More good news

We got Michael's VA Rating Decision in the mail on Saturday! They have awarded him a 70% rating. I started filling out the paperwork for Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC) tonight. You can read about CRSC here, if you like.

Also, I slept in this morning so that is why I am still awake at this hour! I think I will try to sleep now to get back on schedule for the week.

A few good things

Since Michael is being put on TDRL, he is being discharged from the Guard. This is a bittersweet occasion for him. He loves being a soldier, he loves his guys, he has missed going to drill weekends, he was upset when they deployed and he could not be with them; but on the other hand, this whole process has been a nightmare, so he is glad that it looks like we can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
He will get to see all his guys next weekend when he goes during their drill weekend to turn in all his equipment. Now, he doesn't get excited about much of anything anymore, but this he is looking forward to. I am glad that he chose to go during a drill so that he can see everyone together. Again though-the bittersweet part-he has been in the National Guard for 22 years, this is probably going to be a little harder to let go of than he realizes. But we will make it through and I will support him just as he has always supported me.

Update Number 2: 1:38pm

Okay, so the case worker at Camp Robinson called Michael this morning and told him that he has to get a signature from his former employer (the people who fired him after he was put on INCAP for the second time). That's not a problem, he will get that done this week. He told Michael that INCAP packet for June was good, but that he has to have the signature from Magnolia Healthcare for his July packet, otherwise he won't receive his full active duty pay, just what he would have received for drill weekend. Fine.

Here comes the problem: Around the time that the people at Michael's unit in Warren asked him to get me to take this blog down, they also told him that the INCAP packets had to have original signatures on the paperwork. This meant that Michael had to drive to Warren (182 miles, round trip from our home, with no compensation for mileage) in order to fill out and sign his packets so that they could be mailed to Little Rock. The person that told him this said that he was told by the case worker in Little Rock that the paperwork must have original signatures and could no longer be emailed, signed, scanned and emailed or faxed back. However, today on the phone, the caseworker told Michael that he never said that and that it would be fine for Michael to print out what he needed and get the people and Magnolia Healthcare to sign it and scan and email or fax it back to him.

Don't worry, I'll be adding these people's names and ranks as soon as all of Michael's paperwork is processed and he is put on TDRL.

Again, I know I should not be surprised at all about this, but I just don't understand why we have to do all the footwork. Shouldn't they be taking care of all this? Shouldn't the different offices communicate better between themselves? I swear to God Michael gave a piece of paperwork to someone at Little Rock to copy and she is two cubicles away from this other person who also needed the papers and we had to get the copy to the other person. *pulls her hair out*

-Brie'Anne

Update: July 22

So that Major that I've talked about in the last two blogs? Well, Michael has been trying to contact her personally ever since we found out that his INCAP packet did not get processed, because she is the one person who can fix that. She finally called him back yesterday and he explained everything to her. Apparently she did not sound pleased with the way Michael's unit as well as the people at DCSPER MED or whatever it is called, in Little Rock (Camp Robinson) were handling (read: not handling) his case. She told him that she would have answers for him soon.

As to whether we'll get a paycheck sometime before the 15th of next month, I doubt it. And I will continue to doubt it until perhaps we get one earlier than that. That way, it's like a surprise...like Christmas! Woohoo!

Update: Monday, July 20

Since it seems like it doesn't matter whether this blog is public or not - people still aren't doing their jobs - I have decided to make this thing public again. I cannot imagine why people with the power to change our lives, i.e. make our credit score even worse, not get child support sent to give Jesi the things she needs, and about a million other things, would openly DECIDE to not do anything about our situation. We have been told, albeit this is just hearsay, that the Major who can call an emergency board to send Michael's pay through for this month (read previous post) refuses to do so because of the history of his INCAP packet paperwork. In other words, even though it is the fault of Michael's superiors and not Michael himself, she decided that we don't get paid this month.

It's like they don't even realize that this is someone's LIFE they are dealing with! Again I say I am frustrated and angry but surprised? Not a bit.

INCAP update

Michael's INCAP paperwork was not filed on time for this month's paycheck (pay from last month). Allegedly the Major who makes the decision as to whether to do an emergency board has decided to not do an emergency board because of the history of Michael's INCAP packets always being late. Does that make logical sense? To me it makes NO sense. Michael did his part early enough that the paperwork could be filed and passed through the board on time, but because someone did not do their job, we will not get a paycheck this month. I am annoyed and frustrated, but not shocked. The Army usually always makes decisions illogically. It seems to be the norm.

Michael is still working on calling numerous people about this to see if he can get the packet passed via an emergency board, but it is looking like (even if they do pass it through now) we won't get paid until August for June. Adding to all of this, Army personnel like to take off early on Fridays. Also, we still aren't positive when the INCAP will be over and the TDRL pay will take its place.

*sigh*

Update: July 15

We finally got Michael's PEB stuff back, they have awarded him 50% for PTSD and 20% for his shoulder which comes to 60% (Army math). They've put him on temporary retirement, and he will receive 60% of his base pay. He will also be re-evaluated every 6-18 months and after 5 years they will either find him fit for duty or retire him out. This also means he and dependents (me and Jesi) will be eligible for Tricare Standard (which we will hopefully be able to bump up to Tricare Prime/Extra).

In other news, Michael submitted his paperwork in person for last month's INCAP pay on June 26, however, it was not received in Little Rock until the day (July 7) of the board that determines pay. They got the packet at 3:47pm and the board met at 2:00pm, so it didn't get to them. Casey Jackson is in Little Rock now, and said he would go talk to the board people to see if we can get that ever elusive "emergency board" to pass it through so that we might get paid this month.

And more good news! I got Michael to call the VA hotline today to check on the status of his VA claim and they told him that they made the determination two days ago and he should be getting the letter in the mail soon, but they couldn't tell us that percentage over the phone.