Posted on Jul 19, 2019
WO1 Jacob Wellman
5.74K
16
28
2
2
0
I ETS'd from the Army, with an RE code 1 and honorably discharged, December of 2016 and im currently in the IRR looking to return to active duty. this normally wouldn't be a problem but to explain my history I had gotten a waiver to join (because of an OWI which is basically a DUI in Michigan) and during my leave after AIT in 2011 i received another one. It was some incredibly poor decision making on my part and I regret having done so since but it has almost been eight years since then and I was lucky enough to have my first duty station completely ignore the OWI. So when I got out I had not considered this would come back to haunt me coming back in but that's exactly the problem now. My friend who is a Station commander for recruiting decided to help me but a few weeks in found out his battalion commander would not approve my packet stating that "there are plenty of soldiers without a record we can be taking in" regardless of the discharge and RE code 1. I understand shes only following the rules and my friend has explained it to me but I'm looking to find another way into active duty if there is one. This is what I want to do and I'm going to do everything i can to retire active duty. So is there anything i can do or any good suggestions out there?
Avatar feed
Responses: 6
Votes
  • Newest
  • Oldest
  • Votes
CPT Andrew Wright
3
3
0
I know a little about recruiting (spent three years with USAREC). Recruiting is NCO business so talk to their battalion CSM (use the chain, Station Commander, First Sergeant, then CSM). You are an NCO (even in the IRR) so use that angle as well. The best selling point I ever heard from a prior service applicant was that he wanted to be a leader again. Best of Luck!
(3)
Comment
(0)
CPT Andrew Wright
CPT Andrew Wright
6 y
Also ask your recruiter to review the current enlistment criteria. At one time if you had on offense on active duty but still received an honorable discharge you did not need a waiver of that same offense for re-enlistment.
(2)
Reply
(0)
WO1 Jacob Wellman
WO1 Jacob Wellman
6 y
I will but I do believe the problem is the army did not annotate it. Its off there record just on mine and during service.
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
CW4 Craig Urban
2
2
0
That DUI is going to hurt.
(2)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small
Capt Daniel Goodman
1
1
0
http://www.vetadvocates.org

These guys, NOVA, normally do VA-disability stuff, they handled my whole total perm disability thing after we transferred to them from a vet group, my thing just got way too involved, there was a $500 consult, our guy did 3 yrs active, with 35-40 yrs VA-disability law...aside from vet groups, or law school vet law clinics, NOVA is pretty much at the top of the food chain for a good deal of stuff, hooked into a lot of law stuff for stuff like you'd brought up...try their search engine, or call their main ofc, and see if they can suggest a law group that might handle your kind of thin...really, I've sent their stuff in here many times, as have numerous others, they're a really handy group to know about, even if only to go to just for vet advice generally, even if not for VA-disability stuff, per se, you know? Honestly, I think you might seriously find them of use to at least just try to chat with their guys, and run your whole thing past them, they know a good many law groups that do a lot of other stuff, MEB/PEB, BCMR/BCNR, and the DRB stuff I'd already sent in that "might" possibly be relevant and/or germane to your whole thing, hope they're of use, if you'd care to chat more, just lemme know, no rush, whenever you'd want, honest, OK?
(1)
Comment
(0)
Capt Daniel Goodman
Capt Daniel Goodman
6 y
He actually gave up in Mich, and went back to the state he'd been licensed in, because of all that angst....
(0)
Reply
(0)
Capt Daniel Goodman
Capt Daniel Goodman
6 y
https://search.aol.com/aol/search?q=association%20michigan%20dui%20attorneys&s_it=loki-tb-sb

You might still try calling that association I'd found, as well as looking through these as well, if of any possible use, just another thought, of course....
(0)
Reply
(0)
WO1 Jacob Wellman
WO1 Jacob Wellman
6 y
Thank you for all of this. I found that i cannot have my record expunged, however it is possible to have it pardoned by the governor. So im going to contact an attorney about this and see what i can do
(1)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
Avatar feed
Trying to go back to Active Duty from IRR but I'm hitting a road block because of my record. Any Advice?
Capt Daniel Goodman
1
1
0
https://www.military.com/benefits/records-and-forms/discharge-review.html

I didn't know if this might be of any possible relevance and/or use, however, I'd seen stuff that VA has traveling teams from them, assumedly for all svcs, that you might possibly ask about, if it'd be at all germane...just a thought, honest, hope is of at least some conceivable use....
(1)
Comment
(0)
Capt Daniel Goodman
Capt Daniel Goodman
6 y
http://www.sgaus.org

I follow...trust me, look at the NOVA group I'd just sent in, I get your point, honest, however, trust me, and at least just look up their guys near you, and/or call their main ofc...also, see if any law schools have vet law clinics near you, we went to one by us, our NOVA guy was hooked into that one also, though we never saw him there, he'd mentioned that when we'd said we'd gone over to see that law clinic at one point...the thin about such clinics is that the cases they take are up to the law school faculty supervising the law students doing the work, so they can't always take all cases, however, you might perhaps at least just ask and/or look, for whatever good they might do, aside from the major vet groups as well...I'd also submit the whole thing to all three mil/vet local Congress ofc staffs, send in Privacy Act (PA) forms, they need those by law, as well as your state assembly and senate mil/vet staffers, and see if you can get any kind of endorsements and/or looks over your whole thing by all of them...they can't fix anything, however, the Federal legislators can at least ask for you, the state legislators likely can't...and I know this isn't likely to be what you want, I get that, however, SGAUS is the state defense force (SDF) main group, if you've never seen it, I merely offer that, as, if your state has an SDF, if you did a tour with them, and did decently, maybe Federal might at least consider it, plus, you could then ask for state legislator endorsements, let alone from the SDF command staff where you are, I merely offer it as another thought...also, have you considered Guard Tech, Reserve Tech, and/or AGR at all? Just more thoughts occurring to me, if I think of anything else that might conceivably be germane, I'll try to send it as well, plus, if you wanna chat more, just lemme know, whenever you'd want, as I'd said no rush, OK?
(0)
Reply
(0)
Capt Daniel Goodman
Capt Daniel Goodman
6 y
Also, even if that's the case about your discharge level being what you say, you might still perhaps ask the NOVA guys for advice on law firms that deal with that specific kind of non-mil problem...purely another thought, of course....
(0)
Reply
(0)
Capt Daniel Goodman
Capt Daniel Goodman
6 y
https://baronedefensefirm.com/blog/get-michigan-dui-removed-record/

In doing a further search on what you'd related, I stumbled across this, I just figured you might possibly find it of use, this is clearly expert-level stuff, certainly, also likely not for the faint of heart, it'd probably be quite taxing, possibly quite expensive, however, the site here mentions some aspects I'd found interesting, in reading what you'd sent, and comparing all of what you'd said with what was here, I have zero clue about any of it, of course, I merely thought this stuff might possibly just be helpful, if you hadn't seen it, honest....
(1)
Reply
(0)
WO1 Jacob Wellman
WO1 Jacob Wellman
6 y
I see you already posted what i found ha. Thank you sir
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
SPC Parachute Rigger
0
0
0
Never hurts to try different recruiting stations, different commanders. My husband hit that as well but I gave him the advice of “I was young and stupid and didn’t realize the opportunity the military was giving me” he got the go. Also mention years have passed and you have done everything in your power to advance and show effort in changing. Good luck
(0)
Comment
(0)
SPC Parachute Rigger
SPC (Join to see)
6 y
I personally that’s me tho would request to personally sit down with the commander who is denying you.
(0)
Reply
(0)
Avatar small
SGM Erik Marquez
0
0
0
Having not one but two DUIs is a roadblock of immense portions.

The first one a leader could look at it and decide poor decision making by a young man before he had professionalism and discipline instilled Adam as part of becoming a US Army soldier

But then you had the second one after basic training you know the time when you were supposed to go from a citizen to us older and have the upmost respect for laws the constitution yourself your unit professionalism and discipline higher than most

Now you’re asking a person that has no background on you other than what’s on paper to take a flying chance that you’re not the person you once were but you are the person with a story and a request

The station commander is correct there are many applicants out there that won’t have any record ad and the rest of them that have something on their record prior service and all of those categories are going to come before you

Not trying to be demeaning nor tell you your chances are zero but reality is you’re asking somebody to take a huge chance with very little likelihood of reward for them I’m just your word.

If you really have grown up and matured and would be a tangible asset to a unit I wish you well and best of luck getting back in keep your head up give it your best shot try several different regions to see if you get a battalion commander in recruiting to buy off on your request
(0)
Comment
(0)
Avatar small

Join nearly 2 million former and current members of the US military, just like you.

How are you connected to the military?
  • Active Duty
  • Active Reserve / National Guard
  • Pre-Commission
  • Veteran / Retired
  • Civilian Supporter