Questions...

StuckatPOLK

StuckatPOLK

Member
Registered Member
well first off im finally almost done! I have been stalking the PEBFORUM for all the great info all along...

I guess my question is what am i entitled to???

I just got 20% from the Army
60% from the VA

I guess im ok with the ratings im not to seriously injured...
Just want to make sure i get what im owed and not miss anything.
Also im not trying to screw the army either just get mine.

6 years active duty e-4
38 months overseas.
 
10% in additional ratings mean the difference between DoD severance (no monthly retirement, no Tricare, no base/post privies, etc.) and a DoD retirement. You really have nothing to lose and everything to gain by requesting a FPEB. Often times, especially when the ratings are close to the retirement level (like yours are), a SM gets bumped up before they even go to the FPEB.
If you are cool with a severance, then by all means go with it...but I would fight. The system is there for us for a reason, and (I assure you) you will typically not get more than you deserve...in fact, it is the opposite...most of us have to fight just to get what we deserve.:(
 
If you think there is a fight for 30% dod, fight it out. If not research the va website for benefits for 60% VA, cause thats gonna be your most money benefit potentially childrens college benefit etc. Plus investigate your states VA benefits as sometimes they are nothing othertimes they are great.
 
So in anyone's opinion...( Feel free to chime in everyone..) Is it better to get a severance rather then retire or simply for the TriCare? I could care less about post privies but TriCare would be the most beneficial to me. Also I could use a severance to pay everything off. So which is better?
 
Retirement is much better. Tricare, alone, is probably worth $12,000 a year depending on the your current and future injuries. Not sure how much you care about having access to on-base activities, but the Exchange and Commisary are still good deals. There are also the MWR stuff available...

None of the above is available to a separated Service Member. It isn't all about the money, but a severance usually sucks financially. If you are separated, unless combat-related, you pay-back the severance in your VA checks. (Usually, no VA check until you pay the severance back) So for most, severance is just an advance of VA pay.
 
Severance is nvr better IMHO, take the time to do the research, visit someone knowledgeable, possibly a DAV/AML rep for your conditions. Learn everything you can before you sign or submit a for a formal hearing. Knowledge is power and you need to be well armed. :)
 
Well I hate to to use this person's thread but it was a question I've asked myself. As far as post provide go I'm no where near an installation so the exchange and commissary don't really matter to me all that much. Like I said before tricare is the best thing about it for me but my wife can get insurance through her work so a severance would be nice. 2 of my conditions are combat related. My packet was sent to the PEB last week so I haven't found out any findings. We shall see. However the severance is a nice chunck of change
 
UniformedSoldier said:
Well I hate to to use this person's thread but it was a question I've asked myself. As far as post provide go I'm no where near an installation so the exchange and commissary don't really matter to me all that much. Like I said before tricare is the best thing about it for me but my wife can get insurance through her work so a severance would be nice. 2 of my conditions are combat related. My packet was sent to the PEB last week so I haven't found out any findings. We shall see. However the severance is a nice chunck of change
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I know the severance seems like a lot of money, however, many Soldiers end up having to pay it back to the VA. Often resulting in not receiving a VA compensation check, or a reduced VA compensation check over a period of years. This is easily not worth it. As, I have some experience in this area.

Follow me for a moment.
VA rates me as follows: 100% UI P&T w/ a total 90% combined service connected disabilities. However, I prior to the 100% UI P&T, my 90% was paid out at 80% due to a severance recoupment that occurred nearly 6 years ago. Now my 100% P&T, is hobbled by the severance pay that is still owed to the VA, thus reducing the amount I collect, by about 10-15% of my total. This will continue until the severance has been paid back in full. But, wait there is more, the VA will not necessarily stop recouping the severance, as stated in your award. It can continue for many more additional months, while the VA performs an audit to ensure it is paid back in full.

So, before you go down the road of accepting the severance make sure you are armed with all the knowledge about your situation. As, it can adversely affect you years down the road, and the VA does not care. You are just another number to them.
 
I appreciate you sharing you experience. The member who responded earlier in the thread said if its combat related then you don't have to pay it back. This whole thing is confusing
 
UniformedSoldier said:
I appreciate you sharing you experience. The member who responded earlier in the thread said if its combat related then you don't have to pay it back. This whole thing is confusing
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Combat related is confusing. As injuries were not a direct result of combat, but I was directly involved in a mission/exercise for the command when I incurred the injuries. However, according to the military, when I was separated this was not good enough. Currently, I was able to submit my MEB/PEB to the PDBR for a second hearing, and I am hoping for a positive outcome.
 
Well my referring condition that started this whole process for me was PTSD and major depression/mood disorder. Both are combat related. So we shall see. I have other conditions as well. Good luck. My packet was sent to the PEB last week sso I'm waiting on the findings.
 
UniformedSoldier said:
Well I hate to to use this person's thread but it was a question I've asked myself. As far as post provide go I'm no where near an installation so the exchange and commissary don't really matter to me all that much. Like I said before tricare is the best thing about it for me but my wife can get insurance through her work so a severance would be nice. 2 of my conditions are combat related. My packet was sent to the PEB last week so I haven't found out any findings. We shall see. However the severance is a nice chunck of change
Click to expand...
The likelyhood that you can go out and buy your own health insurance is next to nil, even if you do an exemption to the injuries/diseases covered by the VA, it will be sky high. You really should think hard about this, also look at my thread on Survivor Benefit Program.
 
As far as severance pay goes, I was under the impression that the pay back portion is only for the amount of the unfitting condition, for example I am rated at 60% VA and 10% DOD, so my severance pay pay back will only be at the 10% rate, leaving me with the rest of my 60% disability every month.
 
MKDickerson said:
As far as severance pay goes, I was under the impression that the pay back portion is only for the amount of the unfitting condition, for example I am rated at 60% VA and 10% DOD, so my severance pay pay back will only be at the 10% rate, leaving me with the rest of my 60% disability every month.
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There is a thread in the forum on severance, but one of the links in the thread has been broken. I can speak to this from experience, but I have to digress a bit more into my history.
1: MEB/PEB rating: 10% with military severance
2: Original VA Rating 80% paid at 70%
3: 1st VA increase 90% paid at 80%
4: 2nd VA increase 100% UI P&T paid at the difference of 12.5% of the overall total

Ok. I have laid out all the information. Now severance is not is cut and dry as many think. The above information is an accurate description of how the VA regional office has recouped my severance. Points 2, 3, 4, all reference the VA compensation pay table. So, if you are rated at 60% the VA regional office will likely pay you at the 50% rate until the severance is collected in the after tax amount, in full.

So, what I am trying to say, is you are not paying back 10% per month, but rather receiving a 10% reduction in your rating of pay until this will be paid back.
 
The only cases I have seen where it makes sense to take the severance is when the unfitting condition incurred in a combat zone or combat related operation (important note: THIS IS NOT THE SAME AS COMBAT RELATED). Even then, it depends on a lot of other factors. For example, the service member is married to another service member so TRICARE and other retiree benefits are redundant.

Mike
 
maparker said:
The only cases I have seen where it makes sense to take the severance is when the unfitting condition incurred in a combat zone or combat related operation (important note: THIS IS NOT THE SAME AS COMBAT RELATED). Even then, it depends on a lot of other factors. For example, the service member is married to another service member so TRICARE and other retiree benefits are redundant.

Mike
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Also, note that my case occurred before the enactment of the law that prevents severance from being collected for what Mike is describing.
 
Well 2 of my conditions are combat related. PTSD and major depression/mood disorder.
 
Combat related will not protect severance from being taken back by the VA. It must be from a disability that incurred in a combat zone or in an area deemed a combat related operation. If your PTSD incurred in a combat zone/area deemed a combat related operation, then it should also be noted as eligible for enhanced severance pay. Look for a 10d or a V4 notation on the DA 199.

Mike
 
Thank you for your help...another question..what is enhanced severance pay?
 
In the 2008 NDAA, congress passed a law titled enhanced severance pay. This law stated a few thing such as:

The maximum YOS for calculating severance pay was extended from 12 years to 19 years.

Regardless of the years served, the minimum number of years for calculating severance pay would be 3 years for unfitting conditions that did not incurr in a combat zone or in an area deemed a combat related operation by DoD.

Regardless of the years served, the minimum number of years for calculating severance pay would be 6 years for unfitting conditions that incurred in a combat zone or in an area deemed a combat related operation by DoD.

If the unfitting condition incurred in a combat zone or in an area deemed a combat related operation by DoD, the severance paid by DoD will not be offset by the VA.

Mike
 
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