I'm retired military, and even though I hate Navy guys , I'd be reluctant to advise you to let the VA take care of your surgery. I'm lucky in that I can use Johns Hopkins Tricare in the area that I'm in and I'm not relegated to using military treatment facilities anymore. If you have a good primary care physician on the outside that can refer you to agoodorthopedic surgeon....I'd opt of that and just suck up missing hunting season. But if it means an extension and missing out on a cush civil service job.....that definitely makes the decison tougher.

And just kidding about hating the Navy....I'm glad we have you guys out there doing what you do. Best of luck to ya.