Breaking Up Is Hard to Do: Separating from the Military

OK.  Not that hard.  But if it’s something you’ve looked forward to it’s easy to get ahead of yourself and take shortcuts you might regret later.

Like what?  Oh, like that physical and psychological exam the military wants to do.  You don’t want to take the time.  What you want is to speed things up.

Bad decision.  Here’s why: if a service-related disability pops up later you’ll need to be able to show that there were indications, some symptoms that suggested this might happen. No exam, and there’ll be nothing a doc could use to support your claim that the condition is service-related.  See what I mean?  No documented evidence, no claim, no disability benefits. It’s that simple.

So not only do you need to have the exams, you need to be honest about what’s going on with you.  I’m talkin’ about all of it.  Medical and psychological.  Sure the psychological stuff can make you a little itchy.  Maybe you think it’s embarrassing.  Well, I’m here to tell you that a lot rides on your reporting every little thing rather than jeopardize your future rights to VA benefits and care.  Unnerstand?  Good.

Now then, once you’ve had the exams, be sure you get complete copies of your medical records including the exam you got going in, and the one you just got coming out.  Included will be records of treatment, hospital admission, outpatient, all of it.  You can do that at the same time you’re getting copies of your personnel file.

Get your copies certified by the military records folks.  If you need help getting copies of these records, ask your transition assistance officer (remember the TAP program  we talked about here last summer?).

If you were here for the last couple of sermons, you’ll know to put those originals in a safe, fireproof place and use the certified copies when you need them. Never give away the originals.  All set? Now make the time to have those separation exams.  You’ll thank yourself later.

Dave Culmer, Semper Fi