On the rollercoaster again

[LHMHMOM]

For those of you who remember me, I'm getting on the rollercoaster again!! For those who don't here is a little back ground. My son signed up in the delayed entry program in June of 2008, just after his junior year in high school. He worked very hard for a year and left for boot camp, as scheduled, in June 2009 soon after his high school graduation. Four weeks into boot camp he had some medical (and other) problems and was sent home. He had to wait two years to be able to try again. That two years is up and he can't wait to go back.

He sent off for his records from boot camp in San Diego in December and received them in April. The paperwork says that his DI called and spoke with me and that I confirmed that my son has had this medical issue since childhood. That isn't true. I never spoke to anyone there except my son and he never had this problem before boot camp and has not had a problem since. His recruiter suggested that I write a letter explaining this so I am working on that right now. He also suggested that my son write our congressman so we are working on that now as well. He is going to see a specialist to hopefully clear him of this medical issue. He is working on getting character references, one from his high school teacher who is a former police officer, worked for the FBI and was an army recruiter (I know, boo hiss). The head recruiter who was here when my son left for boot camp has offered to write one (we didn't even have to ask). I also want him to ask a lady from our church who knows him well from the youth activities that he was involved in.

I know that it's going to be a long, tough road for him to get back in but it's what he wants so I am willing to help him in any way that I can and the recruiters have said the same. We have stayed in contact with them through the last two years and they are very supportive. Does anyone have any suggestions that might help?

[USNAviator]

Just a couple of questions, does your son now need a medical waiver to re-enter the Corps? If so what is his recruiters take on the odds of him obtaining one?

"The paperwork says that his DI called and spoke with me and that I confirmed that my son has had this medical issue since childhood. That isn't true."

That's going to be very difficult to disprove. It's in his official paperwork. Have you been in contact with the DI in question?

By my calculations your son is at least 20 years old. Has he been in college the last two years?

As Dave said, good luck to all of you. It's not going to be easy but it's not impossible either

This is from an article written by someone who has far more experience at this than most of us. Just something to think about down the road

Contacting Your Congress Person
"If your medical waiver is disapproved, your recruiter may tell you that your only appeal is to contact your Congressman. This is what some recruiters tell applicants, basically just to get the applicant off their backs. I have never once, not even a single time seen, or even heard of a congressional inquiry overturning a medical waiver denial. Under the law, and DOD regulations, the individual service has the absolute right to decide whether or approve or disapprove medical waivers, depending on the current "needs of the service." A Congressional inquiry won't change anything, in my honest opinion (and experience)."

[Old Marine]

Used to be, things were really easy in the Corps. You went to Boot Camp, you completed Boot Camp, ITR, anything else that the Corps wanted, then you deployed, and you never heard of Mom or Dad gettng involved. If they did you never heard about it.
Now days it is constant and includes Congressmen, Senators, and right on down the line until somebody is made an example out of. No sir, not easy any more, and I am glad I got my 20 many years ago when it was good.

[LHMHMOM]

Thank you all for the replies. My son is now 20 years old. He has not been in college but he has been working and staying out of trouble. I'm not sure what kind of waivers he will need but I'm sure whatever it is, it will not be easy and he knows that. The recruiter offered, probably a year ago, to write that letter of recommendation. He was really surprised when my son came home. He said that of all of the kids that he had sent with that group there were two that he wasn't worried about at all and my son was one of them. Both of those kids had problems.

I know that it will be impossible to prove that the DI did not call me. The only thing that we have in our favor on that is at the time that this all happened the head recruiter, the who will be writing the letter, asked me who I had talked to. I told him that my son had called. He was shocked and told me that the DI was supposed to be the one to call me. He knew back then that I never spoke to anyone but my son. I may ask him to include that in his letter as further proof that I never spoke with anyone. We will also get a statement from my son's Dr. to prove that he was never seen for this.

We will definately send the information to the Senators as well as the Congressman. It may not do any good but it certainly won't hurt anything.

Thanks again for your suggestions and well wishes. I'm sure I will be lingering around here while we are going through all of this. Being here sure did help me out the first time and I'm sure it will again.

[Old Marine]

Your son called and said that his Drill Instructor would be calling you. This is exactly what I mean when I say that things have really changed. When I was training recruits for my seven years, we had specific order that no Drill Instructors would ever call a recruit's parents. There was never a need for it in the first place and secondly if it ever did happen it was always handled by someone with more horsepower than a Drill Instructor. Nothing ceases to amaze me these days. I suspect that someone has their wires crossed.

[LHMHMOM]

Actaully, my son didn't tell me that the DI would be calling me. The recruiter told me that the DI should have called me. Either way, the paperwork says that the DI called me and I never spoke with him. I don't know how much weight the letters will hold but we are going to do everything that we can. I'm sure it will be a long process so I hope that my son is ready to hurry up and wait!!!

[Old Marine]

Whatever. I know it has been a long,long time since I was training recruits 38 years to be exact, but it is highly doubtful that a Drill Instructor would ever call a parent ever. If they did that they would have to walk around the depot with a phone hanging off their ear at all times. Again, any calls that might come to a parent are left up to someone with much more horsepower than a Drill Instructor. Drill Instructors are way too busy to be making phone calls to parents talking about Johnny Dogood. Its the nature of the beast.

[LHMHMOM]

I was really surprised when he told me that. I will have to read the papers again and make sure I read them correctly. They did say that someone confirmed the medical issue with me and that never happened. Do you think if a recruit is being sent home that anyone other than the recruit would call? My son is the only one that I spoke to.

At this point the important thing is what we do from here. The recruiters think that it will be difficult for him to get back in but not impossible. I'm sure if they thought it was not possible they wouldn't spend any time on it. My son had an overall ASVAB score of 94 so hopefully that will help him.

Thanks again to all of you for your advice. It means so much to know that I can come her to ask questions and get the opinions of people who have been there!!

[Proud of my son]

My son told me last night the marines are gonna give him a medical discharge due to a car accident that happen a few months ago. All he had was whiplash and now they consider him a liability? Why...

[Marine1011]

Now if that dont beat all, coming on someone elses very own thread and asking a question of your own. i think you should post your own question on a new topic, new thread. Unbelievable.

[USNAviator]

Perhaps there are other circumstances that are not being revealed to you at this present time? Perhaps facts that he is not sharing? Discharge for whiplash? Sorry but it sounds a bit odd to me and I...

[Old Marine]

I doubt very much that he is being discharged for an old whiplash. Not saying he is fibing, but it is highly unlikely that the reason he gave you is the reason why. There are many reasons that some...