Is anyone else having issues with their IPEB portion of IDES in the USAF. My packet as sent to the IPEB on 27 March 2013 and I still do not have my initial ratings or my AF Form 356 back yet. I was able to find out that my unfit memo was completed 24 Jul 2013 and now I am waiting for the VA D-RAS in Providence, RI to rate all of my conditions. By my math it took the IPEB 119 days to do my unfit memo which is one day shy of the VA/DoD IDES goal (120 days) to complete the entire PEB process that includes initial ratings and a ratings reconsideration for unfitting conditions and also the FPEB and the FPEB appeal. My PEBLO has no idea what is going on and claims he cannot contact a case manager at AFPC by phone or email. I personally feel like my PEBLO is just telling me this to shut me up and that he has contacted them or hasn't tried to.
Air Force IPEB Issues
- Thread starter bobby_0081
- Start date
Well, it is out of the case manager's hands now; Since RI has it, it should be a little smoother; That sucks that the IPEB took so long, but RI is pretty snappy, that is where my package went through; Feel free to look at my timeline in another thread (FULL TIMELINE) To get a better idea of what to expect. And remember, the VA is getting faster every day/week/month.
Best of luck!
Best of luck!
Thanks for the response and the link to your timeline. I really hope that Providence is still running smoothly. You timeline was also what I would consider blazingly fast. I will work on a timeline this weekend and post it in the same thread.
Bobby,
I have been having a problem as well... My ratings were completed by providence on 26 June 13 and have been at PEB since. I dont know why it is taking them a long time to complete some cases but just know that it will get done. Try to be patient and do what research you can.
I have been having a problem as well... My ratings were completed by providence on 26 June 13 and have been at PEB since. I dont know why it is taking them a long time to complete some cases but just know that it will get done. Try to be patient and do what research you can.
I am sorry to hear that you too are having problems with AFPC. I guess from what you are saying I may have a while to wait once the VA finishes for the board to copy and paste my ratings to my 356 which has already been started. How long did it take Providence to complete your ratings?
It took the VA about a month to complete my ratings. Just been waiting on AF for awhile now
Bobby,
When it comes to the PEB it could take 1 day to X amount of time after VA DRAS has completed and returned ratings for you to see and concur/not concur with findings and results. I am still waiting for my prelim ratings and the PEB stage has been over 120 days now and 2 months on the 26th since my ratings were complete. How long it takes to complete the stage varies based on many factors such as, 1. did the package make it to the PEB or get lost 2. time to complete fit/unfit consideration, 3. VA DRAS rating claimed conditions/assignment of ALC, 4. Time to get prelim ratings back to PEB and they can get lost, 5. Leave, Sickness etc..., 6. Case manager workload, 7. How lazy your case manager is (some are quicker then others), 8. Peblo checking system regularly to see where ratings are/if there complete. As you can see there is alot of things to factor in when it comes to the timelines, no 2 timelines at your base/post will be exactly alike. I hope some of the info i have shared will help you better understand the process
When it comes to the PEB it could take 1 day to X amount of time after VA DRAS has completed and returned ratings for you to see and concur/not concur with findings and results. I am still waiting for my prelim ratings and the PEB stage has been over 120 days now and 2 months on the 26th since my ratings were complete. How long it takes to complete the stage varies based on many factors such as, 1. did the package make it to the PEB or get lost 2. time to complete fit/unfit consideration, 3. VA DRAS rating claimed conditions/assignment of ALC, 4. Time to get prelim ratings back to PEB and they can get lost, 5. Leave, Sickness etc..., 6. Case manager workload, 7. How lazy your case manager is (some are quicker then others), 8. Peblo checking system regularly to see where ratings are/if there complete. As you can see there is alot of things to factor in when it comes to the timelines, no 2 timelines at your base/post will be exactly alike. I hope some of the info i have shared will help you better understand the process
Thanks for the reply. I undersand the process pretty well. I am just frustrated that the process takes too long and that there is nothing to do but wait for other people who don't care about you and see you as nothing but a pile of paperwork. I feel like no one throughout my journey through this process cares. The RCC, MSC and PEBLO in my case all seem like a waste of tax payer funds in my case and none of them have been helpful. The Air Force is more worried about making sure the Thunderbirds are flying at over 26,000 dollars an hour than making sure us Wounded Ill and Injured are taken care of properly.
So after calling the VA twice and being hung up on the second time and submitting two IRIS inquiries, after calling my MSC 5 times in 6 weeks and my PEBLO 6 times in the last 6 weeks my RCC (recovery Care Coordinator) calls Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) and finds out today that although my unfit was completed on July 26th that it was never transmitted to the VA for the VA to start the proposed ratings and AFPC promised it would be done today. Can anyone believe that it took 4 months to get an unfit memo generated and then someone forgot to upload it into VTA? Here it is the 10th of September and they just figured out that oops they screwed up and this is the second time the RCC has called AFPC in the last three weeks and the last time he called they said they did their part and the whole time the VA said we don't have the PEB finidings/unfit memo and what do you know it wasn't done after all. It took me sending a message to my RCC yesterday after receiving a letter from the VA in the mail stating they didn't have my unfit memo due to my IRIS inquiry. The letter also stated that my POC's were my MSC and PEBLO prior to receiving my proposed ratings even though I had contacted each of them numerous times. The message I sent the RCC basically said tell someone at AFPC to get their head out of the rear and that I was tired of incompetence. My MEB results were sent to the IPEB on 27 March...
You won't find out. The AF won't tell you until you get your AF Form 356 back with the proposed ratings. I guess you could call your PEBLO, MSC, the toll free VA number, or your RCC and pester them until they tell you something or just wait and see.
Sorry to hear about the buffoonery at AFPC, but does it really surprise you?
I did talk to my PEBLO today. My case went to the IPEB on 11 June 13. I know I haven't been waiting long, but the PEBLO said to expect it to take 6 weeks for a fit/unfit finding. I'm obviously past that. He also said, based on the person my case is being handled by at the IPEB, that he doesn't expect there to have been any "forgetfulness" to have occurred. There is one case manager that he says he's had numerous problems with.
The VA told me that they have not received an unfit notification from DoD.
I don't know what the MSC, RCC, or IRIS is. I would like to submit an IRIS inquiry if it would drive action. Can you help me out with understanding what it is?
I did talk to my PEBLO today. My case went to the IPEB on 11 June 13. I know I haven't been waiting long, but the PEBLO said to expect it to take 6 weeks for a fit/unfit finding. I'm obviously past that. He also said, based on the person my case is being handled by at the IPEB, that he doesn't expect there to have been any "forgetfulness" to have occurred. There is one case manager that he says he's had numerous problems with.
The VA told me that they have not received an unfit notification from DoD.
I don't know what the MSC, RCC, or IRIS is. I would like to submit an IRIS inquiry if it would drive action. Can you help me out with understanding what it is?
IRIS is an online system through the VA's website that gives veterans an alternative to calling the toll free number. Check out the VA website and search IRIS. The MSC is the Military Service Coordinator and it is the VA person you met with at the beginning of IDES before the MEB. The RCC is an Air Force Recovery Care Coordinator and I am unsure if all the services have an RCC but there are two of them at the base handling my MEB. Ask your PEBLO if you have a RCC available to you to help you out. Also check out the Air Force Wounded Ill and Injured webpage as it talks about RCC's and may have a link to how to contact one. I hope this helps.
Still awaiting results/fit/unfit, really, ANY news at all here as well. My package was sent to the PEB 12 July. It stinks knowing I have a much longer wait ahead.
My E-Benefits is also stuck at "Claim Received" and has never moved.
My E-Benefits is also stuck at "Claim Received" and has never moved.
Wow, indeed! I am not sure what else to say other than being very polite in my selection of verbiage!
Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."
Best Wishes!
PEBLO got an email from my case worker today. I am being boarded for Rheumatoid Arthritis. During the C&P, I was diagnosed with moderate PTSD and mild DDD. The IPEB is asking my PCM if she considers the PTSD unfitting. I'm hoping they want to find me fit, but can't if the PTSD is unfitting. Thoughts?
I wanted to provide an update to this thread. I was notofied that my unfit memo was sent on 10 Sep 13 to the VA DRAS at Providence, RI. The IPEB apparently did my unfit determination is a blazing 119 days...lol then forgot to upload it so the VA could start my proposed ratings. I was actually found unfit 27 Jul 13 but one of the awesome case managers at the AF IPEB decided to update the spreadhseet that it was sent to the VA DRAS but not actually send the darn thing. I was given an excuse that they have had a turnover in personnel in the case management office and it caused the delay. I wonder how the AF has such problems with way fewer cases than the Army or Navy?
Indeed, your question is interesting for sure!
Nonetheless, to date, I am still awaiting a response from the USAPDA NCRPEB which is well beyond their normal response time; albeit the USG shutdown definitely didn't help the processing of DoD IDES cases.
Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."
Best Wishes!
I could understand my having to wait so long if I was using the various forms of appeal throughout IDES but seeing as I have only asked for an IMR back in March I just can't understand why this crap has drug out this long. Today is the 210th day since my package was forwarded to IPEB and I don't have proposed ratings. If I were to appeal once I finally get back my ratings how long would that take? I still have the option to ask for advance adjudication, FPEB, VARR, and appeal to SAFPC but it is highly unlikely that I will do so mostly due to the fact that I am tired of playing the waiting game and I don't think it will do anyting other than waste more of my time.