I have just recently been medically retired. Does anyone know when my medical retirement pay begins?

SSG Glen Krinsky — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 11:48:29 -0400

I have already filed the paper work.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 1 at 2016 12:00 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 12:00:50 -0400

if you went through an MEB you should have been assigned a PEBLO to guide you through the process. They should have sat you down and explained all this to you. I looked in the IDES handbook but it doesn't give a timeframe for when the benefits should start up. I'm interested in an answer as well as I have a Soldier going through this process now.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 1 at 2016 1:30 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 13:30:46 -0400

A medical retirement is part of the MEB process. You don't just 'medically retire.'
That said, your Army side pay 'should' start almost immediately after terminal leave is over. To assist with this, often Soldiers will have to sell a day or two of leave to facilitate the pay transition.
VA side pay can take 45 days after terminal leave is over. I have seen it start right away, and I have seen it take 60 days.
You will ONLY receive both if you meet certain guidelines.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 1 at 2016 8:18 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 20:18:58 -0400

This is how these things work. No one should give you a definite time. They should however offer a ballpark of when you should be worried. They do this because if they give you a time that you should be receiving your benefits, that then cuts the legs out from under them to get it right the first time by rushing. If they say two weeks, they know in two weeks and one day you will be on the phone asking why you have not received payment. I would just offer to be patient and hopefully, if it takes a while, that when you receive it, it is accurate the first time. I personally would give it a month or talk to your PEBLO in three weeks time. Plus they might just be backlogged.

Response by SPC Paul Jennings, J.D. made Jun 2 at 2016 10:23 AM

SPC Paul Jennings, J.D. — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 10:23:20 -0400

For medical retirement you get paid after one month of accrued benefits. Essentially, this means that you must have one full calendar month where you are retired without active duty pay. You will then be paid for that month on the 1st of the following month, similar to the way active duty pay works. You will also be compensated on a pro rated basis for any partial month of benefits.

If you went through IDES, your VA pay should also kick in at the same time. Remember though, the VA does not compensate for partial months, so any VA benefits will only be for full calandar months. So if your VA pay kicked in on 15 October, you would only be compensated for the month of November, which would be paid out on the 1st of December. This is further complicated by CRSC or Concurrent reciept, but that's a discussion for another time.

Response by LTC Gabrielle Bryen made Jun 2 at 2016 10:20 PM

LTC Gabrielle Bryen — Thu, 02 Jun 2016 22:20:11 -0400

If you've received an MEB, your Retired pay begins the month after your terminal leave ends. I think I received my VA pay 60 days after my last day on AD. The IDES process makes it fairly seamless.

Response by LTC Charles T Dalbec made Dec 28 at 2017 11:54 AM

LTC Charles T Dalbec — Thu, 28 Dec 2017 11:54:27 -0500

Many great responses have already provided appropriate answers. Ok