Dishonorable Discharge?

Question

My knee went out on my at Basic Combat Training last summer.

I later found out that I have Patella Tendinitis, and Tears in my Meniscus. So when I was supposed to ship to A.I.T., and my Dr. told me i shouldn't be running or I would be looking at surgery. I refused to lie to MEPS. So my recruiter is discharging me. And keep threatening a Dishonorable Discharge. Is that possible? I didn't do anything wrong, I just refuse to lie. And do what he wants me to do. (Which is to fake an injury once I get to AIT.)

I'm not refusing to ship, I"m refusing to lie.

I don't understand how that's dishonorable?

Someone help please!

Answer 1

They can not give you a dishonorable discharge for a medical problem.  And they can not give you one for telling the truth.   You need to report your recruiter to his supervisor.    

Answer 2

assuming youve told the whole story i see no reason why you would get a dihonorable discharge....you may be discharged a friend of mine was hurt in marine BT and he was discharged but he can go back now that he is better he just has to repeat everything

Answer 3

A dishonorable discharge can ONLY be imposed by a military Court Martial as part of the sentence following a conviction of a serious crime.  Your recruiter is blowing smoke out his backside.  

Bring your medical records with you to the MEPS and hand them over to the medical authorities.  If your recruiter wants a copy, make a photocopy for him but do NOT give him the originals!

If anything, you will be given an uncharacterized release from the military if your condition disqualifies you from service.  Lying to the MEPS would get you in trouble, while telling them the truth cannot.

Your recruiter sounds like a dishonest person and is a disgrace to his profession if what you say is true.  I'd ask him for his Commander's and First Sergeant's phone numbers and file a complaint directly with his chain of command.

Answer 4

Assuming this is the truth, you will not receive a dishonorable discharge. You will receive a medical discharge.

Answer 5

Something isn't right with your story.  Your recruiter has no authority over you after you ship out for basic outside of his general authority as a non-comissioned officer, none of which includes discharging you.  The most you can face if your story is legitimate is a general discharge and your recruiter would face UCMJ action if he is trying to force you to lie.

Answer 6

Your just going get at most a general discharge but more then likely since your still in training they give you an uncharacterized discharge which will never hurt you don't the road because it doesn't show on personal records for like job employmentsnts and such

Answer 7

You can't be discharged under any circumstances until you are in the military.  You aren't in the military if you were disqualified from military service at MEPS before you ship to boot camp.  If you are talking to MEPS after boot camp, I don't understand your question, MEPS has nothing to do with individuals already on active duty.

What service are we talking about here?  This recruiter is a ball of slime and deserves an end to his recruiting tour early.  

Dishonorable discharges can only be given at a general court-martial, the highest form of court-martial reserved for the most serious crimes.  That you could get any discharge before you were in the military is a lie.  That some enlisted member can arbitrarily give you a discharge that is reserved as a senior officer's right is a flagrant lie.

Seriously, post your recruiter's name and phone number on here.  I'll take care of business for you.