Should I ask for a MEB?

[nrm224]

Hello everyone,

So I just got the news that I have a bankart lesion in my shoulder. They wanna do surgery, it's a 6 month timeframe for full recovery. This came up a week after I was just diagnosed with type 2 Chondromalacia in my knee which they're going to put injections in soon.

I have to be honest I'm pretty tired of getting hurt, prior to joining the army I dislocated the opposite shoulder and had foot surgery (which was all disclosed in meps) I'm fairly young and everything is already starting to hurt. Doing daily things is difficult, my job is fairly sedentary however I still have to lace the boots up and do army shit now and then.

If they offered I would absolutely take it, but I don't even know if I can or should bring it up. I've been seeing a doctor on and off for my shoulder for about a year and a half now, my knee has been about 5 months. Any advice? Thanks in advance.

 

[Provis]

Hello everyone,

So I just got the news that I have a bankart lesion in my shoulder. They wanna do surgery, it's a 6 month timeframe for full recovery. This came up a week after I was just diagnosed with type 2 Chondromalacia in my knee which they're going to put injections in soon.

I have to be honest I'm pretty tired of getting hurt, prior to joining the army I dislocated the opposite shoulder and had foot surgery (which was all disclosed in meps) I'm fairly young and everything is already starting to hurt. Doing daily things is difficult, my job is fairly sedentary however I still have to lace the boots up and do army shit now and then.

If they offered I would absolutely take it, but I don't even know if I can or should bring it up. I've been seeing a doctor on and off for my shoulder for about a year and a half now, my knee has been about 5 months. Any advice? Thanks in advance.

You are a ways off from a MEB. When do you ETS? Your PCM would probably not be at a point to refer you to a MEB until after the surgery & recovery period to include physical therapy. I am all for people to fight to get one when its appropriate but you don't get to that point until you can't do your job in the military after exhausting all options for therapy and recovery.

 

[nrm224]

You are a ways off from a MEB. When do you ETS? Your PCM would probably not be at a point to refer you to a MEB until after the surgery & recovery period to include physical therapy. I am all for people to fight to get one when its appropriate but you don't get to that point until you can't do your job in the military after exhausting all options for therapy and recovery.

Just over two years from ETS

 

[Provis]

Just over two years from ETS

If you do get a MEB chances are it would end about the same time you ETS and if you haven't been in the military long there probably isn't financial incentive to a MEB since any medical retirement pension would be offset by any VA compensation. So the only benefit for a MEB would be if you were rated 30% for those unfitting conditions in order to get Tricare insurance for life which is great but you would qualify for VA insurance instead if you don't get MEB which resulted in a medical retirement.

 

[nrm224]

If you do get a MEB chances are it would end about the same time you ETS and if you haven't been in the military long there probably isn't financial incentive to a MEB since any medical retirement pension would be offset by any VA compensation. So the only benefit for a MEB would be if you were rated 30% for those unfitting conditions in order to get Tricare insurance for life which is great but you would qualify for VA insurance instead if you don't get MEB which resulted in a medical retirement.

I've been in just over 5 years. I didn't realize it would take that long. This is including the chondromalaica? My understanding of it is that it is a non fixable condition that just requires routine injections from pain management.

 

[Provis]

I've been in just over 5 years. I didn't realize it would take that long. This is including the chondromalaica? My understanding of it is that it is a non fixable condition that just requires routine injections from pain management.

IDES is about 6 to 9 months. Yes that condition is a degenerative cartilage issue but just because its an issue wouldn't necessarily get you put in a MEB. You would need a P3 profile and that wouldn't come until you have had a profile that limits you from doing your job for a year or longer. It can be shorter period if your PCM and or leadership reasonably expect that condition to not be able to improve.

 

[Broken_soldier]

in my experience, i was told a needed correction surgey on my ankle, i kindly denied, and thats what triggered my MEB. your PCM its the one who has to start the p3 if they believe you have meet MRDP, often they will need a second opinion, in your case it will be orthopedics,if they believe you have a condition that fails retention standards(you have an unfitting condition)
each case is different, this is just what i know from experience. your case might be different as we dont have the same conditions, and from what i read, we have different jobs. read the deffinition of unfit for duty, here is a quick snap.

Unfit for Duty means that the service member is unable to perform the duties of their office, grade or rank, including, but not limited to:

• perform their job requirements
• fulfill their military responsibilities
• meet their physical fitness requirements
• be deployed
• wear their equipment and gear

also look at AR 40 -501, Para 3-1. for guidence of how MRDP is determined.i hope this helps.

 

[nrm224]

in my experience, i was told a needed correction surgey on my ankle, i kindly denied, and thats what triggered my MEB. your PCM its the one who has to start the p3 if they believe you have meet MRDP, often they will need a second opinion, in your case it will be orthopedics,if they believe you have a condition that fails retention standards(you have an unfitting condition)
each case is different, this is just what i know from experience. your case might be different as we dont have the same conditions, and from what i read, we have different jobs. read the deffinition of unfit for duty, here is a quick snap.

Unfit for Duty means that the service member is unable to perform the duties of their office, grade or rank, including, but not limited to:

• perform their job requirements
• fulfill their military responsibilities
• meet their physical fitness requirements
• be deployed
• wear their equipment and gear

also look at AR 40 -501, Para 3-1. for guidence of how MRDP is determined.i hope this helps.

I have 1 year old and have been considering putting off the surgery until she is a few years older. I know how hard it would be on my family if I was immobile for a few months especially because she's just getting into the toddler phase. If I decline immediate surgery they will initiate a Meb?

 

[Broken_soldier]

i cannot assure this will happen. but it is a possibility, specially if that is the very last treatment option avaliable .talk to your PCM about the possible options. keep note that youre not obligated to get surgery.

 

[nrm224]

i cannot assure this will happen. but it is a possibility, specially if that is the very last treatment option avaliable .talk to your PCM about the possible options. keep note that youre not obligated to get surgery.

Well thank you for the guidance. I guess I will have to run my pcm through some what if scenarios. I appreciate it!

 

[Optimistic]

I have 1 year old and have been considering putting off the surgery until she is a few years older. I know how hard it would be on my family if I was immobile for a few months especially because she's just getting into the toddler phase. If I decline immediate surgery they will initiate a Meb?

You should let your pcm orthopedics know about the real issues you deal with especially at work and the effects that from you being in pain and then going home to handle things around the house:
I was in the process of buying a 2 story house and I had to change all that plans I want nothing with stairs because that won’t go well for my knees. And with my job I have to lift parts, equipments climb up on ladders, steps to reach shelves and bins and that doesn’t do well. I know it hurts just typing it man hurts. And I still go to work everyday even though I am in IDES my leadership doesn’t care they still make you do it everyday and quietly trying to play it down. My P3 profile literally have me as a crippled person but hey: smh still a soldier until it’s done. It doesn’t ends