Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 4/8/2009

Question
QUESTION: I am wondering if my son is getting the run around.  He was told by his recruiter to lie about his ADHD and about having surgery on his feet.  He listened to his recruiter.  Once I found out I told him this needed to be corrected immediately.  He talked with his recruiter and was told he would be discharged from DEP and could re-enlist in 90 days and that he could then fill out the forms correctly.  From what I can find he may not be able to re-enlist in the Navy but may be able to go to another branch.  His recruiter is telling him he can go back to the Navy.  Any advice?

ANSWER: It's a common-practice to not admit having ADHD for several reasons.  Some of the most common reasons are:
1.  If the recruit has been off medication for at least the previous 6 months, then a waiver is usually granted.  (CURRENT use of drugs like Concerta is a permanent disqualifier for joining the military, because the drug is a central nervous system stimulant and it is considered behavior modifying.  However, the hassle one must go through to get the waiver makes it easier to just not admit having a problem in the first place.  In your son's case, if  he has been off medication for more than 6 months it will not show up in any sort of test.
2.  As the recruits mature they are likely to develop coping mechanisms to compensate for their impairment, sometimes called "growing out of it."
3.  If he admits to a pre-existing condition they'll disqualify him because he might cost the government a lot of money in health care treatment down the road.

You did right by not allowing him to falsify federal documents, which is a federal offense.  The recruiter is just telling him what is commonly done by others in the same situation.  He knows the illness is hard to prove, which is why most people get away with it.  Each to his own, I'm not here to judge anybody.

I would think foot surgery would be noticed when the doctor at the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) examines him, thus making it hard to conceal.  What the physician looks for is any condition such as "Clubfoot" or severe Ingrown Toenails or any condition that might prevent him from wearing military footwear or impair walking, marching, running, or jumping.

He is not required to bring any medical records with him, he's just given an "in general" physical exam by a physician.  .  What the physician looks for is any condition such as "Clubfoot" or severe Ingrown Toenails or any condition that might prevent him from wearing military footwear or impair walking, marching, running, or jumping.

His chances or reenlisting in the Navy now are going to be slim at best.  He'll be better off trying another branch of Service. (except the Marines, the Navy basically owns the Marines.)  Before he goes to the next recruiter he should have a letter from his doctor saying he's been off medication for at least 6 months.  Also, a letter from the Podiatrist saying the surgery has corrected the problem and he may now resume normal activities.  These two letters aren't mandatory, but they sure help sway the Surgeon General's mind when you're asking for a medical waiver.

Best of luck to him in whatever he chooses, and thank him for wanting to server his country in uniform.
Colonel H

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

QUESTION: Thank you for such a quick response.  The other factor that the recruiter said would play in his favor to re-enlist is the fact that he spent 2 years in Military school during high school.  He said the fact that he had such a good record there would help him get back into the Navy.  What do you think?

ANSWER: Lisa,
I'm glad he's got something else in his favor.  That's the kind of things that recruiters know from experience, I wouldn't have known that, so the recruiter must've seen it work in his favor before.

Also, what does your son want to do?  Is he dead-set on the Navy or nothing at all?  Please be sure he's closely involved in the process.  Sometimes we parents have only our kids' best interests in mind and we inadvertently leave them out of the decision-making process.  He'll do much better when he feels that he's made a "grown-up" decision.
Good luck, and let me know how it goes for him.
Colonel H

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

QUESTION: His original plan was Air Force but the recruiter was not available but the Navy recruiter was....Navy it is.  He already has his pilot licence which he obtained while in high school.  I think he would look at the Air Force again but I am not sure.  He really wants to do Air Traffic Control.  He  attended Embry-Riddle for a semester but the beach got the best of him and his grades were not great. Thank you
Lisa

Answer
Lisa,
He should try the AF again.  Most Air Traffic Controllers are enlisted and don't need a degree.  Most of what he would learn at E-R wouldn't apply anyway because the military has completely different rules.  We use UHF radios whereas civilians use VHF.  We use TACANs where the civilians use VORs.  Our transponders squawk different codes than civilians, etc.  Airliners fly at 600 mph tops, we fly at 700-2100 mph.  Civilian Air Traffic Controllers go nuts when a military aircraft enters their airspace.  They're usually in and out so quickly the ATC can't move planes out of the way fast enough.

As a Navy Air Traffic Controller he's almost assuredly going to be assigned to an aircraft carrier his entire career. There're only 11 aircraft carriers in the Navy so his duty assignments will be very limited.  Whereas there are 110 Air Force bases in the U.S. and 86 air bases overseas.  He could be like me and in 30 years never be stationed at the same base twice.

Having his pilot's license would be a big plus and give him a huge advantage in the AF.

Call a recruiter and make an appointment, that way you'll ensure he'll be there.

Good luck,
Colonel H