RE-4. BC Discharge. Is there any possible way back in or did I royally screw myself out of my dream job?

Your chances are NOT looking good. However, I've seen criminals with felony records drug trafficking get waivered. So you may have a shot. If it's what you really want, then good luck.

This is just my opinion, but the way I see it you have two options. The first is that you try reaching out to an Army recruiter since they can’t seem to come close to meeting their recruiting goals and they “may” be able to come up with a creative solution. If you strike with the Army and still want to serve, there’s always becoming a Legionnaire in the French Foreign Legion.

Unless you can prove innocence, diminished mental capacity, or have the silver tongue of the devil and can convince a board to change your character of separation and RE code... I doubt you can get back in. I have an RE 3 with an honorable and know I can't get back in.

Kiss it good bye.

All the points COL Cudworth raises are valid considerations and under normal circumstances, I'd say you chances of re-enlisting would be in the 50/50 range. However, recent stories about the Armed Forces having recruitment problems would lead me to believe your chances of getting a waiver MAY be better. I'd say go for it. After all, the worst that can happen is that they say no....right?

Special Court=Felony RE-4= unwaiverable. No, there is no possible way back in.

Short answer -- you're SOL. I wouldn't be barking up the side of an elected official because it will probably get pretty embarassing when you describe what happened to cause the RE-Code and I can guarantee the answer won't change. Certainly, you can always check with the recuiter to see whether the code is waiverable. A lot of times, though, it's more about whether he wants to take to time to go through the waiver process which will be very time consuming. You might just as well put this chapter behind you.

I was involuntarily separated from the U.S Air Force with an Honorable Discharge (2X RE-Code) under the DOS (Date of Separation) Rollback Program in 2013. Essentially, I had several Letters of Reprimand without Non-Judicial Punishment (Article 15). As a result, I was not selected for re-enlistment and my promotion to E-5 was withdrawn. Additionally, I was barred from ever re-enlisting in the Air Force. My hopes for ever serving again were dashed and I fell into a deep depression.

Two years later, with the help of sympathetic and supportive Recruiter, I successfully enlisted in the U.S Army as a Reservist (with a waiver). My time in the Army has been quite successful and there have been no issues. I was able to promote to Sergeant and I have only six years remaining until I'm eligible for a 20 year-retirement. Surprisingly, my unit is about to deploy to the Middle East for nine months and I couldn't be happier.

What I'm saying is, sometimes a beacon of hope is still visible even in the darkest hour. The needs of each respective service branch are different, and waivers can be considered for prior service. Granted, your situation was a bit more complicated than mine, however that does not mean that you shouldn't hold your head high and press on. I'm sorry you went through such adversity; it does not make you a bad person but only more resilient to life's struggles. I wish you all the very best and just remember, all is not lost even in the thick of darkness.

I was involuntarily separated from the U.S Air Force with an Honorable Discharge (2X RE-Code) under the DOS (Date of Separation) Rollback Program in 2013. Essentially, I had several Letters of Reprimand without Non-Judicial Punishment (Article 15). As a result, I was not selected for re-enlistment and my promotion to E-5 was withdrawn. Additionally, I was barred from ever re-enlisting in the Air Force. My hopes for ever serving again were dashed and I fell into a deep depression.

Two years later, with the help of sympathetic and supportive Recruiter, I successfully enlisted in the U.S Army as a Reservist (with a waiver). My time in the Army has been quite successful and there have been no issues. I was able to promote to Sergeant and I have only six years remaining until I'm eligible for a 20 year-retirement. Surprisingly, my unit is about to deploy to the Middle East for nine months and I couldn't be happier.

What I'm saying is, sometimes a beacon of hope is still visible even in the darkest hour. The needs of each respective service branch are different, and waivers can be considered for prior service. Granted, your situation was a bit more complicated than mine, however that does not mean that you shouldn't hold your head high and press on. I'm sorry you went through such adversity; it does not make you a bad person but only more resilient to life's struggles. I wish you all the very best and just remember, all is not lost even in the thick of darkness.

You won't know unless you try and the worst that can happen is they say, "no." I did administrative work for the last year I was in the Corps and I know that was eons ago but I doubt the regulations have changed. The RE-4 in itself is a difficult obstacle, then to throw on the Special Court Martial with a BCD authorized. Whew! What you did had to be extremely brutal or you had a really screwed up service record up to that point and the Army disposed of you. Even in the Corps I saw guys who had two Special Court Martials were allowed to stay in. The third was the, "We're through with you, get the hell out." They don't hand out BCD's like cotton candy. I don't know how the Army works it but in the Corps if part of the sentence of a court martial was the BCD they sent you home on appellate leave while waiting for the Navy Discharge Review board to put their stamp of approval on it.

You didn't indicate but how many Article 15's and prior court martials did you have?

If the recruiter thinks he can help you, go for it. Just don't be counting your chickens before they hatch. Best of luck to you.