Surprise MEB w/19 yrs 8 mos service

Egrna

New Member
Registered Member
Hi,

Looking for advice/answers.

I’m an AD Lt Col and got a surprise yesterday that I will have a medical appointment for an MEB next week. I have retirement orders for Jan 31, 2020 and was scheduled to start terminal leave in less than 5 weeks on November 8th. Is my pension at risk, or does it help that I already have an approved retirement date? I’m trying to quickly read up on this, but the stress of retirement was already pretty bad and this puts me over the top. Thanks in advance for any advice/wisdom shared.

Eric
 
You really have nothing to worry about at this point. A quick MEB can take 6 months or more and if you appeal at every level (6) you can easily make the process take a year. Also keep in mind that your terminal leave will help you cross the 20 years mark. And each time they put paperwork for you to sign at each level, you and your counsel will have ten days to sign..... take all ten days and that’s 60 days just in signatures alone. Also keep in mind that just like everything else in Government, the process will slow down over the holidays....

seriously you are in great shape to retire at 20 and collect full amount VA and retirement under CRDP assuming you are rated 50% or more.
 
I would question the logic in them starting a MEB with your approved retirement date and terminal leave starting so soon. 5 weeks is nothing.... not like your going to hurt the unit readiness that much in a short time. I’d ask the doc to just cancel the whole MEB if I were you. You should apply for VA benefits due at discharge though BDD, so that your VA claims and pension will get started sooner.
 
I would question the logic in them starting a MEB with your approved retirement date and terminal leave starting so soon. 5 weeks is nothing.... not like your going to hurt the unit readiness that much in a short time. I’d ask the doc to just cancel the whole MEB if I were you. You should apply for VA benefits due at discharge though BDD, so that your VA claims and pension will get started sooner.

Hey Tony; I'm trying to get my head wrap around Egrna's status; why would the SM cancel the whole MEB? Unless the SMs goal is to retire with 50%+ on the O5 pay grade; it's an added bonus for the individual to process through MEB, assuming DOD disability rating is higher than 20 years retirement going through the MEDBOARD.
 
I would question the logic in them starting a MEB with your approved retirement date and terminal leave starting so soon. 5 weeks is nothing.... not like your going to hurt the unit readiness that much in a short time. I’d ask the doc to just cancel the whole MEB if I were you. You should apply for VA benefits due at discharge though BDD, so that your VA claims and pension will get started sooner.
I would question the logic in them starting a MEB with your approved retirement date and terminal leave starting so soon. 5 weeks is nothing.... not like your going to hurt the unit readiness that much in a short time. I’d ask the doc to just cancel the whole MEB if I were you. You should apply for VA benefits due at discharge though BDD, so that your VA claims and pension will get started sooner.
Thanks Tony for the quick reply. I feel much better knowing that I will be able to retire with my pension. I was supposed to start my new job on Dec 2, so it looks like I may lose that job. But, I really do appreciate your input.
 
Hey Tony; I'm trying to get my head wrap around Egrna's status; why would the SM cancel the whole MEB? Unless the SMs goal is to retire with 50%+ on the O5 pay grade; it's an added bonus for the individual to process through MEB, assuming DOD disability rating is higher than 20 years retirement going through the MEDBOARD.
Because even if he gets rated 75% DOD, they will revert to 50% high 36 for longevity retirement pay and CRDP. Because he would make more that way.
 
Because even if he gets rated 75% DOD, they will revert to 50% high 36 for longevity retirement pay and CRDP. Because he would make more that way.
Isn’t there still some benefits to being medically retired instead of regular longevity retired?
I had heard that the tricare medical benefits are slightly better or cheaper perhaps?
 
Isn’t there still some benefits to being medically retired instead of regular longevity retired?
I had heard that the tricare medical benefits are slightly better or cheaper perhaps?
As Tony indicated, one of the primarily reasons a retiree would prefer to attain 20 AD duty years is eligibility for CRDP.

Example: A retiree with 100% compensation might have
$3000 retired pay
$3100 VA compensation

Without the CRDP program (CRDP program began on January 1, 2004) :
(3000 - 3100) = zero retired pay
3100 VA compensation

Under CRDP:
3000 retired pay
3100 VA compensation

Note: The example above would apply to a regular retirement. In the case of a disability retirement, but the retiree also qualifies for a regular retirement (20 years AD) the amount of CRDP is limited to the dollar amount of the longevity portion of retired pay (number of AD years x 2.5%) x (high three) = longevity
If the disability retiree did not qualify for CRDP his pay would be (DoD retired pay - amount of VA compensation) = retired pay remaining (often zero), with none restored via CRDP.
There are many possible scenarios.

I've never examined the possible advantages of having a disability retirement rather than regular, but it is highly unlikely they come close to the benefit of CRDP.

Ron
 
About the only benefit I can think of to finishing the board is having ratings secured AT retirement instead of waiting out the process AFTER retirement. Shortening the time between retirement and VA compensation.
 
About the only benefit I can think of to finishing the board is having ratings secured AT retirement instead of waiting out the process AFTER retirement. Shortening the time between retirement and VA compensation.

He "should have" done a SHPE physical which would give him those same ratings. I say should because my service seems to keep overlooking that this is a title 10 1145 USC requirement.
 
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