Expert: Jason Grabill - 6/11/2007

Question
QUESTION: Jason-
My husband and I have a rather strange set of circumstances to ask you about...his son Michael has enlisted and cleared through MEPS physical exam. etc. with no problem and was shipped to PI 5/29/07. We got a call from him 6/3 saying that he is in the EHP pending review of his medical file. He has a back injury when he was 13 (a bulging disc) and has been fine since. Someone got on the phone with my husband saying that this likely should not have cleared through MEPS but that they were sending his file to Washington for a potential waiver as he signed for a relatively easy MOS (avionics-electrical). We heard again this week from Michael saying he should know something next wk. but that it wasn't looking good. Our question is how in the world could something like this happen? We asked a recruiter here locally and they had never heard of such a thing in 9 years of recruiting experience. Have you ever heard of something like this? He is feeling like a failure and wanted to be a Marine more than anything and is in fine physical shape. His recruiter never calls us back and we have no answers at all. We are worried about his mental state of mind as he said he feels like he is in limbo.

Any insight would be so helpful as we feel we are completely in the dark. He never made it out of processing and he feels stuck. Thank you for your thoughts on this...

Kristine Cain

ANSWER: Kristine:

 I've never heard of this one, either.  It sounds to me like he may have been having some back pain, or something, went to medical, and they found this in the xrays or something.  If they are sending the case to DC for a waiver, then that is a good thing.  However, it does take time, and I can understand him being depressed and upset..I sure would be.  The best advice I can give is to just keep writing letters and supporting him the best way you can.  He is sort of in limbo while they try and figure out what is best for him, and the Corps.  He sure wouldn't want to get through training and school, get to the fleet, and have something happen to him that will mess him up for life.  

 Keep me updated on the progress if you can.  Good luck.

Jason

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

QUESTION: Thank you for writing back! Apparently he never even complained of back pain at all. The story we got was there was something in his file from MEPS that they weren't comfortable with and they are worried he is 'prone' to this happening again. Well, we are in a holding pattern I suppose for now as he is down there. Do you have any idea what the guys in this kind of a situation do all day? He wrote and said he was on 'fire watch' a lot butother than that I can't imagine what his days are like with no training to do. And have you ever heard of the USMC granting medical waivers? Is it common in your experience? I know he is trying to keep his spirits up and desperately wants to be a Marine...I just hope we hear soon.  Thanks again for your time!

Kristine Cain

Answer
Kristine:

 Yes, they do grant medical waivers, they do it all the time.  If MEPS wasn't comfortable with something, I'm surprised they let him go, then.  

 Basically, they will try and keep him busy, but since he can't train, there will be alot of down time.  If he likes to read, send him some paperback books, that will help pass the time for him.  

 Best of luck..and good luck to him!!!

Jason