19 Year Possible MEB

So I had a heart MRI last week and I wasn’t supposed to meet back with the cardiologist until May. However, I received a call from my case manager saying the cardiologist wants to see me Thursday. Apparently my heart MRI came back and my ejection fraction was 35%.
I can apply to retire on 1 Feb and hit 20 Years active duty in Dec 2020. If I’m MEB between then and now is where I get confused. Say they MEB me for my heart or migraine but I make it to 20. Am I still allowed to claim those with the VA for disability? Thanks!

When you are MEB'd with 19 years the usual route is to assume fitness until retirement, but you can be admin held until to culmination of MEB, but I believe you can waive it to retire.

Hopefully someone with knowledge can respond to this.
 
What is the difference between me hitting the retirement button on 1 feb and get my regular retirement and doing the standard VA claim with retirement? Or not retiring and going through an MEB? If I don’t get to 20 years but get a 50% DOD rating is it basically the same scenario or would I lose money some how?

FYI I hit 20 in December of 2020.
 
What is the difference between me hitting the retirement button on 1 feb and get my regular retirement and doing the standard VA claim with retirement? Or not retiring and going through an MEB? If I don’t get to 20 years but get a 50% DOD rating is it basically the same scenario or would I lose money some how?

FYI I hit 20 in December of 2020.
"If I don’t get to 20 years but get a 50% DOD rating is it basically the same scenario or would I lose money some how?"
You lose money.

By completing 20 years or more of active duty and having a 50% or more VA rating, you would be eligible for CRDP. CRDP allows concurrent receipt of retired pay and VA compensation.
Example: 2200 retired pay and VA compensation 3000 = 5200 each month (for a regular retirement)

Example: Less than 20 years of active duty and having a 50% or more VA rating:
2200 minus 3000 amount of VA comp amount = zero retired pay resulting in only 3000 from VA each month.

CRSC is not discussed here. See Collection of CRSC Info LINK <---

Ron
 
If your current medical conditions require your doctors to submit you for a medical review then it might be better to wait that process out. If you submit for retirement in February and get an approved date then you will fall under presumption of fitness rules. This would help you in terms of making sure you get your 20 but it might hurt you in the fact that you would not get rated by the VA. It would just Be a wasted MEB process because the PEB would have to find you presumed fit and therefore your case would never get sent to the VA for ratings.

Im dealing with the same dilemma as you and have been researching all the scenarios as well.
 
However, wouldn’t I be rated by the VA when I retire still? How do I benefit from getting the ratings before hand?

They review my case at the DAWG every other week. They can’t refer me any further yet because there’s no know cause of my illness, or decided on a pace maker or ICD yet. However, I do receive Botox for migraines and have possible Meneirs diseas even though I dont have the official diagnoses as it’s new.

Im nervous to let them MEB because I know I’ll be found unfit and I’m not sure I’ll make it to the 20 year mark. The PEBLO said they’re completing MEBs in 4-6 months.
 
same here I’ve been under DAWG surveillance for almost 6 months now. My PCM always asks when I plan to retire, I hit 19 years in February, but I’m not sure if I want to pull the plug yet. It seems like they want to know if I plan to hit the button so they don’t have to do all the work of an MEB.
I think the benefit would be to get the ratings and have an opportunity to rebut the percentages if need be all while still on active duty. Youd be done with the process before your final out and not have to deal with it post retiremen.
Do you think your PEBLO is being genuin, or just trying to lighten their caseload?
 
I’m not 100% sure on the PEBLO. I hate to gamble possibly thousands of dollars of my retirement a month to just get my percentages before I retire. That’s where I’m sitting right now.

When they took away the option to dispute up to the SECAF it dramatically reduced processing times. I haven’t seen any recent timelines where somebody fought it as far as they could and how long it took.
 
Strangert,

Re: "I’m not 100% sure on the PEBLO. I hate to gamble possibly thousands of dollars of my retirement a month to just get my percentages before I retire. That’s where I’m sitting right now."

This is a comment from a non-disability retiree (i.e., regular, 20 year AD).

As I have mentioned from time to time, I know little about IDES; I did not have that experience. However, I would like to point out that most veterans who receive VA compensation did not receive the rating while going through the IDES. I received my first rating in 2005, 14 years after I retired. I have had a 100% VA rating for several years.

There are many experienced folks on this board who can offer their recommendations regarding your situation.

Ron
 
Your best bet is to make it to 20 and go through the VA process called BDD (benefits due at discharge). This way you get CP exams and ratings prior to retirement date.
 
Perfect.

Ron
 
Your best bet is to make it to 20 and go through the VA process called BDD (benefits due at discharge). This way you get CP exams and ratings prior to retirement date.

So hit the retirement button on 1 Feb. and let the process work?
 
I think you are in a unique situation where it seems your pcm and peblo are sort of giving you a choice on whether or not you will be MEBd (based off your previous posts). I would guess this is not the norm.
 
I’m not sure if it’s the norm or not, my PEBLO had a paper when I saw her the other day that was almost like a letter of intent. It said if you had an approved retirement date the wouldn’t MEB you.
 
Makes sense since it wouldn’t go anywhere past the IPEB. Was that a locally generated product, or something from big Air Force?
 
I’m not sure, she really didn’t let me see, she pulled it out of a folder and put it back. I emailed her and asked for a copy but haven’t heard anything back. When and if I get a copy I’ll post on here.
 
Absolutely hit the button on feb. there is a process to the BDD, Here is the VA link to more info about BDD.

 
The only issue I see is that I have a case manager. However, maybe I can get this wrapped up before then.
 
What did your peblo say about the service commitment. If you got medically retired that gets waived right? So as long as you made it to your normal 20 yos mark you’d be good?
 
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