Should I accept an MEB or or pursue retirement?

Shit. With that much time in, forget the MEB. Go for the retirement, hands down. There's a lot of benefits you will miss out on if you take the board. Fight it. The CSM is exactly right. When you fill out the VA paperwork, have a Service Officer from one of the service organizations do it all for you. There is usually one or more on post.

I wish I had seen this earlier. While Rally Point can generate some interesting conversation, please talk with the personnel section (if it's not too late) to find out exactly what your options are.

This next point is one that anyone who is separating from the service, either by retirement or end of service commitment should heed. You will at some point be required to fill out VA paperwork documenting any medical issues that are a result of your service. DO NOT FILL THIS OUT BY YOURSELF! The caps are intentional, I would have used supersized double bold-face caps but I don't know how to do that. There are several Veteran Service Organizations like VFW, American Legion, DAV, etc. When I first retired I was sent to a DAV rep at Ft Knox who helped me immensely because I had no idea of things that might be considered a service connected institution. When I was released from a recall to active duty, I went to a DAV rep in Atlanta. He was worthless, lesson is if the first person you go to is less than optimum, search out someone else.

Past 18.5 there is usually a presumption of fitness for duty to allow individuals to stay until 20. However, with the “new” enforcement of the deployable or out policy, that may have changed. Also, as mentioned above, there should be an MEB Counsel that can help you though the legal side of this. For AF, it’s at AFPC, our central personnel center. There are multiple places in the MEB process where you can appeal. Use every single one & you can drag the process out to at least get you to 19 & allow you to submit for retirement. Also, you can still appeal your disability rating to the VA after you retire. Most people see an increase. Tinnitus & sleep apnea are common findings with a decent percentage attached. Good luck!

If I’m not mistaken, once you reach 18 yos, they have to keep you to 20. MEB is the way to go. You will not only get an army disability rating but will also spend your time going to appointments for the va this is the joint ides evaluation system. Upon completion you would more than likely have over 20, and you will have your va ratings done. Instead of starting from scratch with the va. I was medically retired. My dod/va process took almost 2.5 years. I was just trying to retire at 20 and submitted a packet at 19. The retirement physical is what got me. Not fit to retire. Anyway I ended up with 22.5 yrs 100% from army and Va. good luck

You should be sanctuary and you be able to retired as an officer. I too was enlisted for 12 years and I had almost 19 years of service when I got medically retired. I retired as a CPT.

What is the difference between an Officer and Enlisted retirement? I thought it is strictly a function of base pay for the rank at retirement multiplied by a factor representing number of years of active duty. In my case O5 with 24 yrs service (18yrs commissioned).

Retire. Check the rules on rank at retirement. Used to be if you wear it for 3 years you could retire at that rank. Also, the benefits of TRICARE for Life alone are worth retiring at any rank.