Expert: Cynthia Bedell - 6/15/2009

Question
Dear Colonel:
My son was medically discharged from the Army during basic training last year due to a pre-existing shoulder separation problem.

The special information is as follows:

Type of separation: Discharge
Character of service: uncharacterized
Separation Authority: AR 635-200, PARA 5-11
Separation Code: JFW
Reentry Code: 3
Narrative reason for separation:  FAILED MEDICAL/PHYSICAL/PROCUREMENT STANDARDS.

He hasn't had any treatment to his shoulder, and he is not engaged in any strenuous activities; therefore NO PAIN OR SWELLING. The problem still exists though. Now he is wondering if he can join college ROTC and re-enlist, in order to pay for his education. Then obviously, he would have to be physically able to "do the job". He wasn't able to do it before, and there is no reason to think he will be physically able to do it now........nothing has changed.

A ROTC Major at the university has told him to apply and see what happens.  This flies in the face of logic, for me.  I think he is getting bad information AGAIN, but the Army seems to be less than totally direct and honest with him. Do you have any suggestions?  Any help will be appreciated, although my son will probably not listen to me again.

Answer
Dear Gary --

Your son probably will not get the medical waiver needed to earn scholarship status as an ROTC candidate.  Although people with injuries that have healed can get waivers for those injuries, they still must pass their basic and advanced cadet training, and then pass their officer training.

Since your son did not make it through basic training due to his prior injury, there is little likelihood he will make it through his cadet training.  However, since cadet training is once a week, a couple weekends a semester and six weeks during one summer, he may not irritate the injury as much as he did during the more intense Soldier basic training.

I honestly don't know if a medical board would grant your son a waiver given his injury and failure to pass basic training.  His reentry code of 3 means he is not eligible to re-enlist.  He will also need a waiver for that code.

I do not know why an ROTC major would encourage him to try for a waiver acceptance into ROTC unless the program is really desperate for candidates.  In that case, I would look for a different ROTC program.

Sorry I cannot help you more.  Please write back, if you have other details or new questions.  Good luck guiding your son.