Posted on Mar 12, 2020
Sgt Dale Rush
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I am a prior service Marine who just had a moral waiver denied by the army HRC. I have a RE-1A and all my previous waivers were approved by the Marines before joining. My question is will a congressional inquiry help change this unfavorable decision by the army because there was no reason given on why I was denied, plus the waiver was approved all the way past USAREC. I’m not familiar with this process at all so any information will help?
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SGM Erik Marquez
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Edited 5 y ago
Sgt Dale Rush "Will a Congressional inquiry help change an unfavorable moral waiver decision by the Army?"

Only if the Army did not follow its own policy in saying no.

If policy and regulations were followed, then no help will come from Congressional inquiry
https://recruiting.army.mil/Portals/15/Army%20Directive%202018-12.pdf

Study the policy update linked above and the regulation that covers waivers ...if you think you see a failure of the Army to follow the directive or the regulation you might have a chance..
Of note, you have NO right to have a waiver processed, a recruiter can simply decide its not worth their time, as could the station commander.

You have no right to an appeal...and dont get caught in the "but that guys waiver for the same conviction was approved" trap.

Each waiver is approved or denied on its own merit, recruiting needs for your specific MOS and grade you would come in as, and...well dont take this the wrong way...but it will also be based on your "value" to the service..

And please dont respond to this part, Im not saying it applies or not to you, just an example ...

Are you a board certified virologist, with published peer reviewed articles in major medical journals, applying for a direct commission to a greatly needed understaffed position ?

Or are you a health male of moderate age, average ASVAB scores, no higher education and meet but do not greatly exceed the entrance standards for your chosen MOS, a only slightly under-strength MOS at that?

Value to the service does not necessarily reflect on you as a person ... but lets face it, you are a commodity being sold to the Army...if the product is not valuable to them, at this moment in time, then exceptions to policy are not likely.
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SFC Retention Operations Nco
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Not at all. A congressional inquiry will only help you when policy is not being followed.
A waiver, by its very nature, is automatically a "No" unless everyone in the chain of approved recommends a "yes'. That means you were never qualified but requested an exception for you.
A congressional inquiry would only apply if you were completely qualified and the Army broke its policy and refused to accept you.
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SFC Ralph E Kelley
SFC Ralph E Kelley
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With you on this one. bOd
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Lt Col Jim Coe
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Edited 5 y ago
Office I worked in at the an AF Major Command handled Congressionals. First, let me affirm your absolute right to communicate with your Representative and Senator. Congress people will take your input seriously because constituent support is very important in an election year. Make sure your complaint includes a description of the problem with lots of facts and a proposed solution Congress could implement.

The Congress-person's office will route the complaint to the Service headquarters. That headquarters will usually send the complaint to an agency or major command for resolution. Those organizations will evaluate the complaint and assign it to an officer on their staff. That officer will work on the complaint to develop an answer and coordinate that response with local units, intermediate headquarters, and offices at the major command. Usually, the commander signs out the response to the Congress-person. The Service normally sets a short suspense for a response so the pressure is on the officer assigned to your complaint.

The Congress-person may or may not take your complaint into account when he or she is working on legislation. The Congress-person might make a phone call on your behalf to senior officers in your Service. You have a fair chance of getting a "thank you for your interest in National Defense" response with a handoff to the "appropriate Congressional Committee."
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