Private Pilot Certificate. The company I worked for fell on some hard times and I was forced to look elsewhere for work.
In May 2014, not having insurance, and with the fines from lack of coverage with Obamacare looming, I contacted the VA to apply for medical coverage. I went in for an initial appointment with my PCP at the VA, and during past history questions I mentioned the hospitalization, Sertraline, etc. With no "real" job lined up at the time, and being tight on money I was feeling a bit down (no ideations or any thoughts of self-harm), so after my physical and such the doc set me up on a scrip for the Sertraline again. I wasn't necessarily pleased at the thought of taking meds again, so I dumped them as soon as I got home.
Shortly after this all happened, I applied at a local college and started going to classes. With the income from my GI Bill I was able to get my own place again, and with some changes in the way I viewed things, I stopped thinking about depression and started concentrating on school and myself. Just about one full year later I decided to get back on the horse and finish up my pilot certificate, and two months later I took and passed my check-ride.
At some point I decided I wanted to pursue a career in aviation, and I knew that I likely needed to disclose the fact that I had seen the VA for depression and began some research to find out what sort of documentation I would need. Of course during this research I came across some information from the FAA covering the depression as well as adjustment disorders and recalled that I had never disclosed it on my initial medical certificate application.
From how the documentation on the FAA website reads, it looks to me as though the previous occurrences of the adjustment disorder and depression are both issuable assuming that I am currently stable and off the meds for 3 months? What concerns me is what type of (excuse the language) ****-storm I will be stirring up by disclosing the previous omission, and what steps I should take to disclose this to the FAA so it is not looming over my head in the future. I have read a lot of "Hey just don't tell them and they will never know" but that isn't exactly a chance I want to take on something I'd like to make a career out of.
I would appreciate any advice, but criticism at this point is wasted on me as I already feel awful about the whole thing and since I can't change what has already happened, I'd just like to know what steps I should take and what to expect in my dealings with the FAA and getting this whole situation cleared up. Will I be able to get my medical? Will it need to be a Special Issuance? Or should I plan on never being able to fly again because of the mishap?
Thank you in advance,
Unreg