Potential Problem

[SMDPitt]

This is a tired subject, I know, and I apologize in advance. But here goes...

About a year ago i had some heavy **** going on in my life. It was my first year of college, far away from home, and things weren't going well. (No drugs, just for the record). School really stressed me out. It was around this time that college, at this point of my life right out of high school, was not for me. I just think that some people are built for it and some aren't. Anyway, things didn't go well at school and I ended up going on academic suspension because my grades had really slipped (thankfully you don't have to send a transcript to the Marine Corps HA). I basically had what I consider to be a nervous breakdown at school. My doctor prescribed me Zoloft (sort of like a Prozac) to help with anxiety. Things really cleared up over a few months and now I'm off of it and doing A-OK.
My question is: does my brief time on that medication preclude me from being eligable to enlist? During the last year or so I have absolutely fallen in love with the Marine Corps, and there is nothing I wouldn't do to get my hands on that Eagle Globe and Anchor.
I have no criminal record, physical disabliities, and am in relatively good shape. I just hope this isn't what keeps me out.
If anyone has run into a similar situation or knows someone who has, please enlighten me.

Thanks for your input.
-Steve

[yellowwing]

You got to decide if you can see a Recruiter with an honest conscious. If you need a no sh*t second opinion, ask one of your closest friends. Ask them honestly if you can handle stress.

Give them a chance and trust them to tell you the truth. If they give the green light, you very well may have to wait and get waivers from the MEPS Doc to get everything squared away to ship. It may take several months.

Stress comes in different varieties, but according to Bureaucracies its all the same. And the Navy Doc at MEPS has to clear you first.

DO NOT try to bullsh*t your way into avoiding addressing this with the Doc. You will get caught, and you will get turned away forever.

Be upfront and play the paper game no matter if it takes 57 weeks. Your Recruiter will work with you to get it done right. DO NOT get impatient with him. It takes time to get a waiver.

Hang in there and use this time to go from "relatively good shape" to sharp world class killer shape! Run, crunch, pull-up and swim your azz off.

[SMDPitt]

And the Navy Doc at MEPS has to clear you first.

DO NOT try to bullsh*t your way into avoiding addressing this with the Doc. You will get caught, and you will get turned away forever.

Be upfront and play the paper game no matter if it takes 57 weeks. Your Recruiter will work with you to get it done right. DO NOT get impatient with him. It takes time to get a waiver.


What does a meeting with the Navy Doc entail? And what is MEPS sorry

[HurricaneRJ]

This is a tired subject, I know, and I apologize in advance. But here goes...

About a year ago i had some heavy sh** going on in my life. It was my first year of college, far away from home, and things weren't going well. (No drugs, just for the record). School really stressed me out. It was around this time that college, at this point of my life right out of high school, was not for me. I just think that some people are built for it and some aren't. Anyway, things didn't go well at school and I ended up going on academic suspension because my grades had really slipped (thankfully you don't have to send a transcript to the Marine Corps HA). I basically had what I consider to be a nervous breakdown at school. My doctor prescribed me Zoloft (sort of like a Prozac) to help with anxiety. Things really cleared up over a few months and now I'm off of it and doing A-OK.
My question is: does my brief time on that medication preclude me from being eligable to enlist? During the last year or so I have absolutely fallen in love with the Marine Corps, and there is nothing I wouldn't do to get my hands on that Eagle Globe and Anchor.
I have no criminal record, physical disabliities, and am in relatively good shape. I just hope this isn't what keeps me out.
If anyone has run into a similar situation or knows someone who has, please enlighten me.

Thanks for your input.
-Steve

Life can throw a lot of challenges in ones life. Some people fold, and some people overcome those challenges. It's you that has to make your decisions the right one.

I myself was thrown one not to while ago, I was all down on myself, and life wasn't looking bright for me either. Luckily I had my twin brother help me get back on my feet. Afterwards it's all towards the getting the EGA. Just be honest with your recruiter, get everything done right.

I can't answer if you will get denied, but if you show effort and show the desire of wanting to be a Marine. There should be no reason your recruiter wouldn't help you out.

Need anymore advice, just shoot me a PM. (I got a court date tomorrow morning.)

[SMDPitt]

I just want to clarify.
What I was most stressed about was going to school when what I really wanted to do was go into the military. My family is for the war, but when it comes to seeing their son/brother go and fight, it's out of the question. I've run into alot of friction and going to college instead of following my own dreams was a mistake.
Overall, I'm a calm, evenkeel person. Basically what has given me stress is "breaking up" with my family, and breaking the news to them that one of their own wants to go and fight.

[yellowwing]

Focus on what you want.

[HurricaneRJ]

Steve, believe me. Telling my parents that I want to join the Marines, was hell bending itself. I wanted in earlier but they said no, so I had to wait until i turned 18 to join. My mom always gets some vet to discourage me from going. I never listen, and I never give in. Either you want to be a Marine, or you don't. Sooner or later, they will come to realize that you mean business, and will show support for you, but not the war.

Listening to my parents was the worst decision, my brother has made. He was pushed to go to ROTC at a College where they produce the second most Generals in the Army, by my parents. Anyway, he always tell me that the only reason he is still in school, is that at least one of us is going enlisted and doing what we want. If my brother had his way, he would be Active Duty Army and would probably be in Iraq now. (Where he wants to be.)

[yellowwing]

Its got to be in the deepest part of your your Heart, Pitt. "I want to be a Marine no matter what!"

If you can't stand up to Dad, when you come down to the Island we are going to wash you out with bone wrenching heartache and tears. You will cry and you will hurt.

It all comes down to, "Are you going to quit on us?"

[Fubar5812]

honesty honesty honesty!

that's all it comes down,honesty to the doctors,honesty to your recruiter,honesty to YOURSELF.

if stress is a big thing for you,you won't make it during training most likely,but if you believe there is nothing wrong,and the zoloft was just for a temporary burnout,then go for it.

[DemonicOne]

My mom totally freaked out when I joined. She had me talking to a bunch of my family members who where Marines during Nam, trying to talk me out of it. She would'nt support my decision so I moved out. Your Parents don't control you once you turn 18. They don't have a choice, tell your brother to stop being such a little pussy and stand up to them.

[crazymjb]

Ugh antidepressents.

Here is my experience. In middle school my parents thought I was depressed and had me put on SSRIs and had me see a shrink. I insisted I wasn't depressed, which the non-prescribing doc ultimately agreed with, but I was on the meds anyway.

Now I will say this, the meds did alleviate some anxiety I had, and made me happier (If I was married to Heidi Klum, force recon, making a million dollars a month in stocks they would still make me happier, that is what they do), so, I stayed on them. I never even thought to go off them until I looked further into the Military, actually my father told me I would have to go off them. So four years on meds total.

My recruiter and I are currently working with MEPS to get a waiver. As he said would happen I was initially DQd(even with 2 doctors letters). I now have records that have been sent up to BUMED(basically a medical review board) for review. What I am told they are looking for is "suicidal," and considering I didn't even aknowlege I was depressed (and still insist I wasnt) that is not in there. I have been told that ultimately they expect it to work out, but it may take anything from a couple weeks to a few months or more.

From all I have heard (from Marines and poolees alike) withholding the information likely would work, and they likely wouldn't find you out. Personally I didn't want any lies in my paperwork, both for its potential ramifications on me, and because I feel it is information that the military should be aware of.

Mike

[yellowwing]

From all I have heard (from Marines and poolees alike) withholding the information likely would work, and they likely wouldn't find you out. Personally I didn't want any lies in my paperwork, both for its potential ramifications on me, and because I feel it is information that the military should be aware of.
Negative! There was a poolee here that lied on his paperwork. He even made it through Boot Camp. He got nailed on it at SOI. He's a civilian now.

[SMDPitt]

What did he lie about?

[yellowwing]

I don't have the specific information, but that is not the point. I do know that for sure he fudged his paperwork and it came out at SOI.

Which brings us back to you. Its your life of a 20 year old American. Your a grown man, what are you determined to do?

Waivers are waivers. Be up front and there and there will be no problems. Navy Docs know that it is common practice for civilian doctors to write scripts for Zoloft for anything they have no direct answer. BUT YOU MUST DO THE PAPER TRAIL

[crazymjb]

I'm sure people get caught and I am by no means suggesting he does it, merely saying it happens.

I'd be more scared of being barred from service than of prison time. Being a Marine is what I need to be, and I will chase MEPS docs around forever if need be. I have talked to people who have fought stuff for over a year. My recruiter also said sometimes a doc will get it, be having a bad day, and just fail you and they will have to send it up again. Don't get demoralized about the whole process should problems arise.

Oh, and be prepared to spend some money. We have already spent 350 bucks getting stuff from the docs.

Mike

[DaftPunk]

Oh darn, I was prescribed prozac when I was 13 years old, I only took it twice, then threw them out (I didn't like how they Altered my mind, haha). Never got another prescription. But I guess I'd need a wavier for it too huh?

Geez the number of obstacles I have to over come just keep piling on me.

[crazymjb]

^I'd worry a little about that. They like it if you were taken off the medication under the advice of a doctor. Fortunatly my prescribing doc wrote a letter telling when I was off the meds (about 2 years ago, starting being taken off longer than that) and that it was under his advice.

Mike

[SMDPitt]

^I'd worry a little about that. They like it if you were taken off the medication under the advice of a doctor. Fortunatly my prescribing doc wrote a letter telling when I was off the meds (about 2 years ago, starting being taken off longer than that) and that it was under his advice.

Mike

And did the letter hold any weight?

[crazymjb]

In the grand scheme of things it will. Both letters were very positive, citing situational problems of minimal severity stemming from reasons X Y and Z. It is a multi-step pain in the butt process. They required the letters, than they wanted the doctors session notes, etc. I'll keep you guys posted.

From all I have read and heard it ultimatly should be fine conditional that you weren't suicidal, didn't have a stay in a hospital, werent a threat to anyone else, had no psychotic episodes, etc etc. It is good IMO that they do take this seriously becuase certain types of depression SHOULD be a disqualifier.

That said, a kid from my RSS tried to eat his arm to get himself a section 8 when he decided he couldnt take it around TD8, he succeeded, and had no psychiatric history.

Mike

[yesyouam]

They just hand that stuff out like candy these days. I hope that wouldn't disqualify anyone from military service, 'cos it's pretty hard to find anyone who hasn't been on that stuff. I think you can get a waiver for that, but I'm certainly no authority.

My brother got a waiver and he took every drug in the book. When the recruiter asked him how many times he smoked pot, he replied, "Today?"

[SMDPitt]

I appreciate all the input, guys. I have a new appreciation for what it's going to take to get through it all. But I do have a newfound determination.

I'll get through it, and I'll do what it takes no matter how long it takes.

[LeonardLawrence]

Okay.

I think to clarify. The rules are there in place for a reason. They are not there to mess with people who are otherwise good and decent people. With that said, not all people can be a Marine, nor would everyone want to. (Think about it, if we were all Marines, the only people we would have to kill are other Marines, no?) No, seriously....if that made sense to you, seek help!

Back to my point. The rules are there to protect the service, to protect your fellow recruits and Marines. Integrity is a big part of that process and if you truly want it....and are fit for it....I think it will work out even if you are required to jump extra hoops.

Dont fear the jail term, don't fear the MEPs, but do fear your own inability to have integrity if that is the choice you make, not to report it. You put yourself and others at risk and that is very UN-Marine-like.