IDES Clock Start - Worried about future

R

Rockies02

New Member
Registered Member
Hello all,

I am curious if anyone could provide clarity/foresight for my situation. I will try to break my story down as best as possible with the questions that I have at the end.

General Info:
I am a O-3 in the Army Reserves
HIGH-3 Retirement system
10 years in service (LES)
1255 points earned
wrapping up my second year mobilized

Narrative:
Just prior to mobilizing (CONUS) I received a diagnosis of DVTs and a Factor V Leiden issues as a TPU (approx. 9 years in the reserves). I sought outside care and was told that I would need blood thinners for the rest of my life. Received blood thinners and everything was ok. I then went on mobilization and had a medical insurance gap going to TriCare. During this gap I went TDY and received another DVT from the flight. I sought care at the local VA where it was documented. Later my PCM caught this and referred me out to specialists, and subsequently issued my P3 profile starting the MEB.

Note: The time line between diagnosis and mobilization were very close together.

What I have done thus far:
1. I have gathered all documentation and submitted them to the MEB team and I am awaiting follow up from the case manager.
2. I am continuing to document other issues that I have.

My concerns/questions:
1. Will I receive a medical separation or a medical retirement? At this point I don't believe that the military will retain me even though I feel like I can continue to serve.
2. Will the VA see this issue as a service connected issue?
3. What is the best guess of a potential VA rating?

Honestly my fear is that I will separated from the military with very little. Any advice will help, and thank you for taking the time to read this.
 
1. That depends on how the unfitting (as determined by the PEB) condition(s) are rated. It uses VA math for 2 or more and 30% or more will net you a medical retirement.
2. As long as it is documented that it happened while you were on orders, yes. (I'm active duty so someone else will likely have a better understanding for this question)
3. Check out Veterans Benefits Knowledge Base and self-evaluate your service-connected conditions to your best ability. Then you can use 2025 VA Disability Ratings Calculator | Hill & Ponton, P.A. to get the potential VA rating. It really depends on a TON of factors though like documentation, how your C&P examiner is, etc. so it'll be a VERY rough estimate.
 
sleepy1 said:
1. That depends on how the unfitting (as determined by the PEB) condition(s) are rated. It uses VA math for 2 or more and 30% or more will net you a medical retirement.
2. As long as it is documented that it happened while you were on orders, yes. (I'm active duty so someone else will likely have a better understanding for this question)
3. Check out Veterans Benefits Knowledge Base and self-evaluate your service-connected conditions to your best ability. Then you can use 2025 VA Disability Ratings Calculator | Hill & Ponton, P.A. to get the potential VA rating. It really depends on a TON of factors though like documentation, how your C&P examiner is, etc. so it'll be a VERY rough estimate.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the links! Checking it all out now. I will continue to post as the process continues.
 
Rockies02 said:
Hello all,

I am curious if anyone could provide clarity/foresight for my situation. I will try to break my story down as best as possible with the questions that I have at the end.

General Info:
I am a O-3 in the Army Reserves
HIGH-3 Retirement system
10 years in service (LES)
1255 points earned
wrapping up my second year mobilized

Narrative:
Just prior to mobilizing (CONUS) I received a diagnosis of DVTs and a Factor V Leiden issues as a TPU (approx. 9 years in the reserves). I sought outside care and was told that I would need blood thinners for the rest of my life. Received blood thinners and everything was ok. I then went on mobilization and had a medical insurance gap going to TriCare. During this gap I went TDY and received another DVT from the flight. I sought care at the local VA where it was documented. Later my PCM caught this and referred me out to specialists, and subsequently issued my P3 profile starting the MEB.

Note: The time line between diagnosis and mobilization were very close together.

What I have done thus far:
1. I have gathered all documentation and submitted them to the MEB team and I am awaiting follow up from the case manager.
2. I am continuing to document other issues that I have.

My concerns/questions:
1. Will I receive a medical separation or a medical retirement? At this point I don't believe that the military will retain me even though I feel like I can continue to serve.
2. Will the VA see this issue as a service connected issue?
3. What is the best guess of a potential VA rating?

Honestly my fear is that I will separated from the military with very little. Any advice will help, and thank you for taking the time to read this.
Click to expand...
So it all depends on if that condition is considered duty related. Since it occurred prior to mobilizing the military could state its not duty related. Since that is an inherited genetic condition I am leaning towards them listing it a non duty related. Non duty related with less than 15 good years means medical seperation without benefits.

#1. So what you need to find out is if the condition will be referred to NDR PEB. If so, you will just get kicked out. Your argument could be it was permanently aggravated by service but that may be a stretch. So to answer #1. Chances are nothing. If you have LOD and its considered duty related then you may get a chapter 61 retirement which is a pension and tricare. You would need a duty related condition to be found unfit and rated 30% or higher. You would need to look at the VA ratings for the unfitting condition and compare your symptoms to the VA's ratings for that condition to get an idea of what your rating would be.
#2. The VA could definitely service connect the issue. Their standards are not near as strict as the Military's for service connection. The good news is that even if they don't initially there determination can be appealed and the bar is lower for the VA. It would be pretty easy to get a doctor to say its as likely as not that your condition was permanently aggravated by your serving.
#3. No clue and your VA ratings include all service connected conditions. For the military if determined duty related the % is only for conditions found unfit and duty related.

To wrap it up you just need to see if you are being referred to non duty related IDES or duty related IDES. If non duty related IDES you will want to focus on getting VA benefits. You can fight the determination for non duty related but its an uphill battle. I don't think your chances are good for getting non duty related overturned since the condition is an inherited genetic condition.
 
Provis said:
So it all depends on if that condition is considered duty related. Since it occurred prior to mobilizing the military could state its not duty related. Since that is an inherited genetic condition I am leaning towards them listing it a non duty related. Non duty related with less than 15 good years means medical seperation without benefits.

#1. So what you need to find out is if the condition will be referred to NDR PEB. If so, you will just get kicked out. Your argument could be it was permanently aggravated by service but that may be a stretch. So to answer #1. Chances are nothing. If you have LOD and its considered duty related then you may get a chapter 61 retirement which is a pension and tricare. You would need a duty related condition to be found unfit and rated 30% or higher. You would need to look at the VA ratings for the unfitting condition and compare your symptoms to the VA's ratings for that condition to get an idea of what your rating would be.
#2. The VA could definitely service connect the issue. Their standards are not near as strict as the Military's for service connection. The good news is that even if they don't initially there determination can be appealed and the bar is lower for the VA. It would be pretty easy to get a doctor to say its as likely as not that your condition was permanently aggravated by your serving.
#3. No clue and your VA ratings include all service connected conditions. For the military if determined duty related the % is only for conditions found unfit and duty related.

To wrap it up you just need to see if you are being referred to non duty related IDES or duty related IDES. If non duty related IDES you will want to focus on getting VA benefits. You can fight the determination for non duty related but its an uphill battle. I don't think your chances are good for getting non duty related overturned since the condition is an inherited genetic condition.
Click to expand...
Thank you! That was great help!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top