Good evening. I've been in the Army going on 10 years and was hoping to get promoted before an MEB was initiated on me. I have been diagnosed with Ulcerative Pancolitis since Summer 2018 while I was PCSing to my next duty station. While on PCS leave I developed Pancreatitis from complications with Mesalamine and received a referral for a GI while I was admitted to a nearby AF hospital recovering. This direct referral allowed me to essentially bypass my primary care manager so no MEB was ever started. After several months of being on Humira and my symptoms continued to get worse, my GI then referred to the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Clinic in Walter Reed for further care. While being seen at Walter Reed, I developed C. Diff and my symptoms worsened. After recovering from C. Diff I was placed on steroids and Remicade. Initially, I started to become much better and thought I was reaching remission. After unusual liver enzyme levels from a recent lab, it turns out that the Remicade has been affecting my liver and I will need to change treatment to Entyvio now. It is now almost 2020 and no MEB has been initiated. It is constantly in the back of my mind...
Last week, promotion board results were released and I made the list. I am also scheduled to PCS during the Summer 2020 timeframe. Knowing that an MEB is in my future and it is unlikely I will be retained for service, I will like to try and medically retire here with my new rank in the National Capital Region without PCSing. I would prefer not to move my family again knowing that it is likely I will be getting out in the near future and job prospects are better here.
My questions are:
- How likely is this? For the time being, my symptoms are somewhat manageable. Should I try and hold off until promotion or is there any benefit in doing so?
- Should I go to my Primary Care Manager and bring up that I should be MEBd? Is it looked upon negatively if I don't? It's going on a year already.
- If I do bring up the MEB, is there a good time to try and do this so I can get promoted and medically retire? Maybe before Summer 2020 prior to PCSing?
Last week, promotion board results were released and I made the list. I am also scheduled to PCS during the Summer 2020 timeframe. Knowing that an MEB is in my future and it is unlikely I will be retained for service, I will like to try and medically retire here with my new rank in the National Capital Region without PCSing. I would prefer not to move my family again knowing that it is likely I will be getting out in the near future and job prospects are better here.
My questions are:
- How likely is this? For the time being, my symptoms are somewhat manageable. Should I try and hold off until promotion or is there any benefit in doing so?
- Should I go to my Primary Care Manager and bring up that I should be MEBd? Is it looked upon negatively if I don't? It's going on a year already.
- If I do bring up the MEB, is there a good time to try and do this so I can get promoted and medically retire? Maybe before Summer 2020 prior to PCSing?