Expert: Howard Lorenz - 7/7/2008

Question
Dear Sir:
My son has just completed his sophomore year and is an army ROTC 4-year scholarship recipient.  At the end of his freshman year he was not happy with his major and wasn't sure if a military career as an officer was for him.  He then had a fishing accident in which he was barbed in the achilles tendon by a stingray, which resulted in infection from a piece of barb lodged in his tendon, allergic reaction with hives to Cipro, and finally surgery to remove the barb and 25% of his tendon.  He spent the summer before his sophomore year recovering and physical therapy. He was also told by the therapist that he had an anterior fibular tear from a past sprain on the same ankle. He also has a scar at the surgical site that becomes irritated and blistered with high top shoes.  He still continued in ROTC that Fall and performed well in PT, and was still was undecided, but by Spring term asked his PMS for release from his contract. He told the PMS he  would pay back all financial assistance he received. He also wanted to change his major to pursue a graduate degree in physical therapy and the required classes he needed to catch up were in scheduling conflict with ROTC. He wouldn't be able to take the required classes in a timely and consecutive manner.  It also wouldn't be wise to continue in ROTC and jeopardize his educational goals when he no longer desired to have a military career.  His PMS said he would not let him leave and he would be involuntarily enlisted and sent to Iraq to drive trucks!  The contract my son signed does state that he could be invountarily sent to active duty if he disenrolls but it also says he could be given the opportunity to pay back in lieu of active duty.  My question is does a cadet who requests release have the opportunity to chose repayment or is he at the mercy of his PMS?  Also does any of the medical issues I discussed warrant him being released?  I don't feel it is in the best interest of the Army to force a student to active duty, keeping him from pursuing graduate school,to repay a 2yr service obligation when it could be met by repaying the financial assistance, which we are able to do, since we have it all to pay back.  Thank you for your time and any advice you can give us.

Answer
I am not 100% sure that the PMS can involuntarily enlist him. He still  has to meet medical standards and I believe that the surgery will have changed that. He needs to talk to someone above the PMS and get the straight answer. If the ARMY does involuntarily enlist him, then he could rupture his tendon and thenwould be classified as a disable vet in which the ARMY will have to pay your son for the rest of his life.....

Have him contact a recruiting office or have him go above the PMS level, obviously there is something there that is not right...