My class 1 was deferred because I put on my application that I use to have some mild anxiety. When i got out of the military, my veteran friends told me to claim it for medical benefits. I went to my C&P exams and exaggerated my symptoms.( Every Vet will tell you to do that). I ended up getting denied by the VA anyways I don't take any medication and havent had any symptoms in years. I work as an officer in a prison and function just fine. Will this keep me from getting my class 1 and becoming a commercial pilot?
My class 1 was deferred because I put on my application that I use to have some mild anxiety. When i got out of the military, my veteran friends told me to claim it for medical benefits. I went to my C&P exams and exaggerated my symptoms.( Every Vet will tell you to do that).
Not this vet. I would never recommend to anyone that they commit a Federal felony offense (see 18 US Code 1001). That's how Martha Stewart got sent to jail – for lying to the Feds about something she had done which wasn't itself illegal.
In any event, if you put it on your FAA medical application, then as far as the FAA is concerned, you have a history of anxiety, and that's one of the diagnoses which really scares them. They will most likely want you to go through the process to prove you don't have an anxiety issue – a long and expensive process.
One point you might want to discuss with an attorney is that to avoid the longer and more invasive examinations the FAA may want, you may have to admit you lied on the VA application, and then here comes that pesky 18 USC 1001 problem again. I cannot urge you strongly enough NOT to give any more false information to a Federal agency, and before you say anything else to them, to obtain legal advice on how to get out of the hole you're in without making it any deeper.
I ended up getting denied by the VA anyways I don't take any medication and havent had any symptoms in years. I work as an officer in a prison and function just fine. Will this keep me from getting my class 1 and becoming a commercial pilot?
As it stands now, yes – a history of an anxiety disorder is on its face disqualifying. As I said above, there is a process to get past that, but it's expensive and not covered by your medical insurance.
@Ronald Levy I didn't lie about anything everything was the truth. I just didn't try to make it sound sugar coated. My AME thinks it won't be an issue and just go through the steps they send me in the mail. I'm just worried it will put the brakes on my future in Aviation.
@Timothy Mercer
I guess you think exaggerating your medical condition in an application to a Federal government agency in an effort to obtain benefits does not constitute “a materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation.” I don't think either the VA or the FAA would agree with you – or the DoJ, if it gets to them. If you tell the FAA now that your condition is not as serious as you told the VA then, you may have serious problems getting your medical certificate (among other things). I repeat my advice to discuss this with an attorney before you proceed further. And unless your AME went to law school as well as med school, their advice isn't relevant to that issue.
@Timothy Mercer
I can't believe that you put this out as a question. You lied about a condition and tried to defraud the VA to get benefits you don't deserve and now your concern is getting a class 1 medical. What about moral character!!
@Jeffery Ollsen:
It is recommended that you consult with an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) or an Aviation Psychiatrist to determine your eligibility for a class 1 medical certificate.
I don't think I've ever heard of an “Aviation Psychiatrist.” Can you tell us more about that FAA designation?
As for consulting an AME, he already did that and was deferred in accordance with the FAA's guidance to AME's because of his disclosed history of anxiety. About all he can do now is wait for the FAA to review his deferred application and make a decision to either issue, deny, or request more information.