A Trusted Veteran-Led Firm

Dr. Stephen E. Vela is a PA and the owner/CEO of Stevel Nexus Consulting, LLC. He has served in the Air Force since June 1994. His first 13 years of service were as an enlisted member reaching the rank of TSgt before attending the military’s Interservice Physician Assistant Program (IPAP) from August 2006 to September 2008 and commissioning as a 1^st Lt. His most recent position was the Deputy Branch Chief, Clinical Engineering and Sustainment at Ft Detrick, MD and serving as the Air Force PA Family Medicine Consultant.

Before this, he was the Flight Commander for Aerospace and Operational Medicine Clinics at Hill AFB, UT, Dover AFB, DE, and Travis AFB, CA. These clinics provided primary care for military members, including special forces, members on flight status, and specialties such as Security Forces.

In addition to providing primary care, these operational clinics perform all the required physical exams, including Periodic Health Assessments (PHAs), Deployment Related Health Assessments (DRHAs), Separation Health Physical Exams (SHPEs), and Medical Evaluation Board (MEB) summaries.

Since graduating from IPAP, he has built his expertise in the medical conditions associated with MEBs and VA disability. While leading clinics, he primarily focused on PHAs, DRHAs, SHPEs, Flight Physicals, Occupational Physicals, and MEBs. Additionally, under his most recent flight command at Hill AFB, Utah, the Physical Evaluation Board Liaison Office (responsible for processing MEBs) fell under his command, so he is knowledgeable about the medical evaluation system, including the VA disability system.