Results in....only after submitting congressional

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77617761pdh

PEB Forum Regular Member
Registered Member
To All,
After numerous months of waiting and wondering if my paperwork had been lost, misplaced, or just not gotten to yet, I finally decided to submit a congressional. Oddly enough, the day JBLM received the note from my congressman, my paperwork was miraculously done!

Bottom line: NOTHING WILL GET DONE UNLESS YOU SUBMIT A CONGRESSIONAL. I know some may disagree, but my IDES process is now done, paperwork is signed, and I'm waiting for my orders. Folks, don't sit around and "take it" if your timelines have been busted. Do yourself a favor and submit congressionals. It worked for me......now my family can finally get on with our lives. Best of luck to you all.

p
 
My view on Congressionals is that when they work, they are great. However, I have very rarely seen them work. I would caution anyone to not confuse correlation with causation (essentially, the idea that because one event occurs, it does not neccessarily causes another; example: childcare centers are full of young children; it does not follow that childcare centers cause young children to exist).

While I am very glad that you got your results, I have been on both sides of Congressionals (part of my first job as a JAG was to respond to Congressional inquiries; the basic guidance was to explain what had happened up to that point in time and to explain what the next steps were). My final job as a JAG was representing Soldiers at the PEB, and I saw a fair number of Congressional inquiries filed in my clients' cases. Normally, this slows down a case as the entire case file must be pulled, the case analyzed, and the response given.

I suspect that your Congressional passed the normal processing of your case without impact on the case at all. A same day filing of the Congressional and the result highly suggests this. This is not to rain on your parade, I just don't want other folks to think filing a Congressional will speed things up when my many years of experience suggests the opposite is the case. I might be wrong; but I doubt it.

In any event, congratulations!
 
I agree Jason. If everyone who thought that the process is slow submitted a Congressional,
we would see the system slowed even more because everyone would be trying to rationalize
what they have done.... instead of getting done what needs to be done ;)
 
Braveheart and Jason,

I understand what you are saying and I agree with you. In my particular situation, my board had grossly failed to meet the "timelines" set by Congress. Submitting a congressional can indeed slow down the process; however, since I was well over my "allotted" time, I wanted to bring attention to the squeaky wheel. Fortunately, it worked....
 
Jason, I have a question for you as well. My packet is at Ft Lewis for Final Depo. It has been there over 6 weeks. I have had my congressmen check on this for me, also my Military Judge Adv. The PEB will not return either’s phone calls. This Monday the 7th of May will be 7 weeks it has been in final depo. I understand I am looking at higher percentages but not sure why my Final Dep is stuck or lost or what has happened. It’s bad when I can get in touch with my own senator but PEB is like trying to talk to the President in person just to chat. Very frustrated and my health is on the decline and my hip injury is getting worse which is stable to rate but it states that my hip condition is degenerative. My doc is suggested I push for a hip replacement when I get back in lower 48 due my pain levels are barely manageable.
 
Jason77 said:
Jason, I have a question for you as well. My packet is at Ft Lewis for Final Depo. It has been there over 6 weeks. I have had my congressmen check on this for me, also my Military Judge Adv. The PEB will not return either’s phone calls. This Monday the 7th of May will be 7 weeks it has been in final depo. I understand I am looking at higher percentages but not sure why my Final Dep is stuck or lost or what has happened. It’s bad when I can get in touch with my own senator but PEB is like trying to talk to the President in person just to chat. Very frustrated and my health is on the decline and my hip injury is getting worse which is stable to rate but it states that my hip condition is degenerative. My doc is suggested I push for a hip replacement when I get back in lower 48 due my pain levels are barely manageable.
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I am sorry to hear of your troubles.

I am not sure what could be holding up your case, though, as I have written before, generally a Congressional will slow things down. This is because in order to respond to the inquiry, someone has to grab the case and review it, taking it outside of the normal workflow. I cannot possible know for sure what happens in individual cases, so this may have nothing to do with your case.

As an aside, there is supposed to be more MEBs and PEBs seated when they go past timelines. I have no faith that this actually happens. I strongly suspect from what I have seen that the MEBs and the PEB are able to manipulate the timelines.

I am not sure if I missed your question. I hope things speed along for you. Good luck!
 
"Bottom line: NOTHING WILL GET DONE UNLESS YOU SUBMIT A CONGRESSIONAL."

I have to say I think you're sending the wrong message here....I'm at 250+ days myself, and there are many improvements to be made, but the reality is that IDES by and large is still better than the Legacy system. If you want to advocate involving congressman, promote writing suggestive letters of improvement, not inquiries and complaints over individual cases, just my opinion.
 
cards18 said:
"Bottom line: NOTHING WILL GET DONE UNLESS YOU SUBMIT A CONGRESSIONAL."

I have to say I think you're sending the wrong message here....I'm at 250+ days myself, and there are many improvements to be made, but the reality is that IDES by and large is still better than the Legacy system. If you want to advocate involving congressman, promote writing suggestive letters of improvement, not inquiries and complaints over individual cases, just my opinion.
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Cards,

Point received and taken. I have set-up an appointment with my congressman (when I return to home of record) and will volunteer my time and energy to improving the IDES process. I want to continue serving service members...hope I can be of value.
 
I meet with my MEB/PEB Military Judge Advocate and my PEBLO after all the times have been surpassed on my case and my injury continuing to degrade. Both suggested a congressional inquiry. The PEB would no longer give any more info to my PEBLO or my MJA so this is my only choice and option. I understand it could slow things down but in my case, I believe to get it completed this was necessary and at the advice of my PEBLO and MJA from the way they were getting responses from the PEB.
 
spad0303 said:
Jason,

I was recently found unfit for duty and am awaiting percentages from VA due to having an AICD implanted after having a sudden cardiac death in Afghanistan. I am over 21 years and will receive 100 percent disability, per the DOD and VA regs. (we will see how that goes). The issue is I am still fit for duty. The PEB obviously did not conduct their board in accordance with 635-40. They did not look at any of the letters, to include from my cardiologist that stated I do not need to have any restrictions. They also did not confer with the MOD 11 stating I could return to theater with an AICD implant. Once my percentages return I will be flying to Ft. Lewis to explain to them why they need to change their decision. I have no issue with a Congressional Inquiry causing my process to take as long as needed. Do you or anyone else on this forum feel I need to confer with my Congressman now or would it be wise to wait until I talk to the PEB in person? I'm not one who just gives up and takes the money. I plan to retire when I want to, not when they tell me to. It may not work out that way but that is my goal.
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I am going to create your own thread for your subject. By tagging onto this older thread, you may limit the amount of response you get.

Joe
 
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