will my son get demoted?

[Kathy P]

My son graduated bootcamp in April,2012 then went to A school to be a hosp. corpsman. He passed and was sent to his first base in MS in Aug.? When he got there he took the test to be HM3 and if he got a high enough grade he would also get promoted to Petty Officer. He did and is supossed to get pinned as a Petty Officer, asap. At school he had trouble sleeping so the Dr. prescribed him some sleeping meds. When he got to his base and after he had been working and doing a good job, he went to the Doc there and he changed him to some other sleeping meds. When he took the new meds. he overslept and was late for work 1 time. Now he thinks they won't give him the Petty Officer promo. Can they do that? The Doc even gave him a note saying it was because of the new meds that he was late for work. Since he hasn't officially been pinned as a petty officer yet he thinks they won't give it to him now. That can't be right, I mean he already passed the test and everything. Please if anyone can help me and let me know if they will punish him that way, let me know.

 

[lemonelephant]

If he did not receive a disciplinary action, then he will be frocked as HM3 when that is scheduled. The reduction in pay grade would only happen in a court-martial, Captain's Mast, or other non-judicial punishment by the commanding officer. He would be given notice if that was going to happen.  There may be a letter in his file about it, but the note from the doctor should now also be there as an explanation. He needs to put some things in place so that this is not an ongoing problem, which would affect his ability to perform his job and could affect his future in the Navy.

[abbyblue]

you say he thinks but hasn't been told anything ? I would tell him make sure he isn't late again get alarm clock and try something else besides taking meds to sleep.

[BunkerQB]

It sounds like he is a good sailor, except for this one incident. Stay positive. If he is going to take meds, he needs a backup plan - several obnoxious alarms plus maybe buddying up with another sailor in addition.

[Kathy P]

Thank you everyone for your comments. But after his new wife, of 1 month came home because he didn't have housing yet for her to stay. I found out from her there was more to it then just that. At "A" school when he was there a few weeks he went out 1 night, got tipsy and when he came back he got caught and was in trouble for that. Then the next week he went out again and again got alittle tipsy, when he got back on base at some point between the main gate and his quarters he was grabbed by a guy hiding in the shadows and was assaulted at knifepoint! He was afraid to tell on him because he was threatened by him. He called his wife and told her what happened and she told him he had to tell. He went to his Chief and told him everything, the Chief said "you better be telling the truth" he was. They checked out his story and the guy admitted it. My son was then sent to see the Chaplain and a therapist to get help for the trama he suffered. He saw these people regularly while he was in school and had no more incidents of anykind. He had trouble sleeping so the Doctor there gave him some meds to help him sleep. He graduated "A" school on the deans list! Then he was sent to his regular base. They , of course, got his records so they  knew what had happened. They never sent him for anykind of help, no chaplain, no talk therapy, just more meds! He did his job well and everyone liked him. As time went on and he had noone to talk to thats when he started to have a few drinks now and then, I guess to deal with the trama on his own. There he got in trouble for being late 3 times and they took so long getting him frocked to Petty Officer, that his wife had to come home. She was going to frock him. The last time he got in trouble she wasn't there and I do belive he had a Captains Mast and was given a demotion from HM3 to HM2, and lost half his pay for 2 months. He accepted his punishment and went on. Still given no help though! One day he was out driving on his day off and the car in front of him just stopped in the middle of the street and a lady got out screaming. He ran to her to help and she said she's having a heart attach! He went right into life saving mode and I guess did cpr until the rescue squad and police got there. When they got there they told him he saved her life, she would have died if he didn't act so fast. So his trama does not affect his ability to do his job. When he went back to his room he was cleaning up when someone finally came with his working microwave and fridge. They saw empty beer cans in his room that he was cleaning. They were from before, but that person told Chief about it and they had somekind of hearing saying he has PTSD and can't do his job and he was given an Honorable discharge. Now this is killing him. He saved a life so he obviously can do his job and do it well. He should get a medal not kicked out. At the moment he is on restriction no tv, no phone, no outside, no anything. But they are letting him work until his discharge on Feb. 28th, the day after his birthday. I don't think this is right if he was given the help he needed like he got at a school he would have been fine, like he was at school. He loves the Navy and he is good at his job. Can't anything be done to stop his discharge? It's killing me too knowing how much he is suffering and can't talk to anyone, ANYONE! Help, please.