Are non referred conditions difficult to get counted at the MEB?

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PEB Forum Regular Member
Registered Member
Army Reservist.
I have 3 P3 conditions back, PTSD (no weapons) and bipolar (no weapons). But only the back has an approved IDRM to be a cause of referral to the MEB. There's a clear service connection for the PTSD. How likely is the MEB to count the PTSD if it's a clearly unfitting but not a referred condition?
 
I didn't get the PTSD diagnosed while on active duty and it was actually a few years after leaving active duty while on reserve status that PTSD and bipolar were diagnosed, with the PTSD being service connected by the VA to a active duty combat deployment.
 
I didn't get the PTSD diagnosed while on active duty and it was actually a few years after leaving active duty while on reserve status that PTSD and bipolar were diagnosed, with the PTSD being service connected by the VA to a active duty combat deployment.
How long did your IDRM take from when you were told it was submitted until it was actually approved?
Thanks
 
You can claim all contentions with the VA. Conditions must be unfitting to be compensated by DoD. MH conditions may or may not be found unfitting by your service, even if not a referred condition. Additional MH diagnoses are irrelevant to VA MH compensation because (in most cases) all MH conditions receive a single rating.
 
I didn't get the PTSD diagnosed while on active duty and it was actually a few years after leaving active duty while on reserve status that PTSD and bipolar were diagnosed, with the PTSD being service connected by the VA to a active duty combat deployment.
The scenario you are talking about is complex. Follow up questions before I can give more advice:

- Were you on active duty (title 10 orders) when your back was hurt?
- Do you have an LOD for your back?
- Is your MEB administrative or medical? Meaning, are they working to medically separate you or push for a medical retirement?
- Where are you in the process? Have you been assigned A PEBLO? Has your NARSUM but signed and submitted?
- What are your goals for this process?
- How many years of service do you have?
 
You can claim all contentions with the VA. Conditions must be unfitting to be compensated by DoD. MH conditions may or may not be found unfitting by your service, even if not a referred condition. Additional MH diagnoses are irrelevant to VA MH compensation because (in most cases) all MH conditions receive a single rating.
Thanks!
 
The scenario you are talking about is complex. Follow up questions before I can give more advice:

- Were you on active duty (title 10 orders) when your back was hurt?
- Do you have an LOD for your back?
- Is your MEB administrative or medical? Meaning, are they working to medically separate you or push for a medical retirement?
- Where are you in the process? Have you been assigned A PEBLO? Has your NARSUM but signed and submitted?
- What are your goals for this process?
- How many years of service do you have?
-I was on a regular active duty deployment when my back was hurt
-I don't have an LOD for it but I do have an approved IDRM for the back at least
-Should be a retirement, especially if they count the PTSD
-I have not been assigned a PEBLO yet. I could appeal to HRC to get my PTSD assigned as a referred condition or I could just go the MEB/get a PEBLO now with just the back, but I'm concerned if I do that they won't count the PTSD
-I don't see a way for me to stay in so I'd like medical retirement
-12 YOS
 
-I was on a regular active duty deployment when my back was hurt
-I don't have an LOD for it but I do have an approved IDRM for the back at least
-Should be a retirement, especially if they count the PTSD
-I have not been assigned a PEBLO yet. I could appeal to HRC to get my PTSD assigned as a referred condition or I could just go the MEB/get a PEBLO now with just the back, but I'm concerned if I do that they won't count the PTSD
-I don't see a way for me to stay in so I'd like medical retirement
-12 YOS
Also thanks!
 
Have a busy weekend. I will answer this on Monday. Have a great weekend
 
Army Reservist.
I have 3 P3 conditions back, PTSD (no weapons) and bipolar (no weapons). But only the back has an approved IDRM to be a cause of referral to the MEB. There's a clear service connection for the PTSD. How likely is the MEB to count the PTSD if it's a clearly unfitting but not a referred condition?
-I was on a regular active duty deployment when my back was hurt
-I don't have an LOD for it but I do have an approved IDRM for the back at least
-Should be a retirement, especially if they count the PTSD
-I have not been assigned a PEBLO yet. I could appeal to HRC to get my PTSD assigned as a referred condition or I could just go the MEB/get a PEBLO now with just the back, but I'm concerned if I do that they won't count the PTSD
-I don't see a way for me to stay in so I'd like medical retirement
-12 YOS

Okay, let's tear into this. You are still pretty early on in the process. You technically are not even considered "Pre-IDES" until you get assigned a PEBLO. For a condition to make it on your "referred" condition list, you need to be on a profile for it. The MEB won't touch it as part of their part unless it has a profile and is listed on your NARSUM as an unfitting condition. It technically could get added post NARSUM, but since you don't have a NARSUM yet it would make sense to get it on profile and added to it. That would be my step 1 for you. Talk to mental health and make sure they are on the same page about it being an unfitting condition for service. I share your concern that if you push for an MEB right now, it might hose you without having the PTSD stuff hammered out.

As for the medical retirement, as long as you can prove that this illness was caused or aggravated by military service, you would be retired under title 10 chapter 61, section 1204. Unless you are on current title 10 orders, you will remain a "civilian" during the out processing. Your command make ask you to perform IDT, but they cannot make you perform duty outside the scope and limitations of your profile. You can ask for an exemption to drill stating that it could risk further aggravating your mental health, but it is at the discretion of your commander.

 
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