What I need clarification on is this: I only had 1 condition listed for my MEB "Cervicalgia??"" basically my neck. So that is all good and fine, but she said that will be the only condition for which i will recieve a percentage for regarding my ability to get severance or retirement, I questioned her on why my other (for what i know to be disabling conditions) not listed and she says the Air Force has not exhausted all means of treating the other conditions, therefore, even though they are unfitting they will not be rated for my Air Force percentage, and will just be rated on the VA side. Is this correct or is she full of it? Based off my VA exam I think I have like 3 other unfitting conditions in addition to my neck....These conditions have a significante history of treatment with no results
Interesting, I am going through my MEB (USAF, just began) and I have the exact same questions regarding just what the AF "looks at" and rates vs what the VA will consider and rate.
My PEBLO says the exact same thing yours does.
I am being MEB'd for chronic PTSD and Intervertebral disc syndrome (pre and post operatively) with Radiculopathy. This is what's listed as my "unfit for duty" conditions.
In addition to this I have been diagnosed with TBI, memory lapses or loss, migraines and cervicalgia. These conditions all relate to each other as they all started during/after my last deployment but are not classified as being unfit for duty.
She is wrong. The MEB is required to cover all conditions with full clinical data. See DoDI 1332.38 under MEB content. Also see the 19 Dec 2011 DTM that DoD just put out on the IDES. It states:
IDES medical examinations will include a general medical examination and any other applicable medical examinations performed to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) compensation and pension (C&P) standards. Collectively, the examinations will be sufficient to assess the member’s referred and claimed condition(s) and assist VA in ratings determinations and assist military departments with unfit determinations.
Mike, I've read the new IDES DTM. I am confused as to what the paragraph above means as it relates to the initial "unfit for duty" conditions that call for a MEB in the first place. My PCM, DAWG and PEBLO say that only two of my medical problems fall into this category.
Are you saying that these unfit conditions can be added to during a different phase of IDES based upon VA C&P exam results?
DoDI 1332.38 also states that a condition that meets retention standards can also contribute to unfitness and if that is the case then they are also included in the PEB rating. The only way to make this determination is to include all conditions in the MEB.
Do you happen to know where in this DoDI I can find this? I've looked through it under the MEB content and used the search function but was unable to find it.
With this reference would I be able to convince my PCM, DAWG and PEBLO to add my other contributing conditions to the MEB?
