NJP and MEDBOARD

Ben Echmeyer

PEB Forum Regular Member
Registered Member
I am an Army Captain with 11 years of service, 4 enlisted and 7 commissioned. I have two combat deployments and multiple operational deployments. Up to this February, I had never had any blemishes on my record. However, I made a bad choice and got a DUI and am currently pending NJP. I have already received the first reading for my Article 15, also received a GOMOR. No determination has yet been made regarding the filing or the punishment.
I am currently in a DoD treatment facility for alcholism, as I have been diagnosed with PTSD and severe alcoholism. I have been sober for three months. I also have arthritis in my knees, feet, and shoulders, a bulging disc in my neck, pulmonary issues, and have a surgery scheduled for rotator cuff surgery. I am looking for informed answers regarding the liklehood that I might be able to have a med-board initiated in order to medically retire. I understand that I must serve any punishment that might be levied.

Any well informed insight would be helpful. Thanks.

V/R,

Ben
 
If your PTSD is service related, and it is severe enough to impact your ability to execute your duties as an officer, you can very likely be MEB'd on just the PTSD diagnosis.

As far as the other stuff. Unless those items are causing you to miss work, you'll end up getting a VA rating for them, but not a DOD rating.

Examples:

I have had 2 shoulder surgeries, a surgical anchor installed in order to secure the biceps tendon, my most recent MRI shows a rotator cuff tear, a SLAP tear, however, because my ROM is not unfitting per K28 of the MSD, Its not a DOD board able condition.

Additionally, I have shortness of breath with exertion, since my PFT is FEV-1/FVC 79% and there is no improvement in the value post-bronchodilator to suggest asthma, its not an unfitting condition.
 
MEB is started based on a permanent profile. So it will depend on their belief in being able to treat you to the point you can return to full duty. A conversation and when you'll be "better" and work accomidations/restrictions should naturally lead into profiles and hence into when/if a MEB is started.

Similarly the joint issues, a conversation about profiles might be warranted. We avoid profiles and admitting to our real limitations because we have to in order to stay in and advance, etc. When the breaking point happens, you have to change that dynamic.

It may but up to the GCMA if you can even get an MEB if they pursue a bad-conduct discharge, but it may not come to that.
 
Similarly the joint issues, a conversation about profiles might be warranted. We avoid profiles and admitting to our real limitations because we have to in order to stay in and advance, etc. When the breaking point happens, you have to change that dynamic.

This is so true and it pisses me off.

I have had migraines so bad, I had to have my Lieutenant drive me to the clinic. I had cotton in my ears and sunglasses on. Got to the exam room and got a shot in the ass to make the pain stop. I've been in the neurologists office with a migraine and I puked on her shoes. I have literally passed out at work from the pain of a migraine.

Because they tell us to avoid profiles or we'll get tagged and lose our careers yada yada, I never went home on quarters. Occasionally my boss would be like "You look like shit, go home" but its not documented.

Why are my migraines not a boardable condition? Because I didn't miss enough work.
 
Thanks for the feedback. I have an appointment with pulmonary for a diagnosis on my pulmonary issue. I also have moderate sleep apnea, symptomatic pes planus and bunions. Assuming I have an issue that warrants initiation of a medboard, can the process be intiated while I am flagged pending NJP? Anyone know?
 
any P3 warrants a med board. A med board can be for multiple issues.

Permanent means they have given up on fixing the issue. 3 means it causes a serious limitation. Apnea is usually a 2, because the cpap is only a moderate limitation, but not always. Others could be a 1, 2, 3 or even a 4, depends on the specific problem.

Flags do not prevent a MEB. I cannot think of any reg that says anything like that. It is only another discharge type taking precedence that can really screw you.
 
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