I apologize for the very long read but I am trying to make my story clear and honest, I am trying to reenlist into the military and am looking for any insight or help/guidance in getting a waiver.
I joined the Marine Corps when I was 17 years old. I was only in from March 2005 to November 2005 and was discharged for an Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety. The discharge was Honorable with an RE-3P JFV1 code. I was never fully comfortable with this discharge and for the reasons that led up to it. During boot camp I came down with pneumonia and struggled for the entirety of training. I was never dropped into a Rehab platoon and was only treated with standard medication. I completed all of the field training including the Crucible in this condition though I needed to receive an additional pulmonary aid to make it through much of the field phase.
Whether it was due to misfortune or simply fate, a number of incidents occurred during the short time frame before boot camp and after boot camp. Before shipping out my grandfather died and my father lost his job, my grandparents had been living with us for some time. I shipped out shortly thereafter and within my first month my family relocated from California to South Carolina after my dad was offered a new job. I never felt fully recovered after the pneumonia cleared and shortly after Graduation I was still having issues with physical activities. This was apparent in my poor PT scores and the difficulty handling the rucks and simple things such as climbing up stairs.
Upon arriving to SOI I made the Corpsman aware of the situation asking to receive some more treatment, and explaining that I was unsure If I would be able to handle the physical activities since I was still having issues breathing. Regardless I was still placed into training immediately. I had a lot of difficulty handling the physical activities and my fitness decreased dramatically and with the inability to perform to the standards of the other students I was constantly harassed by the students and NCO’s. I believe this was the start of my problems with adjusting to the demands of military life.
Regardless, I was never able to finish SOI due to being unable to complete the required activities. I was able to get further evaluated for conditions such as Asthma or some possible post-pneumonia episode of which one doctor instead suggested that I could be suffering repeated panic attacks. Despite my efforts it was determined that I likely had panic/anxiety attacks. I spent several months in the medical rehabilitation platoon going back and forth getting treated for breathing issues and/or panic attacks. Meanwhile my fitness and health continued to deteriorate and the doctor suggested I be discharged for an adjustment disorder with anxiety. It was documented that I likely had a medical condition that resulted from a medical condition that was not clearly defined that was aggravated by an adjustment disorder.
I was never happy with my discharge and struggled to adapt to civilian life afterwards for a long period of time. I had to adjust to South Carolina after spending my entire life in California and things were difficult. Regardless, I spent the time rebuilding my life from scratch. I went to school, found work, and saw a physician who later treated and cleared me of any pulmonary issues. Later I sought therapy and got back on track with my life. In fact, I am highly physically active participating in demanding sports and since becoming a certified coach and volunteering time with a number of fitness facilities. I am in the best shape of my life, confident, capable and determined.
Because all I have ever wanted to do is to serve I’ve decided to reenlist into the military. It has always been on my mind since that day I was discharged. I have spent number times with different recruiters; many have been supportive while others not so much. In June I decided to join the Army and the recruiters have been very supportive. To make my case strong, I gathered letters and evaluations from 2 psychologists as well as my physician. Together they state that I do not suffer from any pulmonary condition nor do I suffer from an adjustment disorder or anxiety and that I have since overcome my past issues.
The interesting thing about adjustment disorders which I have researched and been told by my doctors is that the condition is not permanent, rather it is a temporary condition which is the result of one or a number of traumatic events which can be overcome.
With the information I gathered, my recruiter submitted to USAREC which was turned down for not having enough supporting evidence. I countered this with a full evaluation by my psychologist. We resubmitted this which again was turned down by USAREC . This time they asked for more signatures by the doctor which I gathered. The third time we submitted it was returned and I was told that I am Permanently disqualified from service. No reason was given.
My recruiters have said they do not know why and do not understand why USAREC has been this difficult. My condition can be waived according to them and to my research. The thing that bothers me is that I have not been allowed to request a consult by meps doctors. The process if I’m correct is that those who require a medical or personality waiver must be given a consult by a meps doctor, and if there is supporting documentation to prove the condition no longer exists and that the person is capable of handling the demands of the military then they can apply for a waiver. This has not been the case for me as I have not been able to get approval to process in the first place.
I have been searching other methods of getting in and my recruiters suggested a congressional inquiry. I did speak with a congressional aide who did say that there MUST be a reason given for the PDQ and that I need to be given a consult by meps before a decision is made. Whether this is accurate I do not know. Regardless, I have been working furiously and hard to get all the information I can and to exhaust what areas I am able to before moving into a congressional inquiry. It just seems strange that I have not been able to get a consult from meps and I was not given a reason for the PDQ.
Again I apologize for the long read and that this is likely in the wrong section due to JFV1 being classified as a medical discharge and not administrative or personality but I was unsure where to properly submit this. I simply am looking for guidance on other avenues I can pursue to reenlist. My recruiter said that if I really want this, I can get it if im persistent. Hopefully there is truth in that, I just feel that perhaps everything that has occurred is due to misfortune and that some of it is an injustice. Thank you for the time taken to read this.
I joined the Marine Corps when I was 17 years old. I was only in from March 2005 to November 2005 and was discharged for an Adjustment Disorder with Anxiety. The discharge was Honorable with an RE-3P JFV1 code. I was never fully comfortable with this discharge and for the reasons that led up to it. During boot camp I came down with pneumonia and struggled for the entirety of training. I was never dropped into a Rehab platoon and was only treated with standard medication. I completed all of the field training including the Crucible in this condition though I needed to receive an additional pulmonary aid to make it through much of the field phase.
Whether it was due to misfortune or simply fate, a number of incidents occurred during the short time frame before boot camp and after boot camp. Before shipping out my grandfather died and my father lost his job, my grandparents had been living with us for some time. I shipped out shortly thereafter and within my first month my family relocated from California to South Carolina after my dad was offered a new job. I never felt fully recovered after the pneumonia cleared and shortly after Graduation I was still having issues with physical activities. This was apparent in my poor PT scores and the difficulty handling the rucks and simple things such as climbing up stairs.
Upon arriving to SOI I made the Corpsman aware of the situation asking to receive some more treatment, and explaining that I was unsure If I would be able to handle the physical activities since I was still having issues breathing. Regardless I was still placed into training immediately. I had a lot of difficulty handling the physical activities and my fitness decreased dramatically and with the inability to perform to the standards of the other students I was constantly harassed by the students and NCO’s. I believe this was the start of my problems with adjusting to the demands of military life.
Regardless, I was never able to finish SOI due to being unable to complete the required activities. I was able to get further evaluated for conditions such as Asthma or some possible post-pneumonia episode of which one doctor instead suggested that I could be suffering repeated panic attacks. Despite my efforts it was determined that I likely had panic/anxiety attacks. I spent several months in the medical rehabilitation platoon going back and forth getting treated for breathing issues and/or panic attacks. Meanwhile my fitness and health continued to deteriorate and the doctor suggested I be discharged for an adjustment disorder with anxiety. It was documented that I likely had a medical condition that resulted from a medical condition that was not clearly defined that was aggravated by an adjustment disorder.
I was never happy with my discharge and struggled to adapt to civilian life afterwards for a long period of time. I had to adjust to South Carolina after spending my entire life in California and things were difficult. Regardless, I spent the time rebuilding my life from scratch. I went to school, found work, and saw a physician who later treated and cleared me of any pulmonary issues. Later I sought therapy and got back on track with my life. In fact, I am highly physically active participating in demanding sports and since becoming a certified coach and volunteering time with a number of fitness facilities. I am in the best shape of my life, confident, capable and determined.
Because all I have ever wanted to do is to serve I’ve decided to reenlist into the military. It has always been on my mind since that day I was discharged. I have spent number times with different recruiters; many have been supportive while others not so much. In June I decided to join the Army and the recruiters have been very supportive. To make my case strong, I gathered letters and evaluations from 2 psychologists as well as my physician. Together they state that I do not suffer from any pulmonary condition nor do I suffer from an adjustment disorder or anxiety and that I have since overcome my past issues.
The interesting thing about adjustment disorders which I have researched and been told by my doctors is that the condition is not permanent, rather it is a temporary condition which is the result of one or a number of traumatic events which can be overcome.
With the information I gathered, my recruiter submitted to USAREC which was turned down for not having enough supporting evidence. I countered this with a full evaluation by my psychologist. We resubmitted this which again was turned down by USAREC . This time they asked for more signatures by the doctor which I gathered. The third time we submitted it was returned and I was told that I am Permanently disqualified from service. No reason was given.
My recruiters have said they do not know why and do not understand why USAREC has been this difficult. My condition can be waived according to them and to my research. The thing that bothers me is that I have not been allowed to request a consult by meps doctors. The process if I’m correct is that those who require a medical or personality waiver must be given a consult by a meps doctor, and if there is supporting documentation to prove the condition no longer exists and that the person is capable of handling the demands of the military then they can apply for a waiver. This has not been the case for me as I have not been able to get approval to process in the first place.
I have been searching other methods of getting in and my recruiters suggested a congressional inquiry. I did speak with a congressional aide who did say that there MUST be a reason given for the PDQ and that I need to be given a consult by meps before a decision is made. Whether this is accurate I do not know. Regardless, I have been working furiously and hard to get all the information I can and to exhaust what areas I am able to before moving into a congressional inquiry. It just seems strange that I have not been able to get a consult from meps and I was not given a reason for the PDQ.
Again I apologize for the long read and that this is likely in the wrong section due to JFV1 being classified as a medical discharge and not administrative or personality but I was unsure where to properly submit this. I simply am looking for guidance on other avenues I can pursue to reenlist. My recruiter said that if I really want this, I can get it if im persistent. Hopefully there is truth in that, I just feel that perhaps everything that has occurred is due to misfortune and that some of it is an injustice. Thank you for the time taken to read this.
