Hi. I am an active duty army SFC (E7) with 14.5 years active time. For the last four years I have had documented issues with my achilles tendons. Temporary profiles for a while and physical therapy and ahock wave treatments, followed by a permanent level 2 profile for lower extremities. I had surgery a little over a year ago to correct a haglunds deformity on my right heel and clean up the tendon. My condition is bilateral but i have no intrest in having surgery on the left side, because the right side has got me back to about baseline, slightly worse. I still cant run on apft and prolonged standing or wearing boots is very uncomfortable. I went and got a temporary profile saying i couldnt wear boots for the next 60 days while i wait for a podiatry appointment (i'm in Korea). I asked my PCM about being at a medical retention decision point and he said we were at that point now, but needed to hear from the podiatrist. As an e-7 92A (logistics) is it likely i will be found unfit if this goes to a MEB/PEB? I think the boots are a big part of the problem and i intend to not go back to boots if i can help it. I also have sleep apnea with a cpap machine for last 3 plus years but not sure how that would get adjudicated by the board. If army would rate it or just the VA. Any input or advice is extremely appreciated. I am command sponsored in Korea and if this thing goes to a MEB, i would be sent to a wtu closest to HOR as i understand it. Thanks for reading through this
Welcome to the PEB Forum!
Indeed, since the DoD IDES MEB/PEB process is a performance-based system, one
important factor is the impact of
all medical conditions affecting the military service member's ability to "reasonably perform duties of his or her office, grade, rank or rating."
Each military department's first priority for military service members suffering from an illness or injury is to ensure delivery of the highest quality and proper medical attention. If the medical conditions improve to the point that the military service member is able to return to full military duty, then they are returned to their military unit.
Otherwise, despite the advances in modern medicine and the best efforts of patients, some military service members cannot be returned to full-duty status. In this event, it will be necessary for the military service member to be referred to the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES). The IDES process begins whenever the military medical provider determines that the military service member's ability to continue their military service is questionable due to a physical and/or mental impairment.
As such, I would like to direct your attention to my PEB Forum URL thread for a detailed explanation about the entire DoD IDES process as follows:
http://www.pebforum.com/site/threads/a-detailed-explanation-of-the-dod-ides-meb-peb-process.22807/
To that extent, please remain "positively proactive" upon your potential referral and acceptance into the DoD IDES MEB/PEB process! For sure,
never default acceptance to any injustices; fight then continue to fight some more until receipt of your desired expectations supportive via medical evidence and/or medical documentation!
Briefly, if the DoD PEB determines any unfit medical conditions, then the DoD IDES case file is forwarded to the DoVA D-RAS (e.g., disability rating activity site) for proposed ratings of all PEB-referred unfitting conditions (e.g., DoD disability proposed rating(s)) and all DoVA claimed contentions/conditions. It's important to note that DoD (Army)
must adopt the DoVA D-RAS rating(s) for each PEB-referred unfitting condition(s).
In reference specifically about your sleep apnea with CPAP medical condition, the normal trend for the U.S. Army is to receive a "medically acceptable" determination by the DoD MEB and a "fit for duty" determination by the DoD PEB with a DoVA 50% proposed rating. Albeit, any official DoD IDES determination is based upon the available medical evidence/medical documentation which shows an affect on the military service member's ability to "reasonably perform duties of his or her office, grade, rank or rating." Take care!
Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer!"
Best Wishes!
