Looking for somw good info....about to be med discharged

[tuhlik83]

What is the name of your state? Stationed in arizona, but home of record in ohio. I have a few questions. First my situation. I have been in the marine corps for a little over a year. Last summer i was doing some pullups when i popped my shoulder out of place. The next day i went to the clinic and was told that i may have ripped some tendons. I had an mri done. Shortly there after i was sent down here to arizona. I saw some new doctors who instructed me to try physical therapy. Unfortunately it worsened my shoulder and now my shoulder will no longer remain in socket. My doctor told me that their last option is to preform surgery and that he is not too certain that i will be physically able to continue my actions as a marine and will ultimately be discharged. Now my questions are.....If discharged will i recieve any BAH or Bas to support my wife? Will I be able to collect my montgomery gi bill to go back to school? Do i need to ensure any type of paperwork is done right in order to recieve benefits? What will happen to my health benefits? Please if you have any advice or links where i may find some info let me know. I really do not want to be put out without anywhere else to go!

[PNMfromTX]

So sorry to hear about your shoulder. I am hoping to come across some good information on Medical Discharges myself. If I do, I will certainly pass it along to you and would ask that you do the same for me.

Thanks so much!

[PNMfromTX]

I copied and pasted this from a previous post. Seems to be some very good and helpful information here. I hope that you find it useful.

02-09-2005, 01:02 AM
CeLaw
Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 6

I don’t find it at all surprising that no one knows what to do… typical of the Navy . The doctor is the one to initiate the MEB, not he enlisted corpsman. The doctor does this because he believes the member is not likely to return to full duty. The MEB is the local evaluation process. The MEB will then determine the member’s likelihood of returning to full duty. If the MEB determines the member is not likely to return to full duty, then the MEB will refer the case to the PEB (physical evaluation board). This is located in Bethesda Maryland. I have been there for a formal board. All MEB cases in the Navy are referred to the PEB.
The PEB’s job is to determine the member’s degree of disability. This is the percentage given to the member based on the VASRAD codes. This is the VA’s schedule of rating disabilities. The PEB can determine if the member will retire, be medically discharged, or return to duty. Other than the appellate process, this is the end of the line.
It sounds as if you are having difficulty in getting the ball rolling. You may have to take the stand that you don’t want out of the Navy, but you can’t stand to be on light duty forever. My advice would be to request to see the commanding officer of your unit. Explain to him that everyone seems to be unable to help. Explain that your lack of ability to keep up with your fellow shipmates is having a negative impact on your moral. Request that he contact the commanding officer of the local hospital that handles the MEB’s. He should understand that you can’t be on light duty forever. At this point, I would expect that the CO of the hospital will contact your doctor and he will then get the ball rolling. I am amazed at how little the doctors & medical staff know about the MEB/PEB process.
Another idea is to contact the MEB office in the hospital. Often times these offices have counselors there that have seen thousands of cases before yours. They may even know your doctor and may be able to contact him. The difficulty in the beginning stages is to get the doctor to stop putting you on light duty and get the MEB process started.
The key point to all this to give the impression that wish you could stay for 20. It is also important to have a neutral position on about the medical process. Kind of like you don’t like it, but you know it has to be done. It is not at all recommended to be excited and ask “how much will I get?” And the opposite can happen if you fight the medical process. I have seen people that go into this with (and knowingly express) that they want out. They usually do get out, but not in the manner that they want. The whole concept to the process is that a member comes in at 100% and should be compensated for anything less when he leaves. Also, The MEB/PEB folks are fully aware that a member stands to gain financially from this process. Not to play down the negative impact the disease or injury will have on the member after the military.
Get the MEB going & I’ll explain the rest. Good luck, CeLaw

Here are a couple of websites to study:

1. [url]http://www.rand.org/publications/MR.*****MR1228.ch3.pdf[/url]

2. [url]http://www.jag.navy.mil/documents/PEB.htm#reference[/url]

3. [url]http://www.jag.navy.mil/documents/PEB.htm#reference[/url]

4. [url]http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/...96/i133239p.pdf[/url]

5. [url]http://neds.daps.dla.mil/directives/1850_4e.pdf[/url]

6. [url]http://www.hq.navy.mil/NCPB/PEB/Phy...ation_board.htm[/url]

The last one is perhaps the best place to start.
__________________
I live In Ohio.

I have a lot of personal experience with both the Criminal & Medical law in the Navy. I’ve got a SPCM conviction, an Honorable discharge & a Medical Retirement…