Had my 9 month follow-up appointment down in New York City on Monday.
I brought down a copy of the MRI I had done 2 weeks ago. He and two other surgeons were pleased with what they saw. There is an increase in blood flow to the head of the hip, and the cartilage on the ball is still not peeling off.
Just found out that my TDRL orders are still not done. They are on a Commander’s desk and their office is running behind. They said they’ll hopefully be completed this week.
Apparently I’m not supposed to try to do anything with the VA until I get that info packet. They make an appointment with the nearest MTF for me and there will be a POC I can call. According to a Sergeant at their office, the appointment would probably not be until around the 1st of February. Wow.
Did you know that candidates separated from the Marine Corps are never given a DD 214 or any other kind of discharge papers? According to my disenrollment letter:
You are separated as a Officer Candidate Disenrollment, Code JFW1. Your description of service is “entry level separation.” Members in this status do not receive a discharge certificate or characterization of service at separation.
So things are at a stand-still until I receive official orders to TDRL. It turns out because I don’t have (and won’t be getting) a DD 214, nobody is able to register me. All they can tell me at the national VA headquarters and at the local level here in Boston, is that cases like mine are handled at a regional level. Try calling your regional VA office and the call will go straight to the national headquarters.
A Marine Officer who graduated OCS in 1967 found my site and offered some excellent advice to getting things worked out. He recommended I get in touch with my local Disabled American Veterans. Let’s hope they will be able to assist me with the VA.
Found out from a contact at the VA that until I receive my DD214 (discharge papers), I’m still considered in the military. So I’ll just have to wait until I’m officially discharged on November 9th to register.
Last week I got a call from my contact at Newport Naval Hospital, she received the findings of my physical evaluation board. I have been found unfit for duty, received a 30% disability rating, and starting November 9th will be on the TDRL (Temporary Disability Retired List).
I was placed on the TDRL because my condition was not deemed “stable” by the PEB. While on the TDRL, I’ll be reevaluated every 18 months and limited to 5 years max on the TDRL. At the 5 year point, if not sooner during a reevaluation, I will be removed from the TDRL and either found fit for duty or permanently retired.
I am going to register with the VA tomorrow, and begin the next chapter of my life.
