Questions about Fort Hood WTU Assignment

cschultz1978

PEB Forum Regular Member
Registered Member
Hello everyone,

So after 9 months of a slow role through the medical system of the Army my 2 Command Directed Fit for Duties ended in both Behavioral Health and Soldier Readiness recommending assignment to WTU. My Command agreed and now I have orders for October 29th to the Fort Hood WTU. Besides telling me I am going they haven't let me know much of anything else. I have reached out to Fort Hood directly but same result as of yet. I was a "remote" active duty soldier assigned up in the Dallas Area. So I am looking for some feedback or information from anyone who has done the WTU there recently. Some key points in my case are below. Thank you all for your help in advance. This forum has been a great tool for sure in this process.

1. Referred to MEB.
2. Attended ALL VA C&P exams since I am doing the IDES system. Pending results currently.
3. Assumed will then be sent to PEB around end of November after I agree or challenge the VA findings.
4. SFC with 18 years of Service but only 11 of those are Active. Rest are Reserves. So not even close to the 20 mark yet on the Active Side. No intention on trying to stay in at this point. Just shooting for that magical 30% DOD so I can get Tricare so I don't have to rely only on the VA moving forward.
5. I attempted to do an early ETS from service but Command denied it due to recommendation to WTU before release. I was ready to just go take my VA percentage and call it a day. But now I am stuck. I already have all my diagnosis and treatments. Have been in mental health treatment for 2 years and medical for 4 years trying to find a patch for my symptoms so I could complete my Reserve 20 years at least. No fix was found. I am stable now but not normal that is for sure. I just wanted out and still do but since that is not an option I am riding out the system.
6. "estimated" out the door date from PEBLO end of February beginning of March.
7. Will be at WTU until then. Family is staying in our home up in the Dallas area and kids are staying in their school. Treat it like a deployment. No intention on moving them for 5 months..
8. Orders are a PCS order not an attachment order so this is a full move. So my BAH will drop about $1000 while I wait for completion and I am hoping that I can stay in the barracks in Fort hood and draw BAH for my family. But if not BAH will drop $2400 off my monthly pay. Good times.

Questions:

1. Does anyone know if you can stay in the barracks at Fort hood WTU and still draw BAH for that area or do you just lose it completely?
2. Once assigned to the WTU since I am already in the IDES and done with C&P exams what exactly do they do for you there? I already have a civilian care team that I am told I will lose access to once transfered since I will not longer be on Tricare Prime Remote and can no longer see civilian providers.
3. What is an average day like at the WTU? Do you check in and out each day and just go to appointments? If so can you go home if you don't have any appointments?
4. I was told by someone else on the forum that with any behavioral health diagnosis you can't do the WTU "remote" program is that true? I don't know much about that Remote program but sounds like you would be allowed to stay at home and just report for medical appointments?

Thanks to anyone who could shine any light on some of this stuff!
Chris
 
1. Does anyone know if you can stay in the barracks at Fort hood WTU and still draw BAH for that area or do you just lose it completely?

I was in the WTU at Bliss, they have their own barracks and those are centered around medical treatment.

2. Once assigned to the WTU since I am already in the IDES and done with C&P exams what exactly do they do for you there? I already have a civilian care team that I am told I will lose access to once transfered since I will not longer be on Tricare Prime Remote and can no longer see civilian providers.

You may be seeing civilian providers, or those at the MTF. It all depends on availability of care. There are nurses in referral management that will assist you in making your appointments.

3. What is an average day like at the WTU? Do you check in and out each day and just go to appointments? If so can you go home if you don't have any appointments?

For me, it was a 0700 formation, 1300 formation 1600 formation. Some of the soldiers assigned had various duties that they performed during the day, however medical appointments are always the priority. I had no duties assigned so I would have staff duty quite often. There are weekly town hall meetings that take place, meetings with nurse care manager and of course your medical appointments. We also had adaptive physical therapy 3x a week with a physical trainer, physical therapist and occupational therapist.

4. I was told by someone else on the forum that with any behavioral health diagnosis you can't do the WTU "remote" program is that true? I don't know much about that Remote program but sounds like you would be allowed to stay at home and just report for medical appointments?

I think this may be unique for each individual case based upon risk. After 90 days in the WTU, I was assigned to the CBWTU (now called CCU I believe) where they sent me home and I went to a local NG station for accountability purposes. I had a remote command staff and would communicate with squad leader, platoon sergeant and first sergeant by phone and email.

Please take the time to read the policy and guidance, It may help answer some of your questions. http://wct.army.mil/documents/policies.html
 
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