If i am discharged from the Navy, can I try to join the Army?

Question

I signed my contract and swore in at MEPS for the Navy a week ago. I would leace for basic in June, but MEPS called my recruiter a week later stating that I had a theft under $300 from 8 years ago, and I did not finish my 24 hour community service sentence. Now i am worried that I will be discharged.My recruiter says he is doing everything he possibly can.My recruiter knew about the charge, but we did not know about the remainig community service, and my recruiter told me not to mention it at MEPS.Could I still be eligible for the Army.?

Answer 1

Number one you need to correct this charge on your record - do the community service - show them that you are responsible. They may need to put you on a delayed enter - the numbers are down for new recruits so chances are they will still let you in as soon of you clear up the community service problem. Good luck & thank you for serving!

Answer 2

I think we have ALL answerd your same question a million times this week, but NO you can't escape what is going on by just switching services. Everything you are doing for the Navy is in the system at MEPS so no matter what you do you just can't pretend to have a clean slate and go to another recruiter and start over for a different service. Just relax and fix the stuff you have with the Navy. It will take a little while to do this, but as long as you are honest and disclose EVERYTHING in your written statements you will be ok. If you are going Navy you are going to have to learn how to HURRY UP AND WAIT. What you have been telling us about seems pretty minor, but the government is not a fast animal it is going to take it's time working on your situation. You may not leave in June, maybe July or something, but as long as what you have been saying to us all along you should be fine. ALso, is this the same stupid recruited that told you to lie in the first place. I would go to their Chief and tell them you want a new recruiter that isn't going to make things any worse than they already have by telling you to lie in the first place. NOw either listen to what real Navy people are telling you or stop asking the same question over and over again!!!!

Answer 3

There seems to be an interesting divide between what people deem is personal responsibility in this world. In any case, while your recruiter may have (and probably did) tell you not to mention the charge at MEPS, you still must take personal responsibility that you did something that you (from your demeanor) feel wasn't right. I understand that you are joining the military and as such are going to be trained to follow orders etc. However you must understand that noone forced you to not tell MEPS about the charge. You knew you had a charge, and whether or not the recruiter knew about it is beside the point. I understand you may feel stuck in some respects (and definately confused) because you simply did what was told of you. Now that statement seems to have gotten you in trouble.

Basically as far as I can remember (did MEPS in 1996) you have to have all outstanding criminal 'punishments' taken care of in full before you are allowed to leave for boot camp. Basically this is to ensure that noone is joining the military in order to escape justice somehow. (I understand that this is NOT your case). However it is most likely that you will simply have to finish the community service and then you will be able to go. There shouldn't be any problems with you continuing to join the Navy.

Joining the Army however, that may take some doing. If this is your goal then it would be a very good idea to contact your recruiter immediately and let him know. I understand that you may not want him to know you are thinking about the army until there isn't much he can do. However as much as recruiters get bonuses (i.e. rank/leave time/etc) for the numbers they generate. However if your recruiter jumps through a bunch of hoops in order to ensure that this community service doesn't hold you up, only to have you stab him in the back? Trust me, that won't go over well. Also as much as we all like to think that our respective services are/were the best, recruiters are all stuck together in that one section of the mall (or wherever). As such it only makes sense that they talk. If they have had a particularly difficult recruit? Chances are they are going to mention it. I know that I am eluding to some idea that the Army can hold something against you or even the Navy can hold something against you if you decide to not join one and join the other. In reality that is unlikely. They won't be nice to you, but they probably can't keep you from joining the military if that is what you want to do. The one thing that you will want to make sure of is that you communicate with your recruiter at all times about your plans. Something else you may want to check. If you have already signed on the dotted line and taken the oath, you *are* in the Navy and as such would have to get discharged from the Navy in order to join the Army. You then become (I know it doesn't make sense) a prior service candidate. Several, (I don't know about the Army) but several of the armed forces will not take prior service except from thier own service.

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

The general concensus of answers here is absolutely correct- Take care of the outstanding legal issue.

A suggestion that I have for you is to go to the court! Take your enlistment papers with you and ask for a moment of the Judge's time. Explain what you plan to do do by serving your country, and ask for his assistance. In all probability, he/she will waive the community service and allow you to enter active duty. After all, what you are proposing is a far greater "Community Service" the the 24 hours initially imposed.

Handling the issue this way will also allow you to join your first choice of services; the US Navy.

There was once a time where judges would tell the defendants to either go to jail or join the military- a once accepted practice!

Good luck--

Answer 5

First and foremost, you ARE NOT in the Navy. You will not be a member of any armed force until the day you take your final physical and swear in at MEPS the day you ship out for basic.

Now, the first thing I would do is report your recruiter to his command. He is scum and should be removed. The second thing I would do is complete your community service. After that I would contact an Army recruiter and tell him what is going on. You may require a waiver for the criminal history.

Good Luck

Answer 6

My advice is the same...try to finish your community service...on the other hand, I think that the military is really hurting for recruits and the likelihood of them deciding against you is minimal, after all your conviction was a minor one...it wasn't like you killed someone.

...but to answer your question, the same conviction probably would come up again, because the you have to go to MEPS to get into the Army too...the SAME MEPS (isn't it called the Military Entrance Processing Station?) you have to go through now...

Answer 7

He was given a general discharge under less than honorable conditions. One can only get a dishonorable discharge by conviction of a general court martial. His reenlistment code is probably RE-4. If it is so, he cannot reenlist in the Navy or enlist in any other branch.

Answer 8

What BETTER community service can you do than serving your country? I would NOT hide any information as it has a way of coming back to get you. However, if the Navy does kick you out, the Army may take you if you are truthful from the start.

Answer 9

Why not go over to the Yahoo Answers section about Community Service and ask them for ideas on what to do your hours in? Then do your hours and turn in the paperwork proving you've done them so you can quit asking about the issue here! Even if the Navy drops you, the hours are still undone and still on your record so just get them done already.

Answer 10

You might get in if you keep quiet, but if your little problem is discovered after you're accepted for enlistment, which in all probability, it will - you can be sure you'll be charged with enlisting under false pretenses, which will earn you a minimum of two years in a military prison and a Dishonorable Discharge. Don't risk it; get your legal problem completely resolved, and then go back and see a different recruiter (the one who told you not to mention it could also go to prison if you were found out because his behavior is also illegal under the Uniform Code of Military Justice)...