For those who are now out of the Army, how do I go about preparing the process for building up my disability?

First step is to ensure you are seen by the Army medical community for every ailment and that it is documented. This does not mean go to sick call every time you get a bump or a bruise. But, if you have consistent recurring knee pain, go to the medics and document it. It may or may not require a temporary profile, but either way document it. If you can no longer lift more than 5 pounds with your right hand, go get it documented. (That will almost definitely require a profile, but I digress.) DO NOT LIE OR EXAGGERATE things just for the sake of having something on record. Docs ain't dumb, they'll figure you out. Plus, lying about or exaggerating an illness or injury for the sake of going to extra medical appointments is malingering, and doing it for the sake of trying to up a VA rating is fraud. Both are bad. As you get further in to your ETS process, you should go see a VSO (Veteran's Service Officer). Many bases have this as part of the SFL-TAP process, and some even have them resident on post. You can request a copy of your medical records to provide to the VSO, who will help you with the process. You want to do this towards the end, though. Anything that happens AFTER you submit requires you to do more paperwork to amend your submission. Do it once, near the end, with everything included.

If it an ailment is listed in your medical records, you are all set - the VSO will help you submit the claim, the VA will walk you through the process (which includes a VA physical / evaluation, regardless of any Army determination). VA will evaluate your records, determine which ailments you have, and to what extent they impact you (based upon exams - and there may be more than one, depending on the nature/number of ailments). They will issue a rating based on these factors. VA plays both sides of the coin in this process. They are there to ensure you get everything you deserve, and that the nation takes care of you properly. But they are also there to take care of taxpayers and prevent fraudulent claims. My experience has been that they do a relatively good job of balancing the two in this process. Other opinions vary.

If an ailment is NOT listed in your medical records, then it becomes incumbent on you to PROVE that A) the ailment exists, and B) the ailment is connected to your service. This connection can be an original ailment which occurred while in the service OR an exacerbation of an existing ailment which was caused by service (example: minor anxiety which was documented, but cleared for service, which then became major anxiety due to deployment). If there is no provable service connection, the VA doesn't care. If there is no provable ailment, the VA doesn't care. This route is exceptionally difficult to substantiate, and takes a TON more effort and paper. This is why you need to start documenting things NOW.

When I was about a year out from retirement, at my final yearly physical, I finally told the doc all the things that were REALLY wrong with me. All that crap that I had just been "sucking up" (like chronic back pain, tinnitus, minor hip immobility, etc.) but was causing me pain/discomfort/difficulty, I finally put on record. I ended up spending a couple hours a week for the next couple of months at medical appointments to evaluate everything, but it all got documented.

The first step is getting a permanent profile from a military doctor. That starts the MEB process. You will be working with an Army and VA rep. You will get a physical by a VA doctor on post. The Army and VA reps will both provide percentages for disability. If you don't get what you think is fair appeal it right away with the reps. The information will be passed to the VA for your compensation and medical needs. Do you have a WTB on post? If so, you should try to get into it. If you are considered unemployable by the VA, your paperwork will automatically go to Social Security for disability. They will retroactively pay you from the initial point you were considered having a disability that causes you to be unemployable.

I have a link to show the correct terminology of the process: http://www.militarydisabilitymadeeasy.com/mebprocess.html

SPC Shackleford, Sir; You are going to deal with the VA.. Good Luck !!! SAVE EVERYTHING .. they will do all they can to deny, discourage your efforts.. You Have rights, however the VA does not recognize them.. Take names of those who you are serving with.. save all correspondence, as the VA will deny what you send them, what they send you.. Navy, ship listed by the VA as "Exposed".. Onboard ship, .. have had 15 related surgeries.. still fighting with the VA.. over 8 Years now !! Good Luck..