Question about Disability Retirement Pay

I received my findings of unfit for shoulder and cervical spine problems and was rated at 40% PDRL by the Army (I'm in the Legacy System). I am trying to figure out what my retirement pay will be, since my PEBLO never counselled me on it. I have a total of 11 years AD and 21 years for pay. I know from reading DOD Financial Management Regs that they will use either the percentage or years and that they try to use the one that is more beneficial for the member. I guess my question is which one would they use in my situation, I did bring this up to my PEBLO but got no response. Also, I would fall under the Final Pay for retirement.

Just a side note I have not filed a VA claim yet as I only found out last week when my retirement date is and it is coming up fast. And by fast I mean, 30 April.

Any info would be greatly appreciated since, I'm going to be having a TSR done soon and I want to be able to provide for my family while I recover from the surgery.

Thanks in advance.
 
Need to know your total points (active duty days/time plus reserve points) and your grade to tell.
 
Does TSR = Total Shoulder Replacement? Your shoulder condition was not deemed unfitting? Are you on active duty? They are not going to fix your shoulder while still on active duty?

Mike
 
Jason & Mike,

Total points I won't know till I talk to the AG people, my current rank is E-5. Yes the TSR is total shoulder replacement, the DCCS here denied it because I was in the MEB process and said it was "elective" surgery. Been on AD this time since '08 and this all started in '09. Had an Arthroscopy done on it and have never been the same since and was told that they shouldn't have done the Arthro and went ahead and done the TSR in the first place, gotta love the military medical mindset sometimes. In regards to them fixing it while I am still on AD, "NO" was told by my Ortho PA that I would have to get it done after I retire or go to the VA, he is quoting again what the DCCS here told him and some obscure memo that no one has a copy of for me to read. The shoulder and the cervical issues were what were rated as unfitting.

To me it would have made alot more sense to do the surgery while I was AD because of the recovery time, so now when I retire with whatever compensation I get from the Army and the VA, which probably won't be much, I won't be able to work or look for a job for about a year and my civilian Ortho doc said that I will never be like I was before the onset of the osteoarthritis and I can live with that but damn what is with the Army not letting me have the surgery and then if I don't progress, then putting me in for the MEB/PEB process, give a guy a chance.

I took the retirement, at least that way I still have health care coverage for the family. And will now have to fight with the VA to see what if anything I will get from them. I also applied but will probably be denied SSDI, but hey if you don't ask you never know. Will update this when I here more. By the way just in case, I'm 51, so maybe that was used by the PEB, I know that they aren't supposed to use age as a factor but it sure looks like they did.
 
Jason & Mike,

Total points I won't know till I talk to the AG people,.

You should be able to get your points directly from your service portal. I used to get a new copy annually on my R/R year, and had to provide a copy to my supervisor. Throughout my reserve career, on any day I could tell you within 30 points how many I accumulated--by that's me...a stickler for details. If you can't find it online, you can ask the personnel office to email or fax you a copy almost immediately.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5960216_calculate-national-guard-retirement.html
 
Was your shouder condition covered in your MEB with full clinical data?

Mike
 
Mike,

I'll have to relook at the paperwork again, the PEB was more concerned with the fact that I couldn't carry a load or wear IBA/Kevlar than anything else. I think the ROM stuff was just glossed over as it was only bearly mentioned in the final paragraph of the section covering my shoulder on the DA 199.
 
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