medical retirement/discharge/separation

R

rhonda1210

PEB Forum Regular Member
grandson, age 22 air guard, active duty, 3 years in, recent dx with crohns, met with coronel who offered "medical discharge" in 30 days. I understand medical retirement- MEB, PEB... if he were able to get at least 30% for his crohns that was diagnosed while he was in service, he would be eligible for tricare for life as well as apply for VA C&P,
but what are they offering, 'medical discharge? does that include the tricare? I know with only 3 years that would not be much of a military pension or severance package anyhow?
He was hoping for a waiver to stay in, he is no way near remission for this. So, what does medical discharge mean?
How is it different from medical retirement?
What is medical separation? I know this has probably been asked in this forum before but I looked and can't find it, thank you everyone for your help
 
Hello @rhonda1210 ,

Medical discharge is without retirement benefits. One must be rated at 30% or more disabled for a medical disability retirement.

He likely will be paid a one-time disability severance. No medicare. Regardless of years served, the minimum used in the computation is three or six years as discussed below.

Disability Severance Pay​

All branches of service have the authority to separate a soldier on the Temporary Disability Retirement List (TDRL). Separation may occur with entitlement to disability severance pay or without.

You must meet all of the following requirements to be eligible:

  • be found unfit for duty,
  • have less than 20 years of service,
  • and have a disability rating of less than 30%.
Prior to January 28, 2008 members were required to have at least 6 months of service to qualify for discharge with severance pay. This rule no longer applies.

If you were discharged with severance pay, you cannot go back on active duty or choose to apply for retirement later. However, you may be eligible to apply for monthly disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) if the VA determines your disability is service-connected.


Calculation and Payment​

Disability severance pay is a one-time lump sum payment. The amount equals 2 months of basic pay for each year of service which includes active service and inactive duty points, but the total service years cannot exceed 19 years. Additionally, the minimum number of years required for computation purposes is six years for a disability incurred in the line of duty in a combat zone, or 3 years in the case of any other member. Prior to January 28, 2008, a maximum of 12 years and minimum of three years creditable service was used.
 
rhonda1210 said:
grandson, age 22 air guard, active duty, 3 years in, recent dx with crohns, met with coronel who offered "medical discharge" in 30 days. I understand medical retirement- MEB, PEB... if he were able to get at least 30% for his crohns that was diagnosed while he was in service, he would be eligible for tricare for life as well as apply for VA C&P,
but what are they offering, 'medical discharge? does that include the tricare? I know with only 3 years that would not be much of a military pension or severance package anyhow?
He was hoping for a waiver to stay in, he is no way near remission for this. So, what does medical discharge mean?
How is it different from medical retirement?
What is medical separation? I know this has probably been asked in this forum before but I looked and can't find it, thank you everyone for your help
Click to expand...
Medical discharge would be chaptering him out without benefits. If he can't do his job then ask to be sent to IDES. Since he hasn't been in a long time the military can claim that the condition pre existed prior to service and medically chapter him out with no severance or retirement. That sounds like the direction they want to take. I would argue that EVEN if the condition existed prior to service (Which if the symptoms weren't in health records before entering service that would be hard to prove) that his condition was permanently aggravated by the military which would then lead him down the IDES path for medical separation with severance pay or medical retirement if rated 30% or higher.
 
Provis said:
Medical discharge would be chaptering him out without benefits. If he can't do his job then ask to be sent to IDES. Since he hasn't been in a long time the military can claim that the condition pre existed prior to service and medically chapter him out with no severance or retirement. That sounds like the direction they want to take. I would argue that EVEN if the condition existed prior to service (Which if the symptoms weren't in health records before entering service that would be hard to prove) that his condition was permanently aggravated by the military which would then lead him down the IDES path for medical separation with severance pay or medical retirement if rated 30% or higher.
Click to expand...
what is IDES? He never had any issues with his bowels prior to service. ever! 3 months ago he started having bloody diarrhea and one thing led to another with this crohns diagnosis. I think I read it could be a 30% medical retirement. So he should not take a medical discharge? and ask for a medical retirement and MEB, PEB?
 
RonG said:
Hello @rhonda1210 ,

Medical discharge is without retirement benefits. One must be rated at 30% or more disabled for a medical disability retirement.

He likely will be paid a one-time disability severance. No medicare. Regardless of years served, the minimum used in the computation is three or six years as discussed below.

Disability Severance Pay​

All branches of service have the authority to separate a soldier on the Temporary Disability Retirement List (TDRL). Separation may occur with entitlement to disability severance pay or without.

You must meet all of the following requirements to be eligible:

  • be found unfit for duty,
  • have less than 20 years of service,
  • and have a disability rating of less than 30%.
Prior to January 28, 2008 members were required to have at least 6 months of service to qualify for discharge with severance pay. This rule no longer applies.

If you were discharged with severance pay, you cannot go back on active duty or choose to apply for retirement later. However, you may be eligible to apply for monthly disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) if the VA determines your disability is service-connected.


Calculation and Payment​

Disability severance pay is a one-time lump sum payment. The amount equals 2 months of basic pay for each year of service which includes active service and inactive duty points, but the total service years cannot exceed 19 years. Additionally, the minimum number of years required for computation purposes is six years for a disability incurred in the line of duty in a combat zone, or 3 years in the case of any other member. Prior to January 28, 2008, a maximum of 12 years and minimum of three years creditable service was used.
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Thank you so much for responding, he is just a kid still and hopeful for remission. A lot of people do great living with crohns, he has only had 2 doses of biologic. (I happen to be a triage nurse for VA) My husband and son are both medically retired, so I understand a little, but want to help my grandson all I can as this choice will affect the rest of his life especially living with the expense of treatment for crohns. Fortunately, he has a security clearance and may be able to find work as a contract employee somewhere. so, you would recommend he not take medical discharge. and if they are pushing him to be out based on being unfit for duty, ask for MEB, PEB, medical retirement? This was not present prior to service.
 
Hello,

Ref: "so, you would recommend he not take medical discharge. and if they are pushing him to be out based on being unfit for duty, ask for MEB, PEB, medical retirement? This was not present prior to service."

I only outlined what would occur under certain circumstances.

I am a finance guy; I did not receive a disability retirement--I received a regular 20-year retirement 30+ years ago.

@Provis and @chaplaincharlie are two of the experts on IDES/discharges/PEB/MEB etc. and the processes involved.

Good luck

Ron
 
rhonda1210 said:
Thank you so much for responding, he is just a kid still and hopeful for remission. A lot of people do great living with crohns, he has only had 2 doses of biologic. (I happen to be a triage nurse for VA) My husband and son are both medically retired, so I understand a little, but want to help my grandson all I can as this choice will affect the rest of his life especially living with the expense of treatment for crohns. Fortunately, he has a security clearance and may be able to find work as a contract employee somewhere. so, you would recommend he not take medical discharge. and if they are pushing him to be out based on being unfit for duty, ask for MEB, PEB, medical retirement? This was not present prior to service.
Click to expand...
IDES is the MEB/PEB Etc. IDES stands for Integrated Disability Evaluation System. Now the VA rates everything and any unfitting conditions receive the same rating as what the VA rates that condition. So when you get out whether medically separated with severance or medical retirement you also have all of your VA ratings too. If you are found fit for duty then the VA ratings are all dismissed and nothing happens on the VA side but once you are in the IDES process you are rarely found fit for duty since they wouldn't have referred you if they thought you could do your job with your current health issues.
 
He should sign NOTHING with regards to a discharge of any kind, without legal advice. Each service provides members free legal advice. Legal advice is crucial.
 
chaplaincharlie said:
He should sign NOTHING with regards to a discharge of any kind, without legal advice. Each service provides members free legal advice. Legal advice is crucial.
Click to expand...
well, bad news... grandson just said Air guard determined his crohns was NOT service connected and he will simply not be retained due to medical fitness. I don't understand that? His enlistment end date is august 2025. So he is just out with no recourse? (he has applied to VA but still waiting on rating) I really thought since he did not have this prior to service, diagnosed during active duty it would be a no brainer to find this service connected for medical retirement? please advise?
 
rhonda1210 said:
well, bad news... grandson just said Air guard determined his crohns was NOT service connected and he will simply not be retained due to medical fitness. I don't understand that? His enlistment end date is august 2025. So he is just out with no recourse? (he has applied to VA but still waiting on rating) I really thought since he did not have this prior to service, diagnosed during active duty it would be a no brainer to find this service connected for medical retirement? please advise?
Click to expand...
He's dealing with a few layers there... Being state military vs federal and less than 8 years for medical connection. For him to enter IDES PEB/MEB he would need his primary care to submit him. If they will not, which appears to be the case, he would need to get outside medical documentation stating his condition is more likely than not service connected. He could also reach out to the head of state medical if he's not getting the results he likes. It's a difficult path with a tight time restraint due to his enlistment ending in August.

A VA rating alone would likely get him some pay and medical care for his condition. Note that unless he's an officer he will not receive any DoD retirement pay even if medically retired. He would get Tricare for the rest of his life. His VA rating would likely be equal to or higher than the DoD rating which would be the pay he would collect whether militarily retired or just with a VA rating.
 
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