New Type 1

Excellent info as always, Jason!
 
Brought up some anxiety and trouble with sleeping due to my initial diagnosis. Just finished my VA psychologist appointment. Lasted 8 minutes. Seemed to be a waste of time.
 
I did a FOIA request based on our own personal case. Here are some statistics we just got on Friday that I think support our assumption that the MEB is now being used as a veiled RIF system starting in FY 2013 (the year our MEB began), to let you further ponder your odds of being returned to duty; these are overall cases, not just type-1. This is Air Force only, can't speak to other branches.

FY 2012: 2,807 cases met the board. 403 returned to duty (14% returned to duty)
FY 2013: 4,939 cases met the board (a 76% increase from the previous year--are people really getting that much more disabled or did somebody say "look for something" in these people's files?). 245 were returned to duty (5% returned to duty).
FY 2014: 3512 overall cases met the board. 106 were returned to duty (3% returned to duty).
FY 2015 thru June 2015: 2746 have met the board thus far (almost as many in FY 2012 all together--projected to be roughly 4000+ cases at this rate). So far, 69 have been returned to duty. That is just 2% returned to duty. As you can see by the dramatic fall in return to duty rate and increase in number of overall cases, something less-than-legitimate appears to be fostering a climate of dishonesty at AFPC. It seems inconceivable that the facts of all of these cases are truly being taken into account with statistics such as these, "coincidentally" during the personnel drawdown.
 
Also, I tried to get statistics as far back as when my husband was diagnosed (2005), but they said they didn't have those statistics. My assumption is that the return to duty rate was much higher then but can't say for sure.
 
Not much to add. VA appointments seem pointless. Dental this week and final appointment next week. OAC lawyer refuses to answer phone calls/emails, i have been working for 6 weeks to get in with my PCM to get my narrative summary to reflect my current condition, and somehow my wing stratification plummeted in the few weeks after my diagnosis. Meanwhile, my peers not selected for promotion will be able to get the full retirement I am currently fighting for.
 
Yep, totally understand that conundrum. We had a fellow ROTC graduate from CU get passed over for Lieutenant Colonel. She retired after being twice passed over. My husband was selected for promotion to 0-5 the same day he was told he cannot fulfill the duties of his office grade and rank. She also gets more in disability than my husband for her psoriasis. She said her disability check is more than her retirement check. But by husband was too good of a diabetic to be retired. The AF side said diabetes isn't fitting for the "physically strenuous military environment," and yet the VA used the same wording: "Maj M cannot be retired due to diabetes because it is clear he is capable of physically strenuous activity." In our case, the finances always benefited Uncle Sam.
 
Final C&P yesterday. Should be a week or so before meeting with my doctor on base so they can complete the narrative summary.
 
Did your endocrinologist give you any indication of what they would say? In our case, it didn't matter. Somehow, "well controlled" from his doctor got translated into "suboptimal control" by AFPC.
 
My endo filled out the VA form and my PEBLO uploaded it, so the C&P doc saw the notes of regulation of activities, dizziness, getting light headed, and how I went from 16 years of "excellent" PT scores to now being waist only. Nothing guaranteed, but we will see how it works out. Quite the waiting game!
 
Called my PEBLO this morning, and they have the VA write up from my appointments and have sent it to my doctor to update my narrative summary.
 
Wow, doctor called and read me the narrative summary to see if I had any questions. Tomorrow is one week from my final C&P, and my narrative summary should be to my PEBLO tomorrow.
 
So, I did a FOIA and Privacy Act Request for my husband's case, and just got back an interesting tidbit. Is it just me, or is this a little incriminating for the AF? A little background--my husband's SAF/PC response in January 2013 determined discharge with severance, but they then quoted an entirely false statistic from his medical record to show that his diabetes was poorly controlled. So they had to reconsider his case a second time, in July 2014. This is from the AFPB voting sheet after they made the discharge determination in January: "I have no strong rec, and the member could probably remain on duty at this juncture, but, as usual, we need to think about precedent, and the point at which we would deem the risks/burdens to be too high in his case." So, my question, Jason, is this: So, this decision was made and this comment was said when they thought his condition was out of control. And yet they pursued this decision even after they found out his condition is well controlled in the name of "precedent." But the precedent was actually set when he was returned to duty the first time--in 2005, and then again in 2010. So, basically, this sounds like "even though we think he could do his job, we can't let a type-1 diabetic be returned to duty nowadays or it would open the door for other diabetics?" Btw, 2/5 members at SAF/PC voted to return him to duty. It seems that after they figured out that they got the facts incorrect, that it would have tipped the scales to at least a majority decision to return him to duty. The FOIA/Privacy Act shows no paperwork for a further voting sheet from the second decision--sort of seems like the president of the board (who voted for discharge) took it upon himself to write an entirely new discharge memorandum, but without a vote. Is that legitimate? When questioned, he said that the (erroneous) statistic was simply used "for illustrative purposes." All this illustrates to us is that they are incompetent.
 
Off to see my paperwork!
 
Shocker. Hospitalizations, loss of weight and strength, complications, and impacts ability to work, but no regulation of activities.
 
Quite a few errors with my paperwork today. OAC rep is out for a few days. My Narrative Summary somehow noted some seizures, fevers/chills, and headaches. Thankfully I was able to call my PCM and get it updated. They also noted my being waist only for PT testing and missing roughly one day of work per week due to my diabetes. The Narrative Summary noted how my "daily activities are significantly modified due to my condition." My NARSUM also noted quick fatigue and muscle weakness as to why I was waist only for PT testing, and noted how I cannot fly or deploy. It also noted this as a permanent disease state, and noted how I am seeing the endocrinologist monthly.

It was great to call my PCM and get the NARSUM fixed. However, my VA write-up was also incorrect. My PEBLO is telling me I can submit a rebuttal letter regarding a VA mistake, but there is no way to get it corrected until I get my rating and request my 1 time VA reconsideration. The VA paperwork, completed by a general medicine doctor who asked me if I got diabetes from being stressed out, noted the following:
Restricted Diet
Multiple insulin injections per day
1 hospitalization over the last 12 months
Erectile Dysfunction due to diabetes
Loss of strength
Loss of weight

Then were 2 other questions:
Does the diabetes impact the ability to work- YES
Does the veteran require regulation of activities due to diabetes- NO

I have letters from my endocrinologist stating how my activities are regulated due to my diabetes, and that is what put me on a waist only measurement for my PT Test. In my opinion, the VA doctor had to make a mistake, much like my PCM accidentally noted me having seizures. While I was able to get my PCM to fix their mistake, I am being told the only option I have with regard to the VA doctor mistake is to write a rebuttal letter to the board president. I am being told that impartial review would not change the VA mistake. Any experience or opinions on this one? Thanks!
 
I covered much of these issues in my response to your other post. Just to clarify, I offer the following thoughts.
T1D said:
While I was able to get my PCM to fix their mistake, I am being told the only option I have with regard to the VA doctor mistake is to write a rebuttal letter to the board president.
Click to expand...
Not sure if you mean the MEB Convening/Approving Authority or the PEB president, but neither would have the ability to make changes to what the VA examiner wrote. ((Note, you have to really focus on what you mean to accomplish....changing the VA examiner's findings? Getting the MEB to make a contrary factual finding (which would not "change" the examiner's findings, but could offer facts/evidence that could be used to change the VA rating if it is in error)? To get a statement or finding by the MEB or PEB?. As I wrote before, you should focus on what you want changed and who has the power to make the change and to address your concerns to the right official or board)).

T1D said:
I am being told that impartial review would not change the VA mistake.
Click to expand...
It would not change the VA examiner's statement. Potentially, if the NARSUM states something based on the erroneous VA examiner's conclusion, it is possible to refute the statement using impartial review in conjunction with an MEB rebuttal. However, if the argument/issue is with the VA and your rating, then you would address it with a VARR.
 
I was diagnosed as type II diabetic January of this year. I am insulin dependent. I requested a formal board and just completed it last week. Because of my progress they found me FIT for duty. I had my endocrinologist as a witness. In my case, just like yourself I have evidence of the great progress I have made from getting diagnosed. My AIC it at 6.3 and my dr is about to take me off insulin. I wish you good luck, and know that it is possible to get a fit for duty with Diabetes. But it's definitely on a case by case basis.
 
Thanks for the help. I guess a memo stating what the VA doctor might help me, but it's looking like I might just have to wait until I get my ratings. Then I guess it would be time to decide if it's best for me to go to appeal in Texas or to request the va reconsideration.
 
PEBLO called this morning and told me my package was going to be sent up as is and I could appeal or get the one time reconsideration if necessary. After a few minutes of explaining how that was not her decision to make, I drafted up an MFR noting the regulation of activities my endocrinologist explained as well as referenced it on my narrative summary.
 
EBenefits updated to preparing for decision!
 
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