Husband going to med board?

Question

My husband has been reffered for med board by his unit and doctor, for ptsd.. he has a consistent pickle score of 81 out of 85, and his doctor has commented on the severity of his ptsd. I was wondering how the disability works and what we should expect money wise, as I have a feeling finding a job won't be the easiest course. Also, his chain of command has told him he will be out of the army by next block leave...(june/july 2008) and if thats possible, I have heard of people being in the process for up to 2 years. I dont think prolonging this is in the best interest of my husband.

Also, if it helps he has almost 5 years in at e-4.

there is no previous depression, ptsd is a culmination of spending 12 months in ramadi, iraq and seeing the everyday aspects of war

Answer 1

No, it's not in his best interest for the short term (and that is why the system in existance should be changed), but long term he should apply for 100% disabilty and unemployability. As soon as any VA or military doctor or psychiatrist will write him a letter to that effect then he should also apply for Social Security disability. It may take 2 years but I saw something this morning indicating that decisions are being made within 1 year now. Anyhow, the award is retroactive to his date of application for VA. SSA works a little differently but you may be eligible for SSI in the meantime. The compensation depends on how many dependents he has but will be at least $2800/mo from VA. The amount from SSA will depend upon how much he has paid into it and his highest contributing level for 3 (I think) consequtive quarters. His rate there may be anything from a few hundred to as much as $1700/mo plus more for dependents. There has been a COLA increase every year recently of almost 3% for both. He also gets free health care, etc and his dependents get to use his Education Benefits if he is eligible for Chapter35; if not, I don't know about today's Army. Go to a local vet center for more info and for a contact name and number for a local DAV or VFW to help with the paperwork and liaison for the claim. It's better to apply and get treatment than to bottle it up for a couple of decades and then explode. And PTSD will eat your soul! I hope you can help him back to the world. Good luck.


EDIT!!!!
This is important to you. I saw that he is likely to be discharged by 6/08 and upon that I based my reply. The Med specialists is likely correct in his recommendation and I have not been in service since 1971. However, at that time as a Captain in a command position, I would not have recommended to anyone that they place themselves at the disposal of a med eval board. Once one does this he is bound to them and their decisions by superglue. He may wind up staying in the Army longer. He may get retired at 20-30%, etc. The boards decisions are very difficult to overturn. He is more likely to get a 100% PTSD disabilty rating if he gets out and goes through VA. I know. I was a First LT, Infantry in Vietnam and got a couple of wounds for which I get 0% compensation, but I am 100% disabled and unemployable due to acute and persistent PTSD symptoms and I receive the max now, so the answer that says that PTSD ratings are always less than 100% is simply incorrect. Now, if he does get retired with a rating he will get that as retirement and can concurrently draw VA disabilty if he can get it approved. Do go to DAV and get advice that is current and accurate. The most important point of all this is your husband's (and your) mental health and future quality of life. If he doesn't get adequate help with this he and you may face decades of self abuse, sleepless nights, nightmares, flashbacks, suicidal idiation, severe depression and pure hell. I had over 25 years of that life. Please get him help now.

Answer 2

It sucks, but the VA is not paying huge money for PTSD. If this is his only disability according to the VA he may only get 10%, 20%, 30% VA rated disability. You are only looking at $450 for 2008 if you are married and have two children. If you have less children it is more, less it is less and that is at 30%. He might get more, but I have seen people just as bad off not get hardly anything. He will be entitled to treatment through the VA, but that is a huge process as well. IF you have a job or can work you should start working really hard and a lot of hours to put money away. Hard times may be coming your way financially. The more money you can have in the bank the better because you are right about the job search or even maintaining a job will be very hard for him. I hope this works out for you. Go to the www.va.gov site and look under compensation. You can see the disability charts to see what could be made depending on the percentage rating he could get. But if they only rate him with one item he could easily get just 10%.

Answer 3

Let me walk you through the process. The MEB will make their report and (based on what you wrote already) do one of two things. They will recommend a change in his profile to S-3, with six months of limited duty followed by another MEB report to see if he gets better. Or they will recommend his case be sent to the Physical Evaluation Board PEB) for resolution.Since he is only an E-4 after five years, I suspect they will take the second course of action.
He can submit a written rebuttal to the MEB's recommendation and they can then submit a sur-rebuttal and all of that paperwork then goes to the PEB. The PEB will do a "records only" review and make a recommendation of a disability award. Your husband can then accept that award or rebut it, with a personal appearance at a formal PEB. That panel then makes their recommendation of an award (could be higher or lower than the first PEB).
If your husband accepts a disability rating of 20% or less, he will be discharged with severance pay. If the rating is 30% or more, he will be transferred to the Disability Retired List in his current rank and will receive a monthly pension equal to the pay for that rank. You will retain all the base privileges you currently have, along with medical benefits.
In such a case, the amount of his pension which is tax-deductible is that percentage which equals his disability rating.
He should make contact with the nearest chapter of Disabled American Veterans and ask to be put in contact with one of their field service officers. That individual can give him valuable counseling and also serve as his advocate at any formal PEB hearing. Those guys are the authority on disability matters and they won't charge your husband a dime for their services.

Answer 4

hopefully he hasn't had any symptoms of depression before getting enlisted. when i say any, i mean since birth. no anti-depressants have been taken nor a psychologist/psychiatrist talked with him about stress or anything of the nature. hypothetically, it he did, then they military could say that the ptsd that he has now is a result of a culmination of previous stress. as far as the process, i dont fully know but i would say talk to his c.o. since you being his wife, you shouldnt have a problem.

Answer 5

I would contact a local news station. Maybe even consult with a lawyer. Talk with JAG and see if they can help in anyway. I was Medically retired from service, and my management let me out of the lease. I would fight them

Answer 6

Are your friends similar to you?

Answer 7

How many days of drinking in a row...?

Answer 8

Name 4 boys and 4 girls like this?

Answer 9

When a mother report daughter being abuse by her husband

Answer 10

welll I mean I know you guys are married and you guys are supposed to make deciiosions togethter but I think you should let him decide on this... military stuff is very fragile and well its in our countries best interest!