11C40, getting P3, What's going to happen to me

stonewme

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Registered Member
I am an 11C, SFC, with 14 years of service and am about to receive a P3 profile. I had a two level cervical discectomy with fusion of C5, C6, and C7. What is the most likely course of action for me? Will they reclass me or will I be chaptered? Also, can I request a MEB or do I have to wait for the Army to initiate it? Any info will be helpful. thanks.

Will
 
I am an 11C, SFC, with 14 years of service and am about to receive a P3 profile. I had a two level cervical discectomy with fusion of C5, C6, and C7. What is the most likely course of action for me? Will they reclass me or will I be chaptered? Also, can I request a MEB or do I have to wait for the Army to initiate it? Any info will be helpful. thanks.

Will

read all u can from this board...alot of regs to read...if u feel u cant do your job..can u do another???if so..then its reclassify...if not then its discharge if u dont have evidence showing u r unfit...or on to the meb..but u have to read to learn beforehand..Ive spent over a thousand hours reading the regs and this site.
 
Thanks Jack, I have read a couple of the regs...can't remember the numbers. according to the regs, just having the procedure that i had, makes me unfit and requires an MEB. I am actually looking forward to a MEB. I am content with my service and am ready to move on. I am just looking for others who have had similar procedures / injuries and have been through the MEB and what the outcome was. I also have seen injured soldiers whos MEB's took what seemed like an excesively long time to complete, mostly due to inefficiency of the system. I want to make sure i know the process and what my rights are.

Will
 
I am an 11C, SFC, with 14 years of service and am about to receive a P3 profile. I had a two level cervical discectomy with fusion of C5, C6, and C7. What is the most likely course of action for me? Will they reclass me or will I be chaptered? Also, can I request a MEB or do I have to wait for the Army to initiate it? Any info will be helpful. thanks.

Will

The best way to get your MEB started is to get your nuerosurgeon to write a summary for you. Make sure he conveys that you are recovering well, but you will never be able to perform your soldier duties again. Give him a copy of the profile form and show him that besides your job, you are locked into having to do the basic warrior tasks suck as wearing a fighting load, 3-5 second rushes, etc, etc. Take this summary that he writes and ask your primary care provider the paper and ask him for a P3. The P3 will trigger the MEB.
 
I just had the same surgery (plus and artificial disk at C4/5). At the 90 day (Feb 2012) follow up my Neurosurgeon told me he will give me whatever write up I needed. That is when they can look at the x-ray and assess that the fusion is going as planned. My Family Practice Dr at the Army Hospital said that once he gets the summary he will initiate a P3 and the MEB process will begin. I also visited the MEB lawyer on post to ensure I was tracking the process and he gave me a lot of good information. He was closely located to the WTU so that may be a good place to get information also. I am just beginning the process too and it seems that you have the same mindset as me, only I am over 20 years in a couple of weeks so I just want to retire. It seems like some ACDF or fusion patients request to stay in and Soldier on, but just end up hurting themselves more. Either way it appears from everyone I talked to that it is something that does not meet retention criteria and can go either way, depending on your desires and recovery. Keep us posted!
 
I just had the same surgery (plus and artificial disk at C4/5). At the 90 day (Feb 2012) follow up my Neurosurgeon told me he will give me whatever write up I needed. That is when they can look at the x-ray and assess that the fusion is going as planned. My Family Practice Dr at the Army Hospital said that once he gets the summary he will initiate a P3 and the MEB process will begin. I also visited the MEB lawyer on post to ensure I was tracking the process and he gave me a lot of good information. He was closely located to the WTU so that may be a good place to get information also. I am just beginning the process too and it seems that you have the same mindset as me, only I am over 20 years in a couple of weeks so I just want to retire. It seems like some ACDF or fusion patients request to stay in and Soldier on, but just end up hurting themselves more. Either way it appears from everyone I talked to that it is something that does not meet retention criteria and can go either way, depending on your desires and recovery. Keep us posted!

How is that surgery, recovery time and after effects? I have disk degenerative at C4/5 and no one is telling me there is something that can be done. Thanks.
 
You should see a Neuro-Surgeon for specifics and ensure they do an MRI as they can vary. My original Xray said DDD for C4/5, but 2 MRIs later I was told that I needed C5/6 and 6/7 Fusion with C4/5 Artificial Disk Replacement (ADR). Bottom line is that they should tell you to take it easy for at least 30-45 days. Since mine was 3 levels it has been a little difficult and I am on about my 40th day of Convalescent leave and should be back to work at about 75, but with a lot of physical therapy. You will see your Surgeon at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 90 Days and 6 Months. X rays at 6 weeks and 90 Days with an MRI at 6 Months. The main stuff is whether the bones are fusing well for the 6 week and 90 Day mark. I can already tell a difference, but will have to get to a point where the surgery and physical therapy are in the past. I used to have pain radiating across my back, neck and down my arm with numbness and tingling, but that is all gone. I don't want to speculate as I have seen a lot of different opinions so ensure you do your homework on your surgeon as there have been some people who go to certain ones here where I am stationed (even one who went to Bethesda for a military doctor). Good luck!
 
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