Former Active 11B, current USAR looking at MEB, need help please

[327Grunt]

Hello All, this is my first post. Been lurking on and off for some time. Lots of great people here and some very knowledgeable SME's so I figured Id ask my question.

-Can a reservist with 14 years of service (4 of them active) get medically retired and collect their "retirement" immediately after being "medically retired" from the US Army Reserve??

I am hearing conflicting information. I've gotten better information from this site than from talking with numerous staff NCOs, officers and DAV people, however, Im a thick-skulled infantryman and I have questions, if you dont mind. I will lay out what my situation is.

-11B former Active Duty, 4+ years. Entered service OCT 2004. Was with 101st Airborne Division. Infantry Combat Vet, Iraq, 2007-2009. PTSD, TBI, knees, back, ect ect. Been in the Army Reserve since I left active duty in 2009, as I was having a lot of difficulties (that I did my best to pretend I was not having).

-Left active duty with a 60 percent rating, joined reserves straight away. Symptoms have worsened over the years. Went 80% now im 100% P&T with the VA. (In reality, i probably should have been 100% T&P from the get go and just left the service all together... but ive tried to remain useful, and hang onto the pride and self-respect of being a soldier and I loved serving my country and wanted to feel useful. But I digress...)

-Im still a TPU reserve soldier. I was going to just leave the service, but I have a fellow Army friend who's convinced me to start an MEB. I was also flagged when finally disclosing some of my issues on the last yearly PHA mental health questionnaire. I dont even want to go through an MEB, but he insists that im leaving well-earned benefits on the table.

-Ive started the process towards an MEB via my commander, still have yet to get my "commanders eval". That could finally happen within the next couple of weeks.

So that's where I am at currently. My questions that I have not been able to answer are:

-Can a reservist with 14 years of service (4 of them active) get medically retired and collect their "retirement" immediately after being "medically retired" from the US Army Reserve?

-Will conducting an MEB be worth it to me in any way?? All the hassle and stress, plus still having to drill? I already have a 100% VA rating, and I always get nervous when dealing with the VA because I dont trust them. Ive read somewhere that a soldier can opt to go LDES rather than IDES?

-If I have nothing to gain from an MEB, I will probably forego it. Things are stressful enough for me.

I really appreciate any and all straight answers I can get. Sorry for being long-winded. Thank you!

 

[Mike2686]

What do you have to lose?

If you deserve to be retired and have a chance to get retired, why not go for it?

Since you are already 100% VA I am surprised the Army hasn't pushed you that way anyway. It should be pretty easy though. Even for us on Active duty with no prior rating we just have to do a few phone calls, go to a few appointments and sit and wait on the results. The process really isn't stressful or hard.

Don't be deterred by what you read across a bunch of forums on the internet. The majority of the people typing them are stressed because they don't know what to expect regarding the MEB process, and the after retirement process. It is scary going from something you've been doing to being retired medically in a 6-9 months span whilst waiting for results that effect your future. Outside of that stress it's nothing big.

Since you're in the reserves, your life isn't really changing much outside of maybe going to a couple of appointments to update issues that have already received a % value if that. The anxiety of waiting for a % from the DoD might give you some butterflies at times but you should be fine.

Getting retired is good for numerous benefits. (Healthcare, dental, vision etc..) Access to post, PX, BX, commisary etc. the list goes on and on.

It also allows you to apply for stuff like CRSC. With a 100% VA rating I assume you would offset your retirement which would grant you a portion of you're retirement before the age of 60 as a reservist.

Look into it more if you need to, but in my opinion its a no brainer!

Goodluck brother!

 

[RonG]

Good answer immediately preceding mine.

If you receive a disability retirement and you are rated 100% by the VA, you will waive/lose retired pay dollar for dollar in the amount of VA compensation received. In many cases, that waiver results in zero retired pay.

Some retirees qualify for Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC) which replaces some or all of the waived retired pay for those eligible.

Several pages of CRSC information can be found on this board at THIS LINK. <------

Ron

 

[Mike2686]

Thanks for posting the link and additional info Ron.

It's good info that quite a few people don't know or understand fully! I actually read several threads on this forum prior to submitting my CRSC claim so I would have a basic knowledge of the benefit itself.