Currently, I am AD military. Right now I am having some difficult problems and I am trying to decide if I should try to get medical discharge or get out of the service? Let's see... I am reaching my HYT as of May2010. I am light limited duty(1st limdu) because I had surgery on my left knee (ACL recon). My major problem is my feet... I have plantar fasciitis, hallux valgus, bunion (left foot), and I had bunion removed on my right foot (took the edge off the pain but still there). My limdu is over in FEB10 but I am still having problems with my feet. I am trouble walking and standing long periods of time. I have gout too... forgot to mention.

Another question does the DOD only rate you for one problem or other issues linked together?

If you guys shed some light of the matter... it will be helpful.

East

If you military job requires lots of standing and walking I think I would try and get a medical discharge. Do you want a military career? If you do want to stay in you need to find a way to stay off your feet because from what you say these conditions sound pretty permanent. I also have foot problems. The tought of standing for long hours would make me want to jump over the side. I was in the army. These conditions usually have a way of getting worse with age. Where ever you go you will have to find work that keeps you off your feet most of the time.

No... not looking for a military career anymore. With my knee, feet, and lower back... I can't have a career and now I am wondering what can I do??? My surgeon who did my knee says I will have to live a low impact life style otherwise I will be facing another surgery. When I leave the Navy I don't what job I can do without standing on my feet for a long period of time. I do have a question... when you go for a medical discharge will they only rate me for my feet or will they rate for my lower back, feet, and left knee as well???

i hope I can shed some light on to your situation. DOD/ARMY in your case is going to send you to a MEB (medical evaluation board), if at the end of your limited duty time, you can't come back to full strength. The MEB usually entails a separation physical (mention anything and everything you ahve ever had wrong with you in service, trust me this helps in the future), it will also entail you going to specialists for each condition, Orthopedics for your knees and foot doctor, if ortho doesnt cover it. They will examine you and then do a write up. They usually will tell you at the appointment what their recommendation is going to be. They formally write it up and submit it to a PEB (Physical Eval board) with in usually 2 wks from your appointment. Once it gets to the PEB, 3 officers will review your medical history and determine what conditions you have, any new conditions they may have found and all these they determine if you are fit or not fit for duty in the armed services. They do come up with a rating that is equivalent to the VA but they generally low ball you. If all your injuries are more then 30% disabled, they will medically retire you. Then they will determine if you are on TDRL or PDRL. If TDRL 30-50%, you will get 50% of your monthly rank pay. If you are receiving more from VA then this amount will be offset and you wont recieve any retired pay. If you really do have all these injuries then I would go to the medical board process, otherwise you are shooting yourself in the foot in the long run with VA comp. Besides, you want to protect yourself from further injury. The retiree process can be discussed more in the future. You basically need to find out if you can or can not stand/be in the army at 100%.

I hope some of this information was useful. I went through the same process, so this is what I speaking about, since I've gone through it.

Say, if I am able to get 50% from DOD... do I only get 50% of base pay or will get 50% of base pay, BAH, and BAS???

USMC_HVEQ what I got its better for me to get a medical retirement than to settle for VA correct? Does that mean I will not get VA benefits because I am medical retire from the Navy?

Yes, I do have lots of medical condintions. Currently, I am stick in a tool room because I cannot perform my job. I am wearing orthetics however you spell for my feet but its not helping. Working in the tool room is not helping because I am still on my feet and by the end of the day I am hurting.

I do want to thanks answering my questions

I do want to say... I am no longer concern about staying in the service... I am having too many problems right now. I used to be a EP sailor but everything went down hill with my knee injury and my feet been killing me. Just want to ask for some advice concerning about getting a medical board or just get out of service and have the VA help me.

I also heard... when you get medical discharge you a paycheck for the years you been in right? Also, I heard if you get the check you will have to pay it back before you can receive VA funds.... is that true? If so, can you decline the check from DOD?

East

you really need to go to one of the boards that specializes in MEB/PEB. hadit, while an extremely helpful site when navigating the VA process, there is not a lot of expertise on MEB/PEB issues. If you scroll down the main page, there is a link that will take you to another site that is all about MEB/PEB

however, if you are injured/disabled due to your service, DON'T just "get out". Go through the MEB/PEB process. Supposedly, under the new process the services determine fitness for duty, the VA determines disablity rating for separation (and VA compensation) purposes. the problems brought to light recently was that each service used the VA ratings scheduled, but modified it t suit their own needs, and all tended to low ball by picking one disability to rate (the lowest one) and used that to determine a service disablity percentage.

If you are rated less than 30% at the PEB, then you are discharged with a severance computed on years of service and base pay. I believe you are right about the VA offset for severance, but I'm not really certain.

If you are rated 30% or more, then you are eligible for medical retirement. Under permanent medical retirement, your retirement pay is based on you base pay and disablity rating percentage--50% disabled equals 50% base pay; 70% disablity equals 70% of base pay. Yes, it's true, your retired pay is subject to a dollar for dollar offset with any VA compensation you get. Still, with diability retirement (as opposed to discharge), you are a retiree with a retiree ID card and access to DoD installations including BX/PX/NEX/MCEX, commissary and MWR facilities. You also get TRICARE, and any dependants you have now or in the future will be eligible to enroll in DEERS and get ID cards and TRICARE.

Retired pay, whether for disability or years of service is always computed on base pay only--other allowances you received such as BAH don't enter in to the retired pay calculation.

Miliatary disability retirement does not preclude you from applying for VA benefits/compensation. In fact, you should apply as soon as you are able, including while still in service after you have an established seperation/retirement date. You may get rated 50% walking out the door, but your condition could worsen or you could develop additional conditions that are secondary to (caused by or aggravated by) your service connected conditions and you are allowed to file for increased benefits as a result. again, the only real downside is the (for now) offset of your military retired pay and your VA compensation. VSOs are working diligently to get that changed.

Think about it...it's worth the hassle to go thru the process and get properly rated by the service for your disability. don't give up the ship. Meanwhile, get everything, and I mean EVERYTHING documented by going to the doctor, sick call, etc. Once is not enough, you need to show ongoing, chronic conditions and treatment.

finally, the MEB/PEB process is available in Navy regs. Find out what they are and read them. Somewhere at your base hospital there is a PEBLO--the PEB Liaison Officer who may be in service, or may be a govt civilian. He or she is the keeper of all knowledge regarding the MEB/PEB process. He/she can brief you on the process (and will once an MEB is started, but no reason you can't get some questions answered now). also, if no one else can tell you what regs to review, the PEBLO will.

Information is power, you've already started asking questions which is good...keep movinig forward. Good luck, keep up with hadit and use this site for navigating the VA process.

Good Luck!

Yes, get the medical board. Can you get any sort of representation at these boards? If it is the same old military they will do all they can to low ball your disability rating. You do have to pay back severance pay if you get VA compensation. Of course, VA compensation takes time to get even with SMR's and great documentation. If you just get out you may have to fight tooth and nail for VA compensation.

You should get a PEB/MEB, however, also look beyond the obvious. Get a copy of your medical records and see what other conditions you may have but look over because of the conditions that bother you on a daily bases. Make sure that all of your conditions a documented before your get out of the service.

east,

12r3g, explained it perfectly in my opinion. In my case, I didnt have a "choice" on MEB or not. Just make sure any ailments are documented. Others are also correct if you can also start getting treatment for these ailments will also be beneficial. DOD and VA are separate pay checks. Most that served less then the normal retirement time, just have DOD pay(which is taxable) waived and lieu of VA compensation which is tax free. This offset is on a dollar for dollar basis. Good luck in your pursuit. Don't give up. Make lists of injuries to keep yourself organized. You have to be proactive, which you are. This will help you out and you will be able to help out others in the future. Also I recommend that you write down as much info as you can about each injury. Remind yourself, what evidence you ahve for each, such as progress notes, Diagnosis/Nexus. If you organize, thsi will expedite your claims in the future, becuase in a way you are helping connect the dots for them. Sorry for the rambling......happy vets day

on the same boat as you are, me stretch it out as long as you can for me its a fight to stay in for another 6 years so i get full medical retirement dont want severance pay as i understand they VA will take all back considered double dipping .messed up I know