New to WTU and just told will go through MEB??

Lindsey

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Registered Member
After my last deployment I was diagnosed with SLE (Systemic Lupus), Raynauds disease, possible scleroderma, and many other things. I havent even signed into the WTU yet and got a call from someone from Med-boards informing me that I was going to begin the med-board process. I had no idea that was going to happen.
Im still being treated and discovering new problems everyday, and now I am terrified that the ARMY is just going to get rid of me in the midst of all these problems.
Please tell me that they at least attempt to fix what they broke before shoving you out. I have no idea what to expect. I am a single mother and fear what the future holds.
Any information would be appreciated.
 
The WTUs (WTU-JBLM / CBWTU-UT) that I've been are excellent. Just follow their rules and the WTUs tend to bend-over-backwards to help you. Getting into them is the most painful part of the process. Once there, if your plan is to leave the service, I would recommend that you join a school program and get some civilian skills. Recommend that you use your tuition assistance, not the GI Bill (The VA can't pay a second BAH). Schooling will help effectively pass the day.

My experiance was that from the time that I was submitted for the the MEB to completion is around 18 months.
 
After my last deployment I was diagnosed with SLE (Systemic Lupus), Raynauds disease, possible scleroderma, and many other things. I havent even signed into the WTU yet and got a call from someone from Med-boards informing me that I was going to begin the med-board process. I had no idea that was going to happen.
Im still being treated and discovering new problems everyday, and now I am terrified that the ARMY is just going to get rid of me in the midst of all these problems.
Please tell me that they at least attempt to fix what they broke before shoving you out. I have no idea what to expect. I am a single mother and fear what the future holds.
Any information would be appreciated.
The Army can't release you till all your conditions are stable. I would contact Lawyers Serving Warriors, they can help you with your situation. I would also contact your Congressman, that way they can get involved. You should be in WTU. Packets tend to come up missing when they want to Med Board you.
 
Jayson is accurate, just realize that the term "stable" is subjective and often varies from physician to physician. Ensure that you request referrals to civilian doctors for second and third opinions and treatment and...don't settle for an MTF alone stating that you are stable. Military docs (although they may try to convince you otherwise) operate under regs that have the best interest of the military in mind, kind of like a casino.....the house always stacks the odds in their favor. A civilian doc, on the other hand, has your treatment and well being at the forefront of their practice.
Make sure you get copies of every appointment you have and start a journal to take notes after each appointment/phone consultation, etc. This serves two purposes: 1) ensures that you have exact dates/times/conversations handy when/if you have to defend your case (FPEB) and 2) People tend to take you more seriously if you are taking notes, as they realize that any misinformation they give will be re-visited in the future.
 
The Army can't release you till all your conditions are stable. I would contact Lawyers Serving Warriors, they can help you with your situation. I would also contact your Congressman, that way they can get involved. You should be in WTU. Packets tend to come up missing when they want to Med Board you.
It's a bit confusing... I got orders for a WTU, and report there on Tuesday, but I got a call last week about my MEB.. I had no idea that I even had a P3 or was being referred to MEB. I am still undergoing tests and have recently started having seizures on top of everything else. The whole MEB thing was a complete surprise. I thought they would at least meet you, or email you or something to let you know what they are planning on doing with your career. I was going to a civilian Rheumatologist and Pulmonary doc at my last duty station... The symptoms just keep getting more and more severe.
 
Lindsey where do you happen to be stationed at now? Take note you are VERY early in the stages of the MEB process. Your profile is on AKO under My Medical, and will be updated and reissued repeatedly. Yes the whole process is long and stressful, you will learn patience if you don't have that skill yet. There will be times things happen fast, then other times it's months without word. Also, your CoC could have started the MEB without notifying you, which is completely disrespectful. Keep doing research here on this site and ask questions, also check my MEB/PEB dictionary link in my signature, it will help you greatly.

P.S. If your ETS is soon, don't fret about it too much, you can't ETS out of the Army while on MEB. you'll have to extend until your complete with everything.
 
It's a bit confusing... I got orders for a WTU, and report there on Tuesday, but I got a call last week about my MEB.. I had no idea that I even had a P3 or was being referred to MEB. I am still undergoing tests and have recently started having seizures on top of everything else. The whole MEB thing was a complete surprise. I thought they would at least meet you, or email you or something to let you know what they are planning on doing with your career. I was going to a civilian Rheumatologist and Pulmonary doc at my last duty station... The symptoms just keep getting more and more severe.
I would contact Jag and see what the problem is? I would also contact your Congressman as well. They have to treat you health wise 1st, then they can start the MEB. They can't start it till they start the medical treatment. Army is downsizing and they are not carrying for the paitients/Soldiers at all. Report to WTU also, find and yourself a good Lupus Doctor. I wouldn't just settle for an Army one, there are no consequences if they screw up. I would ask for a referrell to a Lupus Specialist.
 
Lindsey where do you happen to be stationed at now? Take note you are VERY early in the stages of the MEB process. Your profile is on AKO under My Medical, and will be updated and reissued repeatedly. Yes the whole process is long and stressful, you will learn patience if you don't have that skill yet. There will be times things happen fast, then other times it's months without word. Also, your CoC could have started the MEB without notifying you, which is completely disrespectful. Keep doing research here on this site and ask questions, also check my MEB/PEB dictionary link in my signature, it will help you greatly.

P.S. If your ETS is soon, don't fret about it too much, you can't ETS out of the Army while on MEB. you'll have to extend until your complete with everything.
I am stationed at the NMCSD WTU. I signed in yesterday and got a little more information. The profile was written by someone I have never met. I assume she just reviewed my medical records and made a decision based on that. They made a whole list of appointments for me, so hopefully they can get a better picture, and an accurate one, of everything that is going on with my body. Im always sketchy on trusting any of the doctors, I feel that they have the militaries best interest in mind.
 
Im always sketchy on trusting any of the doctors, I feel that they have the militaries best interest in mind.

I concur with this opinion. Don't forget that it is within your rights to request a referral to an outside (civilian) specialist.
 
Lindsey, 1) first thing you need to do is get better, it is to early to stress out about the end results yet. 2) i would just start to make a game plan such as will you move back home? will you need to get a house just write out all these question so that as time goes by you will find the answers to them. Tho it is way to early to tell you anything about what you might get from the Army just know that the end result is the same if the ARMY does not retire you in the process of the MEB and give you tricare benefits then the VA will give you your MED coverage to help you out when you do come to leave the military. 3) what is your ETS date? now the reason i asked this is to make sure you are ahead of the MED Retention game you will have to file for a MED EX if your ETS is soon now in my experience this is not done on it's own it is something you have to keep track of, also something that the WTU might tell you about is SSDI while you are sitting around waiting i would file for this to get ahead. if you do not know about this i can take the time to explain it later. 4) most VET's do not know this but when it's all said and done when you do get out the ARMY will hold your last PAYCHECK for up to 30 days to do what they call an audit. do worry about this because you are going to use the resources like the NRD which have ORG that will pay your bills while you wait for the army and the VA to PAY you im going to give you when the time comes to cover these days that will be needed to pay bills when transitioning out of the are. i never had this help when i transitioned so just be glad were are here to help. Last feel free to contact me anytime for any help on my face book of e-mail i will do anything i can to make sure you have a clear picture ahead of you ... the process is a lonely dark place, no one should do it by their selves.
 
Some great answers here some that even helped me. I am en route to JBLM as well but not to WTU yet..the one main thing that stuck out from all of these posts was take care of you health an get fixed. Do not let the try to force you out. As a Senior Medic I have seen the Army do this many times with SMs, good luck..
 
The WTUs (WTU-JBLM / CBWTU-UT) that I've been are excellent. Just follow their rules and the WTUs tend to bend-over-backwards to help you. Getting into them is the most painful part of the process. Once there, if your plan is to leave the service, I would recommend that you join a school program and get some civilian skills. Recommend that you use your tuition assistance, not the GI Bill (The VA can't pay a second BAH). Schooling will help effectively pass the day.

My experiance was that from the time that I was submitted for the the MEB to completion is around 18 months.
why is getting in a painful process? I am possibly going. I by far and away meet any and all criteria I have found. I was just curious for first hand knowledge
 
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