Time Hack

A

AEmedic

PEB Forum Regular Member
PEB Forum Veteran
Registered Member
I have been working with my PCM since this time last year, getting ready for an MEB. We discussed it and he wanted to get passed my thyroidectomy prior to starting it. That happened in December. We talked again at the end of January and he established my code 37 in Feb 15.

This process requires nothing if not patience. It took three months for my initial NARSUM and another month for my commander to sign off on the CC letter and send it over to the PEBLO. So, it took about 4 months to go from having a code 37 established to the point that the package could be put together and be sent to AFPC for initial review. When I finally meet with the MSC it will have been 5 months since the code 37 and the MEB won’t have actually even started yet.

Lesson learned? I need to work on my expectations!

My NARSUM is being submitted with 4 potentially unfitting diagnoses.
  • •Hypothyroidism s/p total thyroidectomy
  • •Cervical, thoracic, and lumbar pain and radiculopathy, secondary to multilevel disc herniations, bulges, and facet arthropathy
  • •Severe OSA controlled with BiPAP with secondary Pulmonary Hypertension
  • •COPD, mild
Honestly, I think there is more that could be listed as unfitting but I guess we'll see what happens after I go to the VA. There is always an opportunity for an impartial review and I can write up a letter to go with the package.

Timeline:
Feb 15 - Code 37 established
18 May 15 - Initial NARSUM complete
11 Jun 15 - Commander signed off on CC Letter
24 Jun 15 - Package sent to AFPC for IRILO
30 Jun 15 - Received word from AFPC, directing full MEB
10 Jul 15 - Scheduled for initial PEBLO brief
16 Jul 15 - Scheduled for Meeting with MSC
 
Can I ask what is a CC letter?
 
Camp P Marine said:
Can I ask what is a CC letter?
Click to expand...

The CC letter is the Commander's letter. It is an opportunity for the commander to have an input into the process. He/she outlines whether your medical issues impact your ability to perform day to day duties and the duties that you would be asked to perform when deployed. Then the commander gives a recommendation as to the outcome of the MEB.
 
I met with the MSC from the VA yesterday. That wasn't exactly what I expected...
 
Today I got the call from the VA telling me when my C & P appointments would be. Aug 20, 24, 25 and Sep 10 and 12. Almost two months from the initial claim till the last VA C & P appointment. Not too bad, but no one is in a hurry around here...
 
I had my 6 hour General Med C & P today. I'm not sure what to make of it, Sometimes I thought it was going well, other times it was questionable. At times she, the Nurse Practitioner, only wanted me to answer exactly the way the question was worded. That was hard because sometimes my symptoms are not so black and white. During the ROMs she made me push well past the point that I reached pain. I made sure to let her know that I had reached pain. On my shoulder she was even apologizing due to the amount of pain she was causing. Overall I think it went well but I could be way off...
 
Good luck. I waited at the VA for 6 hours to accomplish 2 different 15 minute appointments today.
 
That is pretty sad! My Mental Health C & P is next week and the testing and the provider visit are four hours apart, I hope I don't end up with the same issue.
 
They did about the same for me, but the psychologist was done with his questions in 8 minutes. Then I waited quite some time.
 
Depends on your claims. My general exam was 3 hours, and my mental health exam was 2 hours.
 
I don't actually have any MH claims, I guess everyone gets an eval?

I have over 40 claims, that's why it took 6 hrs for the General Med exam.
 
No idea, I only had two exams: general and mental health.
 
Today was the Pulmonary Function Test and that seemed to go well. Tomorrow is my MH evaluation.
 
Just finished the Mental Health evaluation, we'll see how that turns out... The Doc thought it was interesting that I had no diagnosis driving my visit with him. He took it as an opportunity to see if there was anything he could add to the VA list of issues.
 
Technically they can't add anything at the VA Exams, since they are not there for diagnostics, only to measure what has already been claimed.
 
Maybe I'm not recounting what he said correctly but I don't have any MH claims...
 
No idea, but once you sit down and sign off with the VA MSC, your C&P Exams can only cover what has already been submitted to the VA. Everything after the MSC visit must be filed separately. He may have marked off on a few things in case you sought a future claim, but they won't rate it if it isn't an active claim.
 
Just finished my optometry eval. One more to go, my audiology eval, which is scheduled for this Saturday. Then the real wait begins...
 
Haha, good luck! I had my final C&P Tuesday, and have been waiting to talk with my PCM so they can work on my NARSUM.
 
Well, all the C & P appointments are complete, let the games begin! I would guess that it will take a minimum of a few weeks to a month to get everything back to the Med Group so they can work on the NARSUM. What is the outside timeframe of that window?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top