Question regarding a medical diagnosis & enlistment.

[Marine1011]

But for some reason, the answers are apparently not obvious. So, ask away.

[Hammer]

There's nothing "wrong" with asking, but it is similar to asking the question can I join with 10 felonies? or, can I join if I am 100% disabled? Or can I join if I have no idea how to count to five? This is what I mean by these types of questions. The answers should be obvious ahead of time.

Well, I have a couple of questions, I would like to ask Marine 1011!

I'm seventy years old; overweight; Nam Vet;use a cpap machine; been through Boot Camp at PI in 1963; have no tat's; a member of the VA; a member of the VFW; ride a Harley; never tried to commit suicide(I'm to chicken **** to do that);
don't want to go recon; just a Marine.

My questions are: Can I re-enlist and does the Corps have electrical outlets where I can plug my c-pap in or does that require a waiver?

[Marine1011]

Hammer3, this is not one of those questions referred to above. This is legit. Of course, with no tattoo you may not be able to get in. You need a tattoo, THEN a waiver, then have it removed, then come on in. They have a special Old Timer's Battalion these days where the minimum age is 65, you are not allowed to be in great condition (automatic DQ at MEPS), and your not wanting Recon is a definite mark against you. Everyone wants Ricky Recon these days, and your not wanting it may show a poor attitude. But yes, you can enlist, and the Corps does have electrical outlets for your convenience, and you may opt to do refresher boot camp entirely online, without ever leaving the comfort of your own home. AND you start out as a Gunny (E-7).

[Hammer]

Hammer3, this is not one of those questions referred to above. This is legit. Of course, with no tattoo you may not be able to get in. You need a tattoo, THEN a waiver, then have it removed, then come on in. They have a special Old Timer's Battalion these days where the minimum age is 65, you are not allowed to be in great condition (automatic DQ at MEPS), and your not wanting Recon is a definite mark against you. Everyone wants Ricky Recon these days, and your not wanting it may show a poor attitude. But yes, you can enlist, and the Corps does have electrical outlets for your convenience, and you may opt to do refresher boot camp entirely online, without ever leaving the comfort of your own home. AND you start out as a Gunny (E-7).

Starting out as a
Gunny is good; however; I would like to be an E-8 First Sergeant and with a guarantee that I could be a Sergeant Major . If the Corps is now days giving out choices and guaranteeing for enlisting; I figure they could accommodate my request. Otherwise, I'll just stay retired, drink my wine, and dream about women I'll never have, and the good ole days when the Corps was the Corps, and not all the crap that
Recruiters have to put up with. This waiver crap is sickening!

[Marine1011]

Hammer, no one in his right mind is going to turn you away over a dispute over something like E-7 or E-8. Consider E-8 as a done deal. Now, staying retired, drinking wine, and dreaming about women is something I did while I was IN, coincidentally.

[hurstfarms]

Hah, I'd say Hammer has about the same chance of getting in as me. But this is everything to me. If I saw some kid trying to get in with a record like mine, i'd say no way in hell. But when i'm old i'd rather say I did everything I could and was denied than stay home and be lazy. Like you said, no harm in asking.. and i'm sure there are a few Marines out there who are glad that they asked. I'd bet money that every Marine wouldn't be who they are today if they were turned down at the gate.

The Marine recruiters around here are pretty young guys and from the word, not necessarily recommended. My brother is in Air Force basic right now and will come back to work with our local Air Force recruiter who is a buddy of his. (i'm not sure what the program is, but he'll just be an assistant for a few weeks after tech school while he's waiting to get stationed) I'd figure this would be a good time to try, I know this recruiter personally and my brother will be working there are the station to help me out. That would also allow me to put some more time in between the incident and now. It's not the Marine Corps.. but it's serving..

[hurstfarms]

Also the process of getting those medical records changed is looking good, at least my doctor says so. I wouldn't try to enlist with "Suicide attempt" in big bold letters, "Adjustment disorder with disturbance of conduct" sounds a lot better.

[USMC 2571]

Well, you're right about the fact that serving is serving, no matter what branch. We all feel like that. Good luck to you, and keep us posted here.

[Phantom Blooper]

John Smith was the only Protestant to move into a large Catholic neighborhood. On the first Friday of Lent, John was outside grilling a big juicy steak on his grill.


Meanwhile, all of his neighbors were eating cold tuna fish for supper. This went on each Friday of Lent. On the last Friday of Lent, the neighborhood men got together and decided that something had to be done about John; he was tempting them to eat meat each Friday of Lent, and they couldn't take it anymore.

They decided to try and convert John to be a Catholic. They went over and talked to him and were so happy that he decided to join all of his neighbors and become a Catholic. They took him to church, and the priest sprinkled some water over him, and said, "You were born a Baptist, you were raised a Baptist, and now you are a Catholic."

The men were so relieved, now their biggest Lenten temptation was resolved.

The next year's Lenten season rolled around. The first Friday of Lent came, and just at supper time, when the neighbor were sitting down to their tuna fish dinner, there came the wafting smell of steak cooking on a grill.

The neighborhood men could not believe their noses! What was going on? They called each other up and decided to meet over in John's yard to see if he had forgotten it was the first Friday of Lent.

The group arrived just in time to see John standing over his grill with a small pitcher of water. He was sprinkling some water over his steak on the grill, saying, "You were born a cow, you were raised a cow, and now you are a fish."

The reason for the joke is too show that one can change the words but it means the same thing. Your brother knowing and being friendly with the Air Force recruiter and going on "Recruiters Assistance Program" after his basic training, should not have any bearing on whether or not that AF's branch or any branch will except you. As stated above the criteria for all branches are the same.

You can try...but changing the wording is not masking the original symptom's.


An adjustment disorder (AD) (sometimes called exogenous, reactive, or situational depression)[1] occurs when an individual is unable to adjust to or cope with a particular stressor, like a major life event. Since people with this disorder normally have symptoms that depressed people do, such as general loss of interest, feelings of hopelessness and crying, this disorder is sometimes known as situational depression. Unlike major depression the disorder is caused by an outside stressor and generally resolves once the individual is able to adapt to the situation.[2] One hypothesis for adjustment disorder is that it may represent a sub-threshold clinical syndrome.[3]

Signs and symptoms
According to the DSM IV-TR, the development of the emotional or behavioral symptoms of this diagnosis have to occur within three months of the onset of the identifiable stressor

Some emotional signs of adjustment disorder are:

Sadness
Hopelessness
Lack of enjoyment
Crying spells
Nervousness
Anxiety
Worry
Desperation
Trouble sleeping
Difficulty concentrating
Feeling overwhelmed and thoughts of suicide

Although you say you are over it I would venture to say any recruiter any branch will not enlist you......knowing the situation .

Good luck to you though......however I would caution you not to ride on your brothers service.

[USMC 2571]

Good post as always, Chuck.

[LCPL1341]

Lmao @ people who think the Air Force is somehow less selective. Sure their bootcamp is easier, and they're not combat oriented like the Marine Corps, but they're actually pretty selective in their recruiting. The stuff I posted earlier is standard throughout the DoD.

[USMC 2571]

I was thinking the same thing...the Army would be his best bet. The Air Force does in fact, as you stated, have high standards like the Corps.

[Phantom Blooper]

I am not in the here and now.....but from speaking to all Armed Forces recruiter a few years ago the Army is most lenient with some things....although they can bend but can't break the rules set forth by the DOD.....like tattoos' and I think that policy has changed.....but mental health and physical issues the guidelines are solid.

[USMC 2571]

ahhh, didn't know that, Chuck. I knew about the tattoos and maybe I thought they would be more lenient with other things.....

[Phantom Blooper]

and maybe I thought they would be more lenient with other things.....

My information dates back at least 6 or more years....when we were writing motivational letters to recruits....recruiters told me if they did decide to pursue a Poolee applicant and waivers are needed.......a mental health applicant with medicine stopped for a year has a better chance at a waiver....since it was the norm to put a kid on drugs for ADH when these young men were raised...to keep them sane from life's problems (provided he didn't grow breasts) than to waiver someone with visible signs of self mutilation and "suicide/adjustment disorder.....as with most everything else in this forum section..........see a recruiter for the real scoop!