Help Everyone Out - Transition - Plan Now

Hey Y'all,

I not longer update and monitor my blog here, however some of the information may be useful. Im coming up on my 2- Year anniversary of separation. The DOD and VA have obviously been plagued with short falls and understaffing. While they may have tried to improve the MEB process, I'm sure its still a very painfully slow process and probably only getting longer with the down draw in forces.

Ill say this... Sit there and collect the check while you still can and try to pay off most of your debts such as high interest credit cards, Loans from the Army (AER) they will come after you for that money... it takes about 2 years after you get out but they will hit you with a bill for it... i just got my surprise AER bill here last month and it was well about 750$ and they send it straight to collections without trying to collect from you. Take your guaranteed paycheck from the military and throw money at high interest. I promise in the long run it will help.

The stigma is there for Veterans with disabilities... Jobs don't like hiring us... If you say you are a veteran with a disability they automatically assume its PTSD and your are a raging lunatic. When really it might be a foot injury or a back injury. Keep the numbers to your old 1SG and SSGs and SFCs when they retire they usually have a good network of fellow veterans trying to hire veterans. Civilians don't and never will understand what we went through, and the human norm today is "Be scared and stay way from the unknown". Soldiers run in to the unknown and hope for the best results but plan for the worse.

Hit the civilian life running. Start Job searching as you hit the last half/ three quarters of your MEB. Most hiring processes take weeks if not months to get through. Just the internet application/ resume scrubbing/ first interview you can usually do in those months. Pick a "start date" that is several months out. It will help for a more seamless transition especially the soldiers who were the pro-active had to be doing something kind.

Go to the ACAP and Help Center and take their resume writing... they don't lie when they say that the computer looks for your skills to basically be a "reworded job description". I have tested that by applying with 2 different resumes and yes the reworded job description (while not a lie) the grammar and way it was written got hit every time for the "interview" stage.

Professional email accounts are always good.

mike.smith@gmail.com (fake) looks a lot better than sugar_daddy_love_child6969@gmail.com also its a lot less awkward after an interview when they confirm your email and say "Is sugar daddy love child 6969 your current email"


Also i need to check and see but you usually are not allowed to clear without paying off your AER or setting up a payment plan.


Help each other out post comments and questions and try to answer/ reply to ones that you know the answer too.

2 years ago i could have told you the current wait times down to +/- a month, however now I wouldn't even begin to guess what they are, and its all dependent on your medical situation. Check with similar disabilities. Don't try to compare a knee problem to a spine to a mental health... each one has its own time line.

Take Care
Thanks for serving brothers.

The Afterlife (POST ARMY)

I relize I have not posted on here in a while just wanted to up date everyone my email is still mark.v.nussbaum@gmail.com and I will gladly answer question, just remember I got out almost a year ago and so what I give you might not be accurate but it will help maybe a little.


ETSd end of June 2013 


VA started flowing the start of my 3rd month out of the army so.... September? I think yea... got back paid for July and August and got paid on time for September.


Get a service organization to help you,  I have no doubt in my mind that they were on the VA in Muskogee (Oklahoma) ass the entire time about my case, and I went to the VA clinic where my VSO was and they called every other day down there to get the status of my paper work. I didn't go through the VFW or the other big ones I went through the state level, and they are fed up with the feds also so they hound them to get it done (hahaha that was funny)  also when you first get out of the army (after your ETS date) go to the nearest clinic and sign up for their healthcare ( over 60% its free and exempts you from Obama care, and you can be seen for anything and everything (over 60%) not just the injuries that you claim) Let them know you are OEF/OIF and they have a fast track clinic for you.


BTW be aware if you are planning on smoking some green or doing some stuff that isn't nesscicarly legal then don't go to the VA after you get out, let that get out of your system, every time you walk through the VA door to get service (medically) then you will be drug tested each and every check-up or appointment. If you piss hot they will take your disability and all your VA benefits.... Don't lose it if you want to get high or atleast wait til its not detectable (not the voice of experience but was given to me by someone this happened too.

Ratings and Speration orders

Sorry yall,

been a pretty busy month or so, so here is my updates.

I received my ratings the 13th of May 2013 got 70% VA 10%DOD  which means that I am getting seperated with service pay. It took just over a month for my ratings to come back and I didnt feel like fighting it.

Rumor Buster:  If you take a severance you have to pay it back with your VA..... True but not all of your va disibility goes to pay back your severance....


I was medboarded for lower back which received 10% both VA and Army, my total VA rating was 70% which with a spouse entitles me to 1402 in disability pay that amount will be reduced by 10% (the amount the army gave you for the med boarded condition) so  10% of 1402 is 140.20 do the math 1261 is now my new disability payment.


I chose not to fight my ratings which it then moved to the seperation phase. After signing the 199 (form for the findings of your PEB that provides your prelim ratings) your packet will be sent to TRANSPOC this is the step where they make your seperation orders and a DD214 worksheet.

Ratings on Monday transpoc by Friday Start clearing the following monday. Finaled out the 31 of may and I am now on transition leave.


TRANSPOC:
---when you hit transpoc you will set your new ETS date
---Requires new ETS Date with in 90 days of hitting transpoc
---You are entitled to 20 days PTDY for House and Job hunting
---Maximum 14 working days of clearning
---Terminal/transition leave time


Severance pay

according to my medical records my condition worsened in a combat zone but was not incurred in a combat zone so my severance is calculated using the following formula

Base pay x 2 x Years of service = $ XXXXX

Initialy taxed how ever the day after your ets date you may file to have the taxes returned to you.

Calculated with a minimum of 3 Years TIS


If your injury was incurred in a combat zone then you will be calculated with a minimum 6 years of service

Base Pay x 2 x 6 yr min or more = $ XXXXXX

Will not be taxed and will not require VA Disablity recoupment.

---Lump Sum + your full VA disability.

UNFIT LETTER

Received my unfit letter about 3 weeks ago. Have not had the chance to update my blog. Sprint gave me a defective phone and 3 defective replacements. Right now. Im just waiting on ratings. The va i was told was backed up usually only a 45 day wait from unfit to ratings is estimated to be 90 to 120 right now.
How ever they have started coming back pretty quick close to the 45 day norm.

Review complete packet to fort Sam

OK so today I reviewed my packet for my med board proceedings. It shows all the things that you failed retention also the things you claimed that meet retention standards. Talked to my Peblo about all this she says that most unfit letters are coming back with in 48 to 72 hours. However remember this is the first step in the physical evaluation board in which the informal board has 15 days to give you an answer. When your packet comes back it will have your Narsum(s) and the medical write up from your qtc appointments. Also they must send documentation of the injury/illness in the form of medical records. This is all done through digital format the only actual signature is your's. Then sent to the peb by email. This also contains your commanders statement where he either recommends you for retention or to kick you out.

Remember you have five days to review and ask questions, and request changes if need be. They were good to me and took one reason that failed retention and basically made it two separate reasons.


Any questions feel free to email me.
Mark.v.Nussbaum@gmail.com


Also I want to let you know that you should get a copy of everything they send to the peb because then you will know why or why not they called you unfit. This is policy that you get a copy of this packet that gets sent to the peb

RESULTS RECEIVED

Today I was informed that my QTC results had come back, and that my NARSUMs both Medical and Psychiatric had been completed and they were ready for my review. I now have 5 days to review these to make sure they are correct and to seek legal help if needed.

Opinion- "That was fast, I wonder how much of it is wrong." Needless to say I have always been confused with other patients/soldiers/officers.  If you go by my military ID it is CPL, if you go by the Air Force Medevac Paper work it is CPT, if you go by medical records its MAJ and if you go by dental records its CW3...... yet when you do an AKO person look up about 3-5 "Nussbaum"s show up, depending on who just enlisted and retired......  "When the DOD and VA process goes fast it worries me cause you're use to Hurry up and Wait"

ACAPed Last Week

If you are in the MEB/PEB you might want to go ahead and set up your ACAP appointments. This is because of the uncertanty of your future. I know when I started my Med board they requested that I give them a copy of my Preseperation counseling form.


Start looking around at Schools and Jobs now! Disability does not kick in on your ETS date I have heard. So my route i chose was school. I have it set up so that if i have to appeal everything (putting me out in january that I will at least have my GI bill to help pay for some bills (Post 9/11 GI has housing allowance). Also if you apply (E5 and below) for financial aid you will most likely get a Pell Grant (do not have to repay). Most college will give you that pell grant back because your GI bill will cover most if not all of the schooling. So that is free money in your pocket just have to take the 15-20 minutes to fill out the application at www.fafsa.gov. I say E5 and below because most E6 and above make to much to recieve the pell grant, how ever it never hurts to apply for it.


Im an E4 with over 3years, and 1 dependent (who doesnt work) and I recieved at 4k dollar pell grant when I go to school that will be kicked back to me from the financial aid office!