Need info regarding Med boards and medical retirement from NG

daishi6

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BLUF: 15+ Good years in Army Guard, currently Combat Engineer, have been having trouble physically passing APFT (on a 2.5mi walk profile currently) and participating in regular duties due to injuries sustained in combat in 2004. Currently rated 70% by VA, with reviews and appeals ongoing. Serious concerns from multiple doctors that if i exacerbate my injuries (multiple spinal and joint) i could end up in a wheelchair or worse which would cause me to lose my civilian side career as well.

I am concerned that i am currently no longer "fit to fight" and would be a detriment to my unit, ive tried to gut through it for years but things are getting worse and i'm kinda falling apart. I was rated at 70% in Dec '17, and will probably be ending up 80-90% at the end of the day (without a sleep apnea rating, ha!). How do i go about getting med-boarded to medically retire? I want to actually retire after my 15+ years of hard-fought service, not just not re-enlist. Where do i go from here? My command is actually concerned about my physical health and at times ive been ordered to not participate in ruck marches, combat manouvers etc because they're worried i'll get hurt worse (even though i bitch about it and try to do it anyway because i dont like being that guy). But at the end of the day i realize i'm not a kid anymore and ive got some serious issues that could leave me partially paralyzed for life, or having to deal with "dead limbs" and possibly amputations due to lack of nerve activity etc. Where do i go from here? just tell a medic i can't "do it" anymore? I'm just a knuckledragger so a lot of these acronyms that get thrown around might as well be mandarin to me.
 
I think one strategy would be to have the civilian doc that is concerned that further service could leave your crippled to write a letter to your PCM in the unit. Then schedule an appointment with the unit PCM, present the letter and discuss your concerns. And as always keep a copy!
 
PCM? Also our units medic is a space-case PFC so he's probably not exactly a "Font of Army Knowledge". Our BN medic and or PA would probably be more knowledgeable in the ways of forms and go here to do X type stuff.
 
There is not an MD or DO anywhere in the picture?
 
There is not an MD or DO anywhere in the picture?
Negative sir, i'm in a National Guard Brigade Engineer Battalion. We have a PA (i think, never seen it) and medics. Once yearly we go through a medical evaluation and see a couple actual nurses or PAs, but rarely an MD. Would that evaluation be the time to bring in paperwork and concerns even though its done by a different unit (contractors and state Med. Command)
 
I think I'd shot for the PA in your unit. My plan B would be the yearly eval. Then no one can say you didn't give us blah blah blah....
 
Negative sir, i'm in a National Guard Brigade Engineer Battalion. We have a PA (i think, never seen it) and medics. Once yearly we go through a medical evaluation and see a couple actual nurses or PAs, but rarely an MD. Would that evaluation be the time to bring in paperwork and concerns even though its done by a different unit (contractors and state Med. Command)
Your Sate Headquarters should have a RN on staff that works separations (Occupational Health Nurse) and that position coordinates with the State Surgeon General (a.k.a. Doctor). These positions are assigned to the TDA and are part of the State J1 (G1 Military Personnel) section. Some States use the Human Resources Officer as the Director of Military Personnel. At any rate, the State HQ Military Personnel section should advise you on getting in contact with your Medical section. Best of luck
 
Thanks y'all, i'm probably gonna approach this as a multi-pronged attack and go with all of the above. I'm sure i'll have more questions later!
 
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