My husband is in the Army will be discharged because I have a disability.

[LesleeLane]

My husband is in the US Army and has been for 9 years. I was diagnosed with Narcolepsy a last fall. I am not allowed to drive. My husband has been taking me to my medical appointments. His commander wants a Family Care Plan within 30 days and we don't have anyone to sign the care plan. We also have a child who goes to school. We don't have any family or friends able to help out. What are our options? If he has to be discharged will it be honorable or general? My husband really wants to stay in the army.i have tried multiple medications but have not been improving. Any information would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[OHRoadwarrior]

Your husbands discharge is not due to your disability. It is due to his not being available for duty as he committed to. If he wants to stay in the service, you need someone else to run you around.

 

[Shadowbunny]

My husband is in the US Army and has been for 9 years. I was diagnosed with Narcolepsy a last fall. I am not allowed to drive. My husband has been taking me to my medical appointments. His commander wants a Family Care Plan within 30 days and we don't have anyone to sign the care plan. We also have a child who goes to school. We don't have any family or friends able to help out. What are our options? If he has to be discharged will it be honorable or general? My husband really wants to stay in the army.i have tried multiple medications but have not been improving. Any information would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

Your husband has been missing a lot of work to take you to your appointments? If so, that's the nature of the requirement for a FCP. Here's a good article from Ft Hood's JAG office that explains the whys/how of a FCP http://www.forthoodsentinel.com/story.php?id=4179. And please note their parting advice: go talk to JAG.

But here's my question for you: why not take public transportation (ie, a cab) to your appointments? Given the country's unemployment rate, giving up a steady paycheck and good health insurance doesn't seem to be the best option. If your husband doesn't miss work so often, perhaps the commander will change his mind about requiring one.

 

[Proserpina]

Your husband has been missing a lot of work to take you to your appointments? If so, that's the nature of the requirement for a FCP. Here's a good article from Ft Hood's JAG office that explains the whys/how of a FCP http://www.forthoodsentinel.com/story.php?id=4179. And please note their parting advice: go talk to JAG.

But here's my question for you: why not take public transportation (ie, a cab) to your appointments? Given the country's unemployment rate, giving up a steady paycheck and good health insurance doesn't seem to be the best option. If your husband doesn't miss work so often, perhaps the commander will change his mind about requiring one.

I'm not sure public transport would be feasible with a narcoleptic patient, unfortunately.

This is a tough one.

 

[Proseguru]

I would guess that the discharge would be a general under honorable conditions .. RE 2 maybe ... which would allow him to re-enlist with another branch.

If he cannot find suitable arraignments ... no nursing care is available?

 

[LesleeLane]

Your husband has been missing a lot of work to take you to your appointments? If so, that's the nature of the requirement for a FCP. Here's a good article from Ft Hood's JAG office that explains the whys/how of a FCP http://www.forthoodsentinel.com/story.php?id=4179. And please note their parting advice: go talk to JAG.

But here's my question for you: why not take public transportation (ie, a cab) to your appointments? Given the country's unemployment rate, giving up a steady paycheck and good health insurance doesn't seem to be the best option. If your husband doesn't miss work so often, perhaps the commander will change his mind about requiring one.

We have applied for the Handy Van but this does not do anything for long term care. My husband spoke with the commander and he said we need someone who can take care of my transportation and medical needs. If I am not woken up to be given medication I will sleep three days straight. I will not wake up on my own so it's an issue of more than just transportation. I also need someone to be able to pick up my daughter after school. We live 9 miles away from the closest school. They do not provide bus service to our location. She goes to afterschool care, but that ends at 5:30pm and my husband rarely gets home before 7:00 pm. He is the only Armorer for his unit. We cannot move because we bought this house before I was diagnosed while I was still able to work three years ago. We are very financially strained in lieu of the fact I cannot perform normal functions, let alone work. asked to be seen twice a month but my daughter still has appointments weekly she HAS to attend. If it were as simple as taking the handivan I would not be asking advice. The commander seems to haves personal vendetta with my husband. He was told on Wednesday that if he is does not have a long term Family Care Plan within 30 days they are discharging him. He has been to Iraq three times and over that time he has been gone for four years. My do for has tried to medicate me with several different medications with nothing really helping. My narcolepsy has been very difficult to accept for all of us. I know he signed his contract with the military but he just got a new commander is unsympathetic to our situation. The last commander was very understanding. He let my husband take care of the appointments. My husband has ever fallen behind in work and has been a decorated soldier. He has not skipped a beat in taking care of his business at work. He only is gone on Wednesday afternoons from noon to three. I would appreciate any further positive guidance.

 

[Proserpina]

(Let's hope I don't get jumped for suggesting this!)

Have you and your husband considered going over his current commander's head?

I know (my #2 child is military) that this is very often frowned upon, but sometimes it's necessary.

Have you applied for SSDI?

 

[ERAUPIKE]

My husband is in the US Army and has been for 9 years. I was diagnosed with Narcolepsy a last fall. I am not allowed to drive. My husband has been taking me to my medical appointments. His commander wants a Family Care Plan within 30 days and we don't have anyone to sign the care plan. We also have a child who goes to school. We don't have any family or friends able to help out. What are our options? If he has to be discharged will it be honorable or general? My husband really wants to stay in the army.i have tried multiple medications but have not been improving. Any information would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

A hardship or dependency separation can result in either discharge or transfer to the inactive reserves. Servicemembers may also apply to be reassigned closer to home for hardships of shorter length. Characterization of service will be Honorable or General (under Honorable Conditions). (AR 635-200)

 

[Proseguru]

Have you and your husband considered going over his current commander's head?

I know (my #2 child is military) that this is very often frowned upon, but sometimes it's necessary.

Going over a direct supv. (sgt.) is on thing ... going over a CO is quite another. And neither will get you very far.

Now, you can contact your senator/representative ... they can sometimes effect outcomes


And I doubt the new CO has a "vendetta" .. he just has different standards

You can contact the news media too .... army don't like bad publicity ... "we'll kill thousands but don't say were mean"

 

[Shadowbunny]

Leslee, are you enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program? If so, have you looked into Tricare's ECHO program? There are resources available through both of these programs that may offer some relief.

Your husband can also request a compassionate reassignment to a installation closer to where you have a support system. There are two types of compassionate: one, where the issue is expected to be resolved in a year, the other when it's a long-term situation. In the first type, it doesn't matter what his MOS is; if there's an Army unit (even Recruiting Command) close to where you would like to go you can request to go there. The second type requires that there's a need for his MOS and a slot for him.

Both types of compassionate are more likely to be approved if you're enrolled in the EFMP.

Feel free to send me a PM if you have any questions.

 

[CJane]

Is your husband missing all of this work to take YOU to appointments, or the CHILD?

You stated that you only need to attend appointments once/month, but that your husband misses work for half the day EVERY Wednesday.

This doesn't sound like a personal vendetta. This sounds like a Commander who expects his soldiers to be available during the times they've committed to, and on a regular basis.