If you're being medically retired and also going before a warrant officer promotion board aren't they supposed to retire at the higher grade?

CW3 Stephen Mills — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 16:20:23 -0400

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 6 at 2016 4:56 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 16:56:45 -0400

Sir, here is an article that I think will help.....with references.

https://www.armytimes.com/story/military/careers/army/2016/03/04/warrant-officers-can-retire-highest-grade-they-served-satisfactorily/81263844/

warrant-officers-can-retire-highest-grade-they-served-satisfactorily

Warrant officers will be allowed to retire in the highest grade which they served 'satisfactorily.'

Response by SSG Mark Franzen made Oct 6 at 2016 5:17 PM

SSG Mark Franzen — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 17:17:05 -0400

IF you are Being Medically retired why would they be Putting you in Front a Warrant officer Board? I don't understand that.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Oct 6 at 2016 5:41 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 17:41:50 -0400

Lots of trip flares. So it seems the board is near as is the med retirement. We're a small community and I suppose there aren't a bunch going from W3 to W4. Boards are loathe to select people who are getting out one way or another. It used a slot that can be taken by another qualified individual who will be around. At least on our Navy boards, part of the staff prescreening before the board meets is to make sure records are set aside for those who have retirement paperwork in, asked not to be promoted, or have a "hold" for one of several reasons, i.e. legal. I don't recall if there is one for Med Retirement holding pattern. So there should be some policy related to whether or not your record will be in or out of the board. BTW there used to be a minimum TIG requirement and I see the article below really only talks about satisfactory service. Worth while checking that out too. I was a DOPMA type and I presume the Pers Regs have changed a bit over time.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 6 at 2016 6:02 PM

Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 18:02:03 -0400

Why are they even submitting you for the board? You are ineligible. Your career is over and apparently you did well, but unless you are on the list when you are submitted for medical retirement, you retire at your current rank.

Response by SPC Todd Hanson made Oct 6 at 2016 6:05 PM

SPC Todd Hanson — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 18:05:19 -0400

I just went thru the MEB a CPT that was in my briefing was promotable was going to retire as a MAJ.

Response by CW4 Angel C. made Oct 6 at 2016 6:42 PM

CW4 Angel C. — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 18:42:11 -0400

Technical question and a good one. I do know that there is no TIG requirement as well as the Army denying you a medboard (and telling you to retire instead) because you are eligible for regular AFS retirement. The reality is that a medboard is not something an individual decides to submit for himself, but it's initiated by a doctor/PA of some type.So in a way it's somewhat fair to retire at the higher grade. But in other ways it's not. What's the purpose of retiring at the next higher grade anyway other than a couple different digits on your ID card? Retirement pay would still be the same unless you're grandfathered from the high three, but I could be wrong.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Oct 6 at 2016 7:11 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 19:11:29 -0400

Highest grade worn, paid for for high-3.

I present the following argument, though. "What if they don't medically retire you?" Therefore you go through whatever the "normal" process (in this case promotion).

If for some reason you were denied promotion and denied medboard and somehow didn't reach normal retirement vestment it could potentially reach bizarre conflicts, therefore go through the normal process as though promotion is the best option.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 6 at 2016 9:10 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 21:10:40 -0400

Are you in the IDES/MEB process? There's a milpermessage regarding promotable statuses. If you have the P prior to enrollment in the IDES you will be given retirement or severance pay at the next promotable rank

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 6 at 2016 9:51 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 06 Oct 2016 21:51:34 -0400

I dont think anyone should get promoted while on med board but thats my opinion

Response by SFC Daniel Faires made Oct 7 at 2016 8:38 AM

SFC Daniel Faires — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 08:38:32 -0400

If you are on the list and promotoble and medically retired they will review it and should promote you 24 hours prior to discharge

Response by CW3 Stephen Mills made Oct 7 at 2016 9:34 AM

CW3 Stephen Mills — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 09:34:05 -0400

Ok, I can add more here as responses give you more room to write. This isn't a current situation, its just something I got to thinking about. Back in 2010 I was being medically retired. It was only supposed to take 90 days I was told, but.....My command sent a letter stating they needed me requested it be delayed a year. I was already over 20 as well. I really didn't have an actual problem with this at the time, but. While my medical retirement was approved, but I was on hold I was put in for two medals, both in reference to responding to the Hassan shooting at Ft Hood. Both medals were turned down by my BN commander saying that since I was flagged for medical retirement I couldn't receive a medal. During that year I also came up for promotion to CW4 a few of months before my final out date. I got passed over for promotion. Well recently my command used my picture responding to the Hassan shooting in a recruitment brochure and it has kind of annoyed me since they wouldn't give me a medal since I was medically flagged, but I wouldn't have even been there if they had let me medically retire, and then the whole getting passed over thing has been sticking in my gut and got me to thinking I remembered something about if I came up for promotion while being medically retired I was supposed to get promoted. I know its just a digit on my ID card. I don't care. Right is right and wrong is wrong.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 7 at 2016 9:45 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 09:45:56 -0400

Generally speaking, you need to hold a rank for a period of time (it varies a bit), usually two years to retire at the highest rank held.
Having said that, a medical board determination that you be medically retired implies strongly that you are not eligible for service in your MOS field, possibly the Army, and thus not eligible for promotion in the first place. If you aren't in a promotable status on the day your sequence number comes up, it doesn't happen.

A question for you - have you been placed on the Temporary Disability Retired List or the Medically Retired List? The answer is different depending on which applies.
From what I gather, the Soldier can be retired at the current grade, the highest grade held (doesn't apply unless you were previously an officer), or the grade you would have held had you not been separated (this sounds like you). This does not affect retirement pay, but rather the disability severance pay that you might be entitled to.
Commissioned officers normally receive the promotion list grade since promotion law requires them to wait for their sequence number to come up.
Reference is 10 USC 1372.

Response by PO2 Billy Lollar made Oct 7 at 2016 10:20 AM

PO2 Billy Lollar — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 10:20:39 -0400

So my situation may be completely different and have no bearing on how they do it for Warrants or in the Army but here it is. I was in the Navy and was an E5 when I was injured. While on Med hold for the medical review board I came up for E6. I asked if I would be able to put on rank if I was still on hold when it came out, even though I was being medically retired. They said that once you are in the MEB process you can not put on rank. The only way that I could have retired as an E6 was if I would have made the rank before the MEB was started. Granted for me it doesn't matter if I was retired as an E5 or an E6 because since I didn't do at least 20 years I can only get the higher amount of the military retirement pay or the VA disability pay not both, and for me it was the VA disability pay. Like you said though, its just a different number on your ID card but it's something you worked hard for and if not for the injury you would be getting.

I'm not sure if that helps you in any way or not, but that is how it happened for me.

Response by COL Vincent Stoneking made Oct 7 at 2016 10:36 AM

COL Vincent Stoneking — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 10:36:44 -0400

CW3 Stephen Mills It is a fine point, but you would have to have been selected (not pinned, or actually promoted - selected) for promotion prior to the medical retirement to be retired at the next higher grade. The logic being, but for the medical retirement, you *would* have attained and successfully held that grade.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 7 at 2016 12:31 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 12:31:58 -0400

I don't know about O's and WO's but enlisted you need to be in the rank for 2 yrs for retirement

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 8 at 2016 8:19 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 08 Oct 2016 20:19:05 -0400

No. the devil is in the details.
At what date were you promoted officially. Which letter came first : medical discharge or promotion

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 9 at 2016 4:07 AM

SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 09 Oct 2016 04:07:38 -0400

If you are medically retired and in good standing otherwise you get promoted upon retirement at least that's what happens on the enlisted side! My good friend just got medically retired as a SFC and he was a SSG while he was in and was promoted upon retirement! And before anyone says anything he wasn't on a promotion list or have a P status he was just in good standing as in not flagged or barred to reenlist before the MEB process!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 10 at 2016 11:55 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 23:55:30 -0400

You retire at the highest grade that you held for at least 2 years.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 17 at 2017 9:11 PM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 21:11:21 -0500

So I’m E-5 automatic promotable for E-6 (without going go the board) and getting medically retired but find out I’m not in the automatic promotable anymore because my APFT and weapon card expired so I won’t get out with my E-6 ? since not promotable anymore. ?