Expert: MARK A. HOWELL - 5/4/2009

Question
Qualifying for OCS

I have considered joining the military but I have several questions and even more impediments to do so.
1.   I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder in May 2007. I had a weeklong hospital stay because of my first incident. I was diagnosed at the hospital. However, I have pursued treatment and my current Doctor thinks that the hospital might have been too harsh in their diagnosis. I don’t know if having my current or any reasonable Doctor claim that the hospital misdiagnosed me helps my case out. In fact I have not been under medication for over 8 months as my Dr. believes that I'm doing well with out it.
2.   I dislocated my shoulder in February of 2007. My shoulder has healed and I have not had any serious issues with it.
3.   I was arrested in 2004. I was charged with two felonies and one misdemeanor.  A felony charge for breaking and entering was dismissed due to lack of evidence. A felony larceny charge in addition to a possession of alcohol as a minor charge were dismissed as soon as I paid $300 in court costs.  I consulted lawyers and my payment of court costs is not considered restitution and the proceeding does not indicate that I have assumed guilt for any of the charges.  I have not had any altercations with law enforcement since then.
4.   I got my act together and I graduated from prestigious college in the northeast. I was not an excellent student but I graduated with a 3.2 GPA.  My ACT score is around 28 so I’m sure I’ll do okay in any ASVAB testing.
5.   I’m fluent in Spanish and will probably be fluent in a third language and have a masters degree (God willing) by the time I apply to OCS.
6.   I’ve had decent employment history and I hope to do a couple of things before I would even consider looking into OCS. I do not see myself applying for OCS in until 2014.

Dr. Howell, do you think I’m qualified to apply to OCS for any of the military branches? I would prefer the Airforce or the Navy but I’m really interested any branch will accept me. Do I have any prospects with the National Guard?  Is there anything I can do to improve my chances of being selected for OCS? I don’t see myself as a military lifer but I would love to serve for 5-10 years.
Thank you for your time Dr. Howell.
Joe


Answer
Joe,

Congratulations, so far you're the only one smart enough to realize and call me Dr.

Short answer is no.
Let me explain.

1.  If you have been diagnosed bipolar,  it is a disqualifying medical condition.  Unfortunately, it's also a condition that is not waived because military members are subject to deployment, with no notice, at any time, to many areas of the world.  These areas often do not have full-medical facilities, or the ability to issue medications, or the ability to observe someone to make sure the medications are effective, if they are available.

When a person's illness follows the classic pattern, diagnosing bipolar disorder is relatively easy.  But bipolar disorder can be sneaky.  Symptoms can defy the expected manic-depressive sequence.  Stress tends to activate this disorder.  Those who were borderline bipolar may never know it until a stressful event brings it to the surface.  Unfortunately,  Basic Military Training is good at that.  Some people with no history of mental health problems go to pieces in recruit training.  Even if you made it through Basic, just the excitement of your new job and wanting to do well at it, can involuntarily cause bipolar to rear it ugly head.
According to the military medical regs, the causes for disqualification are:

"a.  Personality, conduct, or behavior disorders that demonstrate the degree of immaturity, instability, personality inadequacy, impulsiveness, or dependency, will seriously interfere with adjustment in the military as demonstrated by repeated inability to maintain reasonable adjustment with employers and fellow workers, and with other social groups and are tangible evidence of impaired capacity to adapt to military service.
b.  Other behavior disorders including but not limited to encopresis, sleepwalking, or eating disorders that are habitual or persistent, or stammering of such a degree that the individual is normally unable to express himself or herself clearly or to repeat commands.
c.  Specific academic skills defects, chronic history of academic skills or perceptual defects, secondary to organic or functional mental disorders that interfere with work. Current use of medication to improve or maintain academic skills.

d.  Suicide, history of attempted or suicidal behavior."

Also, having bipolar disorder would disqualify you from several jobs within the military where we routinely work with large, dangerous, expensive equipment.

2.  A dislocated shoulder is not a disqualifier, as it is usually easily corrected.

3.  Most misdemeanors and some felonies are waiverable, but TWO is not.

4-5.  Getting your act together and getting a college degree is very commendable, especially a Master's degree, but it won't help you overcome numbers 1 and 3.
6.  A good resume always helps in any job, but numbers 1 and 3 are killing you.

So unfortunately, no Branch of the Service is going to accept you, not even the Guard or Reserves.

However, have you considered Federal Civil Service?  They're in all the Services working right alongside military folks, even overseas, the only difference is they don't wear uniforms.  You can't beat a steady government paycheck.  It may be worth your while to check into it at:  http://www.usajobs.gov/

Best of luck in whatever you choose, and thanks for wanting to serve your country in uniform.
Colonel H