Starting the MEB process

This past Friday, I met with my Physical Evaluation Board Liaison Officer, or PEBLO, to discuss what will happen over the next couple months.

The first order of business was which Disability Evaluation Process I wanted: Integrated (IDES) or Legacy (LDES). At first, I had no clue so I did some reading.

As I understand it, some groups have no choice but to go with the legacy system -- cadets, students, and recruits. Others, such as those who have immediate job offers, may also want to go with the legacy system. The reason is that the LDES separates the Department of Veteran's Affairs' rating system from the Army's, which makes the initial phases of the process go quickly.

The disadvantage of the LDES is that the Army abused this system. Rather than give reasonable disability ratings, the Army would issue low percentages just to get people "off the books." With low disability percentages, soldiers were not getting properly compensated when they were separated, and the VA had to sort out the mess.

IDES forces the Army and the VA to agree on a disability percentage before the soldier is separated. The benefits are that the soldier stays on active duty a bit longer, and doesn't suffer a break in compensation. The disadvantage is that some people may prefer to leave quicker and work with the VA once they're already out.

It seems most people prefer IDES, which makes sense for me too. I'd prefer to make sure everything is cleared up before I leave. It'll be a lot less stressful to look for a job with at least some cash coming in.

Under the IDES, there's a "medical evaluation board" (MEB) which determines whether I can be rehabilitated for treated. If (and probably) not, then a separate "physical evaluation board" (PEB) determines what percentage of disability I'll retire at.

While all this is going on, there's a parallel track to help me transition back into the private sector. The "Soldier For Life - Transition Assistance Program" (SFL-TAP) helps with resume-building and the job search.

If every step took the maximum time period, the entire process would be nine months. However, the PEBLO said it probably be only around four. That'd be great. Although I like my Army paycheck, I'm eager to move on to my next step in life.