How Does This All Work

[doppleganger]

Alright I am currently sitting at 16 years with 4 years left towards retirement.

My doctor has been going through my medical history to make sure that I have everything together but he said something about retirement and VA disability.

Somehow I would be eligible for both?

Basically I have fallen arches, steady hearing loss in my left ear, cronic neck pain due to deteriorating disks (doctor doesn't know what caused it) arthritis, minor other issues left knee, back etc. I know that when I go to retire one of my first stops is the VA but does that mean I am eligible for both? Meaning 50% retirement 40% disability payment stuff like that or is that all seperate. As i started to lose strength in my hands, and I am starting to go to the pain clinic for treatment, the doctor also offered to look at a medical board I don't want a medical board and other people are saying to take it as I have a college degree I am a SFC and getting out might be in my best interest medically.

My question is what is the best path to take? Retirement and VA disability? or medical retirement? Am I entitled to both or just one. Just confusing since I never really went to medical until I was past 10 years and about my 12 year mark things medically started to go south.

[63SIERRA]

its called concurrent reciept. They used to give it to you in one hand and take it with the other. Now you get both, but they are trying to change it back to taking it away.

YOU NEED TO REPORT ALL OF YOUR PROBLEMS no matter how minor they seem. Later in life they may cause you more problems than you think now.

Heres an example/ when standing in formation with my rifle, my arms would tingle and eventually go numb. I never thought that a problem with my neck could cause this.

I never reported it. Now I find out theres an issue with my neck, and my arms hurt, tingle and sometime go numb if my neck turns a certain way when im sleeping

If I tell the VA that It started while I was active duty, they will say PROVE IT. So because I didnt report it on active duty, I am not service connected for it.

DONT try to act like mr tough guy, spitting fire and crappiing nails at your exit physical. BE HONEST, and Comprehensive.

If you have sinus infections, allergies, ringing in the ears, ingrown toenails, acne, memory loss, sleep issues including sleep apnea, high blood pressure, headaches, ect, TELL them. ALSO make sure you get a full copy of your inservice med recs.

REMEMBER THIS. UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, YOU WERE IN PERFECT HEALTH WHEN YOU JOINED.

Edited January 6, 2015 by 63SIERRA

[georgiapapa]

Great advice from 63SIERRA. Also, not a bad idea to get buddy statements from you military friends who witnessed any injuries you sustained during your military service and get good contact info from these military buddies in the event you need to reach out to them and update the statements in the future. Get copies of any reports of accidents where you sustained injuries including accidents on or off base. These would include but not be limited to vehicle accidents, training accidents, etc. Copies of statements given by others regarding such accidents could also be useful in future claims.

Get copies of all of your service records and military medical records before you leave the military. Do not count on your military records being available for easy access whenever you have a need for them. Have your own copies available.

As 63SIERRA said, the VA will say PROVE IT when you file a claim. If your records are lost or your witnesses can not be located for statements, you will have an uphill battle to win the benefits you deserve. JMO

Good luck to you and thank you for your service.

[Navy04]

Good advice from the fellow HADITTERS given above. Learn as much as you can before you get out. When I was Medically retired in 2013, I knew nothing of this and was screwed along the way. Thank God for this Site. Good luck

[Berta]

You got great info from above vets.

Here is the skinny on CRSC and CRDP

http://www.dfas.mil/retiredmilitary/disability/payment.html

http://www.military.com/benefits/military-pay/special-pay/comparing-crsc-and-crdp.html

And more info here under a hadit CRDP CRSC search.We have some CRDP/CRSC members too.

I am a civilian and I always wonder if servicepersonnel really get all the info they need before leaving the Mil. Navy04 sure didn't.

My daughter went to every single discharge briefing when she got out, and she said it was a lot of running around at the last minute.

But these briefings can become Very important.

Her main concern was to make sure she had set up her educational packet because she got many college credits due to her service (USAF Intel)and that stuff has to be squared away prior to discharge.

My former vet rep (also Intel), and Military retiree, told me he thought he could establish his inservice college credits after he was discharged but was told it was too late to do that.I don't know if that policy has changed by now or not.

My daughter was USAF but went to the USN briefing from the VA and there also was a Vet rep present too.

She said they covered a lot of VAOLA at the briefing but being the daughter and step daughter of two deceased disabled vets, she knew they left out the REAL nitty gritty.

( meaning all the BS some vets will go through when they finally deal directly with the VA.)

Thank you for those long years of service and for thinkng ahead now as to your potential veteran's benefits when you leave.

It is a very smart move to do that for Anyone in AD now.

[SemperFiSgt]

I wish I had of had this site before my EAS in 2004. I was able to get a little from a few people but not as much as I have learned in the past few years and months on here. Just as stated above, get buddies contact info (email addresses rarely change), dates of injuries and no matter how small it seems have every injury noted for records. YOU WILL NEED IT SERIOUSLY... The VA is only ok at times but, a real bully most of the times!!

SemperFiSgt