Physical Disability Board of Review Update

Hello everyone

I need opinion, I was medically discharged with severe persistent asthma at 10%, migraines(From head injury) was also on my PEB but was not found unfitting. After being discharged the VA rated my asthma at 30% and migraines at 30%. This information for the VA all came from my military medical record. What do you guys think will happen with the PDBR? Do you think I will receive retirement? Will I have to ask the PDBR to review the migraines also when it was on my PEB? I called the board and they said no, however I am skeptical.

I appreciate the feedback they you guys may give me.
Mike
 
wilsonle61 said:
This is my read of the time line GOALS (military speak for don't hold us to this) in Change 1 of the directives. I don't think anyone is going to see anything until after 1 OCT 2009. Oddly enough the beginning of the next fiscal year (FY 2010). Probably because if they are forced to comply with the VASRD and upgrade all these discharges, that's when they will have the most cash to do it. They can always get a supplemental spending bill cut later in FY 2010 for any shortages they run into at the end of the year in the operations or other accounts.
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Is that every branches fiscal year beginning or just the Air Force. I don't see how everyones retirement would come from AF funding.
 
DOD (as well as the federal government) is 1 OCT. That means all branches of the services and all federal government agencies. I just read how long they gave each office to sign off on their step in the review. Simple math says around October 2009 (assuming the board itself starts cranking out some decisions any time soon). Since they have moved like slugs up to this point, anyone want to bet me they wont take longer then the time allotted them in the new directives. I hope I am wrong, but so far my long and close relationship with the DOD gives me no cause for hope. On the bright side, at least I feel Change 1 gives everyone a good chance to see an upgrade to their discharges.
 
wilsonle61 said:
DOD (as well as the federal government) is 1 OCT. That means all branches of the services and all federal government agencies. I just read how long they gave each office to sign off on their step in the review. Simple math says around October 2009 (assuming the board itself starts cranking out some decisions any time soon). Since they have moved like slugs up to this point, anyone want to bet me they wont take longer then the time allotted them in the new directives. I hope I am wrong, but so far my long and close relationship with the DOD gives me no cause for hope. On the bright side, at least I feel Change 1 gives everyone a good chance to see an upgrade to their discharges.
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A while back I recieved a letter from them stating that they had everything they needed for my board. I called about 2 weeks ago and the person stated that there waiting on files from the VA now which they had requested twice already. I don't know if this is a delay tactic or just extra information needed for the June 2nd changes.
 
Just called and was told quite a few have been sent to the board already. Mine was sent to the board, but I was told the Army hasn't sent my (STR) or Army records yet. So I quess the board will hold it till the Army sends there stuff.
 
wilsonle61 said:
DOD (as well as the federal government) is 1 OCT. That means all branches of the services and all federal government agencies. I just read how long they gave each office to sign off on their step in the review. Simple math says around October 2009 (assuming the board itself starts cranking out some decisions any time soon). Since they have moved like slugs up to this point, anyone want to bet me they wont take longer then the time allotted them in the new directives. I hope I am wrong, but so far my long and close relationship with the DOD gives me no cause for hope. On the bright side, at least I feel Change 1 gives everyone a good chance to see an upgrade to their discharges.
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Learn something new everyday. I just thought it was an AF date for fiscal, cause our RA's would try and buy whats left in their budgets till the next one came.


Listen, the Air Force is trying to fix the economy. Were in a recession. People are being laid off. There are fewer jobs in general. So, the Air Force is going to re-build the economy by itself. How?

Goldbricking...
 
I have a question. Is the pdbr going to review the other rate dconditions or not?
I was boarded for my left elbow at 20% the Va gave me 30% and I pay 30% back to dfas out of my disability check each month.
I also get 30% for ptsd
10% for my back
10% for my shoulder
10% for my knee.
Will they now review it all?
I included all VA ratings on the paper where provided.
I also got a call from a counselor and he said they were waiting on my rating form from the Army.so I'll have to see he said it would go to the board when he got it . Also I have a question if I do get retired will my daughter get insurance? she was born after I was discharged.
Well lets all hope we get justice all of us.
Thank you.
 
jpfalcetta said:
I have a question. Is the pdbr going to review the other rate dconditions or not?
I was boarded for my left elbow at 20% the Va gave me 30% and I pay 30% back to dfas out of my disability check each month.
I also get 30% for ptsd
10% for my back
10% for my shoulder
10% for my knee.
Will they now review it all?
I included all VA ratings on the paper where provided.
I also got a call from a counselor and he said they were waiting on my rating form from the Army.so I'll have to see he said it would go to the board when he got it . Also I have a question if I do get retired will my daughter get insurance? she was born after I was discharged.
Well lets all hope we get justice all of us.
Thank you.
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According to this excerpt from the 6-6-09 changes, it looks like they should be covered. However, this is still like a different language to me and I’m still not sure the DoD will hold to the new changes.

e. The PDBR shall conduct reviews of the disability rating(s) of the covered individual in
accordance with the VASRD in effect at the time of separation.
​

(2) The following will
be subject to review by the PDBR.:
(a) Medical conditions determined to be specifically unfitting for continued military
service, as previously determined by the Military Department PEB.
(b) Those instances when the covered individual requests the PDBR to review
conditions identified but not determined to be unfitting by the PEB of the Military Department concerned.​

 
I called today and they informed me my packet was complete and was being sent to the board tomorrow. I don't have any idea how long the board reviews the records before they render a decision though.
 
Good to hear that things are moving forward. I have almost forgot about the PDBR, it was so long ago that I submitted my packet. Looking forward to hearing what people are going to find out.:rolleyes:
 
essie1 said:
I called today and they informed me my packet was complete and was being sent to the board tomorrow. I don't have any idea how long the board reviews the records before they render a decision though.
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Good luck I hope you get your retirement. I hope all of us do we have all been taken or screwed if you want.
Take care everyone happy 4th
 
Hey Guys,

My name is Jon and I have to say Thanks to the creators of this forum because I have no damn clue what is going on with this PDBR business. I have A LOT to catch up on..lol.

Im an ex AF Cop that was Medically Discharged on Sept. 2005 for "back spasms" and that's all. Booted out, and given an nice little severance pay for the rest of my life.

In actuality I was diagnosed with Spondylolthesis, Osteoarthritis, Degenerative Disk Disease, and Spinal Stenosis all within my lower back. To sum it up, I broke my back on duty and they chalked it up to muscle spams even though the MEB had all the paperwork in front of them. Well in addition to PTSD from combat action in Pakistan I was only MED Discharged for the one ailment "spasms", given 10% DOD and told..good bye!

VA got ahold of me, tried to play it off and gave me 20% for that and 30% for Dysthemia w/ Anxious Moods..Well to make a long story short, and if anyone wants to read it, it is 7 pages, I'll send it to you. I fought tooth and nail to get 80% for PTSD, 40% for Degenerative Disk Disease and a few other small percentages that left me with a combined 80% total, but luckily I have 100% Unemployability, that was another battle with the VA.

Well then this PDBR came about and I put in my papers, Im in the top 20, I'll just leave it like that. I have not heard a damn peep from them since they acknowledged my reciept of application and gave me a docket number in January.. So what I heard from you guys, gives me some hope.

VA reinstated my severance payback, which I have to fight since they already took out everything from my woppong seperation severance.

Keep this forum informed guys, Ill be posting my updates as well in here, good luck to all and god bless.

Jon "Big Will" Williams
 
Hey big wil good luck brother I have a question.
They gave you back then severance money that you paid back? am I correct?
I have almost paid my severance back. I have until feb 2010 to pay them and I am done.
If you got it back let me know how and how I do it for my family.
Thanks take care and good luck
John
 
jpfalcetta said:
Hey big wil good luck brother I have a question.
They gave you back then severance money that you paid back? am I correct?
I have almost paid my severance back. I have until feb 2010 to pay them and I am done.
If you got it back let me know how and how I do it for my family.
Thanks take care and good luck
John
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Hey John,

Thanks for the luck! They didn't give me back my severance pay yet, but they are trying to dick me over since the PDBR sent out a request for my VA records and the VA thinks I still owe them, yet I have several upgrades in my compensation over the years that were retro'd and the severance money was taken out of that. So I have given them well over the amount I recieved. Now they say I owe them almost more then 50% of the severance. BS!

But! Last year Congress passed that act that you can keep both retirement and VA compensation, so if you get retirement then they need to retro you your retirement since seperation. That will pay back the severance and give you a nice check in the end like for me they have to retro it back to Sept. 05, so close to 4 years. And by the way its going it will be 4..

Keep your heads up guys, it will happen, even if we have to beat it out of them :)
 
Jwilliams61735 said:
Hey John,

Thanks for the luck! They didn't give me back my severance pay yet, but they are trying to dick me over since the PDBR sent out a request for my VA records and the VA thinks I still owe them, yet I have several upgrades in my compensation over the years that were retro'd and the severance money was taken out of that. So I have given them well over the amount I recieved. Now they say I owe them almost more then 50% of the severance. BS!

But! Last year Congress passed that act that you can keep both retirement and VA compensation, so if you get retirement then they need to retro you your retirement since seperation. That will pay back the severance and give you a nice check in the end like for me they have to retro it back to Sept. 05, so close to 4 years. And by the way its going it will be 4..

Keep your heads up guys, it will happen, even if we have to beat it out of them :)
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Heads up indeed!

This is what fires me up about the Severance package. If you have to pay it back through the VA Comp there is no records of it sent to you. All they can tell you is what you owe. So, (I know this sucks) it is the members job to keep track on how much he/she has to pay back in regards to VA Comp/Severence.
 
Jwilliams61735 said:
Hey Guys,

My name is Jon and I have to say Thanks to the creators of this forum because I have no damn clue what is going on with this PDBR business. I have A LOT to catch up on..lol.

Im an ex AF Cop that was Medically Discharged on Sept. 2005 for "back spasms" and that's all. Booted out, and given an nice little severance pay for the rest of my life.

In actuality I was diagnosed with Spondylolthesis, Osteoarthritis, Degenerative Disk Disease, and Spinal Stenosis all within my lower back. To sum it up, I broke my back on duty and they chalked it up to muscle spams even though the MEB had all the paperwork in front of them. Well in addition to PTSD from combat action in Pakistan I was only MED Discharged for the one ailment "spasms", given 10% DOD and told..good bye!

VA got ahold of me, tried to play it off and gave me 20% for that and 30% for Dysthemia w/ Anxious Moods..Well to make a long story short, and if anyone wants to read it, it is 7 pages, I'll send it to you. I fought tooth and nail to get 80% for PTSD, 40% for Degenerative Disk Disease and a few other small percentages that left me with a combined 80% total, but luckily I have 100% Unemployability, that was another battle with the VA.

Well then this PDBR came about and I put in my papers, Im in the top 20, I'll just leave it like that. I have not heard a damn peep from them since they acknowledged my reciept of application and gave me a docket number in January.. So what I heard from you guys, gives me some hope.

VA reinstated my severance payback, which I have to fight since they already took out everything from my woppong seperation severance.

Keep this forum informed guys, Ill be posting my updates as well in here, good luck to all and god bless.

Jon "Big Will" Williams
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Does everyone have issues with the payback of the severance pay? I have been helping my husband to try to get the VA to understand that their math is wrong now for 2 years. It still isn't fixed. Has anyone gotten the VA to understand the right amount of their severance payback? If so how did you do it? This is so confusing. I saved my husbands last LES and the numbers don't match- we never were payed what they said we were paid. Does anyone know how to fight this? Thanks, Trish
 
Yeah I am looking at almost 3 years back pay. I heard that they were not supposed to take our severances away from our disability checks. Someone on here had said that in an earlier post.
I also have degenerative disk disease and am going tommorow to request am upgrade exam.
I do not want to be 100% yet since I am already at 70%.
Well good luck to everyone take care.
John
 
Trish,
I went to my local VA advocate and they got me the total I had left to pay. 1 suggestion is join a vet service group like VFW or American Legion 2 call or email your congressman.
Let them know about the problem and that they are screwing us over bad.
Take care good luck.
John
 
Thanks for the information. I have already spoken with the congressman, and a rep. The issue is still not resolved yet. First the VA wanted to recoup the whole severance amount- and with the congressman’s help I was able to convince them that they could only recoup the amount that was paid after taxes. I have a letter from the VA stating the "corrected" amount. Yet the VA can't figure out their own math. They want to take money for over a year too long. If the VA recoups it the way that they want to it would be an overpayment of over 15 thousand dollars. I also do not understand the final LES. It looks to me that there is a large amount of money that was never paid? Any idea who would be able to answer LES questions from 3 years ago? God bless all of you veterans! I am ashamed as to how messed up you all are treated!
 
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