Neuralgia and continuing service

Hello everyone. I just had a question I couldn't find an answer to anywhere else and thought this would be my best shot.

I am in the Marine Corps Reserve

While I was training to go to Afghanistan I was hurt, diagnosed with DDD and was then told to see a civilian physician for further medical diagnosis and treatment. I was seen by a local neurosurgeon and diagnosed with neuralgia. This disorder has forced me to take a civilian desk job due to the fact that I cannot stand or walk for long periods of time without severe upper back pain and I cannot lift overly heavy objects.

I received a letter from the DoD acknowledging my injury while on active orders, however my corpsman has been less than helpful when it comes to answering questions and providing information. The letter does not state the type of injury and I am on TMPQ status indefinitely. I have always heard that if a medical discharge is required it wuold be initiated by my medical staff at my unit, however; it would seem such is not the case.

We just received a new corpsman (whom I have not had the opportunity to speak to as of yet) and I thought I would ask here before bombarding him with questions. What should I do? I can't PT, I can't lift, I am non-deployable.

Should I ask him about beginning a medical discharge?

[jdeese]

ALSO: Should I even consider a medical discharge?

I'm 22-years-old but I feel like I'm in my 50's.

[caregiver222]

First, go through your commanding officer. If that doesn't work the answer is to request the Inspector General ("The IG") to insure you are promptly provided the reports you desire. You can contact the IG without going through the chain-of-command and have a legitimate issue. The question will arise as to whether or not you have a "profile". There is also a legal issue because reservists are not necessarily "veterans" for purposes of disability. You need an appointment with your JAG officer for advice in this respect.

[jdeese]

I was afraid of that. I’ve been trying to avoid using a JAG for a year because (for some reason I cannot understand) they make me nervous. I’ve got four years in the reserves but I still get nervous around “shiny’s”.

That coupled with the whole “lawyer” aspect is unnerving for me. I guess it’s time I suck it up though.

Any advice on what I should bring with me? I’m sure I’ll need a copy of all my medical records (I have two), the DoD letter, and the dictation of the civilian physician who diagnosed me with neuralgia, but is there anything else I should worry about?

ALSO: Does the JAG have to be from the base my unit is at? My “base” is over 4 hours away, but there is a USAF base about an hours drive from me.

[caregiver222]

You are in a "tricky" position because sometimes the active army/navy/marine corps/airforce pretends the reserves are actually enemy soldiers. Every reserve unit has a chain-of-commend and somewhere there is a JAG office. That is the JAG officer you should see.

[jdeese]

That means I'd have to find one on my base I'm assuming.

But yes, they treat us as if we're ANA troops (Afghan National Army) all because we want to try more than one career path. It's why I'm not asking my CoC anymore. I was literally told to never show up again my the active 1st Sgt or he'd "knock me the **** out" - the worst part about that? I went UA for six months. I had just lost the major reason I joined the Marines and that was the brotherhood that was supposed to be there, but after talking to my former platoon Sergeant for some time I came back and am in the process of making up said UA's.

I know I have to get them out of the way before I can do anything.

[caregiver222]

Yeah, I know. After spending forty years in the reserves, a number of them on active duty, the fact that some of the active componants don't act as if we are in the same army/navy/marine corps. is the "elephant in the closet". It wasn't that way in Vietnam, but the attitude seems to have developed following the abolition of the draft. I've been injured in line-of-duty on reserve service and then a month later told not to come back to the base hospital because I was no longer on active service.

[caregiver222]

I know a friend who served short periods of reserve time in Vietnam (A Cobra gunship pilot) and earned a Combat Infantryman's Badge (CIB), and it took a congressional to get the VA to treat him because he had not served "180 days on continuous active duty".