MEB Help Please!

300whisper

PEB Forum Regular Member
Registered Member
I am a CPT in the Army in my 7th year of service. I am currently deployed but found out I have to go home next Saturday. I was caught sleep walking in the barracks and was instantly referred to mental health where they initiated a medical eval board and chapter from the army back at fort bragg. I am kind of nervous now and don't know or understand the med board process. Here is my history and related medical issues:

Boxed for 4 years at USMA as a cadet on the Collegiate Team (competed, have A LOT of fights)

Deployed as a Sapper PL in 12-13: Blown up numerous times with all the associated chaos involved in IED detonations

Deployed to Iraq as a staff officer: Left Iraq with a breathing issue, high blood pressure 140/70 consistently now.

Currently in AFG as a Staff officer: Sleepwalking

I have 20 Jumps as a paratrooper: Drs. are worried that my history has me at risk for CTE which I just recently learned about from my visit and they think its the reason for my sleep walking.

Since coming back from my first deployment in 2012 I have gone to continuous counseling about roughly 20 times, just to come to grips with all the crap I saw.

Since coming back from Iraq, I have a breathing issue. The only way to describe it is it feels like my left lung isn't fully inflating. I have had 4 x rays in the past 18 months, have 100% oxygen rating with the thing they put on your finger, no heart issues via x ray, and I had to breath into a weird machine at pulmonary which came back normal. BUT it is still difficult to breath. I just suck it up and continue my job as an engineer.

I have only recently started sleep walking as well. I started back in July of 2016 after coming back from Iraq. I did not know sleep walking was an issue in the army. I thought it was just something stupid I did, so I deployed to AFG not realizing I was a risk to others. I now sleep walk consistently probably 4-6 times a month since july.

So now to the question, do I even have a medical evaluation board case? Am I eligible for medical retirement? I was in great standing in my unit, good OERs, no disciplinary issues, was in the command queue, and now I feel like my world is coming down around me. What is the process? Also, I feel weird about taking benefits from the Army if they give them to me, since I have seen Soldiers who really needed them. Is this a normal feeling to have? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and sorry for the rant.
 
I can't speak to the Army process as I'm in the Air Force, but I can understand the emotional distress that this whole process can cause.

It is perfectly normal to feel guilty for accepting benefits if you are not disfigured or showing external evidence of a disability, but emotional and psychological injuries count as a disabling condition as well. You have been exposed to things that you would probably never had seen if you were a civilian, so the DoD/VA has a duty to take care of you for those experiences.

This forum is a great place to find common ground and advice from people who have gone through the process.

Good luck to you.
 
ruyhara47, thank you for your response. In your opinion are any of my issues "worthy" of disability compensation? I am trying to plan my next steps as far as getting out and Ive read that sleep walking isn't ratable. Do I have to prove the army caused it? Ive never slept walk before. My COC is super supportive and they just keep telling me that Ill be ok and not to worry.
 
You have a few conditions that seem to be service related/aggravated. You should also look at http://www.militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com That site goes through all the VA ratings and explains it in an easier version to understand. While sleepwalking in itself may not be a condition that is compensated, there might be a psychological aftereffect from your numerous deployments that might be triggering them which is compensated.
 
Sleepwalking is generally not compensable via DoD. Be sure you claim CTE and all other conditions. You MSC from the Va can help you compose a list. The PEB must consider all disabilities, not just the referred condition. Fight for your self and family.
 
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