Pending MEB for Depression, Anxiety and PTSD

R

Reploid345

Member
Registered Member
Hello,

I'm an active duty USAF Staff Sergeant who just received an updated profile on 26 Jan 14 that stated I was now facing a pending MEB/PEB. Since it was issued from my psychiatrist, I'm assuming it is for my depression, anxiety disorder, and PTSD that I got while I was deployed to Afghanistan last year. The odd thing is that the last time I spoke to my doctor about this, he told me that he was not going to be recommending me for MEB/PEB because I was treatable, and as far as I know, there has been no change in my diagnosis.

While I'm okay with separating from the Air Force, this has completely blindsided me. I'm likely going to lose my next assignment as well, as I was slated to PCS in April. I have no idea what is going on, and to be honest, I'm a little confused about the regulation. It also doesn't help that my doctor has not been in contact with me at all, even though I've been trying to get a hold of him. I'm hoping someone here can provide me a timeline of events that I can expect to come down the pipe in the near future.

Thank you, I appreciate any and all help.
 
Reploid345 said:
Hello,

I'm an active duty USAF Staff Sergeant who just received an updated profile on 26 Jan 14 that stated I was now facing a pending MEB/PEB. Since it was issued from my psychiatrist, I'm assuming it is for my depression, anxiety disorder, and PTSD that I got while I was deployed to Afghanistan last year. The odd thing is that the last time I spoke to my doctor about this, he told me that he was not going to be recommending me for MEB/PEB because I was treatable, and as far as I know, there has been no change in my diagnosis.

While I'm okay with separating from the Air Force, this has completely blindsided me. I'm likely going to lose my next assignment as well, as I was slated to PCS in April. I have no idea what is going on, and to be honest, I'm a little confused about the regulation. It also doesn't help that my doctor has not been in contact with me at all, even though I've been trying to get a hold of him. I'm hoping someone here can provide me a timeline of events that I can expect to come down the pipe in the near future.

Thank you, I appreciate any and all help.
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Reploid345,

Sorry to hear of your troubles. As far as timelines, there are many posts on timelines that you can search for describing individuals experiences. I would not count on others experiences, though, as individual circumstances can greatly impact processing timelines.

Do you have other questions?

Hope all goes well for you.
 
My signature can give you a general idea, but it sounds like you are just another victim of the Air Force's force shaping that is happening right now.
 
Brother, we are in a very similar situation. I am going through the MEB for combat related injury to my cervical spine, lower back, knees, PTSD, depression, anixtey, etc. I claimed 29 items total through VA and cervical spine issue, degenerative disk disease, migraines, occoutipal neuralgia. I went through my VA appointments and they claimed PTSD then I had to get my mental health guy to write an Addendum and claim PTSD. I lost my orders to Hulbert Field and no word if I am returned to duty if I get those back or not. But for the timeline, my case was sent to VA from AFPC for rating on 12 June and nothing yet so become patient.
 
Unfortunately you don't "get" mental illnesses. People tend to have a predisposition for them and eventually just develop a break. Lucky for me... my break was while on active duty. Unlucky for me... NONE of my conditions except Crohn's were referred as unfitting, however I am almost certain me falling asleep while driving to work as a result of a TBI diagnosis related to central sleep apnea should be unfitting. MSLA and the VA are at least in agreement that it is service connected and compensatable. After smacking your head on an IDF bunker a few times you learn to duck and crawl in them. As long as the condition is treatable and you want to stay in, you can appeal the MEB if they find you unfit. Many MEBs are initiated as a formality.
 
I just wanted to publish a followup message real quick, but first I wanted to say thank you to everyone on this forum. I know I haven't posted anything really besides this topic, but I combed through pretty much every section of this forum for information, and it has been very, very helpful for me. Mostly it helped keep me sane through this whole process.

Anyways, I got my IPEB and VA results today. Board recommended Temp Retirement.

DoD - 50%
VA - 80%

I'm just glad this will be over soon (hopefully) and I can go back home to my family.

Thanks again for everything.
 
Unfortunately you don't "get" mental illnesses. People tend to have a predisposition for them and eventually just develop a break. Lucky for me... my break was while on active duty. Unlucky for me...
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I respectfully disagree - you do not have to have a predisposition. We are unsure of why many people develop their illnesses, but you can just "get" them, especially PTSD - which is a reaction to trauma precisely because it is not a normal occurrance.

While I understand where you are likely coming from on this - words are important, because I have seen the same logic applied to epts calls on psychiatric issues - "they must have been broken in some way before....".

Just my 2 cents. Bob
 
@Reploid345 - Congratulations on your retirement finding. Hope all goes well for you down the road!
 
I never said they were already broken, they just have a predisposition. Like all predispositions, something must activate it. Every living organism has a predisposition to develop some type of cancerous growth but more likely than not, it will not occur on its own. Here is a gene study in relation to PTSD. OPRL1 has been linked as the gene responible in determining how the individual will respond to trauma. They did a study on a medication with mice that supressed the response of OPRL1 which reduced the trauma response. Another study also identified TPH1 and TPH2. They are good reads. On a side note...

Congrats on the findings. Anxiety and Depression alone suck. I know too many people with PTSD too... not pleasant. Hopefully something comes from these studies to assist.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3108177/
http://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/ucla-study-identifies-first-genes-231248
 
Reploid345 said:
I just wanted to publish a followup message real quick, but first I wanted to say thank you to everyone on this forum. I know I haven't posted anything really besides this topic, but I combed through pretty much every section of this forum for information, and it has been very, very helpful for me. Mostly it helped keep me sane through this whole process.

Anyways, I got my IPEB and VA results today. Board recommended Temp Retirement.

DoD - 50%
VA - 80%

I'm just glad this will be over soon (hopefully) and I can go back home to my family.

Thanks again for everything.
Click to expand...

Indeed, congratulations on the recent receipt of your IPEB findings inclusive of DoD TDRL and DoVA proposed ratings! :)

To that extent, enjoy your well-earned and well-deserved military disability retirement compensation to include all post-military endeavors! :D

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."

Best Wishes!
 
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