I received my IPEB results today and have a meeting tomorrow to discuss options. 20/90 for shoulder tear, back herniated discs and neck discs. Not sure how they decided on 20 but those were the only 3 factors being rated for DOD side. I know I have a huge decision to make in whether to take the 20/90 and go home or fight for retirement or 30% but wanted to know how well people do fighting the DOD portion. Does the entire decision get scrapped and it is possible to come back LESS than either 20 or 90? In your opinion, I ask the entirety of whomever reads this and has done it, is fighting to get to 30 worth it? I could get TDRL or PDRL and return back to where I started if I receive 30% right? I'm taking any questions and answers and is there a place you can see a case like yours and their results or outcomes of similar situations to better serve people in my predicament? Thanks to any and all who read this and have any knowledge. Long-time lurker, first-time poster.
Informal Results Back
- Thread starter BrokenButNotBeaten
- Start date
I went from 10 to 50 DOD. My stance was, "what's the worst they can do? Med Sep! Well, I've got nothing to lose by fighting for retirement."
Now, I have the retiree benefits (Tricare is the biggest deal IMO) for life.
I'm not sure if shoulder tear, back herniated discs and neck discs are all combined at unfitting 20, but that seems low since 20 for a shoulder itself is possible.
VARR is to ask for higher % on already unfit conditions.
FPEB is to ask for other conditions to be added as unfitting.
I'd appeal if I were you and there's a chance your 90 could become 100, without delay.
This calculator I find helpful to see where you are for your final VA ie 94 or if you'd be 95 then =100%.
https://www.microhealthllc.com/bilateralcaclulator/
I did a FPEB, then a VARR with success.
I like your attitude and I also take that attitude into my meeting tomorrow. I'm essentially 1 point (since they go by 10s) away from providing 100% healthcare for my wife. I keep reading horror stories of people who demanded more and got way less or TDRL instead of PDRL but you always hear stories. So basically, I can do a VARR instead of a formal PEB?
i just returned from the FPEB in December... you have 2 options: 1: fight to add other potentially unfitting conditions 2: have them help you prepare a VARR. the VARR will only address your "referred conditions" meaning the reasons you were found unfit/ or being med boarded for! they will not touch your other ratings!
if you elect to do a VARR , you don't have to meet the board.. they will just use your TDY time to help you prepare the paperwork and statements.
if you elect to do a VARR , you don't have to meet the board.. they will just use your TDY time to help you prepare the paperwork and statements.
So I won't have to worry about the 90% changing, just trying to get the 20 to 30%? That sounds great! Not sure why I wouldn't do the VARR then...thanks for the info!
for sure!
Just know that doing the VARR process will add another 2-3 months to your process after you go to the board . I HOPE you get a FPEB date thats with in 1-2 months from now . The WAIT times are what discourage individuals; most of us just want to get the process over already and move forward from this limbo period.
So basically, I am going to be disappointed in the timeline but may be positive because of the end result? sounds like my plan about 2 years ago when this whole thing started 
Go for a VARR if you feel you have new evidence to submit for an increase in your unfit conditions. I submitted one and received favorable results. Went from 20% to 40% DOD side because the VA agreed that I rated a higher % for my unfit condition.
So I'm assuming if you are getting severance you're not getting 30%, I have not received my ratings yet, but I feel like from my unfit duty I am less then 30%.
Met with PEBLO today to discuss findings. 20/90 was the split and the VA didn't even consider my neck, back, migraine or facial pain when inputting 20% for DOD portion. Yet, the number one cause for 90% VA side was my headache and jaw pain...rated at the maximum 50%. The other conditions were 10% each VA side. So after reading the breakdown, they consider it to be devastating on the VA portion but on the DOD side, even with addendums for the conditions, they are still not worthy of being unwitting conditions? Wow. So now I can choose to fight and spend the next year here in purgatory in a fight I may not win or take my severance and 90% VARR isn't really an option considering you can't use the VARR for conditions that are not deemed unfitting.
Also, the FPEB is looking like May timeframe just to get a board. Then obviously wait for results, take on the 90 days to transition and boom, end of the year. Not sure I can handle that length of uncertainty and solitude