Will TDRL examiner use the medical records from the PEB to separation?

gotquestions123

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Does anyone know if the TDRL examiner will use the medical records from the PEB to separation? Or will they just use the VA notes starting from the day you are placed on TDRL?
 
My TDRL exam was done by a DOD (Army) provider at the local MTF. For mine, they compared how I was doing in my original NARSUM/end of original PEB (left active duty) to how I adapted to life since separating from the Army. It isn't a "how are you doing exactly on the day of the exam" exam, but "how have you adapted over time to life not in the military". Since I still mainly go to a PCM at a MTF for a majority of my medical treatment, those records were easy for the PEBLO/revaluation to access. All the civilian facilities where I live also treat a lot of active duty, so those records were easy for the PEBLO/MEB to access since they have systems in place already for record transfers. The examiner also had my VA records. Some of my counseling records made it in, and some did not. If you have records that the MTF cannot access, you have to turn them in yourself. Call the PEBLO and they should give you the medical release forms for the MEB team to get your outside records, but it takes time for them to get them.

The biggest factor I believe on getting the "stable and permanent" to get put on PDRL is your records reflecting consistent (getting better or worse) symptoms over a period of time. My overall symptoms got worse because I basically live in a place where I am constantly surrounded by the Army, the only job I could find causes my symptoms to be aggravated and I have zero family/friend support because of the remoteness of the post we are stationed at. And believe me the alienation I live in from being the broke guy that doesn't drink in my neighborhood of active duty isn't helping either. Luckily (and unluckily) my wife was stationed at an isolated shithole and I got worse. Would I have had the same outcome if we were stationed in Hawaii or Northern Virginia? Impossible to know. But I documented all my symptoms with my counselor, PCM and anyone I talked to at the VA. Also, if you have a spouse that can write a statement, that helps (or even have them talk to the examiner like mine did).

So, not only is it you medical and counseling records that they look at, but your life situation also. Family, friends, relationships, where you live (like your hometown or in the middle of nowhere), what your job is now, how look it took you to get a job, legal problems (did you get into a fight or yell at people in public kind of stuff also). Documentation is key in this revaluation because if you suddenly have an extreme change in symptoms, they will call you out on it.

Contact the Office of Soldiers' MEB Counsel at Fort Knox if you have specific questions about the process. [email protected] or (502) 624-2310
 
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