Any here apart of the new DOD/VA pilot program??

S

surfer495

PEB Forum Regular Member
PEB Forum Veteran
I was wondering if anyone in here has finished with the new DOD/VA MEB process yet? At least anyone who is at the IPEB yet? I am apart of this new process and just wanted to find out more from people who are actually in it.

I was reading over the offical memo related to the pilot program posted in this forum. On there I saw a timeline and organization chart at the bottom of it. For the IPEB, it says their goal is to be completed in 15 days. Today is day 15 for me...I am praying for my paperwork to come back. I need this to be over. How has everyone else's experience been so far?
 
I really hope your MEB has been going quick so far. I'll let you know as soon as I get my results back. I keep getting mixed answers from my PEBLO on the process from the IPEB and beyond. From what I understand, all the IPEB does is say fit or not...then pending on what the VA says for my %, that determines retirement or separation. How long from the IPEB until I know my separation date?
 
I'm not even sure if anyone here is following my post since most are not yet apart of the pilot program. Maybe in time my posts here will be more useful. Anyways, today was day 34 at the IPEB and still no word. Their 15 day timeline is long out the window now. I need my board to be finished!
 
While I am not part of the new program it is nice to hear what is happing to you and what is happing with the new system

Thanks
 
Thanks Jim. I will be sure to keep everyone up to date on my case as I am sure this will be more helpful to others in the coming months as more and more people become apart of the pilot.
 
Surfer,
My case has been at IPEB for about 14 days. About a week after it convened they suspended it for more information regarding a CT scan from a couple of years ago. Think that I got that resolved yesterday (someone else's info in my report) and should be back on track. Hopefully they return a "Fit for Continued Naval Service" shortly so I can start working with the Flight medice guys to get my flight status back. Will let you know
OB
 
Oh good, I'm glad you got that resolved. Hopefully it is a speedy process for you! Keep me updated and I will do the same.
 
I just don't get what is taking so long! And no one has any answers for me as to how long this will take! This is so frustrating!
 
I'm part of the pilot program. I had my last VA appointment in August, and the first was in June. Evidently the neurologists at the VA are busy. I started the process back in June, and the VA results just made it back to Bethesda. Now I wait some more.
 
Hello! I am a part of the pilot program. I finished up in the VA in May, the med grp finally got everything together after a few last minute appts. Finally met the local board in July and they determined it needed to go to the Board in Texas. That took a week to decide it needed to go further. The package was sent to Texas the last week in July, and there it remains. I'm hoping to have an answer by mid Sept??

I hear they can take up to 6 weeks to 2 months for an answer back. But rumor is the longer they take the better...well thats what my PEBLO told me. She has seen a trend if the packages are returned within 2 weeks, those troops are returned to duty. Not sure it it helps you or not. I'm still learning the process..it changes every time I ask.
 
Mine took about 2 months to come back, but I was also one of the first AF to get a disability rating and separated under the pilot.
 
You can pretty much throw the timeline that they give you out the window. My experience:
Aug 2007: Made Appointments for MEB evaluation near end of 2nd LIMDU
Sep 2007: "We are going to run more tests in a month"
Nov 2007: Tests complete, awaiting results of MEB
Jan 2008: Call to PEBLO office to determine status, told that they had no knowledge of me. At this point I was put into the pilot program. Doctors finally do MEB.
Feb 2008: VA Appointments, DTAP Class
April 2008: My case goes to PEB
May 2007: Get results of IPEB, request Formal. (~6-8 weeks to get results)
June 2008: FPEB
Aug 2008: At 9 weeks, still waiting for results.

Good luck.
 
Hello!

I am stationed at Walter Reed and will be going under the new pilot program.

Feb 3 2008 MEB reccomended by Psych, Pulmonologist, and provider.
July 15 2008 MEB recommended by main provider again since nothing was actually started by anybody.
Aug 13 2008 Contacted by PEBLO. Informed I am part of meb process
Aug 14 2008 Counseled by PEBLO about MEB and given timeline
Aug 18 2008 Meeting with MSC to start VA Claim
Aug 25 2008 Given appt for physical with MEB doc by PEBLO and list of 9 other medical appoints with docs for and under the VA claim (sheesh!) All of those are within the next three weeks.
Sept-Oct 2008 Attended VA medical appointments
Dec 4 2008 Given briefing by MEB for cover letter to packet
Dec 17 2008 Due to sign 3947. Explained nobody knows the answer on what to do with my current situation which is that my packet went forward without first having several VA C&P exams I was scheduled for but the VA canceled due to bad weather (Tropical Storm came through) Including the main PHYSICAL ITSELF!!!!! Packet going forward but how will PEB rate me on conditions if they are found unfit?
Jan 5 2009 Waiting on Commanders Letter. Holding up Packet. Also noticed my packet was lacking most of my medical records.
Jan 12 2009 Packet Sent to PEB.
Jan 21 2009 IPEB Results without rating back. Found unfit and stable for Asthma, Migraines, Bipolar, Bronchiectasis. Found unfit and unstable PTSD. Waiting on Results from VA available in about two weeks.
Feb 2 2009 IPEB Closed. Final result 90% Army / 100% VA
 
california,

Are the appointments for the VA parts with VA of military providers? Just wondering, I've read the implementation guidance on the pilot and don't really understand who does them.

Thanks
 
Hello!

To answer your question, the medical appointments were set up by the VA and are for VA providers. The medical appointments are held at the VA hospital here in D.C. Also they are not just regular medical appointments but they are the Compensation and Pension appointments that you do through the V.A. which are very important!!!!! After the VA appointments then you see a provider through the military provider to finish up the NARSUM/MEB packet. My VA appointments are based on what I am being medically boarded for and also what I am laying claim to the va for. I am amazed at how quick I got the appointments. Trust me, you talk with vets and the fact all of this is in a matter of weeks to months compared to their months to years is an amazing feat!

I know the feeling. So far things have been clear as mud. I was handed a stack of power point presentations and booklets that, while they are informative in some aspects, I find they are repetitive. They repeat the same information over and over again yet leave so many questions unanswered and do not exactly go into the detail you need in areas. They also leave out a TREMENDOUS amount of things or could be better explained.

I have had a lot of screw ups so far which have worked in my favor. I'm not going to go into detail on them now but some pointers:

When you go into the MSC meeting which is your initial meeting with the VA, think of it as your one and only time to fill out a VA claim and turn in paperwork needed. You really do not want to turn in paperwork later or attempt to add to the claim. It will really delay/screw things up.

Research the VARSD under CRF 38 for conditions that you want to place a claim for. Know their titles for the claim form. Make sure you bring in all medical records AND any supporting documentation that is non-medical. The PEBLO only prints off whatever is on a computer as medical records when they transfer them to the VA. I thought it was just me but I asked other soldiers and they were scrambling for their own paperwork as well. They do not do photocopies of what is exactly IN a medical record so if you have hand written notes, 600's, etc. those are not transfered to the MSC/VA prior to your initial MSC appointment. You need to do that.

Also, since the VA looks at ALL documents when establishing diagnosis, creating the nexus for the condition (DoD does assumptions or benefits of the doub, VA has to see the connection), establishing a rating, etc. include them as well i.e. for PTSD I included my award for CMB, newspaper clippings of when soldiers I treated died, the exact firefights I was in, photographs of injuries I received, counseling statements, buddy letters, a stressor letter, etc.

If you have any other questions feel free to ask! =)

- californiasurfboy
 
Oh great....Here's my two sense on this convoluted, way to screw soldiers Pilot Program!

I have been in the Pilot process for over a year! That's right folks...Over 12 whole months! If I didn't rip information out of people at Walter Reed Army Medical Center the Cockroach in the crown of the Army, I wouldn't have even gotten the crap rating that I did. Thank god that I got to keep the base rating. Because my Command sucks and PEBLO doesn't give a crap, I lost out at the formal hearing.

Anyone still working while going through this hellish process?

If you answered "yes" to this question....You will get screwed in the end. Read ALL of the regulations. GET A JAG, or hire someone!!!!!

Know that you can have everything corrected before you sit before the people deciding your final fate (PEB).


I DIDN'T know this. The people that were supposed to tell me wanted to save themselves some work and didn't tell me when I asked. I was told that I had to wait and have it all done at my hearing.


Don't work while in this process!

I had an FL14 to move me to the WTU at Walter Reed.

My Command told me they "were full". That's true. Then when I asked to be managed at Ft Belvoir because of issues surrounding abuse by Supervisors at work. My Command said "You're almost done, so just hang in there". I have been counseled for going to MEB appointments, JAG, sickcall etc!

The fact that I'm still working (not by my choice) lost one of my ratings.

I was slammed by the members of the board because I was never counseled for falling asleep at work (I have narcolepsy), or killing myself or anyone else. Wow, I've never felt bad for being a professional. Plus, before my diagnosis (HELLO) I learned to stand up when I'm tired. Had I known that would have made a difference, I would have snored:)

They omitted my Commander's Letter because I had the Integrity to tell them that I didn't know the person that wrote it. It wasn't my Company Commander. I don't lie. Period. (I found out yesterday that the Orderly Room has no clue who signed the Commander's Letter!) Scary!

So, my advice to everyone dealing with all of this madness;

Get in trouble....A LOT. Malinger....IT HELPS. And, if all else fails....

Forget your Warrior Creed, NCO Creed and Army Values.

Am I bitter? You bet! I have faithfully provided Warrior Care for over 3 years. It has made me sick above and beyond anything I could imagine. I work with a supervisor that should have been removed for Assault and Battery. Everyday, I watch soldiers get shafted by Walter Reed and I just became one of them.

My Command lied to my Senator and painted me as a poor soldier because I asked for proper treatment for my illness.

Maybe bitter is the wrong word.
 
Venting too.......

I, too, know what you are going through.

Over a year ago I was hospitalized. I was told my MEB was started. I was released and found out my company had signed me from their company and eliminated me from their books. I was informed I was now part of the WTU. I showed up at WTU with FL14, packet, orders, etc. but they would not accept me. I went to every department and commander, nobody would accept me. (In fact nobody knows how to inprocess a soldier unless they are straight out of the hospital due to injuries in Iraq) I went back to my former company and they would not accept me. Over the course of the next 9 months I fought to be apart of some type of command. I had slipped through the cracks and had nobody over me. It caused problems. My MEB paperwork was never started and I had nobody to help me with it. It was finally started but no commander would write evaluations, etc. to be part of packet. I could not get a case manager. No external program would help me because I was not part of the WTU and/or I did not have ratings from the PEB yet in hand.

I had to manually read regulations and go to these people in person to do my own paperwork. I had so many Colonels shaking my hand telling me they were sorry about the issues and they would fix them.... only to never hear back from them.

To be honest, I gave up. I had to. I was making myself sick making other peoples problems my own. I realized I was fighting to be part of a system that did not want me. Screw them. I am active duty but have hair that touches my bottom chin and a goatee. Does anyone notice? No. Does anyone care? No. They showed that when they assigned the soldier that sexually assaulted me as a battle buddy.

I had to learn and be my own advocate and let the anger and fustration go. I realized it got me nowhere, it got me no help. This system is broke and the only one that cares for you is yourself. The only one looking out for you or can help you is yourself.

It is sad but that is the truth.

My latest problem?

How do I outprocess? I have no command and nobody is helping so damned if I know what to do to get out of the army.

Don't mind me. I am choking right now on my vomit of discontent and fustration towards the military and this broken mess called the medical board.
 
Surfer, I have the opposite problem! My Ward won't leave me alone. My supervisor is like the Fat kid that steals everyone's lunch money. He won't accept the fact that I really am done.

My ETS date would have been 28MAR09...That's right, next month.....I should have been going to classes and doing resumes....maybe looking for a job.

No one told me about any of this. I'm a bit behind the curve here. Instead, I've been counseled for going to my appointments, forgetting things etc.

Even after I told the guy that I will be getting seperation date here in about 2 weeks, he still expected me to not go to my ACAP classes....

No transition for me....Just work until I'm done. Yet, I have seen other things go on that were unreal....

I really think that this place is beyond caring. I am just one soldier, though. One doesn't count, I've been told. :mad:
 
i think sometimes we feel like we are the only ones going through this s#!t but this site really shows how we are not alone and how screwed up everyone else is. after my injury in 2006, i did everything i could to get back to work and back in the "fight". while on light duty i did all i physically could to help out. then my unit would try and push the issue to see what they could get out of me. they were big on trying to interpet my restrictions. then i needed a 2'nd surgery. that's when i gave up.

bottom line is i really feel that i wasn't given the proper time to recover. i believe if i was, i wouldn't be in this situation now. they don't care. all they are concerned about is putting checks in the boxes. all we are is #'s to these people.
the same thing happened to my buddy (sfreddy). he had one leg surgery, they kept pushing him to the limit w/BS stuff. if they would have given the kid a suffcient ammount of time to get better he would not have needed to have a 2'nd surgery.

sorry for rambelling, this stuff makes me more crazy then i already am :D.
 
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