Courtney Lily
Filing Flight Plan
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2018
- Messages
- 4
- Display Name
Display name:
Confused
**I AM SORRY IN ADVANCE THAT THIS IS LONG, BUT I FEEL THAT IT NECESSARY THAT I PUT MY STORY OUT THERE, ESPECIALLY FOR ALL VETERANS WHO MAY HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH PTSD BY THE VA! PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD.*
I am a former Marine who had been working as an air traffic controller up until October of 2017. I am also licensed as a helicopter pilot. I have a perfect work history, honorable discharge and I am qualified at five separate airports. I acted as the “Official Manager In Charge” of an air traffic control tower on an active military base. I have no blemishes on any record and no criminal record either. I have excelled at my job and there is no reason for this “headhunt.” Becoming a pilot was always a dream of mine. It was something I always wanted to do, but figured that I would never be in the position to do so. During 2016, I was diagnosed with PTSD and rated 50% by the VA. I decided to be honest with the FAA, so I disclosed that I had been diagnosed with PTSD by the VA (and when I say that I disclosed-- I disclosed it when I was due for my next flight physical). I honestly did not think anything of it; I did not think it was anything that would affect my career as an air traffic controller. I had not flown for quite some time at this point, and had been working exclusively as an air traffic controller since December of 2014. I had never held an actual paying job as a pilot in any way. I received my private, instrument, and commercial licenses for rotor-craft in 2013. I received my Certified Tower Operator (CTO) in 2009. Although I was passed by the AME that completed my examination, I received a letter from the FAA not too long after asking for more information about my PTSD.
The letter was extremely unhelpful. They essentially requested that I receive a very specific type of psychological and psychiatric evaluation (it's commonly referred to as a “P&P” I later found out). There was no phone number provided on this letter, besides a phone number for mental health professionals to call if they had any questions. The letter did not specify who could perform this “P&P.” The letter did, however, specify that it was NOT a denial, which gave me the impression that my medical certificate would be safe as long as I complied with their process. I was completely lost as to what they wanted. After much online research and calling different FAA numbers found on their site, I was connected to the department that handles medical certificate issues-- the Aerospace Medical Division of Massachusetts. I politely explained my confusion and asked her who could complete the “P&P” and was essentially told that any board certified psychologist/psychiatrist could perform this evaluation(LIE #1). After finding a psychologist based out of Connecticut, I called her back and received the green light to see this psychologist.
After two months of waiting for an appointment, my fiance and I drove two and a half hours to Connecticut in order to see this psychologist. Well, he performed the “psychological evaluation,” and I was told that I would have to wait a bit for him to write up his report and send it to the address provided by the FAA. He told me, however, that I passed with flying colors and he did not understand why I was being investigated by the FAA for something that clearly did not interfere with my ability to do my job as an air traffic controller. I followed up with the Aerospace Medical Division of Massachusetts and spoke with the same woman who had originally gave me the green light to see this psychologist. I was then told that I SHOULDN'T have seen this psychologist because he is not FAA-approved. I was baffled and reminded her that she had just told me last month that it would be okay for me to see this psychologist. She denied having told me that and made it seem as if I was the one who misunderstood her. My fiance listens in on every call that I make to the FAA, and even she remembered her giving us the green light. I essentially wasted my time making the trip to Connecticut (5 hours round-trip). I lost a great deal of time, as well money that day ($600 in total). It cost my fiance $300 to have her tire replaced, and an additional $80 for an alignment. It bothered me that $1,000 (in total) was lost that day due to being misled by the woman who had been assigned to my case.
I then asked this same woman for a list of doctors that I could use and was given a list of HIMS doctors. I called almost every HIMS doctor on the list and every doctor was confused as to why I was referred to them, as my situation had nothing to do with substance abuse. I finally came across one HIMS doctor who provided me with more information and referred me to a doctor based out of Rhode Island who could help me make sense of this process. I scheduled an appointment with this doctor soon after, not really knowing who he was or what his purpose was. I later found out that he is an FAA-hired physician who reviews medical records and puts reports together based on the information provided. I was charged $1200 (he agreed to let me pay $300 at the time) for an appointment that lasted 20 minutes. He essentially told me that he would need my VA medical records, and when I expressed my concern over losing my job, he pretty much told me that I should just “find another job.” It was not until this point that I was finally provided with a full list of doctors that could do this “P&P.”
This was about FIVE MONTHS after initially receiving the letter from the FAA requesting that I complete a “P&P.” Most of the doctors on this list were many states away from me, and I did not have many options. I found a doctor in New Jersey who was very understanding of my situation and agreed to see me sooner than he had space available. My medical certificate was due to expire in October of that year (2017), so I was very flustered and desperate to get this examination done. I drove five hours to New Jersey and stayed overnight to see this doctor. The actual examination took nearly six hours, and it seemed as if the examination was designed for someone with severe mental health issues, such as schizophrenia and multiple personality disorders. I paid $750 ( an additional $750 is due at some point) upfront for this examination, which I really did not have at the time.
The FAA led me to believe that they would work with me to receive an extension so that I could still hold onto my medical certificate and continue working as an air traffic controller. This was LIE #2. I was told to ignore a letter that was being sent, which I later found out was a letter asking me to surrender my medical certificate. The same woman from the Aerospace Medical Division of Massachusetts who I had been dealing with from the beginning then went back on her word and made it seem as if she never told me to disregard this letter. I also expressed my concern over how expensive this process was becoming, and she essentially told me that it's not their problem. She threatened me, and even hung up on me after demanding that I surrender my medical certificate. She also made it seem as if I was not supposed to be working since the FAA first sent me the letter requesting a “P&P,” although I was never told this, nor did any letter state that I was not supposed to be working. The company I worked for at this time did everything in their power to keep me, as they did not want to lose a competent air traffic controller, but they eventually had to let me go.
My VA therapist and psychiatrist both wrote letters to the FAA elaborating on my diagnosis (PTSD & Generalized Anxiety) and urging them to allow me to continue working as these are minor issues that do not affect my ability to work as an air traffic controller. I even had my employer write a letter explaining that I was very needed at their tower and that I was an excellent air traffic controller. The FAA received these letters, but seemed to not care.
It has now been about a year and a half since the FAA first sent the letter asking me to complete a P&P, I have lost my job (although they are willing to rehire me if the FAA reinstates my medical certificate), and I am still trying to comply with what the FAA wants. Now, the FAA wants more information on a Bipolar/ADD diagnosis that DOES NOT exist. During one of my meetings with my VA therapist, I told her that I had behavioral issues when I was much younger and that the terms “Bipolar” and “ADD” were thrown around at this time. I NEVER received a diagnosis for any of these things. I was very rebellious when I was a teenager. Of course, I was not thinking that the FAA would pick this out and use this against me. It was simply part of the notes that the VA therapist recorded during one of our sessions. The FAA is now asking that I produce medical records from this time. I am not even sure that I can do that since I was about 10 years old when this was occurring. I am now 29 years old. I am unsure as to where to turn next, I find this to be a very unfair process.
I am a former Marine who had been working as an air traffic controller up until October of 2017. I am also licensed as a helicopter pilot. I have a perfect work history, honorable discharge and I am qualified at five separate airports. I acted as the “Official Manager In Charge” of an air traffic control tower on an active military base. I have no blemishes on any record and no criminal record either. I have excelled at my job and there is no reason for this “headhunt.” Becoming a pilot was always a dream of mine. It was something I always wanted to do, but figured that I would never be in the position to do so. During 2016, I was diagnosed with PTSD and rated 50% by the VA. I decided to be honest with the FAA, so I disclosed that I had been diagnosed with PTSD by the VA (and when I say that I disclosed-- I disclosed it when I was due for my next flight physical). I honestly did not think anything of it; I did not think it was anything that would affect my career as an air traffic controller. I had not flown for quite some time at this point, and had been working exclusively as an air traffic controller since December of 2014. I had never held an actual paying job as a pilot in any way. I received my private, instrument, and commercial licenses for rotor-craft in 2013. I received my Certified Tower Operator (CTO) in 2009. Although I was passed by the AME that completed my examination, I received a letter from the FAA not too long after asking for more information about my PTSD.
The letter was extremely unhelpful. They essentially requested that I receive a very specific type of psychological and psychiatric evaluation (it's commonly referred to as a “P&P” I later found out). There was no phone number provided on this letter, besides a phone number for mental health professionals to call if they had any questions. The letter did not specify who could perform this “P&P.” The letter did, however, specify that it was NOT a denial, which gave me the impression that my medical certificate would be safe as long as I complied with their process. I was completely lost as to what they wanted. After much online research and calling different FAA numbers found on their site, I was connected to the department that handles medical certificate issues-- the Aerospace Medical Division of Massachusetts. I politely explained my confusion and asked her who could complete the “P&P” and was essentially told that any board certified psychologist/psychiatrist could perform this evaluation(LIE #1). After finding a psychologist based out of Connecticut, I called her back and received the green light to see this psychologist.
After two months of waiting for an appointment, my fiance and I drove two and a half hours to Connecticut in order to see this psychologist. Well, he performed the “psychological evaluation,” and I was told that I would have to wait a bit for him to write up his report and send it to the address provided by the FAA. He told me, however, that I passed with flying colors and he did not understand why I was being investigated by the FAA for something that clearly did not interfere with my ability to do my job as an air traffic controller. I followed up with the Aerospace Medical Division of Massachusetts and spoke with the same woman who had originally gave me the green light to see this psychologist. I was then told that I SHOULDN'T have seen this psychologist because he is not FAA-approved. I was baffled and reminded her that she had just told me last month that it would be okay for me to see this psychologist. She denied having told me that and made it seem as if I was the one who misunderstood her. My fiance listens in on every call that I make to the FAA, and even she remembered her giving us the green light. I essentially wasted my time making the trip to Connecticut (5 hours round-trip). I lost a great deal of time, as well money that day ($600 in total). It cost my fiance $300 to have her tire replaced, and an additional $80 for an alignment. It bothered me that $1,000 (in total) was lost that day due to being misled by the woman who had been assigned to my case.
I then asked this same woman for a list of doctors that I could use and was given a list of HIMS doctors. I called almost every HIMS doctor on the list and every doctor was confused as to why I was referred to them, as my situation had nothing to do with substance abuse. I finally came across one HIMS doctor who provided me with more information and referred me to a doctor based out of Rhode Island who could help me make sense of this process. I scheduled an appointment with this doctor soon after, not really knowing who he was or what his purpose was. I later found out that he is an FAA-hired physician who reviews medical records and puts reports together based on the information provided. I was charged $1200 (he agreed to let me pay $300 at the time) for an appointment that lasted 20 minutes. He essentially told me that he would need my VA medical records, and when I expressed my concern over losing my job, he pretty much told me that I should just “find another job.” It was not until this point that I was finally provided with a full list of doctors that could do this “P&P.”
This was about FIVE MONTHS after initially receiving the letter from the FAA requesting that I complete a “P&P.” Most of the doctors on this list were many states away from me, and I did not have many options. I found a doctor in New Jersey who was very understanding of my situation and agreed to see me sooner than he had space available. My medical certificate was due to expire in October of that year (2017), so I was very flustered and desperate to get this examination done. I drove five hours to New Jersey and stayed overnight to see this doctor. The actual examination took nearly six hours, and it seemed as if the examination was designed for someone with severe mental health issues, such as schizophrenia and multiple personality disorders. I paid $750 ( an additional $750 is due at some point) upfront for this examination, which I really did not have at the time.
The FAA led me to believe that they would work with me to receive an extension so that I could still hold onto my medical certificate and continue working as an air traffic controller. This was LIE #2. I was told to ignore a letter that was being sent, which I later found out was a letter asking me to surrender my medical certificate. The same woman from the Aerospace Medical Division of Massachusetts who I had been dealing with from the beginning then went back on her word and made it seem as if she never told me to disregard this letter. I also expressed my concern over how expensive this process was becoming, and she essentially told me that it's not their problem. She threatened me, and even hung up on me after demanding that I surrender my medical certificate. She also made it seem as if I was not supposed to be working since the FAA first sent me the letter requesting a “P&P,” although I was never told this, nor did any letter state that I was not supposed to be working. The company I worked for at this time did everything in their power to keep me, as they did not want to lose a competent air traffic controller, but they eventually had to let me go.
My VA therapist and psychiatrist both wrote letters to the FAA elaborating on my diagnosis (PTSD & Generalized Anxiety) and urging them to allow me to continue working as these are minor issues that do not affect my ability to work as an air traffic controller. I even had my employer write a letter explaining that I was very needed at their tower and that I was an excellent air traffic controller. The FAA received these letters, but seemed to not care.
It has now been about a year and a half since the FAA first sent the letter asking me to complete a P&P, I have lost my job (although they are willing to rehire me if the FAA reinstates my medical certificate), and I am still trying to comply with what the FAA wants. Now, the FAA wants more information on a Bipolar/ADD diagnosis that DOES NOT exist. During one of my meetings with my VA therapist, I told her that I had behavioral issues when I was much younger and that the terms “Bipolar” and “ADD” were thrown around at this time. I NEVER received a diagnosis for any of these things. I was very rebellious when I was a teenager. Of course, I was not thinking that the FAA would pick this out and use this against me. It was simply part of the notes that the VA therapist recorded during one of our sessions. The FAA is now asking that I produce medical records from this time. I am not even sure that I can do that since I was about 10 years old when this was occurring. I am now 29 years old. I am unsure as to where to turn next, I find this to be a very unfair process.
