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Attempt at military service leaving a crater in job prospects?

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J

Joeker02

Guest
What is the name of your state?I live in Delaware.

Two years ago, at age 18, I enlisted in the Army. I lived in a rural area at the time, which made getting a job anytime before then an impossibility. Other than doing housework, errand running, and shopping for an elderly lady in the neighborhood, I had no previous job experience.

I was taking a medication at the time that I couldn't use during training, and I didn't find this out until I was already there. I was discharged in short order(about a month), and sent home to the same rural area, back to the same lack of career opportunities.

About a year later, after my father married, I was able to move upstate with him. This put me in a much better place to find work (or so I thought), so I got started right away with putting in the job applications for entry level positions in the usual stores and places of business people my age would be found. Surprisingly though, I never have to this day gotten a call back from any of the places I've submitted applications to. I've had to initiate the contact, and whenever I do, I get the usual "We're still reviewing applications.", or "We're not hiring anymore for the time being.", when I know for a fact that other people my age, and even people applying for their first jobs submitted their applications around the same time or after me, were being hired. For a little while I accepted it. It's a college town and since I'm not from the area and am not in school(since I don't have a job so that I can earn the money to attend school), maybe those people have the connections that get them those jobs. But, it's been happening for over a year now. I continue to put in the applications, and check up on them to see if they've been reviewed, but I keep getting the same answers all the time. Nobody even schedules me for an interview. I can't begin to tell you how disappointing it is to actually want to work, and not be able to be hired anywhere.

I'm beginning to think that they may be basing their decision to not hire me simply on my failed attempt at the Army. I was discharged after only a month due to a medical issue. It's not something I'm proud of, but it's not something I can change either.

What are my options as far as this being used against me in the hiring process? It has to be mentioned, since it did happen. But, is there some way to list it without it looking so detrimental? I have little else in the way of job experience, except for helping the elderly lady I mentioned earlier, and I can't use her as a reference anymore because she died recently. I do have skills, but it seems that just because I wasn't able to work at some established place of business before (I lived out in the boonies, in an predominantly Amish community), I'm being discriminated against.

I don't even know if there's anything in the way of legal advice that can be given on this, but even any suggestions as far as the job application process would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks a lot.

J.K.
 
Last edited:


Shay-Pari'e

Senior Member
Joeker02 said:
What is the name of your state?I live in Delaware.

Two years ago, at age 18, I enlisted in the Army. I lived in a rural area at the time, which made getting a job anytime before then an impossibility. Other than doing housework, errand running, and shopping for an elderly lady in the neighborhood, I had no previous job experience.

I was taking a medication at the time that I couldn't use during training, and I didn't find this out until I was already there. I was discharged in short order(about a month), and sent home to the same rural area, back to the same lack of career opportunities.

About a year later, after my father married, I was able to move upstate with him. This put me in a much better place to find work (or so I thought), so I got started right away with putting in the job applications for entry level positions in the usual stores and places of business people my age would be found. Surprisingly though, I never have to this day gotten a call back from any of the places I've submitted applications to. I've had to initiate the contact, and whenever I do, I get the usual "We're still reviewing applications.", or "We're not hiring anymore for the time being.", when I know for a fact that other people my age, and even people applying for their first jobs submitted their applications around the same time or after me, were being hired. For a little while I accepted it. It's a college town and since I'm not from the area and am not in school(since I don't have a job so that I can earn the money to attend school), maybe those people have the connections that get them those jobs. But, it's been happening for over a year now. I continue to put in the applications, and check up on them to see if they've been reviewed, but I keep getting the same answers all the time. Nobody even schedules me for an interview. I can't begin to tell you how disappointing it is to actually want to work, and not be able to be hired anywhere.

I'm beginning to think that they may be basing their decision to not hire me simply on my failed attempt at the Army. I was discharged after only a month due to a medical issue. It's not something I'm proud of, but it's not something I can change either.

What are my options as far as this being used against me in the hiring process?

It has to be mentioned, since it did happen. But, is there some way to list it without it looking so detrimental? I have little else in the way of job experience, except for helping the elderly lady I mentioned earlier, and I can't use her as a reference anymore because she died recently. I do have skills, but it seems that just because I wasn't able to work at some established place of business before (I lived out in the boonies, in an predominantly Amish community), I'm being discriminated against.

I don't even know if there's anything in the way of legal advice that can be given on this, but even any suggestions as far as the job application process would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks a lot.

Start with stating what type of discharge you had.
 
J

Joeker02

Guest
It was a general discharge, uncharacterized. More specifically, a Chapter 5-11. Failure to meet procurement medical fitness standards.
 

Shay-Pari'e

Senior Member
Joeker02 said:
It was a general discharge, uncharacterized. More specifically, a Chapter 5-11. Failure to meet procurement medical fitness standards.
Don't waste my time, or your's. One does not receive a General Discharge during training because of medication that the military was not aware of.
 

rmet4nzkx

Senior Member
Actually a small college town may have very limited employment opportunities because they can hire students for minimum wage for only a few hours and not pay any benefits or provide fulltime work except for management, combine that with a General Discharge and your future employment is bleak. Basically you lied when you enlisted and failed to appropriately complete your basic training making you a big risk to the military, the same risk would transulate to any employment because you would be seen as unreliable. Try getting seasonal employment, perhaps you can prove yourself. Check with social services, they are always in need of care givers for elderly and you can develop a work history that way. Check with your department of rehabiliation or into training for disabilities. What Rx is it?
 

rmet4nzkx

Senior Member
--PARIDISE-- said:
Don't waste my time, or your's. One does not receive a General Discharge during training because of medication that the military was not aware of.
Actually it does happen, especially with those on psychotropic Rx, when off meds during training they fail to meet the requiremnets for training, also many with Rx controlled disorders believe they no longer need the Rx and go off the deep end whether in the military or not when they stop taking it, they may think they don't need it only to prove that they need it.
 
J

Joeker02

Guest
If you must know, it was for a depression/anxiety problem. No suicidal tendencies. I fully take my part of the responsibility in what I've done. I was looking for a way out of where I was, and I thought I had found it. I knew of people in the Army who were already prescribed medication for that, so I didn't think it would be an issue. I've since come to find out that they will only prescribe those things after you've finished your training. Had I known this beforehand, I wouldn't have been so willing to sign myself away.

At the discharge briefing, we were told that the only piece of information we needed to provide any potential future employers was a copy of our DD-214 (the shorter version). They said that if they wanted the longer one, they could get that too, but you didn't have to provide it for them. Even still, there's nothing on it that indicates any specific problem, other than the fact that I failed to meet their medical procurement standards. They would have to get into my personnel file to find out any specifics.

This is the only negative(if that's what it's considered to be) thing on my life's record. I have no criminal record at all, no traffic violations or anything. I don't smoke, drink, or use any illegal drugs. I'm not quite sure what I have to give of myself in order to prove to someone I am capable of putting in a day's work for a day's pay.

This depression/anxiety thing is hereditary in my family, so I can only assume that it falls under what my state's laws consider to be "genetic information". I also take medication for it, and see a doctor, so it's a medical issue as well.
 

rmet4nzkx

Senior Member
You didn't answer my question, what Rx?
A person can get through boot camp without Rx for depression if what you have is depression.
If you have bi polar disorder, a psychotic depression or a thyroid disorder that may be a different story. There are things you are not telling us just like you lied to the military by withholding the information regarding your illness, that is what your discharge papers really say to your employers, that you lied to the military.
 
J

Joeker02

Guest
Ok. Paxil is what I was taking at the time. I'm still taking it now too, along with depakote and wellbutrin now, but I want to stop taking the paxil and/or wellbutrin. They've been affecting my short term memory, and whenever I see my doctor again, I really need to make sure he does something, or at least acknowledges my concerns.
 

rmet4nzkx

Senior Member
You don't have depression, you have somethig else or you wouldn't be taking that combination of Rx and yes you need to work with your psychiatrist re your Rx. With this combination of Rx it is unlikely you would have made it through Boot camp without inappropriate behavior of some sort if you were off your meds. Have you had a learning disability of some sort?
 

Shay-Pari'e

Senior Member
Joeker02 said:
Ok. Paxil is what I was taking at the time. I'm still taking it now too, along with depakote and wellbutrin now, but I want to stop taking the paxil and/or wellbutrin. They've been affecting my short term memory, and whenever I see my doctor again, I really need to make sure he does something, or at least acknowledges my concerns.
You are taking too many medications. Depression can be managed, Anxiety can be managed, but not at this rate. I have never seen someone on so many Anti Depressants at one time.

Forget about your discharge for now, that is really the least of your problems.
Please seek a different opinion regarding your medication. Do not stop taking this medication without a structured plan to wean you off.
 

rmet4nzkx

Senior Member
These are not all antidepressants or antianxiety Rx,
Paxil can treat both depression and anxiety but it can provoke mania in those with bi polar disorder, Wellbutrin is an antidepressant it can woek very well for some people but cause other problems in others.
Depekote is an antiseizure Rx also used in the treatment of bipolar and ADHD disorders, sometimes in combination with other Rx.
If OP is bipolar any combination or lack could result in manic and or psychotic behaviors and a medical discharge, he needed to disclose their mental illness when they enlisted.

If OP is ADHD and off meds, then they might not follow instruction, this could endanger other recruits.
If OP has a disorder such as Asperger's or a psychotic disorder, then Rx may not work as expected and they still need a sheltered and supportive environment.
If OP has a seizure disorder or history of head injury, the combination of Depekote and Wellbutrin is contrindicated.
Op still needs to answer some questions, but their ceneral discharge is thier fault by lies of omission, this will affect their safe employment in the future. If they are disabled, their psychiatrist will have to qualify them.
 

cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
While Ms. Cupcake and Paradise debate the medical issue, something I am not qualified to discuss, I'll answer the employment issue, which I am.

Ms. Cupcake (rmet4nzkx to you) makes a valid point about the possible lack of employment opportunities in your area. Another thing to consider is that in much of the country, the job market is still extremely tight with many more people looking for work than there are jobs available. I know of people with years of experience who have been looking for work for a year or more. If they can't get work, how can you expect someone like yourself, with NO experience, to find it?

I'm an old hand at resume screening and have gone through many thousands of resumes in my time. If I have the choice of several people with experience and someone with none, who do you think is going to be my first (second, and third) choice?

In other words, unless there is something MAJOR that you have left out of your post, I think it is highly unlikely that your Army experience, or lack of it, has anything at all to do with your difficulty in finding work.
 
J

Joeker02

Guest
There's nothing I've left out as far as this situation goes.

I even applied at a place whose classified ad states "if you want to work, we'll give you work guaranteed.", and I've yet to get a call back from them.
 

cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
That doesn't even remotely mean that your Army service has anything to do with it. If anything, employers are MORE likely to hire people with an army background, and in some states they are forbidden by law to discriminate on the basis of military service. While not specifically forbidden under Federal law, they would be walking a very fine line indeed by doing so since several laws offer protection to veterans.

I say again, it is EXCEEDINGLY unlikely that your military experience has anything to do with it, and it is MUCH more likely that your lack of work experience is the issue at hand.
 

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