Current Army Informal PEB Pending in PEB (Informal/Formal/Rebuttals) Forum

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Current Army Informal PEB Pending

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PentagonREMF	Current Army Informal PEB Pending		Lead	[-]
Posts: 4 Mar 9 12 10:07 PM	First time caller, long time listener here. Simple question I think. Does anyone know if the Walter Reed PEB is focusing on finding Diabetes an UNFIT condition? I've spoken with the Soldier's Counsel's office and they say FIT. I've spoken with one of the veterans organizations PEB reps and they think UNFIT. My MOS (currently) requires that I sit at a desk in a windowless office in the five-sided puzzle palace all day and provide advice. I also have a bilateral foot issue the MEB stated was unfitting. I am in a critical stage of career: 13 years active duty and 18 good years for a reserve retirement -- only 10 or so years to 55 (and an early mobilization accelerated retirement) -- other VA ratings will bring me to about 70 percent rating. While am somewhat ambivalent about outcome, obviously if they retire me at 40% right now I am a much happier camper. Otherwise I return to the civilian world, get 2 more good years, and await the accelerated retirement. In any event, I am just looking to see if anyone has been through the WRAMC PEB for diabetes lately and what their decision was. Thanks for listening.
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maparker		#1	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2144 Mar 9 12 10:32 PM	I woud be most concerned with an unfit 20% rating. Your MEB must clearly state it is medically necessary to regulate both occupational and recreational activities to qualify for the 40% rating. Fit is good, unfit at 40% is good, unfit at 20% not so good. Mike
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PentagonREMF		#2	[url]	[-]
Posts: 4 Mar 9 12 10:45 PM	Thanks for the quick response. My new and improved Army profile is 313111, with an inability (per the MD) to do any aerobic PT test (e.g. running, swimming, walking, biking, etc.). I believe the bilateral foot issue is ok for the PEB (surgery on one foot with a screw and everything). It is the diabetes that concerns me. For the VA, I clearly meet the 20 percent criteria (40% would be ridiculously stupid). I am in the new (pilot) IDES system so the VA will rate. I am trying to understand if the WRAMC PEB is going to find the diabetes fit or unfit. MEB states "that the diabetes is not controlled on lifestyle mods alone. Despite 1500mg Metformin daily, A1C has increased fro 6.5 to 7.1, restricted diet, and exercise .. condition has not stabilized." Also, non-deployable profile for diabetes (can't eat MRE's and OSA -- must have power for CPAP). Just still trying to understand the PEB operational mentality. In any event, thanks for the information -- you provide good advice. Edited 1 time by PentagonREMF Mar 9 12 10:51 PM.
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maparker		#3	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2144 Mar 10 12 7:57 AM	Is the MEB/VA covering the OSA. It doesn't sound like you are on insulin so the 40% would be out. Again, I think your biggest risk is a unfit finding and a rating of less than 30%, given you don't have a 20 year letter yet. Mike
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PentagonREMF		#4	[url]	[-]
Posts: 4 Mar 10 12 3:18 PM	The OSA was found to be medically acceptable, so no, the PEB is not explicitly considering the OSA (although they may include it sua sponte -- who knows) The VA will rate the OSA at 50% I am sure due to the CPAP use. I am not on Insulin, just 1500mg Metformin/Glucophage daily. My thought process for my PEB is this: 1. Diabetes is one of the Army' medical cause celebre issues right now. 2. The MEB NARSUM states the Diabetes is not under control. 3. My profile is now 313111 due to the Diabetes (non-deployable due to MRE and diabetic diet); the post surgery bilateral Hallux Rigidus/Limitus (I have nearly 4 years of Temp profiles saying no running, walking, push-ups for the APFT); and an underlying "2" rating in the "P" of the PULHES for the OSA and requiring access to electricity for the CPAP device. 4. The Army is in draw-down mode. 5. The PEB is facing scrutiny for low ratings and other issues, and politically may be leaning toward more unfit ratings than fit to show their willingness to "help Soldiers." 6. The PEB must accept the VA ratings for the conditions the PEB finds unfitting. So, I believe that I face a 51/49 chance of being 30+ percent UNFIT. To better define my risk picture, I am still trying to understand the operating parameters of the WRAMC PEB. Are they being conservative and finding more diabetics unfit due to the increased care and attention the Army chooses to give to diabetic Soldiers and not wanting to deploy them (thereby increasing my chances to 70% chance being found UNFIT)? Or, are they being aggressive in returning Soldiers to duty if they can perform the core tasks of their MOS -- in my case, sitting at a desk and providing advice regardless of the deployability capability and the inability (on paper at least) to take any form of an APFT (reducing the chance to 30% chance being found UNFIT). Therein lies my problem: uncertainty. I am the type who needs to know every facet of the problem and assess the risk. I need intel. Again, thanks for the help and advice.
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maparker		#5	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2144 Mar 11 12 12:52 PM	How are you coming up with the 30% rating? I was found fit by the PEB but rated 100% by the VA upon LOS retirement 1 year later. I have seen lots of members get 0, 10, 20% PEB and 60, 70, 80% by the VA under the IDES. The PEB cherry picks which conditions to deem unfitting. OSA was usually unfitting back in the day when the PEBs got away with rating it 0% disabling. Now they can't so it is suddenly medically acceptable. Same condition, same impact, different outcome to avoid paying disbility benefits. There is a lot of uncertainty and consistency has never been evident in the DES. Be wary. Mike Edited 1 time by maparker Mar 11 12 12:59 PM.
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PentagonREMF		#6	[url]	[-]
Posts: 4 Mar 12 12 5:36 AM	I come to the retirement threshold of 30% by 20% for Diabetes and 21% for the bilateral hallux rigidus/limitus which comes to 37% (rounded to 40%) in VA math. This of course assumes the three medically unacceptable conditions (diabetes and R and L hallux rigidus) are found to be unfitting. I expect that for the list 9 things the VA physicians found wrong with me (depending on the generosity of the person looking at my file) I will have 60 to 80 VA rating at the end. Thanks again for your insight.
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