Army Medical Discharge During Basic?

Question

My husband was just medically discharged for a disease called Alports Syndrome he didn't know he had. Will he receive any benefits? How long will it take for him to come home? Does it look bad in his record and will it effect him later on getting a job? I need help I'm so lost and they aren't telling him anything. Will he still get paid for the time he is basic, he said he has to go through processing then out processing how long is that gonna take? Please some one help!!!

Answer 1

re: Previous posting on this subject as 'guest 19098784':

In May of 2008, I received The National Defense Service Award and the U.S. Army's  "Marksman"   Badge with the "Rifle" bar .

These were mailed to me after I requested an official 'Honorable Discharge' Certificate. That request was denied, and I was informed that my form DD 214  is the only record of my discharge  from the  service that will be issued.

Answer 2

My son just went into the army 19 days ago. He went into the service with a rod and screws in his leg. (injury 1 year prior to service) My son was very honest with them and told them everything! To be honest I was very surprized they excepted him into the service.  But they did, while in bootcamp he began having bad leg pain. (started when carry 60# of sand and runnung with it on his back). They sent him to "sick Bay" they ended up doing a x-ray, and according to there "readings" they said his bones were starting to fuse together. Which his surgeon is unaware of,(or any concerns of the healing of the bones) They had all his medical records before he left. They told him at boot camp that he should have never made it into the service...So what happens to him now? How can they do this? Will he get released with a honorable medical discharge? Is he entitled to any pay? Will he have to pay his own way home?  and how do we find you his rights? I tried to call VA, but you can never get through to them.

Answer 3

Been there, done that. I was issued a Medical Discharge from the U.S. Army's Basic Training in 1969. The reason cited on my Form DD-214 is "Erroneous Induction". The medical condition cited on that form is "Pes Cavus' deformity on both feet... a pre-exisiting condition that I was born with.  Having "answered the call" (I was drafted), on my Induction day, I had advised the doctors at the Induction Center of my condition. They examined me and chose to disregard it, telling me that I would probbaly have problems,  and if I did, to just go to 'Sick Bay' about it.

The painful cramping in my feet started on the night of my first full day of training in Basic. Numerous trips to Sick Bay over the next few weeks finally resulted in appointment for me to see an Orthopedic Surgeon. He took a look at the x-ays, examined my feet and told me that I should have never been drafted. The next morning, I was removed from my Basic Training Unit.

I spent six weeks in Basic Training before being pulled out and placed in a holdover barracks while waiting for my discharge papers to be processed. That processing time took about four weeks, as Fort Lewis, WA was also the processing center for soldiers returning from Viet Nam, and they took precedent... which was rightly so, at least to me.

I was in the army for two months and ten days, well short of the required 180 days of active service to qualify for any of the governments' Veteran's Benefits. The only benefit that I have is that I am a member of the American Legion, having served active duty during the time of "war" (Viet Nam).

The Army continued to pay me while I was waiting, and as I recall, I had to pay for my flight home with some of that pay. The old memory is a bit fuzzy on that , though. One other thing, I was never issued a formal discharge document. All I have is my Form DD-214 Separation paper. I was told that no  formal discharge document would be issued, even though my DD-214 states that I had served under "Honorable" conditions.