Expert: Aaron Shifferly - 4/22/2009

Question
QUESTION: Ok so my husband enlisted into the Army in November 2008 and we had to
get a waiver for him to enlist, some stupid paperwork was messed up at a
hospital, but this has nothing to do with that. We live in Michigan, and are
very young only 20 years old for both of us, so it is very hard to do much of
anything here. And he wanted to be a Marine for his life, but that is where his
first waiver was needed but the recruiters wouldn't help so we went to the
Army and they were willing to help. So we got that waiver and he enlisted and
went off the basic training, while in basic he was hurt in a car accident. His
spine was hurt, two big boys landed on top of him and crushed his spine. The
doctors diagnosed him with A.D.E.M. which is a disease that attacks the back,
all of his nerves are exposed right now but it is getting better. They separated  
him on the 25th of March, and sent him home with an RE Code 3. They told
him that he could go for a waiver in 6 months or not get a waiver in 2 years.
So what I am asking is this all true? Is a waiver not important to have in 2
years and after he graduates college in 4 years will he be able to reenlist in 4
years with no waiver? I do not understand? So how is a waiver for that going
to do?

Thank You Cheryl Aileen

ANSWER: You're going to have to trust the doctors on this one.  You'll need to keep very good records of his treatment and, hopefully, recovering health so that when your husband decides to try to re-enlist he will have all the information needed to apply for a waiver again.  He will probably always require a medical waiver or at least an extra medical checkup since he was hurt badly enough to be separated from the military to begin with. I'm sure the doctors are correct in their assessment, but what they probably can't predict as accurately is how your husband will heal.  He will still have to meet physical standards to be able to enlist.  Just take your time and ensure he is totally ok before he goes back to the recruiters.  Once there, explain to them what happened and they will help you guys with the options that are available.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I know that I just sent you an email about this but I do have another question
that I just thought of, sorry. But anyways real quick: He was advised to apply for
compensation for the injury will that in anyway hurt his chances of re-
enlistment? Thanks again, sorry.
Cheryl Aileen

Answer
It will but not because he did or didn't apply for compensation, but because the injury was serious enough to warrant it.  That means he was hurt badly enough that the Army was going to pay him and pay all or part of his medical costs related to that injury.  That means the likelihood of them approving his return to active service is somewhat lessened.