Originally Posted by DigiM4x I am a 32 year old that also has a brain tumor. My MEB was intiated 3 months after my surgery. His Physician intiates the MEB and and a board member at the base recommends him for a informal board. Not sure about the SGLI. My tumor is service connected since i work with radio frequency radiation. Thank you for your reply. Have you applied for TSGLI? Sounds like you would get it. When you say his physician, do you mean a civilian physician?
I am a 32 year old that also has a brain tumor. My MEB was intiated 3 months after my surgery. His Physician intiates the MEB and and a board member at the base recommends him for a informal board. Not sure about the SGLI. My tumor is service connected since i work with radio frequency radiation.
Thank you for your help. I made some calls and I have letters of recommendation from my drs. both civilian and va. I asked questions and from my understanding, I could very well be able return to duty. I also understand what you are syaing about the severence pay thing. I am hoping for the best but also expecting the worst case scenerio. I have all my supporting doctuments and found out a lot of soldiers can be fit for duty with ptsd. My board is being moved up from what I found out and so far so good. Thank you for all your help, if you happen to find out any more info that could help me, please feel free to write back.
My package was really simple, and it still took a year from onset of symptoms to completed package/retirement from military. If you have to redo all tests after that long, I would expect at least another year wait. And the member is not allowed to PCS if they are under MEB. Nor can they go TDY (like for classes or whatever) or use Tuition assistance. I hate to say that is basically a waiting game until it is done. (which really really sucks...) but it WILL be worth it in the end as MEB determination will prove service connection of the disability(ies) in question, wich means VA has to treat those conditions for life. There is also a good chance of getting a high enough rating so that he is eligible for medical retirement, which would allow you as a family to retain all benifits as a regularly retired member (Tricare, Commissary privileges, base access, potential other benefits which may vary by state such as reduced vehicle license fees/whatever) this stuff adds up in the long run. In my opinion the wait was worth it just for the Tricare. ($460 a year for full family coverage for tricare prime...try to find that outside military....just a thought)
I do not know how to get your exam moved up. BUT whenever you were placed on the retired list, they should have given you a contact address/phone number to keep your address current...perhaps the people at that number/address would know how to get this expedited. As far as being found fit for duty, my understanding is that this would depend upon your medical records and what sort of improvement is shown in them. If in there are doctor notes stating that you dont suffer from effects of PTSD currently, you may have a chance to return to duty. I just don't know other than something that shows improvement. ALSO, whenever you go to your follow up, make sure you have a hard copy of ALL your medical records...1. that will make it easier to show (on paper) the improvement you've had, 2. It will ensure you have them available for doctor review. My biggest concern with this is that you could potientially be facing separation instead of re-activation. If you have improved enough to be rated less than 30% by DOD but not enough to return to duty, they will probably decide to separate you with severance. Or they could decide you are still not "stable" and continue to keep you on TDRL. I am not sure how many people are returned to active duty after placement on TDRL, But hope you get what you are looking for
You didn't say what you are taking currently. I have suffered from CCH for about 15 years now. I am currently taking 700mg of lithium and 240mg of verapamil. Seems to be doing the trick (knock on wood). Also, neurologist suggested I have a sleep apnea test done. Use a CPAP now and it seems to take away the headaches that come shortly after going to sleep. Numerous articles and studies done on the connection between sleep apnea and cluster headaches. At any rate, you should get a test done and have it documented in your medical record (it's a 50% disability if you require CPAP). Hope this helps.
My experience with the MEB took a year. My packet was done three times due to the fact that an MEB packet cannot be submitted to the PEB if any of the testing is over or at 6 months old. If it is it will get sent back and the MEB process starts over again. Also, like in my case the physcial NARSUM side was completed and ready to submit but there forgot to refer the packet thru the phsycological deptartment for an endorsement and when it got ready to go to the PEB it got sent back again. Needless to say I redone all X-rays, MRI's, EMG and neurophsyc test and my packet is at the PEB one year later.
While you're on the TDRL it's important that you follow through with all recommended treatment, medications, etc. If you don't take any meds and don't see a doctor while on the TDRL, when the time comes for your re-evaluation it may create the impression that you're doing better than you actually are. I appreciate the difficulty with the VA being so far away, but as a retiree you'll at least have Tricare. If at all possible, I'd recommend that you at least establish a relationship with a family doctor at home if you don't have one already. If there's any way to do it, try to establish a relationship with a local mental health provider as well; use your Tricare, see if there are low-cost or no-cost mental health counseling, group therapy, etc., from government or private sources in your area. Check with veterans' organizations such as DAV, VFW, etc. You may find that there are mental health programs for veterans closer to home even though the VA hospital is far away. It will look much better for you if you're having regular outpatient therapy of some sort in addition to taking meds; if you treat with meds alone, and if the examining doctor opines that the meds adequately control your symptoms, that could result in your rating for the depression/PTSD dropping to 10%. Now, if meds alone do completely control your symptoms, that's great; but I'm concerned that your lack of access to outpatient treatment may end up creating an inaccurate impression of your condition.
Vitoria, The AFI is 36-3212. This regulation concerns physical disabilities and evaluations. The specific paragraph for continuing you on active duty states that you are to remain on active duty (as Jason says) with the same rights and benefits as all the other active duty folks. In case you don't know, the term "ARC" refers to the air reserve component and includes members in the reserves and guard. The paragraph is below: 8.6.2. ARC members who incur or aggravate an injury, illness or disease in the line of duty while on orders for more than 30 days are not involuntarily released from those orders until final disposition of their disability case. These members' entitlement to full pay and allowances and benefits continue to the same extent provided by law or regulation to regular component members. Sometimes the units get confused and try to treat you like you were injured on a drill weekend or annual tour - these people are not kept on orders. The way to fix it is for the Personnel Flight to amend your orders so that you remain on active duty. The Personnel Flight commander might have to argue with higher headquarters to make them come up with the days to keep you on active duty but they were wrong to take you off orders in the first place. You are to be kept on active duty until you are declared worldwide ready or your case has been sent to the disability evaluation process (MEB,PEB) and finally decided. Good luck. afdoc
Thank you for your time yes my orders where for more then 30 days, Do you now the AFI's on this thanks again it has been hard to find help with this
They should have kept you on active duty (assuming your orders were written to cover a period of more than 30 days). They should place you on orders while you heal and they make a final disposition of your case (i.e., return to duty or separation/retirement). You sound like you have a case for wrongful discharge. That would likely get you back pay (though, there may be an offset if you have other earnings during this time) and make them put you back on orders.
A couple of comments and thoughts. You do not need 15 years to get medical disability benefits. Since your condition was LOD (and it appears that your condition worsened during periods of active duty), you should be eligible for disability benefits. You may have a claim for wrongful discharge. It sounds like they should have kept you on active duty to process you for disability evaluation. It is not unusual for Guard (and Reserve) to improperly process cases. If you are told you are being separated without disability evaluation, please let us know. Hope all goes well for you.
Concur with yellow dog. Do this now. Some posts have combined MEB / VA ratings so you can come out of process with your VA disability also. The other side of the coin is that they will spend the time in the MRP to rehabilitate your back and get you the care you need before you are kicked out on the street. Go to the ombudsman at your local MTF and they can direct you to the forms you need to request Warrior Transition Unit assignment.
You can request to be put on Medical Retention Processing orders, MRP. You will then be assigned to a Warrior Transition Unit. This will keep you on active duty until you have received optimal care for your medical condition and can REFRAD or are medically separated.
How will it be paid back? Will they withold only 10% from my VA check or will the entire 60% go away until it is paid back? I ask because I have seen on other forums that other's VA was just reduced by the amount they were rated at by the military.
You will get paid for your 8 years of service, but at a rate of a 10 year E5 (due to your TDRL time). Use that for their calculation. Due to the fact that it was not combat related, you will be taxed AND have to pay it back through your VA compensation. Once paid up, your monetary award from VA will resume. If you already are rated at the VA, you can call retirement DFAS and ask they send you the St Clair Decision paperwork which is a partial refund on some of the taxes they will take out. As for a timeline, DFAS received my orders on 23 April, with a Seperation date of 5 May. I finally received my severance on 25 June. So plan on around 2 months from the time they receive your orders. Hope that helps. James
brian, I don't much about chronic cluster headaches, but i wake up everday with a chronic headache that normally last a couple hours. The only medicine i'm on is 800mg motrin. Usuallly doesn't help. back in 2007, i was deployed to Iraq and i had a headache that just got worse each day abd finally i passed out and when i woke up i was in Washington D. C. That headache i had was a brain tumor the size of an orange. So you might want to get an MRI or a Catscan if your headaches continue. After having my tumor removed i have short-term memory loss, crhonic headaches, loss of my perifferal vision, a titanium plate in my head, and the MEB just offered me severance pay and a disability rating of 10%. I know some of this is just me rambling on, i wish you the best of luck. scott
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