Not Sure What to do.

SGT35NJF

PEB Forum Regular Member
Registered Member
Not sure what to do. do i go for a Meb or PeB or CRSCor PDRL TDRL not sure what my otions are and what would be best for me but i have made the decission in the ack of my head that im ready to move on from the army.

I am an Active Duty 35N Paratrooper(also Air Assault) with 1 Previous deployment and 6yr's 4mo's TIS in the Army.

Current list of Diagnosis:

X-ray of Spine
Intervertebral disc spaces demonstrate narrowing of the disc space and loss of disc height starting at L1-L2 continues through to L5-S1. The discs all show signs of loss of disc height.
Radiculopathy, lumbar region
L-SPINE XRAYS WITH OA/DDD THROUGHOUT LUMBAR SPINE.

MRI of Spine
3 Bulging discs L3-L4/ L4-L5/L5-S1
L4-L5 Contributes to mild central stenosis
L4-L5 broad-based diffuse annular bulge with a tear of the annulus.(I assume means it previously Herniated)
Tiny limbus vertebrae at C5 and C6also noted(was told by my PCM it doesn't mean anything)

Constant Headaches and Migraines

MRI of brain
Moderate Rightward Nasal septum Deviated
Chronic Frontoethmoidal sinusitis

Pulmonologist Assessments
Primary Snoring-R06.83
Cardiac arrythmia-I49.9

Cardiologists Assessments
Heart palpitatations-R00.2
Elevated blood pressure without diagnosis of hypertension-R03.0
Near syncope-R55
Abnormal EKG-R94.31

Final conclusion came to inconclusive result with possibility of me having Buerger's Disease.

Mental Health
Chronic PTSD
Currently in talk therapy as well as made first appointment with doctor that prescribes medication.
 
Hello,

CRSC replaces waived/reduced retired pay due to the receipt of VA compensation. Your retired pay will likely be the DoD disability percentage x average high three base pay.
That pay will be reduced by the monthly amount of VA compensation you receive.

1. 6 years and 4 months = 6.333 years. 6.333 years AD or AD equivalent x 2.5% = 15.83% longevity multiplier (2% is used instead of 2.5% for blended retirement program)
2. Average high three base pay x 15.83% = longevity portion of retired pay and the maximum CRSC for you.
3. You will receive all your VA compensation.
4. Average high three base pay is the total of the highest 36 months of base pay divided by 36.

Ron
 
If you want to stay in the Army cross training before an MEB may be a possibility. It sounds like further jumping is a bad idea.
 
If you want to stay in the Army cross training before an MEB may be a possibility. It sounds like further jumping is a bad idea.
I am at the point where I would much rather just get out of the Army, its becoming very difficult to mentally deal with colleagues and peers and senior leaders. Its getting harder and harder to hold my tongue and not say how I truly feel, not to mention they are attempting to force me to do physical exercise in which I cant.
 
Hello,

CRSC replaces waived/reduced retired pay due to the receipt of VA compensation. Your retired pay will likely be the DoD disability percentage x average high three base pay.
That pay will be reduced by the monthly amount of VA compensation you receive.

1. 6 years and 4 months = 6.333 years. 6.333 years AD or AD equivalent x 2.5% = 15.83% longevity multiplier (2% is used instead of 2.5% for blended retirement program)
2. Average high three base pay x 15.83% = longevity portion of retired pay and the maximum CRSC for you.
3. You will receive all your VA compensation.
4. Average high three base pay is the total of the highest 36 months of base pay divided by 36.

Ron
But is CRSC in addition to getting paid monthly through the VA. From what I've always been told is because I am no where near making the 20 year mark I will not receive any type of retirement pay.
 
I’d push for a MEB, make sure to do so both on physical and mental health grounds. This will require your doctor to initiate and your chain of command to support for the best results.
 
But is CRSC in addition to getting paid monthly through the VA. From what I've always been told is because I am no where near making the 20 year mark I will not receive any type of retirement pay.
Hello @SGT35NJF

Yes.

1. 6 years and 4 months = 6.333 years. 6.333 years AD or AD equivalent x 2.5% = 15.83% longevity multiplier (2% is used instead of 2.5% for blended retirement program)
2. Average high three base pay x 15.83% = longevity portion of retired pay and the maximum CRSC for you. It will be less if the approved CRSC percentage equals a lower amount in the VA comp tables.
3. You will receive all your VA compensation.
4. Average high three base pay is the total of the highest 36 months of base pay divided by 36.

Summary:
You will receive all your VA compensation plus any DoD disability retired pay that is more than the VA comp amount (residual retired pay).

There are hundreds of examples on this board. Recommended search item: residual retired pay

Ron
 
I’d push for a MEB, make sure to do so both on physical and mental health grounds. This will require your doctor to initiate and your chain of command to support for the best results.
This is another situation i am having trouble with. im at the point of going to patient advocacy. My PCM has been messing up my paperwork. His head has been in the clouds and when I do speak to him or see him he talks to me as if he's confused by what I'm saying or I'm lying to him. Essentially treats me like a malingerer which triggers me to spiral out of control mentally. Then when it comes to a chain of command its as if i do not have one due to the unit/section I am in. I currently fall under DIA Civillians and work alongside Contractors and Navy Reservists.
 
Hello @SGT35NJF

Yes.

1. 6 years and 4 months = 6.333 years. 6.333 years AD or AD equivalent x 2.5% = 15.83% longevity multiplier (2% is used instead of 2.5% for blended retirement program)
2. Average high three base pay x 15.83% = longevity portion of retired pay and the maximum CRSC for you. It will be less if the approved CRSC percentage equals a lower amount in the VA comp tables.
3. You will receive all your VA compensation.
4. Average high three base pay is the total of the highest 36 months of base pay divided by 36.

Summary:
You will receive all your VA compensation plus any DoD disability retired pay that is more than the VA comp amount (residual retired pay).

There are hundreds of examples on this board. Recommended search item: residual retired pay

Ron
Thank you i will look further into it when i get further into the process.
 
If you have a mental health provider, I would ask them to initiate the MEB for you instead of your PCM. This looks like a "save yourself" situation. Start thinking about you and your family's future and stop worrying about hurting people's feelings (PCM, CoC). At the end of this road, it will be you and your loved ones, the military will not be calling to check and see how you are doing. You sound like you are in bad shape and are permanently injured from military service and cannot continue in your job---this is the definition of what a MEB is for.
 
If you have a mental health provider, I would ask them to initiate the MEB for you instead of your PCM. This looks like a "save yourself" situation. Start thinking about you and your family's future and stop worrying about hurting people's feelings (PCM, CoC). At the end of this road, it will be you and your loved ones, the military will not be calling to check and see how you are doing. You sound like you are in bad shape and are permanently injured from military service and cannot continue in your job---this is the definition of what a MEB is for.
What I just explained to my mental health provider yesterday is that I'm at the mental tip of the iceberg in which im going to explode on someone being my PCM, a Senior leader, a colleague, someone that cuts me off in traffic, someone that bumps my shoulder in public. I'm turning into a ticking time bomb. That is when he then helped me make the appointment with the prescribing doctor in the mental health clinic because he had already sent a request to my PCM and I had brought it up to my PCM and was told by my PCM that he refused to prescribe me because he didn't want to interfere with my other ongoing issues. Not to mention it took 5 months to finally get pain meds for my back stronger then Advil. Yet now 10 months later after I have repeatedly told him the medication he did end up prescribing is not working he still has not readjusted my medication. They then wonder why soldiers turn to alcohol? In the beginning my PCM gave me a Navy light Duty chit for 4 months when I'm Clearly in the Army. So i have now lost 4 months of being on temporary profile because he messed up my paperwork. I just feel like I'm loosing it. my apologies for rambling and venting on the site. I digress. Thank you for the info.
 
But is CRSC in addition to getting paid monthly through the VA. From what I've always been told is because I am no where near making the 20 year mark I will not receive any type of retirement pay.
In that case, talk to your doc about what alternatives are available to you. Let MEB be his/her idea.
 
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