Medical Support Allowance Billets (MSAB) Request Process

Medical Support Allowance Billets (MSABs) may be authorized for reservists in any status who have been referred to the Coast Guard Physical Disability Evaluation System (PDES) IAW Chapter 6 of the Reserve Policy Manual, M1001.28.  Below are the steps for Commands and District RFRS staffs (or equivalent) to help guide them through the MSAB process. To ensure appropriate assignment location of the MSAB and alignment with policy, please use the Medical Support Allowance Billet Request Form. 

Initial Request

  1. Command:
    1. As soon as a Reservist notifies the command of an injury or illness, the command must complete a Line of Duty (LOD) determination per the Administrative Investigations Manual, COMDTINST M5830.1(series).  
    2. Command and Medical shall ensure a Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) is completed and submitted to CG PSC-PSD-de per the Physical Disability Evaluation System, COMDTINST M1850.2 (series).  A member’s MEB must be accepted and checked in by CG PSC-PSD-de before a MSAB will be authorized.
    3. Commands shall refer reservists (regardless of status) not found ‘fit for duty’ six months after incurring/aggravating an injury or illness, or reservists who are unlikely to be found ‘fit for duty’ within six months after incurring/aggravating an injury or illness to a MEB.  A LOD determination is needed as part of the MEB per the Coast Guard Medical Manual, COMDTINST M6000.1(series), ch. 3.F.1.c.
      1. NOTE: * If there is a reasonable expectation the member will fully recover, within a reasonable time period, a Temporary Limited Duty (TLD) designation may be appropriate. The maximum allowable time on TLD is 9 months. Given an initial evaluation period of up to 3 months, the maximum time from the onset of the illness or injury to recovery normally cannot exceed 12 months per the Physical Disability Evaluation System, COMDTINST M1850.2(series), ch.2.C.1. TLD requests should be submitted to HSWL SC (om) per ALCOAST 492/11.
      2. Command must complete the Medical Support Allowance Billet Request Form  and route to the servicing Medical Officer along with any supporting documentation.  The email subject line must be: “MEMBER’S NAME – MSAB Request.” 
  2. Servicing Medical Officer
    1. Servicing Medical Officer reviews, endorses the MSAB form and forwards the request to the District RFRS (or equivalent).
  3. District RFRS (or equivalent):
    1. District RFRS reviews, endorses the MSAB form and forwards the request to CG PSC-RPM-3 at ARL-SMB-CGPSC-RPM-Reserve-Medical@uscg.mil
  4. CG PSC-RPM-3:
    1. Within 10 business days from receipt of a completed MSAB request package, CG PSC-RPM-3 will review the MSAB request to ensure alignment with policy.  If approved, CG PSC-RPM-3 will work with CG-833 to obtain and assign the member to the MSAB and notify District RFRS staff of the MSAB assignment.  The MSAB will be created with an expiration date of 31 March or 30 September to provide an initial assignment period of approximately six months.

Extension/Termination Request

  1. Command:
    1. 30 days prior to the expiration of a MSAB, command emails MSAB request for extension or termination to the District RFRS staff (or equivalent).
      1. Members full name and Rank
      2. EMPLID
      3. Command POC
      4. Any changes to the member’s location or PDES status
      5. Supporting documentation as appropriate
  2. District RFRS (or equivalent):
    1. District RFRS reviews, endorses and forwards request to CG PSC-RPM-3:  ARL-SMB-CGPSC-RPM-Reserve-Medical@uscg.mil
  3. CG PSC-RPM-3:
    1. For extension of the MSAB, repeat step 4 of the initial request process above.
    2. For termination of the MSAB.
    3. If due to separation/retirement, CG PSC-RPM-3 notifies CG-833 to terminate MSAB by the effective date of the separation/retirement.
    4. If due to retention in the SELRES, CG PSC-RPM-3 will work with CG-833 and CG PSC-RPM-2 to terminate MSAB by the effective date of the SELRES assignment.  The member may be assigned to his/her previous SELRES assignment if vacant or must submit an eResume for a vacant SELRES position.  See the SELRES assignment year kickoff messages and Reserve Policy Manual, COMDTINST M1001.28 (series), ch. 5, for further guidance.