Posted on Apr 16, 2020
What steps should I take to rejoin the military after a Chapter 5-17 for mental health?
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I was discharged with a Chapter 5-17 and received an RE code 3 the chapter was for mental health there a lot of issues I was dealing with back home but before separation I was cleared from a doctor all this being said what is the next step to re-joining ?
Re-enlistment
RE Code
Honorable Discharge
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 4
It is highly unlikely that the military will waive your behavioral health issue due to the possibility of a reoccurrence. It’s unfortunate but that’s usually the case.
Behavioral health issues are a cause for severe concern even if you have been “cleared”. What happens if it comes back? What happens if you become so depressed you consider suicide. Unfortunately these things come into consideration. It’s bigger than you but also what impact you would have on a units readiness you were to exhibit a depressive attitude. How would you impact unit moral?
I wish you the best of luck but will highly recommend not getting your hopes up
Behavioral health issues are a cause for severe concern even if you have been “cleared”. What happens if it comes back? What happens if you become so depressed you consider suicide. Unfortunately these things come into consideration. It’s bigger than you but also what impact you would have on a units readiness you were to exhibit a depressive attitude. How would you impact unit moral?
I wish you the best of luck but will highly recommend not getting your hopes up
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LTC (Join to see)
If the issue was severe enough to get discharged for it, the Army is going to assume that the chances of reoccurance are higher than average even if he has been "cleared" by a doctor. Waivers for depression are almost impossible to get.
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SFC Jeremy Boyd
LTC (Join to see) what you say is true enough, the chances of a waiver are slim to none, but as I told SPC Cherco, without the documentation he has on hand from a civilian doctor clearing him, the chance goes directly to none. Neither the MEPS doctor nor the USAREC Command Surgeon will even look at a waiver possibility without a "second opinion" so to speak from an outside doctor. In fact, even with the documentation he has he will likely draw a psych consult before the waiver can even go up. I have seen these waivers go favorably a time or two in my total nine years in recruiting, but only a time or two.
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LTC (Join to see)
SFC Jeremy Boyd - agree. very hard to get a waiver for a condition that a MEB found severe enough to discharge you over.
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SFC Jeremy Boyd
LTC (Join to see) yes sir, but still worth a try if SPC Cherco is willing to do the legwork. The burden of proof is entirely on him, and if he's willing to put in the effort with no guarantee of enlistment then it is worth it for any recruiter to work with him. Best case scenario is a wiser and highly motivated Soldier comes out of it, and worst case is the waiver gets denied and no one is any worse off.
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You would need to see a local recruiter, bringing your DD214 and the applicable medical documents you have on hand from the doctor clearing you of those issues. Because you have an RE-3, technically you are eligible for waiver consideration, so the recruiter would have to submit a med read for your condition to see if the MEPS doctor will allow you to take the physical again, and then you would have to clear the physical again before the waiver could even be considered or submitted. Quick question, was the discharge for depression? If so, that will be a tough but to crack, if at all. One thing you have to be prepared for is to do a lot of work with your recruiter with no guarantee of a waiver being granted. The decision to allow a waiver for reenlistment due to a medical reason falls under the purview of the USAREC Command Surgeon.
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SPC (Join to see)
Yes it was for depression if I waiver is put in would I have an opportunity to see a therapist of sorts ? Because none of these previous problems that were waying me down exist anymore so I feel there should be a way to present my case
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SFC Jeremy Boyd
SPC (Join to see) there is nothing stopping you from seeing a therapist if you can get back in, but you wouldn't want to start doing so now or during the enlistment/waiver process, as that would imply that those issues were in fact still weighing you down. You will have an opportunity to present your case in a manner of sorts, because you will be required to write an applicant statement detailing what the issues were, how they are no longer issues, and why you want back in. Also, to have any chance of receiving a waiver, I believe you'd have to have been off of depression medications for at least two years. Things may have changed though.
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SPC (Join to see)
I want back in because all in all I felt that the chapter was an irrational decision i wanted to continue serving but at the time I was more concerned over these issues back home (which are no longer present) SFC Jeremy Boyd
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