Tag Archives: Coast Guard PEB

How to show that Your Migraines are Completely Prostrating

Have you ever wondered how you could establish that your migraines are completely prostrating and occur more than once a month, thus qualifying you for a 50% rating under VA Code 8100? Completely prostrating, as used in 38 CFR 4.124a, DC 8100, means extreme exhaustion or powerlessness with essentially total inability to engage in ordinary activities. See […]

By John Gately | Published July 18, 2025 | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Air Force PEB, Army PEB, Coast Guard PEB, How the VA Rates Migraines, Migraine Headaches and the VA, Navy PEB | Comments Off on How to show that Your Migraines are Completely Prostrating

Taxability of Combat-Related Military Retired Pay

This post is designed to help those of you who have been medically retired under Chapter 61 and receive a “V” Code from the Army PEB or its equivalent from the Air Force, Coast Guard, or Navy PEBs for a combat-related determination. For some reason, DFAS personnel have shown a particularly low knowledge level of […]

By John Gately | Published January 9, 2024 | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Air Force combat-related, Air Force PEB, Army combat-related, Army PEB, Coast Guard combat-related, Coast Guard PDES, Coast Guard PEB, Combat-related, Combat-related Retired Pay, Navy combat-related, Navy PEB | Comments Off on Taxability of Combat-Related Military Retired Pay

HOW TO PUSH BACK WHEN THE PEB DEVIATES FROM THE VASRD

Recently, I was confronted with a situation in which a prospective client’s IPEB decision rated a thoracolumbar spine condition under VA Code 5003 for degenerative arthritis alone because the members felt that the primary injury was to the thoracic spine. Since this spinal segment has very little range of motion, the IPEB members ignored a […]

By John Gately | Published December 27, 2022 | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Air Force MEB, Air Force PEB, Army MEB, Army PEB, Coast Guard MEB, Coast Guard PDES, Coast Guard PEB, Navy MEB, Navy PEB, VA Rating Schedule, VARSD, VASRD | Comments Off on HOW TO PUSH BACK WHEN THE PEB DEVIATES FROM THE VASRD

WHEN WILL YOU BE PROVIDED MILITARY COUNSEL PRIOR TO AN FPEB OR FPEB APPEAL?

While I have honestly not met an incompetent or “bad” military counsel in 30 years of representing service members in the PEB process, the downside to working the military counsel is that their caseloads are much higher than civilian counsel. This gives them less time to work with you and develop your case. At the […]

By John Gately | Published December 27, 2022 | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Air Force MEB, Air Force PEB, Army MEB, Army PEB, Coast Guard MEB, Coast Guard PDES, Coast Guard PEB, Navy MEB, Navy PEB | Comments Off on WHEN WILL YOU BE PROVIDED MILITARY COUNSEL PRIOR TO AN FPEB OR FPEB APPEAL?

How to Address Errors in VA C & P Exams during the IDES Process

As you complete your VA C&P exams as part of the IDES process, you will find the exam reports posted to your Tricare Online records about two weeks after each exam is complete. Please review these exams for errors, as these reports will form the basis for assigning disability ratings to your unfitting conditions and […]

By John Gately | Published May 29, 2022 | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Air Force IDES, Army IDES, Coast Guard PEB, Navy IDES, VA C&P Exams, VARSD | Comments Off on How to Address Errors in VA C & P Exams during the IDES Process

Unique Way to Increase Rating for Rheumatoid Arthritis in PEB & VA Cases

In a recent case, my client had received a 40% disability rating for Rheumatoid Arthritis (“RA”) under the VA Code 5002. While this was a good initial rating, it did not reflect the real impact of this disease upon him. Sadly, he didn’t have the significant weight loss, anemia or severe incapacitating episodes 4 or […]

By John Gately | Published December 30, 2018 | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Air Force MEB, Air Force PEB, Air Force PEB Appeals, Army MEB, Army PEB, Army PEB Appeals, Coast Guard MEB, Coast Guard PDES, Coast Guard PEB, Navy MEB, Navy PEB, Navy PEB Appeals, Rheumatoid Arthritis and the IDES, Rheumatoid Arthritis and the PEB, Rheumatoid Arthritis and VA Disability Ratings | Comments Off on Unique Way to Increase Rating for Rheumatoid Arthritis in PEB & VA Cases