Expert: Rod Powers - 12/17/2007

Question
Hello.

I am a current Army hopeful and I would like to know my chances of successful enlistment.  

I am a current highschool student, but have received a scholarship allowing me to enter college early for the last two years.  I have every anticipation of doing exceedingly well on my asvab and am in top physicalcondition.

However, I have one of the most hated medical waiver request necessities. I have had two short periods of documented depression (about a week of each), as a young teenager, during extraordinary circumstances.  

I will attempt to enlist, as this has been my dream from early childhood(I'm an army brat),  But I'd like to have realistic expectations.  

I look forward to your answer and thanyou, sir, for your time.

Answer
Hi Susan,

I'm afraid you're right. Your history of two instances of depression are going to make it very hard for you to join any branch of the U.S. Military.

Here's the thing (from the Military's point of view). No matter what stresses you've experienced in your life as a high school student, the stresses of the Military are going to be 100 times harder. If the stresses of a "high school" life induced a depression in you serious enough to require treatment, then then how are the stresses of a Military life (with an average of 100 times greater stress level) going to affect you?

You haven't explained what the "extraordinary circumstances" were which resulted in your treatment for depression. In order to possibly get a waiver from the Army, you're going to have to convince them that the circumsances were far beyond stressful situations experienced by Army members. You'll want to see my article about enlistment medical waivers at: http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/medicalwaiver.htm

Want my advice? If you have a college scholarship, then take it. The Army will still be there after college, and the college experience certainly won't hurt.

For more information about the United States Military, feel free to visit my U.S. Military information website at: http://usmilitary.about.com Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com