I entered a MEB in April of 2018 after a diagnosis for an auto-immune disease. At the time of the MEB, I was on Celebrex (anti-inflammatory) and dealing with the back pain I was having best I could. My initial NARSUM and Commanders letter were all written for retention, I could perform my duties, etc. Fast forward a few months and in late August after the pain began worsening I went back to the doctor and was put on HUMIRA. I was told by the Army doctors there I would most definitely need a MEB, I explained to them I was in a RILO and they told me to go back and tell my PCM I want to reinitiate a MEB - since now I am on Humira which makes me non-deployable and my previous MEB, which resulted in the RILO, only took into account Celebrex.
My RILO date is for April 1st 2019. I explained to my PCM that from everything I had researched and been told, the start of Humira will require a new MEB. I said if the inevitable result is a MEB, I wanted it to be re-initiated now and not in April - I don't want to wait around if the final outcome is a new MEB anyways. Two PCMs, including a Colonel, completely agreed with my Rheumatologist and me and told me they were pushing it up for a new MEB due to the new medication I was on and the change in my circumstances.
I just checked my IMR and my AF 496 profile, it is the EXACT same from my MEB back in April. but it is dated three days after I spoke to my PCMs (October 15th) when I was told they were submitting me for a new MEB. It still has a return to Duty with limitation and the RILO end date of April 1st. I was never contacted by a PEBLO for this, didn't get to redo a commander letter OR Narsum, no new MEB was initiated - which leads me to believe they simply used what was on file and decided to continue to RILO.
I have 12 months left in service on my initial enlistment, the current RILO is affecting my retrain window and making me unaware if I am going to be able to continue with my career in the Air Force or not.
Should I continue to fight this? I am considering E-mailing the Colonel at Force Health and getting with my First Sergeant. I am not sure how RILO works, or what happens at the end of my RILO, so any additional information would be appreciated.
My RILO date is for April 1st 2019. I explained to my PCM that from everything I had researched and been told, the start of Humira will require a new MEB. I said if the inevitable result is a MEB, I wanted it to be re-initiated now and not in April - I don't want to wait around if the final outcome is a new MEB anyways. Two PCMs, including a Colonel, completely agreed with my Rheumatologist and me and told me they were pushing it up for a new MEB due to the new medication I was on and the change in my circumstances.
I just checked my IMR and my AF 496 profile, it is the EXACT same from my MEB back in April. but it is dated three days after I spoke to my PCMs (October 15th) when I was told they were submitting me for a new MEB. It still has a return to Duty with limitation and the RILO end date of April 1st. I was never contacted by a PEBLO for this, didn't get to redo a commander letter OR Narsum, no new MEB was initiated - which leads me to believe they simply used what was on file and decided to continue to RILO.
I have 12 months left in service on my initial enlistment, the current RILO is affecting my retrain window and making me unaware if I am going to be able to continue with my career in the Air Force or not.
Should I continue to fight this? I am considering E-mailing the Colonel at Force Health and getting with my First Sergeant. I am not sure how RILO works, or what happens at the end of my RILO, so any additional information would be appreciated.
