How can I get my wife out of the army?

Question

She was in a bad situation with drugs and an abusive relationship when she was 17 and her answer to get out was to join the national gaurd. She passed basic and is going to AIT in the summer after she finishes high school. But she doesn't want this, I don't want this. Does anyboby know a way to void her contract or get her discharged before her AIT class starts? Or even durning AIT? She's in less than a year so it'll be entry level seperation, I just don't want her to to get a bad record if she doesn't have to.Please, any help would be appreciated.

Please don't answer this if your going to say "suck it up!" or try to point out the benifits of staying in. I know the pros and cons and still want her out. Thanks.

PS I was in the army myself, 4 years/infantry so I'm pretty knowledgable.

Answer 1

First of all, I want to thank you for your brave and honorable service rendered by you in one of the most toughest professions in any military.I will help her stay out. This will benefit her and the many able-and-ready troops who are able to fulfill their committments.
Fundamentally, "entry level seperation" is a command-initiated discharge, which means there is no application procedure and you have no "right" to this discharge. It refers to the first six months of ACTIVE DUTY only if the recruit has signed for active military service. However, she signed for the National Guard.
Members of a reserve component or guard unti who are not on active duty and have NOT COMPLETED 180 days of continuous active military service, begin entry level status upon enlistment in the reserves. Entry level status for these members terminates:

180 days after beginning training if the member is ordered to active duty for one CONTINOUS PERIOD OF TRAINING; or
90 days after the beginning of a second period of active duty training if the member is ordered to a training that is split into separate periods of active duty.
She would still have time during her second split coming up in summer. There is a way to do this though.
Not showing up for her ship date or calling her recruiter over the phone is not going to be as effective as she thinks. These two are the most common, but they take more time,cause harassment and scare tactics from the recruiters and is more taxing for everybody involved. Some choose to write a letter stating their decision not to go. In either case, the results are the same: you do not have to go to MEPS on the ship date.Be professional and you will be treated like one.
Inability to adapt socially or emotionally to military life, or lack of motivation and self-discipline, can best be documented by a report or letter from a health care provider, mental health professional, or other counselor (such as a clergy member or social worker). A strong evaluation finding you unfit for military service and recommending a discharge can be very effective if combined with some evidence of a lack of adaptability or motivation. I have provided a link to the reg that precribes the procedures foe seperation. Pay close attention to the sequence of events, form numbers and become familiar with how they look and what they should state. Don't just cherry pick what you want for your wife and rub it in front of the recruiters face. Keep this as part of your secret arsenal to assure the process is moving as it should. I am a former recruiter. I never liked accepting those that were doing it for reasons other than school or Country. When I deployed I was "priveleged" to have one of those soldiers I recruited in my platoon. I hated it. He made war hell. Also if she feels that the recruiter/s is harassing her, threatening her or stating other than what is prescribed by a regulation (lying), she can file a formal complaint with the IG on her base.
Goodluck!

Answer 2

Tall Spot ... Well, with your experience, you should already know the answer. The answer is that you've already decided she's not going to complete her enlistment at all costs. Correct? With that being the case, all she needs to go is go home.

Unless, of course, you want there to be no adverse consequences. Is that what you're looking for? You want her to renege on her enlistment obligation, but you still want an honorable discharge for her? Isn't that a little like handing out a CIB to someone cause it makes their uniform look good? Come on ... Either complete her enlistment honorably or take a lesser discharge ... Simple as that.

Answer 3

4 yrs infantry does not make you all knowing.
She should learn to fulfill her obligations but do what you find best. She has made bad choices i.e drug use & I do not see how quitting can be a good choice. To get out early is not going to look good on her record. Getting pregnant is the easiest except you have a baby that was a means to an end not neccessarily wanted. I can see no pros but I am the mother of an Army Ranger & Officer. I taught my children that "winners never quit & quitters never win".

Answer 4

I got out of my contract after boot camp but before going into AIT. All she needs to do is refuse training or really suck at her test and evaluations. They will make it very very frustraiting for her but she doesn't have to finish training. People fail... Her contract and every contract depends on the person completeing Initial Entry Training. If she does not complete the training she will be considered "failure to adapt to military life". My only penalty was that I could not reinlist for two years. That has come and gone and I am training to get back in. The military is not for everyone. Those who don't want to be in have their reasons and those who do have theirs.

Good Luck

Answer 5

So at what point of recovery did she jump into a marriage CONTRACT with you? My point the National Guard allowed her to escape her past situation w drugs.

You are trying to help her escape a perceived bad situation w the Guard. How long before she wants to VOID your marriage contract because things aren't always GREAT??

The Guard may just teach her some responsibility for personal actions....or she can get a bad discharge & (sorry, it's statistically true) she will be back into drugs before you know it!!

Good Luck!!

Answer 6

she signed a contract. she owes the military eight years. she can't just decide to quit once things got better for a couple of months.

Time for her to grow up and assume the responisbilities of adulthood. she can request it, but there is no guarentee they will allow it, especially since they have already invested money in her training. but her RE code will most like be a 4, meaning no other branch will ever give her the courtesy of a second chance, so if she changes her mind, she will be regretting this impuslive action.

Answer 7

I know you don't want to hear it, but don't you think that enlisting, signing the documents and raising your right hand swearing to "Support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies..." is obligatory once done?

I don't know of a way out of this that would be "Other than Honorable" Regardless of what may end up being printed on her DD-214.

Answer 8

She can get out easy for a bad rep. Doesn't take long for the papers to go through if she is gay. Takes longer if you have a drug charge. She wants a good rep. Stay in. Bottom line. There is no getting out with a good rep unless it is a good reason like medical.

Answer 9

If you didn't want the "suck it up" responses, you shouldn't have posted the question.

Sorry, I have no sympathy for someone who VOLUNTARILY joins the service and then says, "Oh, I made a mistake, can I go home?"

Instead of trying to figure out a way out of it, maybe the two of you should be trying to figure out how to make the best of it and get the most out of it? The possibilities would surprise you if you'd only look.

Answer 10

If she gets caught using drugs on a drug test they could chapter her out of the army, but I'm not sure how long it takes to do that. And I'm sure it would not leave a good record for her in the future.