Good evening,
First I want to thank this forum and its members for what you do. In times of uncertainty and while entering murky waters without answers readily available, the members of this forum offer help as best they can and relieve some of that anxiety.
I started my career off with 9 years active service in the Coast Guard from 2002-2011. I lateraled into the SELEES from 2011-2019, and in 2019 took ADOS orders. I’m currently on ADOS orders, and was told today I would be going to a MEDBOARD. It’s not what I had hoped for but the decision is out of my hands at this point.
I’ve sustained several concussions throughout my career in the Coast Guard. All while either on active duty or ADOS. Two years I started to have some heavy symptoms that have ultimately ended my career.
I have lightheaded, dizziness and vertigo that last for weeks at a time. With this I get trembling hands and knees, have issues walking, my memory is terrible. When all this flares up, if I move my head or eyes too quick the lower portion of my face goes numb and my mind blanks for a split second. I habe numbness and tingling in my extremities, severe brain fog, and talking is a difficult task at times.
I have an MRI that shows some larger lesions that my neurologist can attribute to head trauma, and numerous white matter lesions that are yet to be explained. Follow up MRI with dye next week to see what it could be, but MS is a strong possibility.
On top of all this, my medical provider has felt it’s too much of a risk for me to drive, so I haven’t been allowed to drive for the last 3 months and for the foreseeable future.
I’m currently in treatment at a TBI center, as well as several specialists outside of that.
Needless to say, I think this MEDBOARD will be the end of my career.
I have read numerous posts on this site about reserves being medically retired but I don’t quite understand the financials of it. What I believe is that I will be eligible for VA benefits if they medically retire me, but will have to wait until I’m of age to collect the reserve retirement? Also, what about Tricare, is that once I’m of retirement age?
Thank you for reading this lengthy post, I tried to get all the info I could, but please feel free to let me know if I left something important out.
First I want to thank this forum and its members for what you do. In times of uncertainty and while entering murky waters without answers readily available, the members of this forum offer help as best they can and relieve some of that anxiety.
I started my career off with 9 years active service in the Coast Guard from 2002-2011. I lateraled into the SELEES from 2011-2019, and in 2019 took ADOS orders. I’m currently on ADOS orders, and was told today I would be going to a MEDBOARD. It’s not what I had hoped for but the decision is out of my hands at this point.
I’ve sustained several concussions throughout my career in the Coast Guard. All while either on active duty or ADOS. Two years I started to have some heavy symptoms that have ultimately ended my career.
I have lightheaded, dizziness and vertigo that last for weeks at a time. With this I get trembling hands and knees, have issues walking, my memory is terrible. When all this flares up, if I move my head or eyes too quick the lower portion of my face goes numb and my mind blanks for a split second. I habe numbness and tingling in my extremities, severe brain fog, and talking is a difficult task at times.
I have an MRI that shows some larger lesions that my neurologist can attribute to head trauma, and numerous white matter lesions that are yet to be explained. Follow up MRI with dye next week to see what it could be, but MS is a strong possibility.
On top of all this, my medical provider has felt it’s too much of a risk for me to drive, so I haven’t been allowed to drive for the last 3 months and for the foreseeable future.
I’m currently in treatment at a TBI center, as well as several specialists outside of that.
Needless to say, I think this MEDBOARD will be the end of my career.
I have read numerous posts on this site about reserves being medically retired but I don’t quite understand the financials of it. What I believe is that I will be eligible for VA benefits if they medically retire me, but will have to wait until I’m of age to collect the reserve retirement? Also, what about Tricare, is that once I’m of retirement age?
Thank you for reading this lengthy post, I tried to get all the info I could, but please feel free to let me know if I left something important out.
