Starting MEB in Korea? Bad idea?

K

Kristy1

Member
Registered Member
Hello,
I am new to the forum and have several questions. My husband is in the Army and we are currently Non Comand Sponsored in Korea. He was medically dropped from Airborne and unable to continue to RASP a few months ago due to bulgding disks and loss of curvature in the spine. We now know after seeing many doctors and specialists that he has spinal stenosis, degenerative disk disease (phase 2) and herniated disks/bone spurs as three Cs and one L in his spine, likely caused by osteoarthiritis. He is only 27. He is on temporary profile as of now and went to the doctor again today as all the meds/phy therapy/cervical epidurals are not working. He has been told by a neurosurgeon he is not a good candidate for surgery and that he recommends he not be in the military anymore. The doctor today (sick call doc) said he wanted to try more phys therapy and told him that if he put him on a permanent profile it would automatically trigger and MEB, which would transfer my husband to a warrior transition unit stateside b/c they do not do MEBs in Korea. Is this true? We have never heard this before. Also if it is not true, do you have any advice for going through a MEB in Korea? Does everyone going through an MEB/PEB go to a warrior transition unit? Is it a bad idea to outprocess overseas? I've heard mixed things about having to pay for all of your goods to be shipped back yourself and other horror stories....I'm nervous about this process and just want my husband's health not to be damaged further and him to have good healthcare at the end of this. Please, any advice is welcomed. Thank you in advance.

-K
 
I had a similar situation while in Japan just this past January.

My first LIMDU period was horrible, and consisted of practically no medical help.

I continually pinged my detailer to ask if I can be moved. She continually denied as I was not "FILLING A BILLET". So, having just ***failed an overseas screening, I had no choice but to return to CONUS*** for treatment. (get the hint ;)?)

I had a PEB "dictated" last spring in Okinawa and it never went further than that.

My direct advice to you: Get your husband to take a medical PCS to a MTF in CONUS. He will need direct statements from the MTF at your present command/ base medical stating he needs to be PCS'd.

Once done, await orders somewhere.

I did NOT have to pay for my PCS as I was given hard orders to a command in CONUS. If they are TAD, it is a different story.

This, however is all Navy stuff. Army may be different.
 
K,
I am a SFC in the army and NOT in WTU while going through my MEB. Your husband needs to leave Korea asap, because they dont have a clue there. Korea is a totally different army and will probably do more harm then good.
Because you are not command sponsored I believe the army will only cover expenses accrued for your husband; however his stateside reporting orders must have dependants included in them, so ensure his gaining unit helps him with this. Also understand that the MEB process is a lengthy one and usually takes about a year to go through. Now this is what he has to do to get started:
1st go back to his PA and have him initiate a MEB. The PA is governed by Army Regulation 40-501 and he will use this guidance to write a "SUMMARY" stating why he feels the soldier needs to go through a MEB. This process should only take a week or so, if he takes longer have your husband light a fire under his butt using chain of command, IG, Medical IG, etc. This is the first and most important step to get this started. Once its done he should call his branch manager and see where he can be placed. Because physical therapy has not worked and he is not a good surgical candidate, the MEB must be started. If he gets a ton of friction on this, then he may have to wait till he comes back stateside to initiate the MEB. If they army broke him then they should either fix him or compensate him. If he came in with these problems then he will have a harder time getting people to help him.

Good luck and keep us updated,
Dom
 
I am in the same conduction here in Camp Casey right now. I just was told that by PA that I must go to 121 and evaluate my back conduction so I could start to MEB. I think that until the MEB be approved we must be calm. As far as I know they can start the MEB here in Korea. It would take 2 moth to be approved, so said the PA. I call my Manager Branch and he said that I would probably have to MEB from Korea. He states that there are no way to send me back now. I have been here just for 2 months. That's what I am doing, once I get confirmation of I have been recommended for MEB I am going to JAG. If not contact a lawyer as soon as possible. That is a fight that I would hate to get into, but I already made my mind. I cant hurt myself more and I am really screwed now.

Hope we could keep in touch to see the upcoming of theses MEB think.
 
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