Hi folks,
I'm new to this site so forgive me if I mis post to the wrong forum. I've been browsing and reading a lot on this site over the last few days.
I am an active duty Army soldier with 23 plus years of service.
Anyway,
I am currently undergoing the MEB process. I reviewed my packet once and it went to the PEB. The PEB returned it for a couple admin reasons and the fact that the MEB doc did not address all my concerns annotated in my original "disagreement" memo.
I'm now at the point where the PEBLO wants me to sign concur or non concur with the doc's findings. I'm going to non concur for a few reasons:
1. I have 11 things listed on my DA 3947, 9 of them say medically acceptable. 2 of them do not say fit or unfit.
2. The conditions are:
a. Chronic lower back pain with intermittent left leg sensory symptoms.
b. PTSD S&I Mild. SM is competent for MEB/PEB pay purposes
c. Obstructive Sleep Apnea Medically acceptable
d. Hepatitis C chronic, medically acceptable
e. Headache, post concussive, medically acceptable
f. Sinusitis, medically acceptable
g. Hearing loss with excellent speech discrimination medically acceptable.
h. Right elbow, wrist, shoulder bursitis, medically acceptable
i. Left knee pain, medically acceptable
j. Intermittent urine incontinence, medically acceptable
k. Major depressive disorder, medically acceptable.
As I said, I am going to non concur and explain why I non concur. A few reasons are:
1. My shoulder, elbow, wrist, and knees were never measured for range of motion (ROM).
2. I use a machine daily for my apnea, but I am still very tired all day long. I also have a very hard time falling asleep at night and frequently wake up several times during the night.
3. I went to neurology and was diagnosed with migraines 8 times per month. MRI was done, but have not had the results explained to me. I have an appt on 30 April for this.
4. PTSD and MDD. There is no way I can continue serving with these conditions. Without going into great detail about my symptoms, I simply can't stand being around military when they are discussing deployments, killing, war, etc.. Plus I have a very hard time concentrating and remembering things so my job has suffered greatly.
OK.. I hope that's enough history for now. In my rebuttal, I plan on outlining and including AR 40-501 data as well as VASRD data and hard copy records that were not included in the original packet.
I do have quite a few questions, but instead of hitting you all at once, I'll limit this post to just a few:
1. AR 40-501 does not set criteria for "unfitness" in regard to Mood disorders or PTSD. The VASRD of course has ratings, but nothing I've found says "if you have these symptoms, you can't continue serving." Is there a place to find this? Is it pretty much up to the psych to determine or do they follow guidelines from a reg I am unfamiliar with?
2. If I disagree with my psych (military 04) finding me medically acceptable, would it be prudent for me to get a civilian psych to put something in writing to counter the military doc's findings? I'm under the assumption that the PEB will almost always default to the military doc's findings over a civilian's.
3. At this point, I am planning on adding some more "problems" that I did not initially think of. Since my packet already made it to the PEB once, is it too late to add things? I'm going to add TBI, sleep walking, flat foot, neck problems, and vertigo/dizziness and trouble walking straight at times. I've been told by my sis in law (doctor) that it could be Menier's disease? I'll research that one in a bit. I have an appt with EENT on 1 May to go over the vertigo problems and sinisitus.
4. As far as ALTHA notes go..how important is it to have the correct AR 40-501 and VASRD lingo in the ALTHA notes? I don't have control over what the docs write, but I guess I could make recommendations to them. ?
Thanks for you help.
Respectfully,
I'm new to this site so forgive me if I mis post to the wrong forum. I've been browsing and reading a lot on this site over the last few days.
I am an active duty Army soldier with 23 plus years of service.
Anyway,
I am currently undergoing the MEB process. I reviewed my packet once and it went to the PEB. The PEB returned it for a couple admin reasons and the fact that the MEB doc did not address all my concerns annotated in my original "disagreement" memo.
I'm now at the point where the PEBLO wants me to sign concur or non concur with the doc's findings. I'm going to non concur for a few reasons:
1. I have 11 things listed on my DA 3947, 9 of them say medically acceptable. 2 of them do not say fit or unfit.
2. The conditions are:
a. Chronic lower back pain with intermittent left leg sensory symptoms.
b. PTSD S&I Mild. SM is competent for MEB/PEB pay purposes
c. Obstructive Sleep Apnea Medically acceptable
d. Hepatitis C chronic, medically acceptable
e. Headache, post concussive, medically acceptable
f. Sinusitis, medically acceptable
g. Hearing loss with excellent speech discrimination medically acceptable.
h. Right elbow, wrist, shoulder bursitis, medically acceptable
i. Left knee pain, medically acceptable
j. Intermittent urine incontinence, medically acceptable
k. Major depressive disorder, medically acceptable.
As I said, I am going to non concur and explain why I non concur. A few reasons are:
1. My shoulder, elbow, wrist, and knees were never measured for range of motion (ROM).
2. I use a machine daily for my apnea, but I am still very tired all day long. I also have a very hard time falling asleep at night and frequently wake up several times during the night.
3. I went to neurology and was diagnosed with migraines 8 times per month. MRI was done, but have not had the results explained to me. I have an appt on 30 April for this.
4. PTSD and MDD. There is no way I can continue serving with these conditions. Without going into great detail about my symptoms, I simply can't stand being around military when they are discussing deployments, killing, war, etc.. Plus I have a very hard time concentrating and remembering things so my job has suffered greatly.
OK.. I hope that's enough history for now. In my rebuttal, I plan on outlining and including AR 40-501 data as well as VASRD data and hard copy records that were not included in the original packet.
I do have quite a few questions, but instead of hitting you all at once, I'll limit this post to just a few:
1. AR 40-501 does not set criteria for "unfitness" in regard to Mood disorders or PTSD. The VASRD of course has ratings, but nothing I've found says "if you have these symptoms, you can't continue serving." Is there a place to find this? Is it pretty much up to the psych to determine or do they follow guidelines from a reg I am unfamiliar with?
2. If I disagree with my psych (military 04) finding me medically acceptable, would it be prudent for me to get a civilian psych to put something in writing to counter the military doc's findings? I'm under the assumption that the PEB will almost always default to the military doc's findings over a civilian's.
3. At this point, I am planning on adding some more "problems" that I did not initially think of. Since my packet already made it to the PEB once, is it too late to add things? I'm going to add TBI, sleep walking, flat foot, neck problems, and vertigo/dizziness and trouble walking straight at times. I've been told by my sis in law (doctor) that it could be Menier's disease? I'll research that one in a bit. I have an appt with EENT on 1 May to go over the vertigo problems and sinisitus.
4. As far as ALTHA notes go..how important is it to have the correct AR 40-501 and VASRD lingo in the ALTHA notes? I don't have control over what the docs write, but I guess I could make recommendations to them. ?
Thanks for you help.
Respectfully,