Retiring Soon With Issues

[SFCTRUCKDRIVER]

CAN ANYONE HELP WITH WHAT THEY THINK IS A GOOD % FOR THE FOLLOWING.

I AM A 20 YEAR VET GOING TO RETIREMENT PHYSICAL NEXT MONTH. I HAVE HAD 2 SHOULDER SURGERIES, AND HAVE CONSTANT PAIN WITH LIMITED RANGE OF MOTION, DIAGNOSED WITH IMPINGEMENT SYNDROME.

NEXT IS GERD, WITH A HYATIAL HERNIA.

NEXT IS DDD IN C5/C6 WHERE I HAD A FUSION DONE BUT HAVE NERVE DAMAGE.

ANYONE WANT TO POINT ME IN THE RIGHT % DIRECTION OR EVEN GUESS LOL..

THANKS

ERICH

[Commander Bob]

a CAB is a combat action badge. The same as a CIB for non Infantry troops. same criteria for awarding it.

***CAB. Outstanding award. I see it was created in May, 2005, retro to 18, September, 2001. Here is a link http://www.army.mil/symbols/combatbadges/A...ory_id_key=7285

[Commander Bob]

a convoy security team in Iraq. IED, IED, IED LOL....

Ouch. I hate it when that happens. It's hard on the ear drums also.

[SFCTRUCKDRIVER]

I just want to say thank you to all you guys, your posts have greatly educated me in the VA process. I have spent 20 years in the Army being in the mindset to not go to the Dr and get a profile and being hurt equals being lazy. Well now after all the putting up with injuries and acting like everything was normal, I am retiring and find myself with a broken body. The pysch. Dr did exactly what some of you said, tried to point the PTSD problem towards civilian stuff but with your advise, I pointed him back towards the real stressors and he found constant combat in Iraq the stressor. I am going to spend the next 90 days I have left in the Army going to Dr's to validate injuries and make sure I do everything I can do to get what is coming to me. I can live with the broken neck from an IED, I can live with a blown shoulder due to Soldiering, but this PTSD stuff is hard to kick.... I am glad I found this website and your support is already making me less nervous about the process. FYI, Fort Knox Ky seems to have an alright guy named Bill Spencer doing vet stuff. He briefs all the guys leaving to come to him even before the physical to help us tell the physical what to complain about. a prescreen sorta. Between all of your advice and others, it is helping me and I am pushing the info to others since I am in a unit of all SFC or above, we are all close to retirement......

thanks fellow vets, you rock....

[Commander Bob]

Have you heard about Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payments ( CRDP )? It is a special monthly payment for military retirees, who have at least 20 years of creditable service, who have been rated 50% or more disabled by the VA and whose retired pay is reduced by their disability pay.

Edited January 8, 2009 by Commander Bob 92-93

[SFCTRUCKDRIVER]

Yes,

I am hoping I get above 50% so I get both payments of my disability and my Army pension. I think with the vertebrae, blown shoulder, PTSD and GERD, I will get over 50%. alot of vets on here have similar problems so I am going to cross my fingers and pray to have an easy transition. The process got easier for getting out. They do the VA physical and the exit physical at the same time now, so you can get the va claim done even before you leave the service.

[MRRRR5]

Have you heard about Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payments ( CRDP )? It is a special monthly payment for military retirees, who have at least 20 years of creditable service, who have been rated 50% or more disabled by the VA and whose retired pay is reduced by their disability pay.

Also, look into the CRSC, Combat Related Special Compensation.

I am under CRDP with military retirement, VA disability and the CRDP portion is taxable.

CRSC is totally tax free as I understand it if you have any disabilities that are due to combat or conditions simulating combat training conditions.