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Careers: Military--Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines, Coast Guard/Questions
| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
| NEXT STEP | 2/9/2012 | Aaron Shifferly |
| Q: THE ARMY HAS DECIDED TO RETURN ME TO DUTY. I WANT TO BE DISCHARGED FROM THE ARMY WITH AN HONORABLE ... A: You need to give me more details before I can even begin to answer the question. What are you ... | ||
| Going to meps in two days and need to know If I should lie (my recruiter told me to) | 2/6/2012 | John L |
| Q: I'm supposed to be going to MEPs this coming Wednesday and I have some concerns I was hoping you ... A: technically, you have to be honest with all medical questions. I will tell you, that if you answer ... | ||
| Urinalysis retest time | 2/5/2012 | John L |
| Q: My stepson tried to join the Air Force after high school graduation in 2010 but tested positive at ... A: Maybe, right now, no service is accepting applicant who tested positive for marijuana. They figure ... | ||
| RE-3 ARNG vs USAR | 2/5/2012 | John L |
| Q: Mr. John L, I am a prior service with just under 9 yrs. I was a great soldier making quick rank ... A: If you get denied by one service, you can ask another. I recently had a guy who was denied a ... | ||
| RE-3 ARNG vs USAR | 2/5/2012 | John L |
| Q: Mr. John L, I am a prior service with just under 9 yrs. I was a great soldier making quick rank ... A: Charles, What would have to happen is the local recruiter would get your meps packet from the old ... | ||
| 0% disabled vet with service connected disability | 2/2/2012 | John Fiorentine |
| Q: Sir, I am a veteran of the Navy. I am interested in joining the Coast Guard Reserves. I have an ... A: Jesse, Assuming you meet age, medical and physical fitness requirements with a reenlistment code of ... | ||
| Pilot vs. Navigator | 1/29/2012 | Jason Grabill |
| Q: My son wants to join the air force and his dilemma is does he go for pilot or navigator. He has been ... A: Juana: It's not one and the same by any means. One flys the platform, the other navigates. Just ... | ||
| Officer reserves to active duty | 1/20/2012 | John Fiorentine |
| Q: Is coming into the coast guard as an officer in the reserves as hard as active duty? Also is ... A: Sean, I am not certain what you mean by hard. The requirements to join the reserves are the same ... | ||
| USCG | 1/16/2012 | John Fiorentine |
| Q: ,Jordan Smith A: Jordan, The Coast Guard does not have "MOS"s but has enlisted ratings. The Maritime Enforcement ... | ||
| Failed drug test | 1/14/2012 | John Fiorentine |
| Q: My 21 yr old son is a Coast Guard reservist in his final week of 4 months of tech training. Today ... A: Rhonda, I assume from the facts you have presented that your son is being sent back to his parent ... | ||
| DI School | 1/13/2012 | Jason Grabill |
| Q: Our son was sent to DI school which he knew he would have great difficulty with all the ... A: RH: Normally yes, you'd go back to your command, but first I've heard about losing rank. Then ... | ||
| medical | 1/12/2012 | MARK A. HOWELL |
| Q: First of all I want to thank you for your service. I am 19 years old and was diagnosed with ... A: Kamron, Since you've already been to MEPS what you need to do now is get it in writing from a doctor ... | ||
| Need your help | 1/9/2012 | MARK A. HOWELL |
| Q: Here is the situation, my girlfriend and I have been together for a while now. She just got done ... A: Tyler, Congratulations on your pending marriage. The AF will do their best to keep you guys ... | ||
| Masters Degrees and Promotion for Physicians | 1/8/2012 | Aaron Shifferly |
| Q: I haven't been able to find any information on the effect of Master's degrees on promotion for ... A: You can be promoted without a Master's Degree. Education really doesn't have an effect on ... | ||
| Underage Marriage In Military | 1/4/2012 | Aaron Shifferly |
| Q: my name is Amanda and I'm 16 but will be 17 in Jan. 14th. My boyfriend is 20 and is stationed in MO ... A: The issue is your marriage must be legal in the state you're living in and that you get it in. If ... | ||
| Hearing Impaired - left ear only | 1/1/2012 | MARK A. HOWELL |
| Q: My daughter is looking to enlist in the Marines this summer, she is hearing impaired in her left ear ... A: Tina, Following is a direct quote from the military medical regulations: Acceptable audiometric ... | ||
| CSPI Application | 1/1/2012 | John Fiorentine |
| Q: on my next appointment they didn't subscribe anymore. Is this a nail in the coffin for me, because ... A: Sean, They are not supposed to poach from each other's geographic area. I should have been more ... | ||
| medical rule | 12/25/2011 | MARK A. HOWELL |
| Q: i am 31 year old male seeking to join the navy since i been 18. but my question is will i be ... A: David, Hypothyroidism is the opposite of hyperthyroidism – or overactive thyroid – a condition in ... | ||
| Tourettes and my career. | 12/22/2011 | MARK A. HOWELL |
| Q: I've come to ask you on your professional opinion. A few days ago, I went in to talk to my local ... A: T.J., Yes, they definitely have to go through with it. There's constantly different rewards being ... | ||
| Do I need a waiver? | 12/22/2011 | John Fiorentine |
| Q: I'm 20 and I graduate from college in two years and after I'm planning on enlisting into the Army. I ... A: Nicole, No it wouldn't nor would I mention it in the future. To be honest I wouldn't have ... | ||
| Tourettes and my career. | 12/21/2011 | MARK A. HOWELL |
| Q: I've come to ask you on your professional opinion. A few days ago, I went in to talk to my local ... A: Taylor, Sorry to hear you're having such problems. Your big problem seems to be the name of the ... | ||
| CSPI Application | 12/19/2011 | John Fiorentine |
| Q: on my next appointment they didn't subscribe anymore. Is this a nail in the coffin for me, because ... A: Sean, I would do exactly that...try another recruiter. I am will not tell you whether it is wise ... | ||
| service time for pay | 12/17/2011 | John L |
| Q: John you seem to know your stuff as they say as I have seen through your past answers maybe you can ... A: Your best bet is to look at your retirement statement you last received. It is correct I am sure. ... | ||
| Waiver | 12/17/2011 | MARK A. HOWELL |
| Q: Over a year ago I was arrested in Florida for grand theft. Outcome was adjudication withheld. At the ... A: Tyler, You can try another state if you wish. Visit a grandparent, aunt & uncle, friend, anybody ... | ||
| USMC Officer/Reserves/Force Recon. | 12/15/2011 | MARK A. HOWELL |
| Q: you may remembered me from awhile ago when I asked you about the possibility of serving in the USMC ... A: Taylor, Think about it. What good is a gunner unless he's shooting bad guys? It's part of his job ... | ||
| Waiver | 12/14/2011 | Aaron Shifferly |
| Q: Over a year ago I was arrested in Florida for grand theft. Outcome was adjudication withheld. At the ... A: I can only answer for the Army as I have zero experience with the other branches. Your chance of a ... | ||
| Hearing Medical waiver | 12/13/2011 | John L |
| Q: i went to MEPS and got my medical examination and ASVAB done but i, according to the test, have ... A: Medical waivers can take a short while or a long time depending on the branch of service. In the ... | ||
| USMC Officer/Reserves/Force Recon. | 12/11/2011 | MARK A. HOWELL |
| Q: you may remembered me from awhile ago when I asked you about the possibility of serving in the USMC ... A: Taylor, 1. A WO is commissioned, just like a regular officer. He is above a SNCO and below an ... | ||
| Top Secret Clearance With Multiple Traffic Violations | 12/8/2011 | MARK A. HOWELL |
| Q: Good day Col. Howell, I have just recently read one of the questions that you responded to and it ... A: Alexandar, You shouldn't have to worry about getting a TS clearance. As long as you have them ... | ||
| Top Secret Clearance With Multiple Traffic Violations | 12/8/2011 | MARK A. HOWELL |
| Q: Good day Col. Howell, I have just recently read one of the questions that you responded to and it ... A: Alexandar, So you're the Grandma that was holding up traffic yesterday, huh? Ha Ha It's a good ... | ||
| heart murmer | 12/7/2011 | Aaron Shifferly |
| Q: 4 years ago my son (age 16 at the time) was told he had a heart murmer.. A few weeks later the ... A: Likely not, but the Army doctors will want to see all the information and then make a decision for ... | ||
| medical | 12/6/2011 | MARK A. HOWELL |
| Q: Does having asthma automatically disqualify you from the military? A: Zack, It depends upon when you had it or still have it. Any childhood problem you may have had ... | ||
| ROTC National guard | 12/5/2011 | Jason Grabill |
| Q: My son (college freshman) has gone through the process to join the National Guard ROTC program, ... A: Mike: No groups that I know of that will pay for the shots for this purpose. As far as I can ... | ||
| Severence Pay | 12/1/2011 | MARK A. HOWELL |
| Q: I recently underwent a MRB and received a disabilitiy rating and my injuries were combat related. ... A: Andrew, First of all, you were right to be concerned with your DD 214. A lot revolves around that ... | ||
| joining the army with a reckless conduct charge | 12/1/2011 | MARK A. HOWELL |
| Q: My name is Hector Rivera and I have a Question? When i was 18 I got a felony reckless conduct charge ... A: Hector, Not a problem. As long as you have no other offenses you'll be given a waiver. By the way, ... | ||
| basic training locations? | 11/28/2011 | Aaron Shifferly |
| Q: ok i just enlisted in the army as a 89b which is ammunition specialist i have been told this is a ... A: I'm not quite sure. I talked to a recruiter I know and he's even more sketchy about some of the ... | ||
| basic training locations and mos | 11/28/2011 | John L |
| Q: ok i just enlisted in the army as a 89b which is ammunition specialist i have been told this is a ... A: Dep discharge is not anything, it does not show up on any record as a discharge, becuae while in ... | ||
| DEP rules? | 11/25/2011 | Aaron Shifferly |
| Q: ok i found this page that states if iam enlisted active duty and i request a discharge and i get one ... A: Recruiters don't like to steal each others' recruits. If you're in DEP with one service you should ... | ||
| basic training locations and mos | 11/24/2011 | John L |
| Q: ok i just enlisted in the army as a 89b which is ammunition specialist i have been told this is a ... A: Basic training can be anywhere, 5 bases do basic training. Ft benning trains infantry as well, but ... | ||
| basic training location and mos? | 11/24/2011 | MARK A. HOWELL |
| Q: ok i just enlisted in the army as a 89b which is ammunition specialist i have been told this is a ... A: Keith, Stop and think about it. Where does the front line soldier get his ammo? Definitely not ... | ||
Careers: Military--Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines, Coast Guard
Answers by Expert:
MARK A. HOWELL
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
All military questions, any Service. 30 years experience & two Ph.D.'s. 4 times Base Commander. Worked with Army, Navy, USMC, USCG and several foreign military units. Veteran of Kosovo, Bosnia, Macedonia, Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, and 10 civil wars in Africa.
Experience
Air Force Colonel with 30 years experience. Air Force Base Commander 4 times. Highly decorated.
Organizations
Org of Am Historians, Wild West History Assoc.,
Disabled American Veterans - Life Member, Am Motorcyclist Assoc. - Life Member,
North Am Hunt Club - Life Member, NWTF - Life Member
Publications
Numerous book reviews published in the Journal of American History.
Two books submitted for publication.
Education/Credentials
Ph.D. in military history, Columbus University (Summa Cum Laude)
Ph.D. in history, Northfield University, London, England (Summa Cum Laude)
Master of Arts degree in history, Marshall University, WV
Bachelors degree, double-major in history and mathematics, Salem College, WV
Air War College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
Awards and Honors
Legion of Merit
Defense MSM
MSM x 5
Joint Commendation Mdl
AF Commendation Medal
Army Commendation Mdl
Joint Achievement Mdl
AF Achievement Medal
Outstanding Volunteer Mdl
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