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So here's my situation... I spent five years on active duty with the Marine Corps and several years thereafter in the reserves. Twice I extended my IRR enlistment but it lapsed in 2011 and I received my honorable discharge. I had an exemplary career with two meritorious promotions and a number of Certificate of Commendations. I never got in trouble even once. At the end of my active duty enlistment, I was potentially offered my dream MOS of linguist and I nearly re-enlisted. There was one major reason, however, why I didn't: I was struggling with my own sexuality and terrified that I would get kicked out if I mentioned it. About three years in to my active enlistment, I was sent to counseling and prescribed anti-anxiety meds, but never once did I reveal the actual reason for my anxiety. Despite my prognosis, I was cleared for re-enlistment and, when ultimately I dropped to the reserves instead, I received a RE1A code. I suffered a few bouts of pancreatitis, presumably due to the meds, and was encouraged to seek a VA rating to continue care. I got a 40% rating but even this did not impede me from re-enlisting in the IRR or going to drill. Finally, a year ago I decided to deal with my issues and stop giving a crap what anyone thought. I went back to the VA and got treatment, this time explaining clearly why I had "anxiety" and "depression" in the first place. I got counseling and a prescription of a mild anti-depressant. The military, of course, has changed in recent years but I never saw it coming. I saw people get kicked out for being gay and I did not want to be one of them, so I subjected myself to all sorts of religious and mental programs to change. Now I'm 36... I spoke to a Marine Corps recruiter and despite nine years of creditable service, they say there's no way back active or reserve due to age alone. The National Guard recruiter says my VA rating is too high, else he would take me. The Army Reserve seemed interested in me but uncertain if MEPS would clear me. I never wanted to leave the military in the first place. I never would have under other circumstances and now I want to know if all doors are eternally shut. I have a decent job in the civilian world, no financial issues, I'm in outstanding physical shape for my age. All I have is this history of "anxiety" caused by years of self-repression. Is it even worth trying?
Re-enlistment
RE Code
Reserves
Don't ask Don't tell (DADT)
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 11
MEPS may be an "issue" if you are currently on meds. However, waivers do exist for conditions. The best you can do is try and the worst they can do is disqualify you at MEPS...Then you go for the waiver. The only way to know for sure is to have your recruiter send up your med read to MEPS and get any necessary consults scheduled. Best of luck!
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Sgt Jt McLaughlin
2Lt Kyle, thanks for your response. I will give it a try and see what happens... I got good vibes from an Army recruiter. The National Guard, on the other hand, doesn't seem to think it's possible or worth my time. I will give it a shot and have nothing to lose.
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Here's my question, do you want to be an active duty Marine, with all that it entails, or do you want to deal with your issues? If it's the deal with issues, I'd say maybe that's the wrong reason to go back on active duty. But if its a true desire to serve again, perhaps in a different branch, then go after it with the same tenacity you showed in your earlier service. Fair winds, and following seas.
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Sgt Jt McLaughlin
GySgt O'Connell, I appreciate the response. I left active duty because I thought a guaranteed honorable discharge would be better than an administrative separation. No one was threatening me with separation but I was afraid that I couldn't hide my sexuality forever, especially since I was in counseling over my "anxiety disorder". In this era, I would never have gotten out. The issue is pretty much dealt with... I've come clean with who I am and have years of maturity behind me. I would love to rejoin the Marine Corps but a recruiter told me that 36 is too old, even with my prior service. He said that there is a hard ceiling at 35 which no waiver can be issued for. Given that I'll be 37 before I think I can sort through the other waiver needs, I seriously doubt the Corps will have me. At this juncture, I would join any branch for the chance to serve again.
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GySgt Charles O'Connell
Your commitment is noted. Keep pushing, to the end. But do understand the realities. 36 is not too old, I enlisted a 31 year old, took a lot of waivers, and he had to pass a PFT, but he stayed in the game and saw it through. Promotion. You will not be in the zone for a while, even given an adjusted DOR. A promotion board will note your break in service, this will require explanation. For example, after my first enlistment I got out, but after just over a year my mistake was obvious, and back to the Corps I went. Years later I was advised, given the highly competitive nature of promotion to SNCO, that I should submit a letter to the selection board addressing my albeit short separation from service. Should time come to for yourself, I would advise seeking guidance from your 1stSgt/SgtMaj. It will be tough, but being a Marine, as you know, is tough. Stay your course.
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Your medical will be your issue. Do you have anything from a current provider to show you are cleared of your pancreatitis? Start there, and work forward. never take no for an answer. Apply towards the end of a month/quarter or year. Waivers tend to mystically appear when numbers suck at the end of a given time period. Also look at what MOS's are vacant, hard to fill MOS's that you may be qualified for can help a unit fill a vacancy that may be other wise hard to fill.
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Sgt Jt McLaughlin
CW3, I appreciate the advice. I will try to strategize accordingly. I have had no known episodes of pancreatitis since 2005. I haven't even seen a provider in several years except for mental health. The irony is that the military had no trouble re-enlisting me in the reserves after the meds / pancreatitis. The waiver is needed now because I let my reserve time lapse... foolish, I know, but circumstances were different in 2011. I'm doing contractual work in Alaska right now and I can't get any of the local recruiters to return my calls. I will be 37 soon but still within reach of the Army and the National Guard with my prior service, so I will look for someone who will take up my case even if not in the same state.
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If the Reserves are interested in you then go for it or the National Guard; contact a recruiter now cause your recode wil let you back in.
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JT go to your County VA rep they can help you with all your Military paper work
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Suspended Profile
Age waiver should not be an issue - ypu are prior service sep'd honorably. Not sure why the Marines recruiter told you that with an honorable discharge, other than he/she wasn't interested in processing your paperwork and not getting as many points to meet quotas as they would with a new recruit.
The medication and anxiety history waiver - give it a shot, but got a strong feeling that is going to cause an issue.....although the Army has been granting other questionable waivers, so it may just take a little longer to get approved. I would be up front about that part first to save yourself time and aggravation dealing with recruiters.
I was a linguist. Navy needs em and last time I checked they were recruiting heavily - even more so in 2019. Are you dead-set on rejoining the Corps.? If you are in good physical and financial shape (finances come up when they investigate your SF-86 claims) I'd contact a Navy recruiter.
The medication and anxiety history waiver - give it a shot, but got a strong feeling that is going to cause an issue.....although the Army has been granting other questionable waivers, so it may just take a little longer to get approved. I would be up front about that part first to save yourself time and aggravation dealing with recruiters.
I was a linguist. Navy needs em and last time I checked they were recruiting heavily - even more so in 2019. Are you dead-set on rejoining the Corps.? If you are in good physical and financial shape (finances come up when they investigate your SF-86 claims) I'd contact a Navy recruiter.
Sgt Jt McLaughlin
PO2 Eric... thanks for the response. I think the Marine Corps has lower age standards... I can't seem to confirm this online with respect to prior service, but the recruiter seemed fairly convinced. I was under the impression for a long time that I had until 41... and that may have been the case when I left active duty, but it seems that things have changed. When I was in, I wanted to be a linguist more than anything. After I finished active duty, I studied several languages, got a Master's in Spanish and moved abroad. I can't complain about the opportunities civilian life afforded, but have always wondered what DLI would have been like. I have a very high DLAB score. I'm also in excellent physical shape and have no financial problems whatsoever. I'm in a good situation in the civilian world, but the military is what I wanted though and I regret that I let my fears push me out. If life gives me a chance to rectify that decision, I will take it. If I cannot overcome the obstacles which the paperwork of my past have created, then I hope that my story will at least serve as an example to others. I served my country as well as I could but I know that not everyone is privileged to do so or to continue after a certain point. I will keep calling recruiters until I get a sense of what my chances really are.
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You are not too old. If you can finish 20 creditable years before reaching age 60, you are eligible from an age standpoint. I needed 4 years and passed a MEPS physical and enlisted in the Reserves at age 55. Passed the soft at the 18 year old level, kept medpros up and deployed to Afghanistan at age 57. Retired at age 59! How bad do you want it?
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Your age may be the biggest thing working against you. In order to get a Mental Health waiver, you generally have to be off any kind of medication for a period of 3 years. And I don't mean you just stop taking the meds yourself, but being 3 years cleared by an actual doctor. And even then, there is no guarantee, as they tend not to want to let people with anxiety/depression issues back in because of how stressful military life is. The VA rating is also going to be an issue, because they tend to use 30% as the cutoff, and you're well above that. But, it doesn't hurt to try if you've got a Recruiter willing to process the paperwork, just don't expect them to make you much of a priority.
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Sgt Jt McLaughlin
Sgt Hayden, thanks for the honest and thorough response. I suspect that what you say will be the case. I know things change and perhaps a door will open where there is none now. The National Guard recruiter did cite the 30% cut off. The anxiety / depression issues were overlooked by the reserves in my past, but I did not have to go through MEPS. By your calculations, I would be 39 or 40 before I'm off of meds for 3 years and then who knows what doctor would clear me. I rarely go to doctors and only got into this because I needed to confront my long-standing issue with sexuality. I would gladly forfeit my VA rating but only if there was an actual possibility of getting back in. The phone calls to recruiters which are not returned I think is a strong indication of where my chances lie...
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I think your odds are not good, to be honest.
Your sexuality will not be an issue, but your medications and medical history will most definitely be an issue. I think that you can and should give it a try and see where your obstacles lie. From there, you will need to make a decision whether your drive to reenter service overrides what may quite possibly be a situation where you have to discontinue medication and/or renounce disability in order to rejoin.
I admire your desire to find a way.
I say go for it!
Your sexuality will not be an issue, but your medications and medical history will most definitely be an issue. I think that you can and should give it a try and see where your obstacles lie. From there, you will need to make a decision whether your drive to reenter service overrides what may quite possibly be a situation where you have to discontinue medication and/or renounce disability in order to rejoin.
I admire your desire to find a way.
I say go for it!
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Sgt Jt McLaughlin
1SG, I appreciate the honesty of your response. I am not really optimistic and wish I had never left the IRR which, for whatever reason, did not seem to care about my medical history for re-enlistment. I don't really need the medication but it was thought beneficial while I work through these long-standing issues. I'd also sacrifice my VA pension if I thought I could get in and finish, even in the reserves, the career I started. I was able to ascertain, at least, that with nine years of creditable service that I have till the age of 49 to try and get in the Guard. Many things can change in 13 years, so maybe an opportunity will re-open somewhere along the way. I hate how they use terms like "anxiety disorder" to describe emotions which, I think, are far more common than their paperwork would suggest. I will fight the good fight but, if the answer is no, I feel without airs of conceit that the loss is theirs as much as mine.
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1SG (Join to see)
Sgt Jt McLaughlin - Good for you. I think that if you can get by without phamacudical help, that would be better for you as well. Waiving Comp or getting a reentry exam that shows you as good for enlistment (possibly superseding your C&P exam) is a big decision.
If you don't try, you will regret it far more than trying and finding out the answer is no.
If you don't try, you will regret it far more than trying and finding out the answer is no.
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Sgt Jt McLaughlin
1SG, I appreciate that. I am mentally prepared to accept a negative answer but not without a fight. I just have to find the right recruiter... geography is not a limitation for me and will go where I have to. It amazes me how many people want to get out of the military and can't, and yet here are some who served and would have stayed in forever except for the fear of not being allowed to do so. If I had known that "don't ask, don't tell" would be rescinded someday, I would have made different choices. We can only act on the information we have though and I don't fault the me of 23 for getting out, although I think letting my reserve time lapse was a grave mistake. Now I know that staying in the military with "medical" issues is far easier than getting into the military with "medical" issues, but only through experience did I learn this. A lesson to any who read this post I suppose.
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