Shouldn’t a soldier who has had heart surgery within the last year and is still having complications have no problem exiting the ranks?

2023-03-31T23:28:16-04:00

What are your experiences with the MEDBOARD process. I have a soldier under my leadership who seems to be having an issue getting his initiated. He has had heart surgery within the last year and is still having complications. Shouldn’t this Soldier have no problem exiting the the ranks?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 31 at 2023 11:37 PM

2023-03-31T23:37:09-04:00

Contact one of these three gentlemen... they are very knowledgeable in Military related questions/issues.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Apr 1 at 2023 12:20 AM

2023-04-01T00:20:03-04:00

It isn’t as simple as just “exiting the ranks”. Their Primary Care Provider and their Cardiologist would make the decision whether to recommend them to a medboard or not. Have the service member start there and get a better understanding of their way forward.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Apr 1 at 2023 1:19 AM

2023-04-01T01:19:19-04:00

Its up to his physician to start it with the command. Which should been started after surgery, with at least a P3 profile.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 1 at 2023 3:31 AM

2023-04-01T03:31:34-04:00

Your SMs provider is the one that will determine if they should be evaluated by a MEB. While I've never experienced a MEB, I've known plenty of folks that had heart surgery. Its not an easy procedure, nor is it an easy recovery. Your SM needs to have a serious conversation with their doctor

Response by COL Randall C. made Apr 1 at 2023 9:33 AM

2023-04-01T09:33:08-04:00

I am unclear what you mean by, "Shouldn’t this Soldier have no problem exiting the the ranks?". You mean separate from the Army? Be put out on a medical discharge?

I recently mentioned this on another thread. There are four instances that will trigger entry into the IDES process (i.e., MEB, PEB, etc).

• The medical side will refer you to a MEBD if they can't help you anymore, you're 'broken' and may not meet medical retention standards.
• If you've been given a P3 or P4 profile, you'll trigger a MMRB to determine if you can still meet the standards of your MOS
• Your commander can kick you over to medical for an evaluation (which may lead to MEBD as in the first case) if they don't think you can do your MOS related duties
• HQDA directed action

Your Soldier likely falls into the first or second category. If the cardiologist has been working with him and in his view they have reached "the limit of military medicine to help" and he views your troop as not being able to meet the minimum standards of medical fitness to remain in the military, then they'll refer him to be medically evaluated.

If your Soldier cannot do something fully based on his PULHES factors* (in this case, likely 'P' for Physical capacity or stamina or possibly 'U' for his thoracic region) and your troop is rated as a '3' or '4', then it will automatically trigger a MMRB.

If he's getting nowhere with the medical side and your unit commander truly believes he cannot function, then your unit commander can do a command referral to the medical side and force an examination and possible push to a MEBD.

However, all this is assume that the Soldier is really 'broke'. Having lasting issues from surgery that do not severely limit his ability to perform the functions of his MOS or general abilities as a Soldier are not issues that would lead to a medial discharge.

Everything comes down to the standards of medical fitness and if the condition has been deemed permanent or not.
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* '3' designation for PULHES factors - A profile with a numerical designator of 3 in one or more factors indicates that the Soldier has one or more medical conditions or physical defects that may require significant limitations to the Soldier’s activities. Limitations are considered significant if they affect the Soldier’s deployability, ability to perform basic Soldier duties (DA Form 3349, block 5) (fig 1), or ability to perform the duties required of his or her primary military occupational specialty (PMOS). If a Soldier is unable to run or take an alternate aerobic event for the Army physical fitness test (APFT), or if any
item on DA Form 3349, block 5, is marked NO, in most cases the numerical designator should be at least a 3 to ensure that the Soldier’s case will be reviewed by an MMRB or an MEB.

Response by LtCol Robert Quinter made Apr 1 at 2023 7:30 PM

2023-04-01T19:30:49-04:00

Your question is confusing. Is your soldier active or reserve? Was the medical care provided at a military facility?

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Apr 2 at 2023 8:32 AM

2023-04-02T08:32:36-04:00

It sounds clear to me that the physicians are still treating the Soldier, treatment should continue in earnest and as long as he is having problems should remain under care. Could you imagine retiring him in the middle of such sensitive medical treatment.

As others have stated, there is a process, I believe the physicians are being prudent, wise even. His health should be everyone’s first concern.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Apr 2 at 2023 1:01 PM

2023-04-02T13:01:50-04:00

If the soldier is being Medically Boarded, then you have the responsibility of ensuring the soldier's primary functions are medical, administrative appointments, and accountability. You are to be the soldier's advocate. Is there a Wounded Transition Unit at your post?

Response by CSM William Everroad made Apr 3 at 2023 8:51 AM

2023-04-03T08:51:29-04:00

CSM Darieus ZaGara suggested and based on your responses, I agree that it appears that the Soldier is under continuing care by the PCM.

If they are your Soldier, take a look at the current profile. A recommendation for an MEB may not come until the condition is at a point where the PCM feels continued military service is not possible.

Most MEBs I have dealt with have resulted in medical discharge, but some have indicated that a Soldier can continue to serve with modified duties through the end of their contract. Lots of factors play into the recommendations, most of which originate from the PCM.

Just like MAJ Ken Landgren and MSG Private RallyPoint Member the speed at which this case enters into MEB will revolve around the PCM.

What does the Soldier want to do?

Response by MAJ Byron Oyler made Apr 3 at 2023 12:11 PM

2023-04-03T12:11:53-04:00

From reading responses, it does not sound that you fully understand the SM condition. If you have a need to know, I would go about this a couple ways. You can ask your company commander to find out the nature of illness or you can ask to go to an appointment with SM. Our heart is a muscle with an electrical system that drives it. SVT is the top part of the heart getting to excited for its own good and driving the rest to fast. SM likely had an ablation which is a minor procedure to stop this and majority of people continue to lead perfectly normal lives. The enlarged part if accurate is generally unrelated to the SVT. We typically see two types of leaders, those that truly care and those that only care for themselves and drive their SM into the ground. When an NCO comes looking for info, I never know which one they are and without command paperwork, breaking any part of HIPAA is not worth it for me. If the SM thinks you genuinely care they are probably willing to let you go with them to the next cards visit.