Current timelines

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,
I'm a PEBLO at an undisclosed location and wanted to set some things straight.
Timelines are currently getting really muffed, and not by PEB. I am at one of the top 10 posts. We have our upload times down to under 100 days and the PEB is actually getting preliminary memo's out within days in many cases. The problem is when it goes to the VA. It used to be we were told to brief soldiers that it would be 30-90 days, with 60 being average, to get the ratings from the VA back to PEB. I can tell you that's complete BS. I have had cases that were uploaded to the PEB, and sent to VA for ratings well over 120 days ago. We have been told to brief soldiers that you can expect 90-120 days now before VA will provide ratings. We all know that means some may go out even longer. That being said, I have had some cases where they get sent to the VA by the PEB and the turn around has been 30 days. There is absolutely no rhyme or reason to how come some take so long and others don't. I just wanted to let you guys know that we do all that we can, but when it gets to the VA, even the PEB can't fix what's broken there.
Any of you who haven't gotten your VA pay yet, can guess it is because the VA hasn't sent out your VA Benefits letter. I've had soldiers call me, that separated months ago, that still haven't gotten the letter they should have received from the VA. That letter not being sent out IS the reason you don't have your pay. The VA has told my soldiers many different things, depending on who they talk to. Some will try to blame the PEB for not sending the DD214 forward, which is wrong. Some try to tell the soldier that they have to fill out new claims, which is wrong. Some have told soldiers that their PEBLO should be able to fix that, call him/her, which is wrong. Why they don't have the stones to be honest and say they have a humongous back log is beyond me. Sometimes I think these people just make it up as it goes along. I know I get pretty sick and tired of apologizing for a department I don't even work for. However, I think someone owes you guys an apology, and if the VA can't do it, then I will, because like I said, someone needs to 1. Tell you the truth, and 2. Apologize for this taking as long as it does in many cases. I went through an MEB myself and had the worlds crappiest PEBLO and got shafted. Many of us have been in your shoes. We honestly want to help you, and want to make this as painless as possible. I hope your PEBLO talks to you as honestly and openly as I do to my soldiers. If he/she isn't giving you the information you need, tell them. They owe that much to you. Best of luck with your boards!
 
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PEBLO11 said:
Hello Ladies and Gentlemen,
I'm a PEBLO at an undisclosed location and wanted to set some things straight.
Timelines are currently getting really muffed, and not by PEB. I am at one of the top 10 posts. We have our upload times down to under 100 days and the PEB is actually getting preliminary memo's out within days in many cases. The problem is when it goes to the VA. It used to be we were told to brief soldiers that it would be 30-90 days, with 60 being average, to get the ratings from the VA back to PEB. I can tell you that's complete BS. I have had cases that were uploaded to the PEB, and sent to VA for ratings well over 120 days ago. We have been told to brief soldiers that you can expect 90-120 days now before VA will provide ratings. We all know that means some may go out even longer. That being said, I have had some cases where they get sent to the VA by the PEB and the turn around has been 30 days. There is absolutely no rhyme or reason to how come some take so long and others don't. I just wanted to let you guys know that we do all that we can, but when it gets to the VA, even the PEB can't fix what's broken there.
Any of you who haven't gotten your VA pay yet, can guess it is because the VA hasn't sent out your VA Benefits letter. I've had soldiers call me, that separated months ago, that still haven't gotten the letter they should have received from the VA. That letter not being sent out IS the reason you don't have your pay. The VA has told my soldiers many different things, depending on who they talk to. Some will try to blame the PEB for not sending the DD214 forward, which is wrong. Some try to tell the soldier that they have to fill out new claims, which is wrong. Some have told soldiers that their PEBLO should be able to fix that, call him/her, which is wrong. Why they don't have the stones to be honest and say they have a humongous back log is beyond me. Sometimes I think these people just make it up as it goes along. I know I get pretty sick and tired of apologizing for a department I don't even work for. However, I think someone owes you guys an apology, and if the VA can't do it, then I will, because like I said, someone needs to 1. Tell you the truth, and 2. Apologize for this taking as long as it does in many cases. I went through an MEB myself and had the worlds crappiest PEBLO and got shafted. Many of us have been in your shoes. We honestly want to help you, and want to make this as painless as possible. I hope your PEBLO talks to you as honestly and openly as I do to my soldiers. If he/she isn't giving you the information you need, tell them. They owe that much to you. Best of luck with your boards!
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Welcome to the PEB Forum! :)

Wow! Your honest assessment as an unknown PEBLO is well appreciated. ;)

To that extent, please remain positively proactive and stay the course throughout your interactions with soldiers to help them try to secure the best solution for themselves and their loved ones.

Thus, I quite often comment that "possessing well-informed knowledge is truly a powerful equalizer."

Best Wishes!
 
PEBLO11,

Thanks for your insight and help provided to Soldiers that you are assigned to as a PEBLO.

I have had issues (and still do) with some information put out by PEBLOs. However, at the same time, I know that there are a lot of great PEBLOs and that many do want the correct outcome for Servicemembers. PEBLOs are often the first and only source of information for Servicemembers and they bear the brunt of lousy experiences that Servicemembers go through. In some cases this is warranted, however, in many cases, it is a case of "don't shoot the messenger."

As for timelines, I agree, the blame does not always lay with the military and the VA shoulders some of the blame. (Also, I am not sure speed is always the right answer- I have seen a recent decrease in processing times. While as a general matter, this is good, there should not be a sacrifice of speed for accuracy; I have deep concerns that cases are moving faster at the expense of accuracy).

Anyway, thank you for your service and assistance you provide to members. Your input here is appreciated. Some folks may not like the message, but good G2/intel is always valuable.
 
I know there are good/great PEBLOs out there…..wish I knew one


Thanks for being honest/open and thank you for your service. I'm sure what you are saying is accurate, however, insert one apathetic or ignorant PEBLO into the equation then the perfect storm hits. The VA is what it is, a beast who has bazzillions of veterans to deal with and the PEB has strict parameters in which to work/make decisions. A PEBLO is suppose to be our personal advocate who should, if nothing else, keep us informed. I understand the PEBLO is a facilitator, not in control or able to move mountains; like me, the PEBLO is at the mercy of the system(s) too. What's my point? My PEBLO sucks. Granted all of us have the means to deal with problems; appeal, reconsideration, IG, Congressman, FPEB, Jesus etc.... What would I do differently if I were a PEBLO? Answer emails and not give short blast answers, but take time to articulate things. Don’t say "Ok I will" and then don’t. I would not tell a Soldier "you can just appeal" where there is a chance to fix a problem before it gets to the VA or PEB. I would update the MY PEB site on AKO. I would seek advice/wise council if I didn’t know the answer; swallow my pride. I would immediately stop taking 1000mg of apathy every morning and start taking a hefty dose of Soldier First!
 
95B97B42A said:
I know there are good/great PEBLOs out there…..wish I knew one


Thanks for being honest/open and thank you for your service. I'm sure what you are saying is accurate, however, insert one apathetic or ignorant PEBLO into the equation then the perfect storm hits. The VA is what it is, a beast who has bazzillions of veterans to deal with and the PEB has strict parameters in which to work/make decisions. A PEBLO is suppose to be our personal advocate who should, if nothing else, keep us informed. I understand the PEBLO is a facilitator, not in control or able to move mountains; like me, the PEBLO is at the mercy of the system(s) too. What's my point? My PEBLO sucks. Granted all of us have the means to deal with problems; appeal, reconsideration, IG, Congressman, FPEB, Jesus etc.... What would I do differently if I were a PEBLO? Answer emails and not give short blast answers, but take time to articulate things. Don’t say "Ok I will" and then don’t. I would not tell a Soldier "you can just appeal" where there is a chance to fix a problem before it gets to the VA or PEB. I would update the MY PEB site on AKO. I would seek advice/wise council if I didn’t know the answer; swallow my pride. I would immediately stop taking 1000mg of apathy every morning and start taking a hefty dose of Soldier First!
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Sascha Robertson.
 
Several of you have made good points. As I said in my post, I went through an MEB and it was a really bad experience. The key to the whole PEBLO/SM relationship is communication. One thing I can tell you that makes a big difference is ICE comments. If your PEBLO isn't giving you the info you need, doesn't answer their phone during business hours, or doesn't at least return a voicemail or email, you need to let them know you NEED this contact. If they still don't get it, you need to let someone know. And not just here on these forums. ICE comments go all the way up the CoC. Enough of these that come in on a PEBLO and they do get dealt with. Many PEBLO's are Term employees. If a Term gets negative ICE comments, guess who doesn't get picked up to be a Perm? I would also encourage you to leave positive ICE comments if your PEBLO is doing a good job. Why? Same as before. A Supervisor needs to know who is doing more than making the numbers add up, but is actually getting soldiers satisfied with the process. May not always be happy about the final disposition, but at least know they were heard and got a fair shake in a sometimes imperfect system.
Look, I work with some PEBLOs that are just as committed to you as I am. But I also know there are some PEBLOs that think everyone going through a MEB/PEB is shamming and you would think they write the check themselves. I can tell you those asshats are the exception, just as the clowns faking crap are the exception to the rule in soldiers going through the boards.
I can tell you that I have been a PEBLO for a few years, and have not had a single complaint. Why? Because I never have emails unanswered, voice messages stacked up on my phone, and an open door to any of my assigned soldiers any time they are in the area. I also communicate with nurse case managers everyday and company commanders every time a soldier has an appointment, or there is any movement in their case. If you do not get this from your PEBLO, you really need to let them know that this is their obligation to you. If they don't like it, they should probably be working somewhere else. If any of you have questions about current policy, expected timelines etc., ask and I will do my best to answer those questions. If it is something specific to a military base, I will likely not know. We are all supposed to be doing our jobs to one standard, but I can tell you that is not the case. Some posts are just not all in yet.
 
PEBLO11 said:
Several of you have made good points. As I said in my post, I went through an MEB and it was a really bad experience. The key to the whole PEBLO/SM relationship is communication. One thing I can tell you that makes a big difference is ICE comments. If your PEBLO isn't giving you the info you need, doesn't answer their phone during business hours, or doesn't at least return a voicemail or email, you need to let them know you NEED this contact. If they still don't get it, you need to let someone know. And not just here on these forums. ICE comments go all the way up the CoC. Enough of these that come in on a PEBLO and they do get dealt with. Many PEBLO's are Term employees. If a Term gets negative ICE comments, guess who doesn't get picked up to be a Perm? I would also encourage you to leave positive ICE comments if your PEBLO is doing a good job. Why? Same as before. A Supervisor needs to know who is doing more than making the numbers add up, but is actually getting soldiers satisfied with the process. May not always be happy about the final disposition, but at least know they were heard and got a fair shake in a sometimes imperfect system.
Look, I work with some PEBLOs that are just as committed to you as I am. But I also know there are some PEBLOs that think everyone going through a MEB/PEB is shamming and you would think they write the check themselves. I can tell you those asshats are the exception, just as the clowns faking crap are the exception to the rule in soldiers going through the boards.
I can tell you that I have been a PEBLO for a few years, and have not had a single complaint. Why? Because I never have emails unanswered, voice messages stacked up on my phone, and an open door to any of my assigned soldiers any time they are in the area. I also communicate with nurse case managers everyday and company commanders every time a soldier has an appointment, or there is any movement in their case. If you do not get this from your PEBLO, you really need to let them know that this is their obligation to you. If they don't like it, they should probably be working somewhere else. If any of you have questions about current policy, expected timelines etc., ask and I will do my best to answer those questions. If it is something specific to a military base, I will likely not know. We are all supposed to be doing our jobs to one standard, but I can tell you that is not the case. Some posts are just not all in yet.
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You said it all, my friend! You said it all...! :)

Oh yes, ICE the PEBLO up; good or bad! :D

Thus, thereafter, the comments will help all military members in the DoD IDES MEB/PEB process.

Best Wishes!
 
Ok I have a question about the IDES system. Currently my husband is going through this process and he has a terrible memory due to TBI so asking him is pointless because he really cannot remember what happened during the day. He received his unfit letter 05 January 2013, we were told that it would take 90-120 days. We have had acquaintances who got their unfit letter long after my husband and now they are already out of the military and here we are sitting and waiting at 123 days right now. So my question is, honestly how much longer can we expect to be waiting? Also if we wait much longer is there anything we can do to find out what the hold up is or if there is anything we can do to speed things along?? Oh added note my husband has the worst PEBLO!! She just had a baby in November and is never in the office and when she is all she says is it should be anyway now it has been 2 months of anyway now from her that is the most aggravating part of it all. Please help me so I can point my husband in the right direction.
 
PEBLO11 said:
Several of you have made good points. As I said in my post, I went through an MEB and it was a really bad experience. The key to the whole PEBLO/SM relationship is communication. One thing I can tell you that makes a big difference is ICE comments. If your PEBLO isn't giving you the info you need, doesn't answer their phone during business hours, or doesn't at least return a voicemail or email, you need to let them know you NEED this contact. If they still don't get it, you need to let someone know. And not just here on these forums. ICE comments go all the way up the CoC. Enough of these that come in on a PEBLO and they do get dealt with. Many PEBLO's are Term employees. If a Term gets negative ICE comments, guess who doesn't get picked up to be a Perm? I would also encourage you to leave positive ICE comments if your PEBLO is doing a good job. Why? Same as before. A Supervisor needs to know who is doing more than making the numbers add up, but is actually getting soldiers satisfied with the process. May not always be happy about the final disposition, but at least know they were heard and got a fair shake in a sometimes imperfect system.
Look, I work with some PEBLOs that are just as committed to you as I am. But I also know there are some PEBLOs that think everyone going through a MEB/PEB is shamming and you would think they write the check themselves. I can tell you those asshats are the exception, just as the clowns faking crap are the exception to the rule in soldiers going through the boards.
I can tell you that I have been a PEBLO for a few years, and have not had a single complaint. Why? Because I never have emails unanswered, voice messages stacked up on my phone, and an open door to any of my assigned soldiers any time they are in the area. I also communicate with nurse case managers everyday and company commanders every time a soldier has an appointment, or there is any movement in their case. If you do not get this from your PEBLO, you really need to let them know that this is their obligation to you. If they don't like it, they should probably be working somewhere else. If any of you have questions about current policy, expected timelines etc., ask and I will do my best to answer those questions. If it is something specific to a military base, I will likely not know. We are all supposed to be doing our jobs to one standard, but I can tell you that is not the case. Some posts are just not all in yet.
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pyritzfamily said:
Ok I have a question about the IDES system. Currently my husband is going through this process and he has a terrible memory due to TBI so asking him is pointless because he really cannot remember what happened during the day. He received his unfit letter 05 January 2013, we were told that it would take 90-120 days. We have had acquaintances who got their unfit letter long after my husband and now they are already out of the military and here we are sitting and waiting at 123 days right now. So my question is, honestly how much longer can we expect to be waiting? Also if we wait much longer is there anything we can do to find out what the hold up is or if there is anything we can do to speed things along?? Oh added note my husband has the worst PEBLO!! She just had a baby in November and is never in the office and when she is all she says is it should be anyway now it has been 2 months of anyway now from her that is the most aggravating part of it all. Please help me so I can point my husband in the right direction.
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would be best for you to make a new thread, but like PEBLO11 indicated, there is no rhyme nor reason to how long the VA takes. It could be he has more/different conditions than the others, or his got pulled to be reviewed by quality assurance. Or it could just be siting in a stack on someones desk collecting dust because that person went on leave or was in an accident etc. at the phase he is in right now, your best bet is to use the IRIS query through the VA website or by telephone.
 
Pyritz- could be a lot worse. He could be in my shoes right now...take that for what it's worth.
 
TSgt Twitch is right. There really is no way to know what the hold up is, since you already got the preliminary memo of unfit. At the time a PEBLO gets that memo, the PEB also sends it to the VA for ratings. Unfortunately that is where things go down the toilet. I've got a case that got the preliminary memo back in November, and I've talked to the PEB and they tell me they have cases at the VA from September 2012. On the other hand, I've sent cases up and gotten the DA199 with ratings back in 3 weeks. The VA is just plain overwhelmed and completely dysfunctional. We can't see exactly where a soldiers case is other than it being processed. If you call the VA, you may get a better answer than what your PEBLO is able to see. The big problem is that we are Department of Defense, and they are VA. The departments in the VA don't even have the capability to communicate effectively with each other because they use different systems. I wish I had better news for you, but please try to be patient and don't give up. As to your PEBLO not doing what they ought to be doing, you should be direct and honest with her and let her know your frustration and tell her what you need from her to make it easier. If that doesn't work, go to her Supervisor or file an ICE complaint. I hope this helps some.
 
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