NBC Military Disability Story

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/22/13339784-red-tape-entangles-injured-service-members-who-can-no-longer-deploy?threadId=3547874&commentId=69210229#c69210229

Take note of comment # 6. I recommend you post you MEP/PEB experiences as well to demonstrate the depth and bredth of these problems.

Mike

 

[grizz13]

I agree klam, it sucks though because even my wife hasn't even looked at the story. She seems to think that she shouldn't care anymore since we are done, but I disagree! I will continue to march for my fellow soldiers and fight the unwarranted punishments imposed just because we made our CoC look bad on their numbers... They preach and preach take care of yourself and family, but when you do BAM! demotion and punishments for doing as they preach!!!

 

[klamsnacks]

I agree klam, it sucks though because even my wife hasn't even looked at the story. She seems to think that she shouldn't care anymore since we are done, but I disagree! I will continue to march for my fellow soldiers and fight the unwarranted punishments imposed just because we made our CoC look bad on their numbers... They preach and preach take care of yourself and family, but when you do BAM! demotion and punishments for doing as they preach!!!

Well even though my fight is drawing to an end here, I still have a lot going on - a congressional - and AFBCMR to throw out PT scores and EPR's, and Get my Staff stripe / back pay - BACK....So my fight is LONG from over, just the military handcuffs are about to come off my life.

-Klam

 

[Mokorr]

Shared on FB, I agree with everything you guys are saying.

The worse thing I could hear someone in the IDES process say is "Well.. let the VA handle it..." or "File it with the VA"

 

[grizz13]

Shared on FB, I agree with everything you guys are saying.

The worse thing I could hear someone in the IDES process say is "Well.. let the VA handle it..." or "File it with the VA"

LOL that's the way it's supposed to happen, if it appears after you sign your NARSUM. Just make sure it's in your medical records!

 

[AvnSgt]

It is so sad to see that this is still happening to Soldiers. I was in WRAMC 06~07 facing MEB/PEB, due to a Korean National texting and driving. Long story short, I was driving a resupply/service mission for our company, as I maintained all calibrated equipment. All military movement in military vehicles requires the wear of you kevlar helmet. But, once your injured, suddenly command starts to act differently, and it all goes down hill from there. That persons actions ruined my military career; as the MEB/PEB process was clearly not weighted in the favor of the injured party, since my PEB rating was only 10% vs the 80% combined rating from the VA awarded in the first 12 months. So, Soldiers who endure this grueling process, almost need a lawyer advising them to navigate this twisted system, or they will always have to come back to right the wrongs at a later date. Just as many of us have down, and are doing now. I won't get in to the meat of it here, but the two condition the PEB did rate: one was given a 10% rating, and other condition was a result of the first, so it was not rated. The VA rated both individually 30% and 30%, recognizing they are separate conditions.

 

[maparker]

Have you applied to the PDBR? Can you post your experience to the NBC article?

Mike

 

[AvnSgt]

@maparker - Yes. I did apply to the PDBR in November of 2011, and the case is still pending adjudication. As for posting my experience to the article, I feel a bit reluctant, as I am currently fighting another battle with the VA through my Congressional Representative. You see, I just recently received my COLA adjustment for 2012, and the VA is trying to recoup my before tax severance pay, as of this recent award. My previous award had shown after tax recoupment of my military severance pay, and I would have finished paying it back, as of Oct 2012. However, the VA arbitrarily changed my award when they issued my COLA. They also issued me a refund of monies paid into the recoupment of my military severance. This all happened through no fault of my own, and now I have to force them to preform an audit to correct their records. Suffice it to say, I have done everything at this point, but take this to the media.

 

[jhopkins76]

I sent an email last night to the House of Representatives Government Oversight and Reform Committee and asked them to look into DES problems that lead to wounded warriors not getting proper benefits. I provided a link to the article and asked that they read the comments below the article not only to get deeper details on the issue in the article, but to see other MEB/PEB problems as well.
Besides reposting this article in social media websites, you need to post your MEB/PEB experiences as comments to the article. I have seen very few posting on this article sharing MEB/PEB problems yet I have seen tons of recent postings on Pebforum raising MEB/PEB problems.
If you are not posting your MEB/PEB issues as comments to this article, you are missing a golden opportunity to educate Congress, the media and the general public on continuing MEB/PEB issues and how they cheat wounded warriors out of proper DoD disability benefits.
Here is a link to the article: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/22/13339784-red-tape-entangles-injured-service-members-who-can-no-longer-deploy#comments

Mike

My husband is one of those that when he was first placed on TDRL was given his 50% but when his re-eval came up since the VA had given him 30% the Army told him he was 0% unfit for duty after doing both of his appeals and coming up with the same answer he walked away with a severance pay and a big screw you after 8 years of service. They told him that putting him back in a combat situation would trigger his PTSD to go backward instead of the forward progress that he had made with his treatment. Really by taking the one thing he has known for most of his life away like that and saying well your too broken for us but we wish you luck in the work force. The only good thing they did do for him was say any injuries he had were all from a combat zone.

 

[pittpan2005]

My husband is one of those that when he was first placed on TDRL was given his 50% but when his re-eval came up since the VA had given him 30% the Army told him he was 0% unfit for duty after doing both of his appeals and coming up with the same answer he walked away with a severance pay and a big screw you after 8 years of service. They told him that putting him back in a combat situation would trigger his PTSD to go backward instead of the forward progress that he had made with his treatment. Really by taking the one thing he has known for most of his life away like that and saying well your too broken for us but we wish you luck in the work force. The only good thing they did do for him was say any injuries he had were all from a combat zone.

He can still fight his separation, but would most likely need to hire a lawyer.

 

[TSgt Twitch]

Here is what I posted.
t Twitch
Not only has our disability system failed us, the entire medical community continues to crumble around us. Let me preface this with a stern warning that unless we change "Obamacare" to a true social medicine program that EVERYONE pays into or go back to full single payer system, this is what the american people are in for.
8 years ago after a phyical training session, i reported in with "hip pain". Long story short over the next 6+ years I had doctors from Wilford hall, Osan AB, Lahndstuhl all try to diagnose me and perform surgeries ( 4 surgeries and a few "exploratories") and all failed. I come back stateside and a civilian doctor diagnosis my condition on the first visit, orders the necessary test, show my ortho doctors what is wrong and we proceed to go for the next surgery to save my now failed hip. Well the conditon known as FAI ( femoacetabular impingement) is a newish condition and even though all other surgeries/medical option had failed TRICARE/TMA denied the surgery as "unproven" even though medicare and several private HMO's pay for it. I quickly found out I was not alone while visiting www.pebforum.com and www.hipchicks.com and found this was happening to lots of folks. Tricare told me the only thing they would pay for that would resolve my condition was a total hip replacement. After 7+yrs of constant pain, I went for it. All we well until 6 weeks post-op when my thigh filled with blood and I had to have a large amount of necrotic tissue removed and several days of hospitalization multiple transfusions etc. And now 8 months later I still require the use of a crutch and pain killers, steroid shots etc. additionally the added stress place on my pelvis/back has caused my left hip "capsule' to contract and now not only do I have the original issue, the lining of my left hip has detached on the rear side and my SI join/l5-s1 junction have both started having issues. and of course tri-care has denied the surgery to repair the left hip, so I am faced with the same decision to make. Suffer in pain, or risk another hip replacement, when the last one almost killed me. oh and if i decline the hip replacement, they can actually deny my benefits/retirement.
Others with my condition gave up long ago, fighting and many separated with nothing more than a severance check and a pat on the back- forfeiting health care/retirement etc. and here is the common sense test failure
Based on current VA ratings the general rating for FAI/generic thigh muscle group pain is 10%. The recommended fix for FAI (hip replacement) is a minimum 30%-90% and is an automatic 100% for 1yr. So you tell me how our government is doing when the fix for a disability is more disabling than the condition it was meant to fix.

 

[Jeep Freak]

I am having nothing but trouble posting to that site. I first signed up and it wanted to show my name and I could not change it. I deleted the whole account and had to get a different e-mail address and start over but it will not progress from picking a display name, no explaination. I typed up my post on a word document and you can't cut and paste either. Am I the only person having problems?

 

[AvnSgt]

Have you applied to the PDBR? Can you post your experience to the NBC article?

Mike

So, I did add a short post to the NBC story, and I elaborated a bit more in it. But, it generally reads about the same. However, if any of you were at WRAMC in 06~07, well you may remember all the news media attention that it got for the living conditions of the injured Soldiers living there.. So,ya, um, I was living in that ****hole of a medical facility.

It is so sad to see that this is still happening to Soldiers. I was in WRAMC 06~07 facing MEB/PEB, due to a Korean National texting and driving. Long story short, I was driving a resupply/service mission for our company, as I maintained all calibrated equipment. All military movement in military vehicles requires the wear of you kevlar helmet. But, once your injured, suddenly command starts to act differently, and it all goes down hill from there. That persons actions ruined my military career; as the MEB/PEB process was clearly not weighted in the favor of the injured party, since my PEB rating was only 10% vs the 80% combined rating from the VA awarded in the first 12 months. Let me break it down a bit more here, as 3 of the injuries were a direct result of the military motor vehicle accident that I suffered during my service in South Korea, and they were listed on the MEB as unfitting. However, the PEB only saw fit to rate two of the three conditions: one was given a 10% rating, and other condition was a result of the first, so it was not rated. The VA rated all injuries individually 30%, 30%, 50%, and recognized they are separate conditions and all service connected; not injuries that are exacerbated by a primary cause, as the military would indicate. There is a fourth service connected condition I am rated for by the VA for 10% involved on the MEB, but this was found to be fit for duty, and is therefore really not relevant to this issue.
Signed:
AvnSgt

 

[eagleone]

So, I did add a short post to the NBC story, and I elaborated a bit more in it. But, it generally reads about the same. However, if any of you were at WRAMC in 06~07, well you may remember all the news media attention that it got for the living conditions of the injured Soldiers living there.. So,ya, um, I was living in that ****hole of a medical facility.

Great job and thanks for your service!

 

[eagleone]

I am having nothing but trouble posting to that site. I first signed up and it wanted to show my name and I could not change it. I deleted the whole account and had to get a different e-mail address and start over but it will not progress from picking a display name, no explaination. I typed up my post on a word document and you can't cut and paste either. Am I the only person having problems?

I didn't have the issues that you described. Maybe try turning off-and-on the computer and see if your connection is the problem. If you are using a government computer, they may have a block on social sites. I think the site has an assistance page for the new members.

 

[AvnSgt]

Great job and thanks for your service!

Thank you. But, I did nothing more than my duty. I was never looking for any gratification, but I hope others will start to speak up.

 

[eagleone]

Thank you. But, I did nothing more than my duty. I was never looking for any gratification, but I hope others will start to speak up.

Agreed

 

[kiefer82]

I know how you feel bud. I have been the top sailor at multiple commands in sailor of the month in Afghanistan. I have two bachelors and finishing my masters, and went to 5 commands in 8 years. I did what the military asked of me and even more, and they washed their hands of me when I started the PEB process. I was diagnosed with Crohns over three years ago, and had testicular surgery in Feb and I came right back to work. I have always done 100% and sacrificed my family. Then the Military and VA fight over who is going to pay us when we are disabled. It drives me so crazy all the politics. That is for Congress not disabled vets. I cant wait to get out and start my life with my wife and daughters. I am very grateful to the Navy for my schooling, but I am ready to move on and cut my loses. God Bless to everyone.

 

[moreno05]

Great article, I posted my limited knowledge of the issues I have seen in the very short time I have become aware of this whole process

 

[ktk2]

Okay folks, very few from Pebforum have posted their situation to the article. If you don't help me show that these problems are widespread by sharing your meb/peb experinces, then why should I even bother with my efforts? Very disapointing.

Mike

I'm behind you 100% I'm not afraid at all!

 

[grizz13]

I am having nothing but trouble posting to that site. I first signed up and it wanted to show my name and I could not change it. I deleted the whole account and had to get a different e-mail address and start over but it will not progress from picking a display name, no explaination. I typed up my post on a word document and you can't cut and paste either. Am I the only person having problems?

Use regular internet explorer, not mozilla or that other crap out there...