Retiring Soon

[Super Ron]

I am retiring soon after 21 years and would like to know what to expect from the VA as far as the process goes. I know there is know telling what I will get, but I have issues that have been routinely addressed.

Here are the chronic issues I put up with on a daily basis that have not been resolved:

Since 1994 I have had testicular pain on a daily basis following a vasectomy. I have tried anti-inflammatories, Neurotin, cord blocks and even a vasectomy reversal with no luck.

Since 2002 I have had back pain since moving some furniture. This is also aggrivated by arthritis between L5 and S1. I have again done the anti inflammtories, tens unit, chiropactor, and physical therapy. I am going today for a traction appointment for the first time.

For years, I have suffered with bilateral knee pain. They tried to do a lateral release on my left knee and left in in worse condition than it was before. I refuse to let them do the other for fear I will not be able to walk with out a cane. Most days I were knee braces. If I didn't I would not be able to walk up the stairs to go to bed by the end of the day.

3 years ago, I had a pop in my elbow. Every since I have pain and burning in my shoulder. The orthepedic surgeon has given me steroid shots in my shoulder but says the elbow was a coincidence. He has never even looked to see if there was anything wrong with the shoulder. The diagnosis is an impingement in the shoulder. Corrective action is surgery but again with the way my left knee was messed up I am scared to let them touch my shoulder.

For the last 2 years I have had migraines. It started as dizzy spells followed by headaches. Took them over a year to figure out they were migraines. I am on Topamax for this but hope to be weened off here within the next couple months.

After years of living in this chronic pain on a daily basis, I have been taken off of flying status. And have finally been given a referal to a pain management clinic off base.

If things go my way, I will be receiving a job offer this week and dropping my retirement paperwork. If not, I will be automatically MEB'ed in July. If the MEB happens, I want to wait until Nov 08 to retire to I can go to school. But at this point, I don't even know if I can go to school with the daily pain and the topamax affecting my concentration.

Anyway, sorry for rambling. Just wanting to know what I can expect for the process.

Ron

[Boats]

Ron,

Put in for evrey lttle thing you went to medical for. I wish that some of the stuff like lower back, gerd, sinus, carpal tunnel even though in service medical record it has been 9 years since I retired now I am fighting some 19 year old RO that says he cannot service connect them. Just claim it however small you think it may be will save you a lot of problems down the road. The key one I did get though when I first filed was for blood pressure, this one even if 0 is key to alot of other ones.

Boats

[Berta]

This sites gives an overall of the MEB process-

http://www.drum.amedd.army.mil/MEB/meb_explained.htm

Unfortunately -this is Army site and I heard the Army is lowballing on the MEB ratings-

You might get a disability rating -that doesnt involve an offset-hard to say from your post-if you even do get MEBbed out-

I suggest you begin the VA claims process now- by filing a 21-526-is there anyone on base handling VA claims for service personnel who are soon to be discharged?

Also you might want to thoroughly check out CRDP and CRSC to see how your military retirment will affect any VA comp you get-

CRDP and CRSC -I posted much here and it can be found discussed here under the hadit search feature.

Also- MEB- lots of info out their and sites that explain-

Military.com has some good info on this I am sure-

Ron -make sure you dont leave without copy of your SMRs and also the discharge certificate and make sure all of your conditions are well documented.

When my daughter was being processed out , they had a briefing on VA benefits by the American Legion-

As a daughter of 2 disabled vets herself she said she really wanted to laugh at how the VA claims process was described- but then again- she might still be in the military still sitting at that briefing that she got 2 years ago- if they really told how the VA really was-it can be a long and frustrating process-

They did stress to have your SMRs and to file a VA claim ASAP if there was anything at all that should be service connected.

A claim filed withon one year of discharge date-when it succeeds generates retro back to the day after discharge.

You will have retirement pay that this could be offset to- thus the CRDP/CRSC stuff is important for you to know.

I think she said there were some lifers there too- at the out process class-

Have you had this opportunity yet while still in -but soon to possibly out process?

The VA guy also my daughter said, was very good, and did bring up good points as well as the AL guy-regarding VA claims-

they were going to charge them 5 bucks for the Federal Benefits book on VA benefits-

then they gave them out for free-

dont pay for it- it is the least they can do-to give it to you.

The nitty gritty is here at hadit- the booklet gives very limited info.

They should pay vets 5 bucks to read it.

[huskerfanfl]

Based on the information that I have hear, and Berta mentioned, if you can avoid the MEB process, do so. There are also flaky things that could happen with military retirement that would be totally avoided if you had a regular retirement. File for everything that you were ever seen for, no matter how small and insignificant that it seems, the worst that will happen is that it will be denied (and you can appeal that). That is what I did when i retired after 26 years, and each time I go to the VA clinic, they comment about how amazed they are at the number of things for which I receive compensation yet am only at 50%. That was after the first go around, and am now in phase II, applying for increases in compensation. The key is that you need to get the VA to acknowledge that you do have something wrong no matter how insignificant it is now.

Edited May 3, 2007 by huskerfanfl

[cowgirl]

Best thing I did before retiring was borrow and copy my medical records myself. Worst thing I did before retiring was accept a "paperwork" medical physical review without rebuttal in writing.God Bless, cg

[betrayed]

File for everything that you were ever seen for, no matter how small and insignificant that it seems, the worst that will happen is that it will be denied (and you can appeal that). That is what I did when i retired after 26 years, and each time I go to the VA clinic, they comment about how amazed they are at the number of things for which I receive compensation yet am only at 50%. That was after the first go around, and am now in phase II, applying for increases in compensation. The key is that you need to get the VA to acknowledge that you do have something wrong no matter how insignificant it is now.

I agree, I did the same after 28 years, get your medical record go through it with a fine tooth comb, make a list. When you do your retirement physical list all of them. File immdiatley upon retirement or do it know, there is a way to file a claim but its like informal, which establishes a date and then you file the specifics later. I forget what it is called when you do it this way. I can not tell you how important it is to establish that date.

[free_spirit_etc]

I agree. Though I have trouble understanding the difference between conditions that are denied service connection because there is no "current disability" and conditions that are granted service connection - but given 0% -- any conditions that are given the service connection - even at 0% are preferred.

If the condition is given an SC at 0% - and becomes worse -then you only have to fight the battle to increase the rating (but SC has been established) If the condition is not given SC -- because they don't find it disabling - then if it becomes worse -- they will acknowledge the disbility --but it is hard to get it service connected.

Free

I agree, I did the same after 28 years, get your medical record go through it with a fine tooth comb, make a list. When you do your retirement physical list all of them. File immdiatley upon retirement or do it know, there is a way to file a claim but its like informal, which establishes a date and then you file the specifics later. I forget what it is called when you do it this way. I can not tell you how important it is to establish that date.