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Brief history. I've been depressed for roughly the past 4 years. Prior to going on medication and seeing anyone I had suicidal thoughts for about a month. Have seen a couple of Psychologists and a Psychiatrist since then. I have on medication for the past year and a half. Doctor is now asking me to think about going off because I've had no problems for many months.
Regrettably the bulk of the problems occurred while I was in school and really did a number on my GPA. 3.5 Prior to depression. Switched schools and finished with a 2.3.
My mom works as a nurse at Walter Reed National Military Medical Hospital and I've heard numerous stories on her patients. The stories coupled with volunteer work with the Red Cross and my past experiences has left an impression on me. I want to help the service men and women who have sacrificed for us. My current academic standing is going to prevent me from going to grad school for at least the time being. I'm currently looking at alternatives and I happened upon mental health specialist (68x). Could anyone speculate on my chances on being able to join either Army/Airforce/Guard? I understand that I would have to be off medication for at least a year if not up to 36 months. If not does anyone have any suggestions on how I could eventually be in a position to help? I think it would be easier to relate if I was in the service but I can see why they wouldn't want to take the risk on me.
This is too complex for a recruiter to determine, long term. You are DQ until 1 year after stopping medication. At that point, a recruiter can turn in your medical records and get a real answer. It could go either way.
Don't know about the army, however, for the Navy the year wait after being off the medication would be irrelevant. The suicidal thoughts would permanently DQ you. I suspect that would be the case for any branch.
Don't know about the army, however, for the Navy the year wait after being off the medication would be irrelevant. The suicidal thoughts would permanently DQ you. I suspect that would be the case for any branch.
That's what I'm afraid of. Think it will be quite a bit harder to connect with servicemen/women if I don't have that first hand experience however.
What I mean is that a recruiter isn't advanced enough in her or her medical training to determine if the Surgeon General will allow the OP to join. We're not supposed to make medical rulings because we can be wrong. We recruiters are not really trained. The training is "SUBMIT THE MEDICAL RECORDS!" I have personally seen someone with past suicide thoughts get cleared to join, and he is in the Air Force today. I did not think he had a chance in hell, but I submitted the medical records and was surprised.
The surgeon general WILL disqualify if a year has not elapsed. Period. Always.
The thing is, at the END of the year, the Surgeon General will evaluate everything and MIGHT allow the OP to join. The Surgeon General will not say "You can join in a year" he will just say "You can't join right now, try again after you have been off the medications for 1 year."
That being said, no recruiter can truly predict if he would be allowed to join. We can guess what we think, but we won't know until we have an official ruling. We can't get an official ruling until he is off the medication for 1 year.
Does that make more sense?
Turning in the records right now will not help determine if he can join, ultimately, after stopping the medication.
The thing with the year wait is that the SG will want to see how someone does OFF the medication. Once medication is stopped, do they flourish, or do they seep back into mental illness?
No one can predict what will happen when medication is stopped, so that is why a year is necessary, to determine if one is ready to be without medication.
Makes sense. Thanks for the replies guys. I guess I'll keep it on the back burner and explore other options for now and if nothing else is working out in the next year or two I can give it a shot.
But what are you considering? Something like the Air Guard is really low pressure. Air Force is, generally. Maybe Navy, some fields (rates). Don't set yourself up for failure by expecting to be a recon ranger. Shoot for something like Aircraft Refueler (gas pumper) or Supply. Something you can translate to civilian work if it doesn't work out for ya.
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