What Do We Do Now?

[Jane K.]

Hello everyone. I need some advice from other Navy moms because something just happened that has left me in shock. After months of anticipation for going off to boot camp, my son was finally picked up by his recruiter at 3am and taken to MEPS for processing. I thought he'd be at Great Lakes by tonight. We have all made enormous changes getting ready for this. He left his university without finishing his Freshman year. We cancelled his auto and health insurance. He gave up his room at CSUF. Well I just got a call from my son. He happened to mention, after they swore him in, that he had an ROTC college scholarship application pending. The officer pulled him out of line and explained, that he can't go to boot camp if he has an ROTC scholarship pending. And apparently he won't know about the status of that application until May 2009! The recruiter knew about this application and never said anything. If we knew about this rule, he would have stayed in college until the outcome of the application was finalized. Now he has no car insurance, no health insurance and the chance of finding even a part time job in this crappy economy is slim to none. I am absolutely stunned. I don't even know how to get him home from MEPS today, I'm working late. I thought he'd be half way to Chicago by now. Has anyone ever heard of something this crazy happening? Please write, I am exhausted and desperate.

[Debby]

WOW ... I am so tired of hearing about the bad recruiters, its an unfortunate fact that there are some out there and they only hurt our kids for the sake of their numbers....

I dont know who mentioned it but can't he just withdrawl his application to ROTC? I guess its to simple to be a possibility.. I guess my sons were fortunate with their recruiters.. My oldest was a recruiters dream except he had a tattoo that had Farsi written in it (his father is Iranian) his recruiter not only got it waivered but took the steps to have it translated prior to requesting the waiver... My middle son who is in the Army has tons of tattoo's and a drug arrest (misdemeanor as if it matters) his recruiter busted his butt to get the waivers he needed to get in.. and arranged interviews with higher ups to be sure he was a good candidate for the Army...

The recruiter MUST make arrangements for your son to get home so no worries there... if worse comes to worse on health insurance get him enrolled at community college in what the insurance company requires for credits (and they can be in basket weaving if necessary) until he can go in...

This is absured I am sorry you and your son have to go through this... keep your spirits up and tell him it will happen.. it took my son who went in the army 9 months to get in.. of course he had been stupid with his life prior to his joining but it can happen..

Please keep us all updated we do care... and if nothing else look at it this way... you will have him home for the holidays.. my sailor is in Iraq and what I wouldnt give to have him here ...

Debby

[Debby]

I would vote for this.. without voting for this :)

[Coyote]

Hi Jane,
That is awful, I'm so sorry this happened to you. I've been reading posts here for a few months now. Although I haven't heard of this particular instance, I have heard that sometimes the recruiters don't always pay attention to the details. I've heard of other moms who's kids had some health issues that the recruiter discregarded but later turned out that was not the case.

One thing about the health insurance -- usually getting him back on your health insurance should be doable. They call it a life change. You may be able to get him back on at least until fall when he would have to either go into the Navy by then or resume his college courses. Perhaps if you speak to the HR person at your work they can help you? Maybe you can enroll him in a junior college for spring semester if you need to get him into a school. Have him take PE, online basket weaving...whatever...just to make the rest of this work?

I can only imagine how frustrating this is...but Vicki did raise a good point. Things happen for a reason. We just don't know what they are sometimes.

Keep us posted, I hope everything works out.
Coyote :)

[Katrina]

Jane,

I do medical insurance for a living. If your son is under the age of 19, (even if he is not in school) you can have him on your health insurance. I would try calling the school and try to do some damage control. See if you could at least get him enrolled for next semester. I hope your son got home ok from MEPS. I am sorry his recruiter was less informative then he/she should of been. But mom, take heart, there are always solutions. But would be on the phone ASAP, and when it comes time again for him to go to MEPS, after he gets in bootcamp, then cancel all of his stuff. Good Luck mom.

[Jane K.]

Thanks for the explanation. It's helpful to know how something like this could happen from someone who is actually doing the job.

[Alisa (Jason's mom)]

Why should he have to withdraw a scholarship application? I guess I don't understand why he has to give up on a scholarship because the Navy messed up.

[Cobalt Michalak]

Jane:

Couple things sound fishy here.

First off, all services have programs that "encourage" active duty enlisted to apply for and move from active duty to ROTC and/or other commisioning programs. I just don't believe that a service would refuse a candidate to boot camp because he simply "applied" for a scholarship.

Second, you said he was already "sworn in". That would mean he is already on "active duty". The military cannot now just send him home from MEPS. They need to give him some type of formal release to cancel the contract he just signed. When it happens so soon, I believe it's called an "entry level separation". It's not classified as honorable or dishonorable or anything like that, it simply means that something occurred that made the candidate unsuitable for continued military service.

The following is what I found on a site about ROTC scholarships.
Enlisted personnel selected for and enrolled in NROTC Scholarship Programs are released from active duty. Therefore, they aren’t eligible for active duty pay and allowances, medical benefits, and other active duty entitlements while enrolled in these programs.

Big difference between being "accepted for and enrolled" and a simple application. Seems like there is some other type of misunderstanding going on here.

Please keep us advised.

[Dianne (Drew's Mom)]

Jane, I'm sorry that your son is so disappointed. I know I would have been, too. However, I am reminded of a favorite line from a favorite prayer ... Trust in God that your son is exactly where he should be at this point in time.

God does know what His plan is for your son. Oh believe me, I've done my share of freaking out at times ... but I just wanted to remind you that God is in control. It is definitely not always easy to remember that. :)

[Jane K.]

Thank you for your kind words, Dianne. We have both thought that God must have reasons for this change. Just because we don't understand them now, doesn't mean it might be revealed some day. When I sent my son off to bootcamp, thinking I would not see him for a few months....I knew he couldn't bring much with. I gave him my favorite Bible verse to tuck in his walllet; Psalm 121. He'll have plenty of time now to read that and think about it, while he's waiting for the ROTC scholarship application to go throuth.

[Barbara]

OMgoodness!!! i feel so horrible for you and your dear son !! Sean was taken away 2 years ago . and that was that. Alot the recruiters told him were not really on the mark, But nothing like this . Im speechless. Ill pray and keep you and yours in my thoughts. Sincerely, Barbara

[Paula]

If you recenetly cancelled your insurance you s/b able to just pick it up again. Explain to your agent what happened. That is a sin and yor recruiter def. should have explained this. The rules have not changed any so in my opinion that is inexcusable. What did the recruiter have to say. How is your son? What about school, can you explain to the university what happened and see if they can help? I wish you the best and please keep me informed.

Paula

[Regina]

Itoo am sorry to hear about your troubles. But I do agree with some of the comments as well as the one Recruiter. My son left from BC 8-27-08 and PIR 10-24-08 and is now waiting to class up in Pensacola. I feel very fortuate for my recruiter, and I can not say enough good things about him. He called me several times why my son was at GL to see if we heard from him and how he was doing. But I know not all recuiters are like that, there are good ones and there are bad ones. I will keep you in my prayers.