My path as prior service.
 

I'm not sure where to post this so I thought this would be best as too not cause trouble or confusion in another more specific section.


I have done a lot of reading and researching on the path of re-enlisting into the 18X program as a prior-service man with VA benefits percentage. It has been a very hit or miss research process with a lot of differing opinions and 'facts.

So, I thought I would share my process here for others who may be in the same situation so that they can see one example of exactly what the process is so far without any guessing or psuedo-facts/hearsay.

Again, this is not the end-all-be-all, just my own example so far. Take it for what it is, but I know that it will be useful to some as I know I am not the only one in my current situation.


In summation so far:

I got out of the Marine Corps infantry with 10% disability and went to start working as a private military contractor.

Somehow during this my percentage got bumped up to 60% which is something I do not want. I than started my research and cold-calling the VA about getting this percentage reduced as I think it was in error.

I than went to a recruiter with all my signed VA paperwork saying that I voluntarily waive my benefits and do not want them, as I would like to re-enlist. I will be physically assessed at MEPS.

This was not enough, my initial MEPS meeting was canceled at the last moment, so now I am in the process of getting all of my VA paperwork sent to my home-of-record so I can submit them to MEPS.


Currently, that is where I stand. If this is at all an interest to anyone than I will gladly keep people informed, as I know this sort of information would have been useful to myself during my initial research.

Most of what I have read has said that 30% is the limit on disability allowed for re-enlistment, but I have a friend who personally re-enlisted (former Marine, now Army) with 60%. I asked him about this and he said the VA said it was not a problem, but he was a bit vague about it so I can't verify whether he was or was not less than honest at MEPS and is going to be screwed later on down the line.


Just to be clear: I am not scamming the system or anything, I did not want this amount of disability and have been trying to waive it (a harder process than you would imagine). I merely went to the prescribed appointment after my last deployment to document my various joints, aches, etc. To be honest I think the VA doctors where just trying to 'hook up' veterans, which is nice of them I suppose but not something I want.

I was an OpsO for a Recruiting Station and I dealt with a case like this ( but in reverse Army going USMC w/ VA disability)

So far what you wrote is pretty standard. The recruiter sends in all your paperwork to MEPs usually the day before you are scheduled to get your exam. Once the doctor is done doing the exams for the day they review the packages for the candidates coming on deck the next day. This is when she saw you have some medical issues and DQ'd your package ( and canceled your appt).

The Doctors will do this with just about any package that has any issues until they get your FULL medical history. I dealt with a doc that anytime there was an issue wanted full records from birth to present. Then it is a waiting game until they get time to review it. When I was in they got 1 day to review every 10 pages of medical documents.

From there they can ( and usually do) issue a request for a consult with a specialized Doctor that knows more about your issues.

Once this consult is done the MEPs doctor will review the consult doctors recommendations and make a determination.

In the case I worked with I actually worked with the Recruiter's SNCOIC and got a consult scheduled at Bethesda because I thought it would hold more weight than just a consult down out in town.

Things worked out for the young man and once he waived his VA benefits ( we waited until we was given a "go" from the MEPS before he did this) he was off to Parris Island.

I seriously doubt that you are going to be offered an 18X contract with anything less than a clean slate and a picket fence of 1s on your PULHES.

TR

Thank you for the response. No updates yet as I am still waiting for my packet to arrive from the VA. It seems to be that I am on track for the situation you described, as you said.


This could be very true, I will do my best to get an 18X contract and if it really is not a possibility than I will do my best to get an 11X contract (preferably with an Option 4, but beggars can't be choosers I suppose at that point). I was an infantryman before and I love the infantry very much, I have no qualms with serving in that capacity if I am truly DQ'd from an 18X contract (which I imagine means I would be DQ'd from SFAS in general? I of course could be completely wrong). I'm currently reading FM 7-8:The Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad in order to compare, contrast, and learn the differences between a Marine Corps squad and an Army squad, very interesting and informative so far (though of course there is far more in common than there is different between the two. The main difference being the USMC 3 team squad vs. Army 2 teams, as well as the by-the-book rank structure for team leaders and squad leaders though I am sure that as in the USMC the ranks for each billet isn't set in stone in the Army either).

Update:

I returned to contracting while I was figuring out how to overcome the VA issues; now they have finally given me a 'return to active duty' go so I have already begun putting my re-enlistment packet together with a recruiter while on deployment. I go on leave shortly, will be doing everything I can to enlist in the National Guard as an 11B while I am home (which is Alabama now) and am currently getting in contact with 20th Group to have an interview and hopefully learn about an upcoming SFRE.


Thank you to everyone on this site for the information you post daily.