Do these boards meb\peb take into consideration years of service when it comes to medical retirement vs separation? I am a CW2 with 16 years of service and I suspect I have degenarative disc disease in my spine. I have sciatica in my left leg and foot, and it flares up after I run. I have a an MRI scheduled tomorrow. The doctors have not even hinted at going down the meb/peb route, I was just curious thinking down the road. I would like to think if I had to be boarded that the doctor sitting across from me would think to themselves this guy has given 16 years of service I am not going to hose him over and just separate him. Any thoughts
FYI they can separate you at 19 years 30 days but although highly unlikely it has happened. There are programs in place of you qualify COAD and ,COAR that will allow you to make it to 20 years if qualified and approved by HRC.
Smitty92,
I went thru the same thing I was a 17 years upon completion of my PEB and was found unfit 60 % DOD and 90 % VA and was given TDRL, like you I was too close to retirement to give it all up so I applied for COAD and was approved. Its now 3 years later and I went thru the entire process and I am about to retire 100% PDRL across the board so I am speaking from experience.
I believe this question has more to do, will they give you 20% and separate vs 30% and retire. The ratings are done by the VA and are highly fact specific and will almost certainly not consider your years of service.
The fit/unfit has a lot more room for judgment calls. Should they consider you unfit and the VA only rate at 20%, it is fairly likely that an appeal to that will look at your 16 years of service and change you to fit if you can provide them with a reasonable case to support it. Or alternatively be a little more generous at finding an additional condition unfit if you go that route. The regulations and law don't allow them to consider things like years of service, but they leave enough room for them to make a judgment on your total record, its very easy to believe that it would be a factor. You still have to provide them enough of a story to justify their decision.
As a note, if they do retire at 30% they will raise your % to match as if you retired for years of service.
30% is still a benefit. The phrasing of "just separate him" makes me think he just doesn't want to lose the retirement, not maximize the $ /shrug.
COAD is getting harder to approve, its highly based on number of slots they have for your specialty, and the downsizing is making those harder or impossible to justify COAD for some jobs. Anyone that can apply should I think, but its pretty hard to predict if they will grant it. COAD is also variable based on the cause of your injury, their rate of denying combat injuries COAD is very low. 18 years is the magic mark for making COAD approval better.
I have 17 years as an 03Ean was recently found unfit by the PEB, still awaiting the VA ratings. My recommendation, gut it out as long as you can, I have had numerous neurological issues for three years, and i will be compensated for life accordingly. You can seek treatment and maybe even a permanent no run profile, get promoted to CW3, possibly make it to 18 or even 20 and draw CDRP... Which may double your retirement money for life...
The key (for the Navy) is to hit the 18 year mark. If you hit that, you can put in a request to be put on permanent limited duty. For me, that is exactly what I did, got approved, and am finally over 20. I'll be retiring the end of March, 70% PDRL DoD/100% VA.
