This is my current timeline:
There are several factors that have played into the delays in my timeline, but I have learned that the "Goals" and "Averages" can be ridiculously off. If the DRAS finds any kind of clerical mistake from the VA it will delay the VA Rating Portion by AT LEAST 30 days. If the PEB finds any kind of clerical mistake from the DRAS it will cause a delay in the PEB Findings portion of AT LEAST 30 days. The VA thought process is that if there is a clerical mistake then they have 30 days to address the mistake. They will/do wait the full 30 days before looking at the requested correction and then take the 5 minutes it requires to fix said mistake and forward it back to the appropriate entity (ie DRAS or PEB).
DO NOT get sucked into the belief that any of the timelines on the IDES Dashboard or in the IDES instruction manual, mean ANYTHING. There are no consequences if they do not meet timelines and PEBLO's will tell you that they are just goals that they would "like" to achieve. In my case, I suffer from extreme anxiety related to PTSD and other psychological conditions and I have allowed the IDES system to drive me to the point of near insanity. I ask my PEBLO questions or for updates and 50% of the time get no answer, the other 50% of the time I receive a vague non-answer that only makes the process even more confusing. I have watched my "Estimated finish Date (No Appeal) change from 04/16/2017 to the current 07/08/2017 and my PEBLO cannot provide me with any kind of estimate or reason for delay of the PEB Findings.
I will say this much though.... the VA rated me at 100% in January and because I am Guard and not Active Army, I started receiving my 100% disability payments back in February. I am a GS-12 Dual Status Federal Technician and the longer the IDES process takes, the longer I get to keep my Technician job. When the IDES process is complete and I am retired, I will then start the process of Federal Retirement which will run another 3-4 months. I am starting to bank the exta $ in preparation of full retirement and after 30+ years of Active and Guard time........ I WILL BE FULLY RETIRED!!!!
There are several factors that have played into the delays in my timeline, but I have learned that the "Goals" and "Averages" can be ridiculously off. If the DRAS finds any kind of clerical mistake from the VA it will delay the VA Rating Portion by AT LEAST 30 days. If the PEB finds any kind of clerical mistake from the DRAS it will cause a delay in the PEB Findings portion of AT LEAST 30 days. The VA thought process is that if there is a clerical mistake then they have 30 days to address the mistake. They will/do wait the full 30 days before looking at the requested correction and then take the 5 minutes it requires to fix said mistake and forward it back to the appropriate entity (ie DRAS or PEB).
DO NOT get sucked into the belief that any of the timelines on the IDES Dashboard or in the IDES instruction manual, mean ANYTHING. There are no consequences if they do not meet timelines and PEBLO's will tell you that they are just goals that they would "like" to achieve. In my case, I suffer from extreme anxiety related to PTSD and other psychological conditions and I have allowed the IDES system to drive me to the point of near insanity. I ask my PEBLO questions or for updates and 50% of the time get no answer, the other 50% of the time I receive a vague non-answer that only makes the process even more confusing. I have watched my "Estimated finish Date (No Appeal) change from 04/16/2017 to the current 07/08/2017 and my PEBLO cannot provide me with any kind of estimate or reason for delay of the PEB Findings.
I will say this much though.... the VA rated me at 100% in January and because I am Guard and not Active Army, I started receiving my 100% disability payments back in February. I am a GS-12 Dual Status Federal Technician and the longer the IDES process takes, the longer I get to keep my Technician job. When the IDES process is complete and I am retired, I will then start the process of Federal Retirement which will run another 3-4 months. I am starting to bank the exta $ in preparation of full retirement and after 30+ years of Active and Guard time........ I WILL BE FULLY RETIRED!!!!
