I was disgnosed with Lupus can my husband who is active duty Navy be consider for family hardship?

Question

My husband is active duty navy and I was recently diganosed with Lupus. We have 2 children one who is 8yrs and the other is 18mths. I have severe pain and chronic fatigue. Could he be considered for family hardship discharge or even no deployments to help take care of me.

Answer 1

He needs to get with his command and immediately start the process to enroll in the navy's Exceptional Family Member program.

The program is far too comprehensive for me to explain, but it ensures his assignments are only in places where you can be treated and cared for properly. It could also involve humanitarian reassignment at least one time.

http://www.npc.navy.mil/CommandSupport/ExceptionalFamilyMember/

The Navy's Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) is designed to assist sailors by addressing the special needs of their exceptional family members (EFM) during the assignment process. Special needs include any special medical, dental, mental health, developmental or educational requirement, wheelchair accessibility, adaptive equipment or assistive technology devices and services.

In the Navy EFM Program, the primary function is the PERSONNEL FUNCTION. The Navy EFMP Coordinators are located at the medical treatment facility, not at the Fleet and Family Support Centers (all Fleet and Family Support Centers have an EFMP liaison). The Navy EFMP Coordinators serve both Personnel and Family Support functions, but with an emphasis on the Personnel function.

Personnel Function

The goal of the EFMP is to ensure the special needs of the EFM can be met at a new assignment location. EFMP enrollment information enables Navy detailers to proactively consider a family member's special need requirements during the assignment process and to pinpoint the assignment to a location with appropriate resources that address the special needs. Successful implementation requires up-to-date enrollment information and extensive coordination among the personnel, medical, and educational communities.

EFMP enrollment is mandatory and required immediately upon identification of a special need. DD Form 2792, Exceptional Family Member Medical and Educational Summary and DD Form 2792-1, Exceptional Family Member Special Education/Early Intervention Summary are used for enrollment.

Command points of contact and Navy medical treatment facility (MTF) EFMP coordinators can assist service and family members with the enrollment process.

Sailors may be reluctant to enroll because of misconceptions that EFMP enrollment may limit assignments and career advancement, or preclude family members from accompanying sponsors on overseas tours. These negative perceptions are not supported by fact. Sailors enrolled in the EFMP have always received equal consideration for accompanied assignments and for promotions.

The Navy Exceptional Family Member Program mailing address is:

Navy Personnel Command
Exceptional Family Member Program (PERS-451)
5720 Integrity Drive
Millington, TN 38055-6210

1-866-827-5672

Answer 2

He may be able to apply for the discharge, but there is nothing that can get him on the permanently undeployable list. I know many families...my own in fact...with children or spouses with disabilities, serious chronic illnesses and other issues. What you can do is enroll in the EFMP program (and you should immediately). This will prevent your family from being sent to a location that can't support your medical needs. If you are both seriously considering trying for a hardship seperation, your spouse should immediately speak with his supervisor and the family support office.

Answer 3

Only if the diease had progressed to the point where you were bedridden would a hardship discharge or humantarian reassignment be considered.

There is another program he is entitled to that will limit his assignments to those areas with major medical facilities.
He will still be eligable tyo deploy, but you will be in an area where you can get the medical treatment you need.

Answer 4

I'm not religious, but I do have heavy sociological / anthropological background. If you feel the need to "fear" your God, then it's because you feel guilty for something, or you want to feel victimized. Most folks don't fear their God. They love their God. God is like the ultimate leader. As Machiavelli said, a good leader must be both loved and feared. If he is just loved, then people will still do what they want against his wishes at times. If he is just feared, then they won't love their own lives, only doing what he wants out of fear of ramifications. If they love and fear him, then they will do what he wants out of love and respect first, and out of fear second. Let me try to use a different analogy for God... God, in most peoples' eyes, is like a good parent. A good parent uses 2 parts love and 1 part discipline to ensure people lead a good life. 1 part love is unconditional. God loves you unconditionally, because you are his creation. (Just as a parent loves their child unconditionally). 1 part love is for positive reinforcement. God shows you love to reward your good behavior. This is what most folks call "blessings", "miracles", etc. Parents do the same with them children; give them hugs when they succeed. 1 part discipline is used for negative reinforcement. God punishes people when they've been bad. Parents do the same to children. Now, most people will follow a Godly life simply because they respect and love God due to 1 part unconditional love, and 1 part positive reinforcement. If that doesn't work then they fear the 1 part discipline. However, what's "blessing" and "punishment" from God is subjective. Different religions, and even individuals, may see something as a blessing while others see it as a curse. Everyone can see whatever they want into something. When a mother hugs a child, it's pretty tangible that it's a hug. But, when a person finds $5 on the street is that a blessing? What if it just enables them to do something bad? I think the better way to look at God is that he gives people chances. The $5 is an opportunity. How the person chooses to use that opportunity dictates whether it's a "blessing" or "curse".

Answer 5

generally speaking, you would have to prove there is no other family members available at all to help. I have an autoimmune disease myself and and am unable to drive. My husband still deploys.

Just remember.. the minute he is discharged, your free medical care goes bye bye. can you HONESTLY afford the care and meds you need completely out of pocket?!

Answer 6

What does he want to do? Do you live on base? If he gets out of the service who will pay your medical bills and take care of you while he is working to be able to cover you with insurance?

Answer 7

I have asked the same question 4 times, and didn't receive a good answer

Answer 8

Honestly, I doubt it. You would even have a rough time getting social security disability. Sorry to have to say that but it's true.

Answer 9

Depends on how advanced the disease is. It often goes on for many years.

Good luck.