IPEB Findings

My case was submitted April 1st and I just got my results back today, May 5th.

My conditions were Tinnitus - left ear and Left Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

I received:

Tinnitus - 10%
Left Sensorineural - 0%

Discharge with severance

WTF!

/rant
The one thing that is preventing me from doing my job as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller and causes issues everyday for the rest of my life... so much that I have hearing aids and oh, by the way, it was caused by defending my country in a combat zone engaged with enemy forces and I get a big goose egg? Seriously? /rant off

I am fighting this and going to the PEB at Randolph. In the meantime, I'm going to get up to Landstuhl to get a VA rating on all of my issues.

Thoughts?
 
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TACP,

Sorry to hear of the unfavorable findings. Glad to hear you are appealing - you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Good luck.
 
USAFTACP said:
My case was submitted April 1st and I just got my results back today, May 5th.

My conditions were Tinnitus - left ear and Left Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

I received:

Tinnitus - 10%
Left Sensorineural - 0%

Discharge with severance

WTF!

/rant
The one thing that is preventing me from doing my job as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller and causes issues everyday for the rest of my life... so much that I have hearing aids and oh, by the way, it was caused by defending my country in a combat zone engaged with enemy forces and I get a big goose egg? Seriously? /rant off

I am fighting this and going to the PEB at Randolph. In the meantime, I'm going to get up to Landstuhl to get a VA rating on all of my issues.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...


Sorry you didn't get the results you were expecting. I am wondering why your package was processed so quickly and if this has anything to do with it. You said your package was submitted to AFPC/IPEB in April? This is a very, very quick turn-around. Any ideas on how/why it was processed so quickly? Pilot program perhaps?
 
dual military/join spouse pcs from italy in june - extensions are hard here - thats my guess
 
E-5 with 9 years would be 49716.00 minus 28% taxes so...... about 35,796.00 after taxes! (and PS, if you get rated for the SAME condition at the IPEB and the VA you get that 28% tax back so that's good.
 
airbabygurl said:
E-5 with 9 years would be 49716.00 minus 28% taxes so...... about 35,796.00 after taxes! (and PS, if you get rated for the SAME condition at the IPEB and the VA you get that 28% tax back so that's good.
Click to expand...

I heard a rumor about combat related issues being tax free, is this true?
 
USAFTACP said:
My case was submitted April 1st and I just got my results back today, May 5th.

My conditions were Tinnitus - left ear and Left Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

I received:

Tinnitus - 10%
Left Sensorineural - 0%

Discharge with severance

WTF!

/rant
The one thing that is preventing me from doing my job as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller and causes issues everyday for the rest of my life... so much that I have hearing aids and oh, by the way, it was caused by defending my country in a combat zone engaged with enemy forces and I get a big goose egg? Seriously? /rant off

I am fighting this and going to the PEB at Randolph. In the meantime, I'm going to get up to Landstuhl to get a VA rating on all of my issues.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Wow, never heard of tinnitus finding making a person unfit for duty. Though only comp for tinnitus is 10%. Hearing issues are not rated if correctable with hearing aids. If you want to stay in, I would go for a fit finding.
 
xeno said:
Wow, never heard of tinnitus finding making a person unfit for duty. Though only comp for tinnitus is 10%. Hearing issues are not rated if correctable with hearing aids. If you want to stay in, I would go for a fit finding.
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The unfit for duty was because I cannot use my hearing aids in combat. The commanders recommendation was that I cannot continue to do this job.

I have no idea about the hearing loss and if hearing aids correct it, I won't get any percentage. That is dumb.

Thanks for your input Xeno!
 
What jumps out at me is your statement about the VA rating 'all your issues". All of your medical issues should have been evaluated by your MEB/PEB. Did they? If not, I would be asking for a reconsiderartion of your IPEB but only after they redo your MEB so that it covers all your medical conditons with full clinical data as required by DoDI 1332.38. After the IPEB reconsideration I would ask for a formal if not satisfied. You want an IPEB on all your conditions so that you can understand and challenge their decisions in a formal, if necessary.

Mike
 
The MEB was initiated because I can no longer do my job due my poor hearing in my left ear.

My PTSD, my knees and sleep issues are documented but are not a duty limiting condition or so I thought. They are just issues that I was going to claim through the VA.

Am I smoking crack with my thought process?
 
What page in DODi 13-3238 is the specific information about reconsiderations and adding more documentation for the IPEB?

Only reason I'm asking is my PEBLO is new and doesn't know where the ruling is in there.
 

Attachments

USAFTACP said:
The MEB was initiated because I can no longer do my job due my poor hearing in my left ear.

My PTSD, my knees and sleep issues are documented but are not a duty limiting condition or so I thought. They are just issues that I was going to claim through the VA.

Am I smoking crack with my thought process?
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So...you did you take PTSD, knees, and sleep apnea to the MEB/IPEB? Or did they just not give you any % on it?

A thought here....if you have documented PTSD.....it is pretty much 50% TDRL. Sleep Apnea is 50% from VA if you use CPAP. SLeep Apnea is a toss up at the IPEB....however, if you have to use CPAP...there is NO WAY you could be a TACP...so I'd think they'd have to find you unfit at 50%. Maybe a plan for your FPEB.

Nate
 
greenne said:
So...you did you take PTSD, knees, and sleep apnea to the MEB/IPEB? Or did they just not give you any % on it?

A thought here....if you have documented PTSD.....it is pretty much 50% TDRL. Sleep Apnea is 50% from VA if you use CPAP. SLeep Apnea is a toss up at the IPEB....however, if you have to use CPAP...there is NO WAY you could be a TACP...so I'd think they'd have to find you unfit at 50%. Maybe a plan for your FPEB.

Nate
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It is documented but was not in the MEB.

I have sleep insomnia, not apnea either.

I have to talk to the psych doc and see if he feels like I am unfit for duty due to PTSD before I can think about putting it in the paperwork. From what I understand, correct me if I am wrong, they'll will only give you a rating if you are unfit. I need to do alot of soul searching to see if those issues are unfitting.
 
Nate,

No sole searching required nor should you have to put in paper work for all your medical conditions to be properly evaluated by the MEB. The MEB, without any input/requests from you, is required to cover all your medical conditions. This is the relevant paragraph from DoDI 1332.38.

E3.P1.2.3. Content. MEBs, TDRL physical examinations, and Reserve component physical examinations shall document the full clinical information of all medical conditions the Service member has and state whether each condition is cause for referral into the DES. (See enclosure 4 of this Instruction.) Clinical information shall include a medical history, appropriate physical examination, medical tests and their results, medical and surgical consultations as necessary or indicated, diagnoses, treatment, and prognosis. MEBs shall not state a conclusion of unfitness because of physical disability, assignment of disability percentage rating, or the appropriate disposition under Chapter 61 of 10 U.S.C. (reference (b)).

Why is it important to cover all conditions? First, an often ignored provision in DoDI 1332.38 that states a condition, even though it is not independently unfitting, nor even cause for referral into the DES, can contribute to unfitness. If the condition impairment contributes to unfitness, it is rated per the VASRD. The relevant paragraph from 1332.38 is below

E3.P3.4.4. Overall Effect. A member may be determined unfit as a result of the overall effect of two or more impairments even though each of them, standing alone, would not cause the member to be referred into the DES or be found unfit because of physical disability.

Second, if the MEB covers all your medical conditions properly on your MEB, it will facilitate your subsequent VA in terms of both speed and accuracy.

Mike
 
maparker said:
Nate,

No sole searching required nor should you have to put in paper work for all your medical conditions to be properly evaluated by the MEB. The MEB, without any input/requests from you, is required to cover all your medical conditions. This is the relevant paragraph from DoDI 1332.38.

E3.P1.2.3. Content. MEBs, TDRL physical examinations, and Reserve component physical examinations shall document the full clinical information of all medical conditions the Service member has and state whether each condition is cause for referral into the DES. (See enclosure 4 of this Instruction.) Clinical information shall include a medical history, appropriate physical examination, medical tests and their results, medical and surgical consultations as necessary or indicated, diagnoses, treatment, and prognosis. MEBs shall not state a conclusion of unfitness because of physical disability, assignment of disability percentage rating, or the appropriate disposition under Chapter 61 of 10 U.S.C. (reference (b)).

Why is it important to cover all conditions? First, an often ignored provision in DoDI 1332.38 that states a condition, even though it is not independently unfitting, nor even cause for referral into the DES, can contribute to unfitness. If the condition impairment contributes to unfitness, it is rated per the VASRD. The relevant paragraph from 1332.38 is below

E3.P3.4.4. Overall Effect. A member may be determined unfit as a result of the overall effect of two or more impairments even though each of them, standing alone, would not cause the member to be referred into the DES or be found unfit because of physical disability.

Second, if the MEB covers all your medical conditions properly on your MEB, it will facilitate your subsequent VA in terms of both speed and accuracy.

Mike
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Did you find the paragraph that states that we can recall the IPEB or add to it after we get the findings back?

I talked to the PEBLO, he said that we can admit more evidence for seperate issues, but have to run it by the FPEB lawyers first. Does anyone know why this is?

I want 10% for my hearing, that equals a total of 20%. That is still a discharge with severance. I'm deaf. I will be deaf in my left ear for as long as I live. 0% is a joke.

Mike,

Thanks so much for the words! I have an appointment with the pscyhologist and flight doctor on Monday to get some more documentation and to see what they say about my other conditions. I've put Jason Perry to work on my case as well. I haven't heard a word back from my Air Force appointed JAG lawyers... so time will tell if they will be able to help me out.
 
Appeal your IPEB. Tell them where they are wrong. Point out the fact they failed to cover all your conditions in the MEB. The IPEB will reconsider your case based off your appeal. They might say "no change" and then it is off to the formal. They might kick it back to the MEB to be done right. Time will tell but it is best to get them to docuemnt their decisions in light of obvious errors.

Mike
 
Someone please confirm or deny this:

If I put in a claim through the VA, I must pay back severance from my discharge (if I were to choose to do this) - this info came from my VA rep and his information is spotty at best.
 
If you're injuries occurred in a combat zone, then you do not have to pay it back. Otherwise, then, yes, there is an offset of disability payments received from VA compensation until the money from the severance is recouped. This is for severance only.
 
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