Medical Versus Regular Retirement

First of all, great forum. Lots of great answers and resources.

I have a couple retirement questions.

I am active duty with 23 years of service 24 this coming August. I was just referred to the PEB for the start of medical board. Had my first meeting today with my PEBLO.

I have a fusion in my neck, one in my lower back, shoulder pain, leg pain and numbness, and am type II diabetic. I continuously get injections in my back and neck for the pain.

Since I have enough time for a regular retirement.

1. Which route is better?
2. Will they give me the option to take the regular retirement after they tell me the rating?

Thank you for the help and again, great forum.
 
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iyaoyas said:
First of all, great forum. Lots of great answers and resources.

I have a couple retirement questions.

I am active duty with 23 years of service 24 this coming August. I was just referred to the PEB for the start of medical board. Had my first meeting today with my PEBLO.

I have a fusion in my neck, one in my lower back, shoulder pain, leg pain and numbness, and am type II diabetic. I continuously get injections in my back and neck for the pain.

Since I have enough time for a regular retirement.

1. Which route is better?
2. Will they give me the option to take the regular retirement after they tell me the rating?

Thank you for the help and again, great forum.
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Welcome to the PEB Forum! :)

In retrospect, since the DoD IDES MEB/PEB process is a performance-based system, one important factor is the impact of all medical conditions affecting the military service member's ability to "reasonably perform duties of his or her office, grade, rank or rating."

As such, if you are placed on a military disability retirement, but would be eligible for military retired pay in the absence of the disability, you may be entitled to receive Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) from DFAS. CRDP allows military retirees to receive both military retired pay and DoVA compensation.

In reference to your specific inquiry, I offer the following sound insightful feedback:

Q1. Which route is better?
A1a. It depends on your own specific situation albeit I would tend to believe a military disability retirement is more beneficial than a military "length of service" regular retirement.
A1b. At least in my own specific situation having nearly 32 years of combined military (26+ yrs active duty & 5+ yrs active USAR) service with federal government civil service (via multi-year summer internship programs).

Q2. Will they give me the option to take the regular retirement after they tell me the rating?
A2a. Disability retirement pay, it is calculated on the basis of your actual disability rating (e.g., 30% disability rating) or length of service rating (e.g., 2.5% x years of service), whichever is higher. The disability rating percentage is capped at 75% albeit the length of service rating no longer has the 75% cap.
A2b. As such, the percentage is multiplied by your retired base pay. Military personnel who entered active duty after September 8, 1980, will have their retired base pay calculated as the average of their "high 36-months" of basic pay. For military personnel who entered before September 8, 1980, final basic pay is used.
A2c. It's important to note that military personnel placed onto the DoD TDRL will have their retired pay calculated using a minimum of 50% even if their combined rating was less than 50%.

Moreover, disability retired and severance pay awarded to military service members who were not members of the Armed Forces on September 24, 1975, is considered taxable by the Internal Revenue Service. An exception exists for a military service member receiving separation or retired pay by reason of a combat-related injury. To that extent, the DoD IDES PEB will make combat-related determinations on all cases considered. Take care! :cool:

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

Best Wishes!
 
When your results are back, you will be given the option that is best for you financially. In my case I was 100% DoD, thus I was retired at the maximum of 75% of my high three. I had not reached 30 years so 75% was more beneficial to me.
 
My husband is at 25 years active duty in the PEB stage now. In our case it has been completely worth it and we will most likely benefit financially from his disability retirement over his 25 year length of service as his proposed ratings are 80 DOD and 100 VA, plus it is combat related so we plan to apply for CRSC. The only disadvantage is if you are ready to get out now. My husband had an approved retirement date of July 1, 2015. We are expecting him to be retiring in Summer 2016. So doing a medical over LOS retirement added another year of service as he could of been done last summer. You have to make the the call but it has been worth it for us and we are able to better plan for our transition and post military life.
 
Thank you all for the info. I guess I'm just a little nervous and trying to do what is best for my family. Just a lot of info to take in all at once when they gave me the packet at the PEBLO.

Thanks again.
 
iyaoyas said:
Thank you all for the info. I guess I'm just a little nervous and trying to do what is best for my family. Just a lot of info to take in all at once when they gave me the packet at the PEBLO.

Thanks again.
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Indeed, you are welcome as I can definitely comprehend for sure! :)

Albeit, since you are being "positively proactive" at this point in time, a much smoother transition should hopefully transpire to help decrease any potential anxiety/nervousness in the near distant future. Take care! :cool:

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

Best Wishes!
 
I guess I see it as you have nothing to lose, as long as you are okay with staying in a little longer to wait out your board. You have already earned your retirement based on length of service. But you may end up with more and your VA stuff will already be done, and you are currently still earning a pay check. If you hate your job and want out now it may be different.

For us the entire reason we actually started the PEB is because my husband actually needed more time to recover and more medical treatment including inpatient treatment before he got got. He had only been home from Afghanistan a short time and I was scared to death of trying to reestablish care with the VA while my husband was not in stable condition. For us the extra year has given us the chance to get him the help he needs and get ourselves all set up for transition which is especially important as my husband cannot currently work.
 
Well I had my appointment with the VA rep. He is scheduling my exam. Her is what he found in my record to exam.

Low back pain
Scars; neck, back, abdomen, bilateral hands, and right knee
Neck condition
Allergic rhinitis
Sleep apnea
Left atrial enlargement
Status post trauma, left wrist
Lumbar radiculopathy
Cervical radiculopathy
Diabetes mellitus, type II
Status post appendectomy
Status post pyelonephritis
Bibasilar atelectasis
Hiatal hernia
Jaw condition
Right knee condition
Migraines
Tinnitus
Hearing loss, bilateral ears
Hypertension
GERD
Left knee condition
Skin condition scalp
Bilateral shoulder condition
Status post trauma, right hand
Right wrist condition
Bilateral ankle condition
Bilateral elbow condition

I will be nervous for sure at the exam.
 
I was medically boarded at 25 years of active service. I was medically retired with over 26 years. 50% medical but 65% for LOS. Since LOS was higher, that is what I was awarded. If I am not mistaken even if you are medically rated at 80% or higher and your LOS is at say 57% I believe you will still only receive the LOS amount. DFAS will offset the difference in pay through your VA compensation. Maybe someone in this situation can truly verify this. I also was on promotion list and was promoted my last day in service. My unit even gave me a promotion ceremony. So make sure if you are promotable and you are medically retired you inform your unit.
 
LOS can be more advantageous if you are awarded at least 50% C&P from the VA (concurrent receipt eligible).

The only situation(s) that would potentially make medical retirement more advantageous is if you were rated at greater than 50% and were able to collect CRSC that is greater than your (LOS - taxes + C&P).
 
My_View said:
If I am not mistaken even if you are medically rated at 80% or higher and your LOS is at say 57% I believe you will still only receive the LOS amount.
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You meant 75% is the max the DOD will pay unless you have served over 30 years LOS correct?
 
Medical retirement also locks your annual premium for Tricare which would otherwise increase at the whims of our legislators.
 
Sorry I should have explained myself, I put 80% or above because they round 75% up to 80% in VA math. But yes at 80% or higher you would be medically retired at max of 75% DOD. And gsfowler is correct. I receive my LOS retirement since it is more advantageous and I also receive concurrent receipt VA, CRDP, since I am over 50% VA disabled, but none of my VA is CRSC so my regular retirement is taxed.
 
Totally agree with above, was hesitant myself with over 20 years and now more positive and proactive in waiting out the process. Should be at 21 years when all is said and done.
 
I receive my PEB findings today I am unsure of what to do and wanted to see what advice would be up there. I am TDRL 70% dod for PTSD and 100% VA all combat related. I have 19 yrs and 5 month with 20 years in Jan 2018. I am unsure if I should accept my findings and medically retired or try to PLD until retirement to get my 20 years. And I do plan on applying for a combat-related special compensation?
 
You need to calculate all of the financial options available to you. CRSC will be tax free and may be more advantageous than regular retirement, however it is not guaranteed.
 
If You Aren't Ordnance You Aren't S%@T!!!!!! Damn..... haven't heard that since I left the Navy back in 98
 
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