MEB Questions?

West

Member
Registered Member
Hello,

I am new to the forum and I have been reading information as it pertains to the MEB process. I have recently been diagnosed with Severe Sleep Apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Anxiety (With medication), Adjustment disorder after returning from Afghanistan, loss of vision in my right eye (went from 20/20 to 20/200), and Stage 2 brought down to Stage 1 (With medication) for Hypertension, and a fallen arch in my foot, and Chronic Urticaria which should be linked to Iraq.

I also have documented in my medical records:

Sublux shoulder, frayed maniscus in both knees, and minor back injury that has subsided.

I was told today that I would be given a CPAP machine in which after a month of use would be recorded as the MEB process will be initiated. I am wonder if it looks like I will be:

Medically discharged
Medically Retired
Returned to Duty
or Cross trained.

I am Active duty Air Force, with just over 10 years of service. What do you think the course of action would be as it pertains to my particular case?
 
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The MEB will determine if you are able to do your job. Its a 50/50 depending on what you do in the military . And if they are willing to retrain you in a new job. 9 times out of ten they wont . I m going through the same process. Most branches wont see Anxiety as an unfit condition. Usually you will know from your C and P exams scheduled from the VA . Since military dianoses are usually under rated .
 
Hello,

I am new to the forum and I have been reading information as it pertains to the MEB process. I have recently been diagnosed with Severe Sleep Apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Anxiety (With medication), Adjustment disorder after returning from Afghanistan, loss of vision in my right eye (went from 20/20 to 20/200), and Stage 2 brought down to Stage 1 (With medication) for Hypertension, and a fallen arch in my foot, and Chronic Urticaria which should be linked to Iraq.

I also have documented in my medical records:

Sublux shoulder, frayed maniscus in both knees, and minor back injury that has subsided.

I was told today that I would be given a CPAP machine in which after a month of use would be recorded as the MEB process will be initiated. I am wonder if it looks like I will be:

Medically discharged
Medically Retired
Returned to Duty
or Cross trained.

I am Active duty Air Force, with just over 10 years of service. What do you think the course of action would be as it pertains to my particular case?

Welcome to the PEB Forum! :)

From a procedural viewpoint and to aide with building your new DoD IDES knowledgebase, the DoD IDES MEB/PEB process is explained in detail as follows:

After referral into the DoD IDES MEB/PEB process by your military PCM who initiated a permanent physical profile with PULHES of 3 or 4 in any one category, the Military Treatment Facility (MTF) who has approval authority for DoD IDES
MEB referrals shall review the originally PCM-initiated permanent physical profile request.

Upon acceptance into the DoD IDES MEB/PEB process, during the MEB Phase is when all of your medical conditions are reviewed to determine which are "medically unacceptable" or "medically acceptable" conditions. The MTF will assign a PEBLO to develop the MEB case file for the MEB phase of the DoD IDES process.

To that extent, the MEB Physician is supposed to review all applicable medical condition(s) associated with a PULHES category of 3 or 4 in the AHLTA EMR database system, and then make an informed objective medical evidence determination to either maintain, down select, or upgrade the specific category code in the PULHES.

Upon approval by the DoD IDES MEB Physician(s) at the MTF of the PCM-initiated permanent physical profile referral, the MEB Physician shall either generate a new permanent physical profile with updated PULHES (most favorable course of action in my opinion) or transpose the PCM-initiated permanent physical profile with PULHES as written (least favorable course of action in my opinion).

In continuation of the DoD IDES MEB process, a Narrative Summary (NARSUM) is dictated after receipt of the DoVA C&P Examination results which outlines in detail all medically unacceptable and medically acceptable conditions.

It's unknown what type of C&P Exam clinician you will get on the day(s) of the evaluation. In my opinion, some DoVA C&P Examination clinicians are good-to-go while others seem not to care about the military service member.

With that said, you may receive good or bad results from either of the aforementioned type of DoVA C&P Exam clinicians; there are no guarantees. Depending on the type of C&P Exam, the clinician will just ask a lot of questions and/or perform a physical evaluation.

If the MEB determines that medically unacceptable conditions exist, then the IDES case file is forward to the PEB for a fit for duty or unfit for duty determination. The MEB phase has an officially published DoD timeline of 100 calendar days for Active Component (AC) military personnel and 140 calendar days for Reserve Component (RC) military personnel.

If the PEB determines any unfit medical conditions, then the IDES case file is forward to the DoVA D-RAS for ratings of all PEB referred unfitting conditions (e.g., DoD disability rating(s)) and all DoVA claimed conditions. It's important to note that DoD must adopt the DoVA D-RAS rating(s) for each PEB-referred unfitting condition(s).

Upon receipt of the IPEB findings inclusive of DoD and DoVA proposed ratings, the DA Form 199 (or similar Service specific document) is generated. The PEBLO has a three day maximum limit to inform you of the IPEB findings and your election options once he/she received your IPEB fitness determination and disability ratings. The PEB phase has an officially published DoD timeline of 120 calendar days for both AC and RC military personnel, but current timelines are well extended due to the backlog of DoVA disability claims.

From an U.S. Army perspective, when the military service member is found unfit by the PEB and the DA Form 199 (or similar Service specific document) is finally signed [e.g. after completion of all appeals and reviews to include an one-time VA Rating Reconsideration (VARR) request, if warranted], the U.S. Army Physical Disability Agency (USAPDA), U.S. Army Human Resources Command (USAHRC) will transmit via the Transition Point Processing System (TRANSPOC) III or message to those installations without TRANSPOC, the required data to complete the military orders process.

As such, TRANSPOC-III performs transition processing functions in which it generates the DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release from Active Duty or Discharge) document, and schedules the generation of retirement/separation orders from the U.S. Military. Once received, the installation’s transition center or other personnel support facility will publish the discharge, refrad, or retirement order in a timely manner.

Moreover from an U.S. Army perspective, the USAPDA will assign a not later than separation date that will not exceed 90-days after the completion of processing final determination by the USAPDA. The Installation Commander, through the transition center, will establish a separation date within the 90-day window. The not to exceed 90-day window allow installations flexibility to assign a separation date within the 90-day window based on individual military service member circumstances, but should not be construed as an opportunity to delay the departure of a military service member from active duty.

Generally, the separation date should factor in the total number of days required to clear the command, authorize permissive temporary duty (PTDY) for eligible active component military service members, and allow for the use of accrued leave (e.g., transition leave).

In conclusion, the DoD officially published timeline for AC military personnel within the DoD IDES MEB/PEB process is 295 calendar days, and RC military personnel is 305 calendar days . But, it's potentially delayed beyond the aforementioned durations due to the massive amounts of backlogged DoVA disability claims.

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."

Best Wishes!
 
Hello,

I am new to the forum and I have been reading information as it pertains to the MEB process. I have recently been diagnosed with Severe Sleep Apnea, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Anxiety (With medication), Adjustment disorder after returning from Afghanistan, loss of vision in my right eye (went from 20/20 to 20/200), and Stage 2 brought down to Stage 1 (With medication) for Hypertension, and a fallen arch in my foot, and Chronic Urticaria which should be linked to Iraq.

I also have documented in my medical records:

Sublux shoulder, frayed maniscus in both knees, and minor back injury that has subsided.

I was told today that I would be given a CPAP machine in which after a month of use would be recorded as the MEB process will be initiated. I am wonder if it looks like I will be:

Medically discharged
Medically Retired
Returned to Duty
or Cross trained.

I am Active duty Air Force, with just over 10 years of service. What do you think the course of action would be as it pertains to my particular case?

Despite the advances in modern medicine and the best efforts of patients, some military service members cannot be returned to a full-duty status. In this event, it will be necessary for the military service member to be referred to the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES).

As such, the IDES process begins whenever a military service member's medical providers determine that the military service member's ability to continue military service is questionable due to a physical or mental impairment.

Moreover, it is important to remember that the DoD IDES process is a performance-based system. Simply because a military service member has a medical condition does not mean that the military service member cannot continue to serve on active duty or in the reserve component/national guard. It is the impact of the medical condition(s) upon the military service member ability to perform duties appropriate to his or her rank and job skill that is important.

To that extent, a military service member with a serious medical condition can be found fit when the evidence establishes that the military service member can perform his or her duties. The mere fact that one or more medical conditions exist does not constitute an unfit determination. Also, the inability to deploy to austere environments is only one factor in determining unfitness.

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."

Best Wishes!
 
Thank you all for your speedy and informative input. The process does seem like alot but my desired outcome is to be medically retired. I do not feel I am able to keep up honestly. We are having an exercise this week and I have never felt so out of it during these.

I need time to heal and the fast pace of what I do doesnt allow that.
 
Thank you all for your speedy and informative input. The process does seem like alot but my desired outcome is to be medically retired. I do not feel I am able to keep up honestly. We are having an exercise this week and I have never felt so out of it during these.

I need time to heal and the fast pace of what I do doesnt allow that.

Indeed, you are quite welcome! :)

As such, please continue to seek medical treatment and assistance from your assigned PCM to ensure that your medical documentation well supports all medical conditions.

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."

Best Wishes!
 
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