Which statement best describes the MEB's function in retention and separation processes?

• A. It evaluates medical conditions for potential placement or retirement, possibly leading to PEB adjudication
• B. It decides deployment
• C. It handles pay issues
• D. It deals with disciplinary actions

Answer: (A)

The essential idea is that the Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) reviews a service member’s medical condition to decide whether they can stay on active duty or should be separated or retired due to impairment. In the retention and separation process, the MEB documents the medical conditions that might prevent continued service, determines if they are unfitting for duty, and then can initiate or forward the case to a Physical Evaluation Board (PEB) for formal adjudication. The PEB then makes the fitness for duty determination and recommends a disability rating, retirement, or separation. This is why the statement describing the MEB as evaluating medical conditions for potential placement or retirement, possibly leading to PEB adjudication, is the correct one. It’s not about deployment decisions, pay issues, or disciplinary actions.