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Careers: Military--Army, Navy, Airforce, Marines, Coast Guard/Trying to reenlist!
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Question
Hi, I went to the army from Feb 04 to Aug 04 and i got out because i got depression. My separation code is jfv and my reentry code is 3, but when i got out i went to the VA. I got worse and they gave 70 percent compensation which i am receiving now. A few months ago i got better and now i wish to know if there is a way for me to get back in, i don't care about VA anymore because i know i can make it mentally, physically etc. I just want to know if there is a way to get back in, if there is please e-mail me to psycholiquid8500@hotmail.com any help will be appreciated.
Hi Francismael,
I've got to be honest here.... I don't think your chances of re-enlisting are very good.
First and foremost, for obvious reasons, the military services are reluctant to accept anyone with a history of depression. Military service is one of the most stressful occupations there is, and individuals who are subject to episodes of depression are very likely to experience such under the very high stress of "military life."
The VA gave you a disability rating of 70 percent due to this depression. That's significant. What that means is that the VA has determined that your depression is very significant, and -- as a result -- you only have a 30 percent ability to lead a normal life. That evaluation doesn't bode well for reenlisting in any of the Military services.
"Technically," with an RE-Code "3," it's possible to reenlist, with a waiver, if you can prove to the military service that the original reason for discharge no longer applies. Personally, I don't think the Army is going to accept a change that is only a few months old, and -- just to consider it, they're going to want to have you submit a complete psychological eval, which shows no evidence of depression for at least a two or three year period. Even then, it's a "long shot," in my opinion.
For more information about the United States Military, feel free to visit my U.S. Military Information Site at: http://usmilitary.about.com Hope this helps!
Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com
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Rod Powers
Expertise
Rod Powers is considered one of the premire experts about U.S. Military career information on the planet. He has more than 30,000 articles about U.S. Military career information on the About.com U.S. Military Careers Information website at: http://usmilitary.about.com. Additionally, he is the author of "ASVAB for Dummies," "ASVAB AFQT for Dummies," (available in Dec 2009), and "Veteran Benefits for Dummies," all published by Wiley Publishing. He is also the author of "Barrons' Guide to Officer Candidate School Tests," published by Barron's Educational Series.
Experience
Rod Powers is a retired Air Force first sergeant, with 23 years of active duty service, 11 of those years as an Air Force First Sergeant. He has helped thousands of military members, recruits, and military applicants since he took over the About.com U.S Military Careers Information site in 1999. He has a reputation for "telling it like it is," so questions may not be answered based on "what you want to hear," but will be answered based of the bast available information, concerning the service/situation.
Education/Credentials
Rod is a distinguished graduate of the Air Force Noncommissioned Officers Academy, the Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officer Academy, and the Air Force First Sergeant Academy. He also holds an Associates Degree in Personnel Administration from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF).
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