IPEB (Integrated Physical Evaluation Board)-Air Force and Space Force

When you are first beginning the Med-Board process you can make a couple of decisions. You can be added to the DES for VA benefits, or you can choose to not apply for any VA benefits. You can be placed in the BDD or Benefits Delivered at Discharge, or your MSC-Military Service Coordinator can handle all that for you, and you just show up to appointments, which is what will happen when you apply for VA benefits.

I went through the latter option, and I called to make sure when I was on terminal leave that I was in the BDD which is how I became educated on this topic. I had a coworker who had gone through this same process weeks earlier and from what I heard that he was having more of your stereotypical adventure dealing with the VA. I called to make sure I didn't get put in his shoes because, at this point, all of the jobs I have tried for haven't worked out in part because I'm too physically broken to do much more that office work.

During this conversation, my Military Service Coordinator explained that I didn't see the form where I decided which program I wanted to be in simply because I applied for VA Benefits already, so I made the decision when I became a client of his.

Overall I had few problems going through the MEB process and would routinely read half the AFI to see how a picture-perfect version of events would go and see where I was comparatively. I ended up being a little ahead of the curve at first, but the longer my MEB took, the longer each step was being dragged out.

The initial part of the process was much faster than I thought it would be; the AFI said 30 days to get all my appointments done, so I expected it to take 60. They ended up getting all but one I had to reschedule done in about 20 days. After this, they sent myself and the PEBLO the reports, and two weeks later I was sitting in the PEBLOs office signing for my ratings.

When you get your percentages, you will have two sets. One set is the Air Force, if this one is 30% or greater, you will medically retire or be placed on the Temporary Disability Retirement List.

If they end up placing you on permanent retirement, then this percentage number will most likely be the VA percentage rating that was applied to whatever ailment you were actually being MEB'd for. For example if you were MEB'd for back problems, and the Air Force rated you at 60%, then the VA ratings will likely also reflect 60% for your back as well. The VA will evaluate your other claims separately and notify you of their findings.

When your physician puts you before the board, make sure your doctor writes an accurate summary of your ailment or ailments and doesn't leave off something that has severely impacted you because the board will only look at what is in the narrative summary, or NARSUM, from your doctor.

If your percentage is below 30%, then I don't know how your process would differ from here, but your VA process should be the same.

The other report will have your VA rating on it. Read this number and call your Office of Disability Counsel (ODC) ASAP. Go home and wait for the VA medical reports and compare them to the 38 CFR Book C, Scheduling for Rating Disabilities, and make sure everything reflects correctly. If it doesn't, call the ODC and get an appeal in the works.

If you get 0% from the VA, that isn't a bad thing, because a 0% isn't "not-rated", and whatever has a rating can be treated by the VA. In addition to this, percentages can always go up if your condition becomes worse.

If you have been demoted, your process will halt here to await a SAFPC grade determination to find what grade you will be retired at. After all of the boxes have been checked in the guidance, you will await an Email from your Support Unit with your out-processing checklist and schedule your final out. You can read about this process in my other post at https://www.happy-half-life.blog/post/prepping-for-your-final-out.

Note: If you are retired with less than 20 years in service, you will not receive a pension, you will receive the VA rating percentage compensation.