Hello everyone! I did some searching on my question before hand but didn't find anything relevant. I was recently med boarded from the Air Force with 70% DoD/100% VA, which is mostly from PTSD and Depression and placed on TDRL. I have my first follow up in March 7 with a clinic that is doing a blood draw and then I see some Doctor not sure what type.
I'm very happy with what I got, and I don't want my percentages to change. The main thing that I have been doing is going to therapy and taking medications. I am honestly sick of talk therapy. I been through every program that the military offers and some of them 2 times while active duty. Is just continuing the medications good enough to keep my ratings or should I continue seeing the social workers and psychiatrists regularly?
Welcome to the PEB Forum!
From an U.S. Army perspective while being placed onto the DoD military TDRL for 3.5+ years now for PTSD+MDD with severe psychosis, your medical condition must show that it's "permanent and stable" at the time of the TDRL re-evaluation in order to receive a DoD military PDRL adjudication. This is accomplished by the USAF TDRL PEB's reviewal of all
available post-active duty military medical evidence and/or medical documentation to include the TDRL re-examination document.
As such, what does your post-military active duty medical documentation states about your PTSD/Depression PEB-referred medical condition? Does it state that your medical condition is better, getting worse, or has remained the same at this particular point in time? In retrospect, the TDRL PEB is suppose to review all available medical evidence and/or medical documentation
AFTER your release from military active duty and officially
start from placement onto the DoD military TDRL. Have you been seen by DoVA clinicians, retired military clinicians and/or civilian clinicians while on DoD military TDRL?
Indeed, whatever the status of your PEB-referred medical condition is currently, you will need to
thoroughly explain it to the TDRL re-examination clinician in terms of the criteria as annotated in 38 CFR VASRD §4.130 Schedule of ratings—Mental disorders, "General Rating Formula for Mental Disorders" showing an "Occupational and social impairment, with deficiencies in most areas..." to at least maintain your current DoD 70% rating.
Bottom line,
thoroughly explain your current entire medical status situation to the TDRL re-examination clinician and hopefully with the post-active duty military available medical evidence and/or medical documentation, an informed decision is rendered which supports your current DoD 70% rating.
Oh yes, it's highly important to mention that even if the TDRL re-examination clinician suggests that your PTSD/Depression PEB-referred medical condition still warrants a DoD 70% rating, the TDRL PEB could still decide to decrease or even increase the DoD rating for whatever reason albeit it should be based upon all available post-military active duty medical evidence and/or medical documentation which supports the criteria as annotated in 38 CFR VASRD §4.130 Schedule of ratings—Mental disorders. If an unfortunate DoD rating decrease occurs, then it's most beneficial to appeal the decision with the assistance of a PEB attorney and hopefully all post-active duty military available medical evidence and/or medical documentation supports a favorable TDRL PEB appeal. Take care!
Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer!"
Best Wishes!