Pre-MEB approved in Korea. Heading to Ft Hood WTU with lots of questions.

DisplacedTexan35

PEB Forum Regular Member
Registered Member
Active duty Army aviator with 12.5 years in service, 21 months in Iraq, 21 months in Afghanistan, and currently working on my second tour to Korea. I've got almost 2,500 flight hours with 2/3 of them being in combat wearing body armor etc. I have no documentation of any back issues since i joined to include my MEPS physical. A few years ago my back and shoulders started bothering me off and on during running/exercising and when spending long periods in the aircraft wearing body armor. I thought nothing of it as most of us with my age and hours experience the same. I took NSAIDS and drove on. I finally decided to report it during my flight physical this year as I realized how important it was to document these issues for my eventual separation and possibly to get a profile, and uncovered that I had up to 32 degrees of lumbar scoliosis on my first back x-ray in 32 years. I've known about it since childhood, but had no idea of the extent. Long story short my back looks like an S and I now have a P3. I've only had a few X-Rays and no MRIs since as I wasn't sure where this was going to go, but since I've been unable to fly for 3 months and the prognosis to improve my scoliosis is not great without surgery (which I don't fit the criteria for) I have been recommended to MEB. The only likely way I was going to get a waiver to fly again was to admit zero symptoms which would be lying.

Timeline: If there are no appeals and the process flows smoothly what kind of timeline could I expect from start to finish if I am stationed at the Fort Hood WTU? I'm scheduled to PCS and sign in around March.

Rating: From the research I've done I understand the basics of not being able to pyramid related issues on the same part of the body. I have documentation from Neuro, Ortho, and my PCM all referring me to the MEB because I don't meet the retention criteria (not greater than 2" but lesser with symptoms impacting my ability to do my job) for scoliosis. Medical records show no record of nerve issues as I've only had a few appointments since my recommendation and only a brief test by one of them using the end of a pointy stick to ask if I felt it in different areas. Do I have the ability during the IDES process to bring up undocumented issues associated with the documented ones, or is it unrealistic to find something service related if you have no medical record of it and excellent performance ratings throughout your career. My commander statement talked about me being an excellent soldier, but that my medical condition was preventing me from doing my job of flying (or even being deployable since I can no longer wear body armor or ruck) and that it was negatively affecting the unit. If they can find physical evidence (x-ray, MRI, exam, etc) during the IDES process will that still be usable toward my rating? Scoliosis alone is 20% which is what has me somewhat worried. All of my associated back and shoulder issues are most likely affected by the scoliosis.

Possibility of re-class instead of separation: It was a bitter pill to swallow, but I'm finally accepting the real possibility that I will be getting separated from the Army soon. During the MEB/PEB process are the physicians pretty open to listening to your story and help you one way or another if you're on the edge of being fit/unfit, or is it generally a very impartial decision based on the regs? My biggest fear is that I am found "fit" but unable to continue flying and forced to re-class to a different MOS.

Thanks everyone. This forum has been a wealth of information for me so far.
 
Welcome to the PEBFORUM, @DisplacedTexan35!

First off, I am not sure I "get" the title of your post. "Pre-MEB approved in Korea." Generally, this does not make sense. You either fail retention standards and require an MEB or you don't. Something seems off here. (That said, I have seen tons of "non-standard" actions take place, so I am not doubting your stated situation. Just strikes me as non-conforming with regulations. (Part of the problem is with the PCS, you incur expenses on behalf of the Army that probably should not be incurred if you need a MEB/PEB).

I've only had a few X-Rays and no MRIs since as I wasn't sure where this was going to go, but since I've been unable to fly for 3 months and the prognosis to improve my scoliosis is not great without surgery (which I don't fit the criteria for) I have been recommended to MEB. The only likely way I was going to get a waiver to fly again was to admit zero symptoms which would be lying.
See my above comments. Not sure if you have actually been identified and referred to MEB, but it sounds like you should have been.

If there are no appeals and the process flows smoothly what kind of timeline could I expect from start to finish if I am stationed at the Fort Hood WTU? I'm scheduled to PCS and sign in around March.
Per DoDM 1332.18, Volume 2, this is the timeline "goals" for processing. I can tell you that the appeals process can stretch this timeline out considerably. The "standard" stated is 295 days. However, experience shows this is an "optimistic" timeline for cases with no issues/substantive appeals. A year or more is more likely if you have appeals submitted at each level and take the alloted time to respond.

You can read other folks' timelines reported in various threads here on the PEBFORUM. They may give a more accurate basis for an estimation of case times.

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Do I have the ability during the IDES process to bring up undocumented issues associated with the documented ones, or is it unrealistic to find something service related if you have no medical record of it and excellent performance ratings throughout your career. My commander statement talked about me being an excellent soldier, but that my medical condition was preventing me from doing my job of flying (or even being deployable since I can no longer wear body armor or ruck) and that it was negatively affecting the unit. If they can find physical evidence (x-ray, MRI, exam, etc) during the IDES process will that still be usable toward my rating? Scoliosis alone is 20% which is what has me somewhat worried. All of my associated back and shoulder issues are most likely affected by the scoliosis.

Yes, you can raise additional issues (best time to do so is early, i.e., in the MEB phase. This can be done via IMR request and rebuttal to the MEB if they are not addressing/acknowledging additional conditions).
You mention a Commander's statement, which seems to me to indicate you are in the MEB process already. I think you should really nail down where you are in the process and if your PCS is a certainty. Something seems off to me in your statements or maybe your understanding of where you are in the process.


Possibility of re-class instead of separation: It was a bitter pill to swallow, but I'm finally accepting the real possibility that I will be getting separated from the Army soon. During the MEB/PEB process are the physicians pretty open to listening to your story and help you one way or another if you're on the edge of being fit/unfit, or is it generally a very impartial decision based on the regs? My biggest fear is that I am found "fit" but unable to continue flying and forced to re-class to a different MOS.

The MEB will judge your conditions against the standards in AR 40-501, Chapter 3. In that regard, it is pretty cut and dried. If you are in the MEB process, reclass is not an option. If you are found fit, then no need to reclass (but, you could pursue that outside of the IDES process). If unfit, reclass is not an option.

Hope this was helpful and I hope all goes well for you. Best of luck!
 
Korea has no ability to conduct an MEB while OCONUS. They start the process with what I've been told is a "Pre-MEB" approving you to PCS to a WTU in the states and conduct the formal MEB. Commander's statement was part of the required packet to get approval to PCS me to a stateside WTU in order to conduct the MEB. I've been reviewing various other timelines, and have seen a pretty huge variance between different branches and conditions. Thanks for the response. I'll continue to research, and most likely start a thread in the timeline section when I arrive at my WTU and begin the process.
 
Korea has no ability to conduct an MEB while OCONUS. They start the process with what I've been told is a "Pre-MEB" approving you to PCS to a WTU in the states and conduct the formal MEB. Commander's statement was part of the required packet to get approval to PCS me to a stateside WTU in order to conduct the MEB. I've been reviewing various other timelines, and have seen a pretty huge variance between different branches and conditions. Thanks for the response. I'll continue to research, and most likely start a thread in the timeline section when I arrive at my WTU and begin the process.
Yeah, I was thinking that you might be in that situation with the inability to conduct an MEB locally (which, per the regulations seems BS to me- as all MTF's with a Commander should be able to do so-, but seems to be the policy anyway). My main point was that "either you are referred to the MEB or not." Sounds like you are.

Best of luck!
 
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Korea has no ability to conduct an MEB while OCONUS. They start the process with what I've been told is a "Pre-MEB" approving you to PCS to a WTU in the states and conduct the formal MEB. Commander's statement was part of the required packet to get approval to PCS me to a stateside WTU in order to conduct the MEB. I've been reviewing various other timelines, and have seen a pretty huge variance between different branches and conditions. Thanks for the response. I'll continue to research, and most likely start a thread in the timeline section when I arrive at my WTU and begin the process.
Any updated info on this? I just got out in for my med board at camp humphreys. They said I'd have to go back to the states to complete it. The doc said they try and send you somewhere close to your home of record which is nice but is that true? Also is it considered a pcs so I can bring my family with me?
 
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