Question about PEB/MEB

wintersoldier1946

Well-Known Member
Registered Member
Good day all, I am currently serving on active duty and am set to transition out in September of this year. I have had 5 back surgeries just at this location alone. My L-5 S-1 Is shot, had a TED (nurses said worst herniation they had ever seen in a patient), Injections, Ablation, and finally a Spinal Cord Stimulator implanted. The implant helps but I still have a ton of pain, It is difficult to do the most basic tasks that I used to. Physical fitness is more difficult than it's ever been and I am definitely losing the battle with it. My MRI has shown that there is no disc left (bone on bone) and my L-6 is completely fused (natural). I used to be a Field Artillery crew member and 100lb rounds in tight spaces wore out my back. I have lost hearing and have tinnus in both ears, The usual mental health issues (anxiety and depression history). I currently do a desk job but my medical team has previously refused to do a MEB on me, even though I know people that have had far less (at this assignment) that have had MEB initiated for their back conditions. This condition is bad and I am truly scarred for life, my quality of life is maintainable but I will never be what I used to. Either way I am out, My back cant take this anymore.
I recently spoke with the with another Veteran and he was fired up, he suggested that I pursue this harder and fight to get the MEB. He pointed out that it would be immensely more difficult to reconcile if I separate and try to do this later.
Basically what I am asking is, does anyone know how to best go about this without sounding like a whiner. I'm not looking for a handout but I have 20 years in Active, Guard, Reserves combined and essentially I will simply ETS with nothing to show for it but a broken body and possibly some VA rating. I agree I have been given a raw deal and I want to fight but I know these folks at my medical don't want to play ball for whatever reason. Any suggestion on how to approach this and get results would be appreciated. I have noticed that my medical records dont' properly reflect the surgeries I have had. That is the first step, I have been gathering the documents to prove my case and have my record updated (even though they claimed they put them in).
 
Have you filed a VA claim? Having a VA determination of disability in unfitting conditions would provide you some evidence to fight for a MEB.
 
chaplincharlie,

Sorry to reply so late. I hadn't been on here for awhile. I enjoy follow ups though and figured I would wrap this up.

Well I did put up a little fight. I insisted on a sit-down with my medical team. They said you have to go back to the doctors that performed the surgeries and get them to give you an unfit rating. Well that was fun, pretty much no doctor wants to admit they couldn't help you so I was up a creek without a paddle on this. Not to mention my first back surgeon was furious that I had a second opinion and went with the SCS after dealing with him for over a year with no improvements. The second doctor did the implant and it has helped some but is no miracle device. I have a lot of pain and it comes and goes but when it's extreme it is unbearable. The first doc gave me a lot of grief, (looked like he wanted to put hands on me he was so mad). He said, "I could have performed that procedure" I thought well why the hell didn't you recommend it then? You just wanted to milk the placebo treatments longer.

As the timeline for separation rapidly approached I had no choice but to accept the inevitable. I went through the VA process, oddly they considered me fit for duty (not sure how). I can't bend at the waist at all hardly and load bearing is out of the question.

Any rate I took the VA route and just got out while the getting was good. It angers me but one man against a large bureaucracy is likely not going to win.

I am still awaiting my VA Rating, should be soon I hope. I landed a great job (far beyond my wildest dreams) and am doing well financially. Its a desk job so I can continue to work successfully. My hope is to transition to Government Service at some point and roll my time in service towards the GS pension since I did not collect a military retirement.

Its the most feasible solution I could come up with given the circumstances.

Once I get the rating for the Implant I will post an update. I see a lot of folks asking about what to expect with this device's rating and I never got a straight answer about it so I want to relay for those getting this in the future.
 
Any rate I took the VA route and just got out while the getting was good. It angers me but one man against a large bureaucracy is likely not going to win.

I am still awaiting my VA Rating, should be soon I hope. I landed a great job (far beyond my wildest dreams) and am doing well financially. Its a desk job so I can continue to work successfully. My hope is to transition to Government Service at some point and roll my time in service towards the GS pension since I did not collect a military retirement.

Sir, I applaud you.
 
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