my medboard experience and afterwards with VA

When a military member has a medical condition (including mental health conditions) which renders them unfit to perform their required duties, they may be separated (or retired) from the military for medical reasons. The process to determine medical fitness for continued duty involves two boards -- One is called the Medical Evaluation Board (MEB), and the other is called the Physical Evaluation Board (PEB).  So it is clear, and that there are different processes that a soldier can go through if they are found unfit by a doctor for a medboard to be started.

My process for an MEB took about 10 months (but trust me at times with not knowing what is going on and not being able to get ahold of my Peblo) it seemed MUCH longer than that at many times.

Right away I will say this is not an exact amount that will work exactly from one person to another, I'm just saying what my experience of getting out on a medboard was like for me and since I have been out.

Also, know that if an MEB is started, that doesn't mean that you will get out on a medboard, and you will have a percentage, because it is possible for a soldier to go through the entire process and be given a "Fit for Duty" where the soldier would be returned with limitations to build back up to getting back to a regular work without a profile at some point.  And be ready to have a lot of patience with this process, you could go months on end with having no idea what is going on, only thing you can do is do regular check ups by phone (If you can get a hold of your PEBLO that is) 

I had been going through knee and back problems for about a year or more, and getting seen at least monthly for new profiles from the doctor, because medicine they were giving me wasn't working and I was too hurt not to have a profile.  They gave me different pain killers, referrals, and therapy to help, but I can get into all of that.

I went to the physical therapist with different activities and appointments for about 6 months straight, while it was helping my body limber up more, it wasn't getting rid of the pain that I was feeling, which is why I was there.  Pool therapy, stretching, back and knee classes, medication, and everything else that has been done to help me hasn't changed my pain levels for any substantial periods.  I've also laid on the bed and had the acupuncture needled stuck in me for about 30 to 45 minutes each, so I've tried anything they could think of at that point.  (If you're wondering it is arthritis in my back along with some degenerated discs along the spine, and degeneration in my knee a bit too)

The Army was starting to cut down numbers, it was around January of 2011 I was told by the doctor he wanted to start a MedBoard, but one more thing to try was steroid shots in my back around my spine, so for the next for months that is what I did.  My experience of the epidural shots is they did not help me, and I actually hurt more shortly afterwards from  having them, but like I said one person to another may not be the same that way.  After the four and half months when I was back at the doctors they decided there wasn't anything else they could do that would improve me for long term in quick period, so the doctor decided to start a MedBoard on me.

June 2011 my medboard was officially started.  After it was started it was waiting for my counselor to call me about the meb, which took about two weeks after it was started.  A phone interview to get information around June 15, and June 17 I was in the office speaking to the counselor, going over my case, and had a few appointments just for the first check ups with the meb, and within first month I found myself sitting in the VA office on July 14 for a Phase 1 and 2 appointment with the VA, if going through a medboard both of those are done at the same time, which is going through everything on the medboard and what is hurting you basically.

August 1, I'm told that the Peblo has received the packet from the VA, and I'm given more appointments.  (How many extra appointments you will have will be whether they will have enough in paperwork for the medboard, or if more needs to get done, say on a claim that doesn't have much of a paper trail or they need more for to show reasons for medboard or something like that)

During this next few months, it's seeing the VA counselor, VA transition officer, and any regular appointments that you have or need for meds or anything else.

I'll skip a few months, just a few appointments, nothing special happens.  In December 5th my packet is mailed off for a percentage rating (my packet took about a 6 weeks til I had received it back from Seattle and Washington)  I've heard the board is different even from when I went through at mid to end 2011 with this, but I'm honestly not sure or if it'll do like mine, which it went during Christmas and New Years and was back still about 6 months. So mid January I received a copy of the packet.  Here are my ratings:

20% from the Army for my chronic back pain
80% "proposed" rating from the VA for sleep apnea, back, knee, insomnia, and chronic migraines.  (I'll explain the "proposed" part a little further down)

After I received the ratings, I was seen by transition office, and picked a day I was supposed to be out, which was mid-March that I wanted to be on leave.

After the packet was received back, my Peblo had to get a packet ready to be signed by some doctors, commanders, I'm honestly not sure, but it was allowing me to start my clearing process to get out.  Waiting for the signatures for me took another month after I was out, so it was mid-February.  I have my packet now everything should go straight... or so I thought.  Getting a leave form from the company proved to be more trouble, adding another month from when I had originally picked to be out.   So after those appointments for transition and clearing (you will see going through the process) I was ready to be out.
I signed out on leave, my official last day in was April 29, 2012.  During the time prior I had enough leave that I took about 45 days of leave just trying to relax and get things straight.

Now I am out, assuming my process with the VA has been done, I have a couple of appointments already set up through my VA office two days after I am officially out.  First appointment nothing special, take a drug test, and see a counselor with a sit down and talk to see how I'm doing.  No doctor appointment yet, so be a little ready with medicine for a little bit while waiting in transition with it.

June 16, 2012 - haven't heard anything from the VA, so I called for a status on the claim.  Nothing was updated on their computer so an inquiry is put in for my claim, given a call back within 10 days of that.  June 24, I am called and told that my claim is getting ready to go to a board rating through the VA  (Now remember the "proposed" rating, it is only proposed, and not set in stone for what the VA will actually pay you, and when I got out it has gone with paperwork through the steps again.)

I am told that my claim for VA started on June 14, could be 45 days or more from that day for a rating to be filed on it, and back to Seattle to be reviewed, so I was told September timeframe to have an answer on my claim.

Now I already had a proposed rating of 80%, but still goes through the process after you get out, so don't be like me and rely that the VA money will hit right away.  Though after a decision is made, and a percentage is given they will back date your money from the day your claim was started (which would be the day after your final day in the army)

quick rundown of timeline
June 2011 - MedBoard Started
July 2011 - Phase I and II for the Army at the VA
August - December 2011 - Various appointments with VA and Army with appointments of Medboard and ACAP to be out of military
December 2011 - Packet sent out for percentage ratings for Army and VA
January 2012 - 20% from Army, 80% proposed rating from VA
February - March 2012 - VA appointments made, paperwork, clearing from post
April 2012 - Officially last day in Army after leave
May - ???? - Waiting for the "official" percentage from the VA claim, unknown when it will come in or if it for any reason would be different than "proposed" rating I was given before

For anyone going through, as I said it isn't a long process, though with not knowing at times it can feel like it, but patience is definetely needing going through a medboard.  I just want any one else to know that it is possible to still wait awhile after you are officially out before anything is received from VA, so something that would need to be planned for, and not relied on having that disability check coming in until you recieve the paperwork stating what the percentage will be exactly and how much you will be receiving.

UPDATE 8/25/2012
To see an update of how everything has been going check out my other block post here