Frickin' Med Board!!!!!!!!!
11-17-2008, 08:31 PM
#1
On a Jonda, or a Hondo...
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Fort Bragg/Fayetteville... for now
Posts: 62
Frickin' Med Board!!!!!!!!!
So I just got my results from the Physical Evaluation Board up in DC. They recommended permanent medical retirement with 30% disability; that's great and all for somebody who is super-broke, but I still got a lot of Army left in me. I really think I can do something else, MOS-wise, that would do the army plenty of good. I mean I got a perfect ASVAB score; surely there is some pogue *** job out there that I can do.
This is pretty crummy, 'cause they are telling me that I can either accept the medical discharge or fight to stay in my current army job. I'm a forward observer, physical rating is very heavy, perfect PUHLES code, 111111. I know that's alot of gibberish to those non-military but all I'm saying is that it sucks. I can't do that job, not with the nerve damage in my left arm, and with the developing condition in the right arm. I mean I could try of course, but if some **** went down and I wasn't able to be the soldier I'm supposed to be at that moment, because of my damn injury, I could never forgive myself.
But surely there is something easy and brainy I can do. There has got to be something.
I have a wife and my first kid due in a month, the economy ain't so great right now anyways. Ah well, a lot of other people have it a lot worse; more than a few guys I know didn't come back at all, so I should be grateful I guess.
See but I don't want the medical retirement, I don't want the easy ****, I WANT TO FIGHT!!!! God I cannot believe that I won't get to go back there, downrange. That ain't the way I wanted to leave Iraq.
This is pretty crummy, 'cause they are telling me that I can either accept the medical discharge or fight to stay in my current army job. I'm a forward observer, physical rating is very heavy, perfect PUHLES code, 111111. I know that's alot of gibberish to those non-military but all I'm saying is that it sucks. I can't do that job, not with the nerve damage in my left arm, and with the developing condition in the right arm. I mean I could try of course, but if some **** went down and I wasn't able to be the soldier I'm supposed to be at that moment, because of my damn injury, I could never forgive myself.
But surely there is something easy and brainy I can do. There has got to be something.
I have a wife and my first kid due in a month, the economy ain't so great right now anyways. Ah well, a lot of other people have it a lot worse; more than a few guys I know didn't come back at all, so I should be grateful I guess.
See but I don't want the medical retirement, I don't want the easy ****, I WANT TO FIGHT!!!! God I cannot believe that I won't get to go back there, downrange. That ain't the way I wanted to leave Iraq.
11-17-2008, 09:21 PM
#2
Hmm?
SuperBike
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: San Gabriel Valley
Posts: 2,069
Perhaps this is a sign from God. You said you have a kid on the way - this is a blessing that is so much bigger than fighting for your country.
Permanent retirement from the military doesn't include working outside of it, right? You could still find a job, and collect the 30% disability?
Permanent retirement from the military doesn't include working outside of it, right? You could still find a job, and collect the 30% disability?
11-18-2008, 03:06 AM
#3
Senior Member
Back Marker
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 219
take it from someone who has been there, take the sep. i tried to return to my unit for 1.5 years and in the interim i swept floors and gave tours. at the end of it all i was no closer to returning and i had become a janitor. go out, make some money, enjoy the time with your family, and never forget where you come from.
Electrician's Mate Second Class (submarines) A.Woods
Nuclear Electrical Operator Uss Alexandria (SSN 757) 2003-2006
total service 2001-2007
Electrician's Mate Second Class (submarines) A.Woods
Nuclear Electrical Operator Uss Alexandria (SSN 757) 2003-2006
total service 2001-2007
11-18-2008, 07:27 AM
#4
Senior Member
Superstock
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: North Central Indiana
Posts: 416
(This isn't me. A co-worker has experience with this.)
I understand your pain. I was a 93C30 in the ARMY, I developed a medical condition that made me non-deployable. I could do my job as a Air Traffic Controller, but i had to be on a no fat diet. I was a single father of two stationed at Ft Rucker, AL, 60 % of the E-6 slots in the Army were there at Ft Rucker. My first Med Eval board was at Ft Gordon, GA, like you I was awarded 30%. I fought to stay in the Army, scored a 296 on the PT test had great NCOERS and had great letters of recommendations from my chain of comand. I won my appeal and was allowed to stay in, 4 years later my health deteiriated and again was sent to an MED board at FT Sam Houston. I was assigned a great JAG rep.,she was wonderful. I was MED Retired in March of 1997 with 12yrs 6 mnts 28 days of service at 70%. Fight to stay in if that is you want to do! But with 30% it does qualify you for all kinds of benifits for school and retrainind for you and the wife. Stay strong and don't get disscuraged. I wish you the very best. If i can be of assistance in the future don't hesitate to contact me @ ask4jbope@aol.com[/email]
I understand your pain. I was a 93C30 in the ARMY, I developed a medical condition that made me non-deployable. I could do my job as a Air Traffic Controller, but i had to be on a no fat diet. I was a single father of two stationed at Ft Rucker, AL, 60 % of the E-6 slots in the Army were there at Ft Rucker. My first Med Eval board was at Ft Gordon, GA, like you I was awarded 30%. I fought to stay in the Army, scored a 296 on the PT test had great NCOERS and had great letters of recommendations from my chain of comand. I won my appeal and was allowed to stay in, 4 years later my health deteiriated and again was sent to an MED board at FT Sam Houston. I was assigned a great JAG rep.,she was wonderful. I was MED Retired in March of 1997 with 12yrs 6 mnts 28 days of service at 70%. Fight to stay in if that is you want to do! But with 30% it does qualify you for all kinds of benifits for school and retrainind for you and the wife. Stay strong and don't get disscuraged. I wish you the very best. If i can be of assistance in the future don't hesitate to contact me @ ask4jbope@aol.com[/email]
Last edited by kmm996; 11-18-2008 at 07:30 AM.
11-18-2008, 07:28 AM
#5
I could ride in
SuperBike
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Dayton, TN
Posts: 1,729
take it from someone who has been there, take the sep. i tried to return to my unit for 1.5 years and in the interim i swept floors and gave tours. at the end of it all i was no closer to returning and i had become a janitor. go out, make some money, enjoy the time with your family, and never forget where you come from.
Electrician's Mate Second Class (submarines) A.Woods
Nuclear Electrical Operator Uss Alexandria (SSN 757) 2003-2006
total service 2001-2007
Electrician's Mate Second Class (submarines) A.Woods
Nuclear Electrical Operator Uss Alexandria (SSN 757) 2003-2006
total service 2001-2007
hate it for ya' , warfighter...
11-18-2008, 07:29 AM
#6
Senior Member
Back Marker
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 219
11-18-2008, 11:19 AM
#10
Senior Member
MotoGP
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Austin, Tx
Posts: 4,138
I guess this is counter to what I hear my friends talk about keeping senior guys in because they do so much for the outfit. I think for some moving out of forward positions could be an important strategy for retaiing senior guys like yourself.
02-03-2009, 09:24 PM
#11
On a Jonda, or a Hondo...
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Fort Bragg/Fayetteville... for now
Posts: 62
Thanks for the support guys, I'm about two weeks from being out the door now; I've already started my application for a college back home and I'll be going to school this coming fall when the new GI Bill goes into effect.
I'm having the Army ship my S'hawk home to San Antonio for me; I can't wait to get riding out there in the hill country, so I guess that's a plus. And also now I don't have to worry about leaving my little boy behind and missing alot of stuff by being in Afghanistan or some ****.
They won't let me fight any more, but at least I can still ride.
I'm having the Army ship my S'hawk home to San Antonio for me; I can't wait to get riding out there in the hill country, so I guess that's a plus. And also now I don't have to worry about leaving my little boy behind and missing alot of stuff by being in Afghanistan or some ****.
They won't let me fight any more, but at least I can still ride.
Last edited by txrb182sc; 02-03-2009 at 09:25 PM. Reason: crummy typo
02-04-2009, 05:59 AM
#12
Senior Member
SuperBike
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Westerly, RI
Posts: 1,216
If I'm not mistaken, doesn't the VA offer to pay for your Vocational training since you are being medically retired. I saw you mentioned apply for college. I knew an E-7 who was medically retired at 18, and they payed for all of his VOTECH training, in any field he chose.
02-07-2009, 10:38 PM
#13
On a Jonda, or a Hondo...
Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Fort Bragg/Fayetteville... for now
Posts: 62
Yes you are right, I do get the Vocational Rehabilitation since I'm being medically retired. I don't know what I want to do yet, which was one of the reason I joined the military, I figured I would have some time to decide what I wanted to do when I got out, but as of my retirement date I will only have 2 years, 8 months and 29 days of service; not even three years, and that went by so quickly it feels like I only spent a couple months in the service.
I'll use up some of that new GI bill at UTSA (college) whilst I deliberate. The voc rehab will still be there for me later.
I'll use up some of that new GI bill at UTSA (college) whilst I deliberate. The voc rehab will still be there for me later.
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