[health.mil] Physical Disability Board Of Review

[allan 10]

Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 1:35 PM

To: health.mil List Member

Subject: [health.mil] Physical Disability Board of Review

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Mailing list and TRICARE contact info available at the end of this message

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Physical Disability Board of Review

Service members who have been medically separated since September 11, 2001

will have the opportunity to have their disability ratings reviewed to

ensure fairness and accuracy.

The new Physical Disability Board of Review (PDBR) will examine each

applicant's medical separation, compare DoD and VA ratings, and make a

recommendation to the respective Service Secretary (or designee). A

disability rating cannot be lowered and any change to the rating is

effective on the date of final decision by the Service Secretary.

To be eligible for PDBR review, a service member must have been medically

separated between September 11, 2001 and December 31, 2009 with a combined

disability rating of 20 percent or less, and not found eligible for

retirement.

There are significant differences between this new PDBR review and a Board

for Correction of Military (or Naval) Record (BCMR/BCNR) review. These

differences are outlined at

http://www.health.mil/Content//docs/COMPARISON.pdf (attached) and will also

be on the application.

While the Air Force is the lead for the PDBR process, case tracking and

reporting, a joint service board will conduct the evaluation and review of

each case. Applicants will not be able to appear in person, but may include

any statements, briefs, medical records or other supporting documents with

their application. After the document review is completed and a final

decision is made, each applicant will be notified of the decision and any

further information regarding a change of rating.

Pending final approval, the application form should be available on the MHS

Web Site (http://www.health.mil/) on or about December 1, 2008. Applications

will be accepted immediately thereafter.

Please refer to the FAQ document at

http://www.health.mil/Content//docs/PDBR%2...d%20Answers.pdf

(attached) for more information about the Physical Disability Board of

Review.

You may contact the PDBR intake unit at the following address:

SAF/MRBR

550 C Street West

Suite 41

Randolph AFB, Texas 78150-4743

Please keep in mind that this office cannot discuss the merits of your

application. You may wish to contact your local veterans' service

organization for advice or guidance.

The DoD Instruction on the PDBR process is available here:

http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/604044p.pdf (also attached).

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SOURCE: TRICARE Web Site at

http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/604044p.pdf

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"Keep on, Keepin' on"

Dan Cedusky, Champaign IL "Colonel Dan"

See my web site at:

http://www.angelfire.com/il2/VeteranIssues/

[jbasser 35]

Good Job in posting this BT2.

J