Expert: Howard Lorenz - 1/25/2008

Question
HELLO I HAVE BEEN IN THE NAVY TWO YEARS. ABOUT A YEAR AGO IN EARLY END OF MARCH EARLY APRIL I WAS IN AN CAR ACCIDENT RIGHT BEFORE THE PRT. MY CHIT ENDED IN TIME FOR ME TO DO THE MAKE UP PRT BUT ONCE STARTED IT REALIZED MY BACK WAS MORE INJURED THAN I THOUGHT.THIS WAS MY SECOND FAILURE.I HAVE BEEN ON AND OF LIGHT DUTY. I PASSED A MOCK PRT IN SEPTEMBER TO PUT ON 3RD BUT SOON AFTER HAD TO BE PUT ON NO ANYTHING LIGHT DUTY UNTIL TWO DAYS BEFORE THE PRT. WHICH I WAS THEN MED WAIVED FROM TWO EVENTS. I FAILED BODY FAT BUT PASSED PUSH UPS WHICH WAS THE ONLY THING I WAS ALLOWED TO DO. THEY FAILED ME FOR BODY FAT. I'M LIMITED DUTY NOW BUT I WAS TOLD THAT THEY CAN STILL ADMIN SEP ME EVEN THOUGH I HAVE AN ON GOING MEDICAL CONDITION. MY QUESTION IS CAN THEY DO THAT?(ALSO MEDICAL CAN'T FIND WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY BACK.)

Answer
Unforunatly when the military has set their sights on getting you out...thats what they will do. Especially if they cant or refuse to find out whats wrong with your back.

You are going to have to have your docs when you get out find the problem, then apply to the VA for benefits. I would keep going back to them until you have to leave for pain, this creates a record in your med records...dont go in for bull, just if you have pain, or you are hampered in daily life... the more paper you put in your record, the more ammo you will have when it comes to getting benefits. ALSO GET COPIES OF THAT RECORD BEFORE YOU LEAVE!!! very important!!  When you leave active duty, those records do not go with you , they go to the cave in Missouri. (the Archives) It takes a miracle to get them out after they reach there...SO GET THEM BEFORE YOU LEAVE!!!