So lost..

T

tacodan445

PEB Forum Regular Member
Registered Member
PEBLO has been of no help in the last 2 months.
Decided to look around on MOL and everywhere else to see if I could get any glimpse of anything to do with my PEB when I saw this forum. Saw somebody say to check their VA app for an indication of their case being closed. Apparently, mine was closed yesterday on the 18th of February. This entire process since July of 2024 has been extremely confusing to me, and every time I ask questions I either get an extremely vague answer or no answer at all. Can some one more knowledgeable in this area please inform me on what im waiting for at this point or what might come next? Any help would be appreciated.
 
If your case is showing closed, then your PEBLO should be contacting you very soon with your results/ratings. You will have some options to choose from. Assuming you agree to everything and are happy with the ratings, then you will sign... From there, you are basically done. Few more weeks and you will be out. I would call and email the representative you work with to let them know your case has closed on the VA app. This will give them a heads-up to be on the lookout.

You can call the VA and ask the representative to tell you what your rating is (it depends on the agent you get. You might have to call in several times).
 
I had already called my PEBLO earlier in the day before I had seen that my case was closed and he told me to give him a call back next week. So I will do that and see if I can get ahold of the VA and see my rating. However, as awesome as that would be to learn my rating a bit early, I'm more Interested in seeing when I would be out by.
 
It is going to depend on whether you accept the rating or challenge it. If you accept, then you will begin out processing shortly thereafter: you will be given a NLT date and get up to 90 days to clear, pick up your DD214, and all that crap. If you challenge the ratings, expect to add another 4-8 weeks to this whole process.
 
tacodan445 said:
PEBLO has been of no help in the last 2 months.
Decided to look around on MOL and everywhere else to see if I could get any glimpse of anything to do with my PEB when I saw this forum. Saw somebody say to check their VA app for an indication of their case being closed. Apparently, mine was closed yesterday on the 18th of February. This entire process since July of 2024 has been extremely confusing to me, and every time I ask questions I either get an extremely vague answer or no answer at all. Can some one more knowledgeable in this area please inform me on what im waiting for at this point or what might come next? Any help would be appreciated.
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Sounds like we have the same PEBLO. I started my process in Jan 2024, case finally closed on Jan 8, 2025. Have not been able to get a single answer out of anyone. Contacted the VA myself and was able to see their proposed ratings, but the PEBLO refuses to acknowledge them or discuss anything with me. I submitted a surrebuttal for my DBQ exams on September 27, the PEB accepted my case Nov. 5th. It took all the way until January 8th to even make it the VA. Every step of the way for me has been excruciating, especially watching several people i work with start months after I did that are already out with 100%.
 
DrHouseWannabe said:
Sounds like we have the same PEBLO. I started my process in Jan 2024, case finally closed on Jan 8, 2025. Have not been able to get a single answer out of anyone. Contacted the VA myself and was able to see their proposed ratings, but the PEBLO refuses to acknowledge them or discuss anything with me. I submitted a surrebuttal for my DBQ exams on September 27, the PEB accepted my case Nov. 5th. It took all the way until January 8th to even make it the VA. Every step of the way for me has been excruciating, especially watching several people i work with start months after I did that are already out with 100%.
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The process is in desperate need of reform. There is significant incentive for MSC's and PEBLO's to simply paperweight through the entire process and give as little guidance as allowable.
After month one of dealing with that and seeing other people's experience I didn't bother calling them for anything. I called the VA for all updates after it went into their hands, and when they were done I just called the PEB directly for updates.
 
thanks4urhelp said:
The process is in desperate need of reform. There is significant incentive for MSC's and PEBLO's to simply paperweight through the entire process and give as little guidance as allowable.
After month one of dealing with that and seeing other people's experience I didn't bother calling them for anything. I called the VA for all updates after it went into their hands, and when they were done I just called the PEB directly for updates.
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How did you call the PEB? It seems like they're the ones who have been sitting on my case, along with the PEBLO waiting until the absolute last day to do anything makes it seem like they don't want me to be able to fight for myself and just roll over and take it.
 
DrHouseWannabe said:
How did you call the PEB? It seems like they're the ones who have been sitting on my case, along with the PEBLO waiting until the absolute last day to do anything makes it seem like they don't want me to be able to fight for myself and just roll over and take it.
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<--- link
The phone number listed, when I was dealing with this, leads to a guy named Jeff. If it's still him he usually picks up around 9 EST. I called about 3 times a day if he didn't pick up, which happens. He'll pick up, say PEB Jeff, and you'll ask for an update. He won't acknowledge anything and will ask for your social. Give him your social and he'll explain your circumstance. I've only ever caught the guy in a good mood once, and I would only be in a good mood a few times too if the entire Navy and Marine Corps called my phone for updates on their medboard.
*This only works if you're in the Navy or Marine Corps
 
thanks4urhelp said:
<--- link
The phone number listed, when I was dealing with this, leads to a guy named Jeff. If it's still him he usually picks up around 9 EST. I called about 3 times a day if he didn't pick up, which happens. He'll pick up, say PEB Jeff, and you'll ask for an update. He won't acknowledge anything and will ask for your social. Give him your social and he'll explain your circumstance. I've only ever caught the guy in a good mood once, and I would only be in a good mood a few times too if the entire Navy and Marine Corps called my phone for updates on their medboard.
*This only works if you're in the Navy or Marine Corps
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Yeah that's a fair reaction, I'm Marine Corps. I really appreciate it. Taking leave next week to get a break and try not to think about it. If there is still nothing when I come back in March I will for sure call.
 
DrHouseWannabe said:
Yeah that's a fair reaction, I'm Marine Corps. I really appreciate it. Taking leave next week to get a break and try not to think about it. If there is still nothing when I come back in March I will for sure call.
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Call now if you want. I called every week. Just keep it short and sweet.
 
thanks4urhelp said:
<--- link
The phone number listed, when I was dealing with this, leads to a guy named Jeff. If it's still him he usually picks up around 9 EST. I called about 3 times a day if he didn't pick up, which happens. He'll pick up, say PEB Jeff, and you'll ask for an update. He won't acknowledge anything and will ask for your social. Give him your social and he'll explain your circumstance. I've only ever caught the guy in a good mood once, and I would only be in a good mood a few times too if the entire Navy and Marine Corps called my phone for updates on their medboard.
*This only works if you're in the Navy or Marine Corps
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I just want to thank you for this information. My PEBLO is also not giving me any information whatsoever, i know that i've been determined unfit but nothing else. They keep saying that it could take 4 weeks for me to hear anything, then she came back and said it could be 5 months. How 4 weeks turns into 5 months is beyond me.
 
How did you find out that you were determined unfit? Was that after your case closed on the VA side?
 
tacodan445 said:
How did you find out that you were determined unfit? Was that after your case closed on the VA side?
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So I dont even know if my VA stuff is closed, i dont have my va account set up because i've been having issues with it. However, I was calling my PEBLO back to back to back until she finally answered, and she said that they officially found me unfit and all we are waiting on is the disability rating at the beginning of this month. But when I followed up this morning she then said that i am in the adjudication portion with the medical officer and it can take 4-5 months. This is what has me confused.
 
SNOWSMOKE said:
So I dont even know if my VA stuff is closed, i dont have my va account set up because i've been having issues with it. However, I was calling my PEBLO back to back to back until she finally answered, and she said that they officially found me unfit and all we are waiting on is the disability rating at the beginning of this month. But when I followed up this morning she then said that i am in the adjudication portion with the medical officer and it can take 4-5 months. This is what has me confused.
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Yea that's confusing. I wish I could tell you, but as you read..I have no clue myself. Lol
 
youd think theyd have invested in a ticket system thing that provides you with status updates like ESD does when you submit a ticket for network issues.
 
tacodan445 said:
How did you find out that you were determined unfit? Was that after your case closed on the VA side?
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Not to cause any concern but VA ratings being generated doesn't imply fitness or unfitness. You can get your ratings and get found fit (though this would mean your VA rating proposal wouldn't be dispensed to you normally, only if you convince a call center agent to mistakenly send it to you which is quite easy to do).
I've seen a scenario where a Sailor got their proposals from convincing an agent on the phone at 90% only to be found fit by the board. He appealed and won an unfit determination though.
The only way to know for certain is if your PEBLO decisively tells you or your findings come back unfit.
 
Hey! Figured I'd update. So on this past Tuesday, March 4th, I received a call from an officer who asked me to come down and sign some stuff. That's legit how it was phrased by the way, threw me off big time, thought something was wrong with all the paper work. Fortunately it was not. Recieved my findings and proposed ratings and signed for them right then and there. Was told I'd receive an email within a week (wasn't told about what) and was told to give a copy of all the paper work to my S-1. I had tried asking multiple times about what the email would contain and what it should look like so I can keep an eye out but I was just brushed off. Went and gave S-1 a copy of my paper work and was immediately told to start the checkout process, being told that I'll receive my new EAS in a matter of days to a couple weeks max. How true that is I'm not sure. Another thing I am now confused about is when I first started this process I was told you get an option between DOD disability and VA disability pay if and when you get it. Now I am being told I get both aswell as a involuntary severance check of base pay x 2 x Length of service. When asked about that I was again brushed off like it didn't matter. So I guess what im asking is what is the next step if there is one and I'm not just waiting on a new EAS, along with pertaining to the "severance check" would it be recouped or a portion withheld or both? And what realistically should I be looking for and doing if I do actually get one? I know this one was long but any help is really appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 
tacodan445 said:
Hey! Figured I'd update. So on this past Tuesday, March 4th, I received a call from an officer who asked me to come down and sign some stuff. That's legit how it was phrased by the way, threw me off big time, thought something was wrong with all the paper work. Fortunately it was not. Recieved my findings and proposed ratings and signed for them right then and there. Was told I'd receive an email within a week (wasn't told about what) and was told to give a copy of all the paper work to my S-1. I had tried asking multiple times about what the email would contain and what it should look like so I can keep an eye out but I was just brushed off. Went and gave S-1 a copy of my paper work and was immediately told to start the checkout process, being told that I'll receive my new EAS in a matter of days to a couple weeks max. How true that is I'm not sure. Another thing I am now confused about is when I first started this process I was told you get an option between DOD disability and VA disability pay if and when you get it. Now I am being told I get both aswell as a involuntary severance check of base pay x 2 x Length of service. When asked about that I was again brushed off like it didn't matter. So I guess what im asking is what is the next step if there is one and I'm not just waiting on a new EAS, along with pertaining to the "severance check" would it be recouped or a portion withheld or both? And what realistically should I be looking for and doing if I do actually get one? I know this one was long but any help is really appreciated. Thanks in advance.
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Hey, glad you got your findings. I'll try to break down some of the things you mentioned.
Checkout begins pretty soon after findings. The real bottleneck is notifying RPAC about your 214 generation - some have a minimum notice with Lejeune having a 14 day notice requirement (for retirements at least.) Other bases may handle differently.
It's not an election between DoD pay and VA pay, you sign a statement saying you'll waive dollar for dollar your DoD pension for your VA pay presuming you get equal or more VA pay in comparison to DoD pay.
If you medically retired, you do not get a severance check. If you got 20% or less DoD%, you medically separated and get a severance check that the VA will recoup over time by collecting 10% or 20% depending on your DoD rated unfitting condition that medically separated you. E.g. medically separated at 20% for your spine, VA will recoup that rate in equivalency a month until your severance check is paid back.
You should've gotten your checkout sheet and started the process, once MMSR-4 updates your EAS on MOL, your OBI will become available to fill. Fill out your OBI and coordinate with RPAC Seps/retirements to ensure you're doing it right. Remember you can request 20 days of terminal PTAD on the way out for transitional readiness on top of any applicable leave. Any unused leave should be designated for sale. You can request an extension to use your leave, but that's a personal choice. I suggest trying for a 30th separation/retirement since your VA pay would be effective the day after your separation (31st ideally) which would mean you'd get backpay for the post service decision effective to the first of the following month.
If retired: TRS, SBP, OBI, checkout sheet. If separated: TRS, OBI, checkout sheet.
 
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