ARNG Fraudulent Enlistment - Asthma?

Question

I joined the Army National Guard a while back, and told my recruiter before I joined that I had asthma, which I honestly thought was only minor and told him so. When filling out the paperwork, I noticed he was wanting me to sign a paper where it basically denied I have asthma, I asked him about it and he said not to worry, he'd take care of it. At MEPS, he told me to lie to them on the medical history form, and I did (Stupid me, eh?). I have since been attending RSP drills every month. My asthma, I find, acts up when I do physical exercise for an extended amount of time. I've also always had trouble breathing in the winter, which I never thought of as being asthma related, but now I believe it may be (and my ex-girlfriend claims its bronchitis or something).

I love being in the Guard, and it's given me options that I wouldn't have had before. The National Guard will be paying for my college, and even getting me a 20k bonus. I don't want to get out, but I feel that for my own health (which is more important to me, as well as it should be for those who I would potentially serve with as they shouldn't want someone who has trouble breathing serving with them) I should tell somebody. I don't want to be discharged, is it possible that they can correct my medical history and get me a waiver?

I must admit, I was foolish to have lied at MEPS, and I know it'd be easy to lay blame on the recruiter, but I signed the papers, not him. Granted most people would say I was too young to join and too immature at 17, but I signed the papers and wanted in. I just want to stay in and still keep that medical condition documented.

Answer 1

You will be given a medical discharge. It will be a general discharge under honorable conditions for a pre-existing medical condition which should have disqualified you in the first place. Your reenlistment code will be RE-4, preventing you from re-enlisting or enlisting in another branch of the armed forces. In addition a portion of your bonus may be forfeited as well.  

Answer 2

Have you been to basic training yet? If so did you go into the gas chamber? IF so didn't your breathing problems start up and get effected a little more? I know this sounds bad man and I feel for you one this. I re enlisted with what is called an RE3P enlistment code which meant that I needed a differant kind of physical due to an issue I had during active duty. I denied the med board 3 times while active hence the code. Anyway I enlisted into the ANG got promoted to SGT and was putting in my Warrent Officer package when they cauight a fraud enlistment on the behalf of the recruiter. He ended up signing the medical officers signature to get me in and I was asked if I wanted to bring charges against the guy. I declined seen as how he had only 1 year left till he retiered and I know they get a bonus for everyone they sign. You got told what many people do. Look at drug use? "You only smoked pot 2 times right?" This is standard if you answer that you have done drugs. They inform you if you tell them you have done drugs more than X ammount of times then you cannot enlist.

After saying all this, find a way to service connect it. this indeed could be a result of the gas chamber or a sudden oncoming while trianing. Go to sick call during your next weekend training session and start geting it documented that you have breathing problems. I wouldnt let the cat out of the bag seen as how you have made it this far and if worse comes to worse the military can seperate you on a medical discharge. IF this happens you will get benefits from the VA and you will still be able to use your GI bill. Admit you lied on an official government document , the Army can burn you to high heavan. Trust me, integrity means nothing in a case like this. You could be busted down in rank, suspention of all pay, put in the brig and given a BCD or even worse a DD. Either case you would loose your GI bill and never be able to get any reasonable employment. No Federal jobs and you can scratch off State work as well. You would also be made to repay all school bennies that you have recieved up to the time they convict you.

Listen, I am giving you the worse case senerio. This isn't saying they wil do this but if I were you I would make darn sure that this is documented after your enlistment and hence, a service connected dissability. Afterall, you found out it acted up in the winter after you enlisted right? So this could be that training has effected it in such a way as to agrivate it. Let the Army take care of you and the VA can get the rest whenever you get out. You have done this good and the fact that you like what your doing is good. You could also see if you can get medication that will help you weather an inhaler, meds whatever but if you feel you cannot perform at all the seek medical attention next drill. Make sure you let them know it started acting up after you did such and such with drill. hinting that you had a previous medical problem will force them to open an investigation. The fact you were cleared from MEPS and they didt catch something you say you had prior to enlistment shows 2 things. One it couldnt have been that bad otherwise they would have seen it like a red flag. Trust me, these MEPS Doctors can spot stuff you never knew you had. 2nd they gave you the golden pass so now anything that happens during your drill and service HAS TO BE directly related to military. Hope this helps you and sorry if you dont want to here some of the thing I am saying. Being a SGT in the Army and a Cpl in the Marines, I know how they burn good people just because. You dont need that in your life, I look at it like this, you wanted to serve your country so you did what you had to to get in. Your enjoying it and doing wahts expected out of you and your reaping rewards you otherwise would not have, continue to allow them to keep up on there end, get your degree, complete your enlistment, get out, apply for VA bennies and be proud of your service.

Wondering what happened to me? I had recieved a 20% dissability rating from the VA while I was serving in the AR. After they found out the docs signature was forged and asked me if I wanted to bring him up on charges I declined. I was then asked by the CO what I wanted. I simply just requested a honorable discharge as time served. I was discharged with my honorable discharge the next week and was

aslo allowed to keep my promotion, medals earned (I went to the ME a 2nd time while in the reserve) and I got in with US Customs 11 months later. I am now 50% dissabled as my back injury caught up to me and am going inot the US Post Office as an investigator. I cant run around anymore so I get to arrest employees for stealing mail, people sending illegal stuff etc...... not a bad gig. Good luck to you

Answer 3

you committed Fraudulent enlistment.  there are no waivers; there are no second chances, you will be discharged and you will lose all benefits and you will receive an RE4 code with the corresponding FE characterization.  your military career is over.  

asthma, past age 13 is a PDQ and THIS IS WHY.  you are endangering your fellows .  what do you propose to do in the middle of a firefight and you have an attack?  

Answer 4

You're right it's on you. Plain english at MEPs they explain to you that you need to answer honestly regardless of what the recruiter told you and you lied flat out. If you come forward you are gambling though they will most likely find out sooner or later and slap you with frad enlist, I would say depending on what you want and your commander coming forward and not making excuses is the best way to go about it. Tell them you want to stay in and they will probably take your honesty into consideration and if it is minor keep you. However it will also depend on the doctors. Thats theright thing to do. Now if I were in your shoes I don't know if that's what I'd do to be honest.