ptsd I'm Worried About This Kid

[timetowinarace]

A friend's step-son had enlisted in the Marines under the delayed entry program while six months out till 18. A couple of weeks ago (a month before actuall entry) he tried to hang himself. He was of course admitted to a state facility for a short time. Obviously he's a person with emotional issues at this time. He has since threatened his mother that he was going to do it again.

I told my friend that the Marines would no longer allow him to enlist in his current condition. A few days later he told me that the recruiters told him that there would be no problem with his enlistment. I guess the service must REALLY need personell.

The kid is a good, likable guy but has issues. The marines may actually be good for him. I don't think so, but....... My concern is more about when he gets out. If he has issues due to his service, like PTSD or any others that manifest in service, he is being set up from the start as having a 'personality dissorder'. We know that the service and VA is quick to use this diagnoses to deny claims.

Anyway, I'm unsure of any suggestions I could make for this family to not have any surprizes or how to reduce the burden they'll have if these issues become worse with the added stress of service. I don't have faith in the VA. With his current emotional problems on record he'll likely be denied service connection.

Any thought's?

Time

[Vike17]

If the kid has a pre-exsisting mental condition and an inservice incident aggravates it, there probably wont be a shrink around that will try and seperate the two conditions and opine to the level of disability of each to where VA could rate the agravated portion of it! And even if there was was a shrink that could/would do this, it probably wouldn't hold up on appeal!

Vike 17

[Jay Johnson]

The bigger problem is that the military has, perhaps, the worst mental health program on the planet and I'm afraid this kid will only get worse and have no where to turn if he runs into rough times. This is further compounded by the fact that he chose the marines, which is probably one of the worst branches for "mental" issues. He'll be labeled with all sorts of stigmas if any of those symptoms manifest themselves.

I hate to say this, but unless the marines have a very positive impact on this kid, he'll probably be dead before too long:-(

As for the VA - My guess is that the military will bury any prior record of mental issues and ignore his problems...otherwise, they couldn't justify accepting him for liability purposes. I would get some sort of record that the recruiter KNOWS that he has recently had mental issues (record him if necessary), in order to bring a lawsuit down the road if they play stupid. The military has no business accepting a kid with known suicidal ideology, plan and intent.

[spike]

take this with a grain of salt. I am former Marine (active duty) and now a member of several organizations. When I read this, I asked around to my friends active, who are recruiters, drill instructors and here is what I got.

A) If this person was seen and it was confidental and only for a day (in the hospital) have the parents or the institution a letter to higher command than the local recruiter. He should not get any blemishes on his record and not be allowed in the CORPS, no harm, no foul. Get the kid some help.

B) If it is somehow still the desire of the Parents and the Kid to join the Marines, well just make sure you sign a waiver or let the recruiters command know. The waiver would let the USMC Drill field and command have an FYI (which my guess would put a flag on him and cause some grief for promotions,etc) regardless what they say.

My conditionary advice on this is, the parents need to consider (I understand they are a friend) the kids welfare. It is also not very happy information I also received is that the Marines are being deployed almost immediately after boot and a very fast paced fast track of infantry training. This could cause a lot more bad things for him, than he or his parents are ready for, especially considering the recent developments.

In the end, I think the USMC is great for 99%, however, if your going into the Marines with a "fracture" of mental strength/discipline what have you....the Marines will crack it quick.

[spike]

what is going on with this situation

[timetowinarace]

Spike,

Thanks for your interest in this.

I havn't had a chance to talk to the parents since I posted this. I'll see his dad tomarrow.

Unfortunatley, he has caused the family a great deal grief the past few months. To keep this short, his dad and sister have had enough of him.

I'll let them know what I've learned here and hope he get's help. I'll talk to him myself but it's anyones guess if he'll listen. Maybe if he knows I've been through the mental health system he'll at least try.

Time

[sixthscents]

OK, I can speak to this as an ex-recruiter and an ex-station commander for the Army... While it wasn't for the Marines most of our requirements are exactly the same.

Here why the recruiter said there was no problem, he has told the kid not to mention it. The delayed entry program is NOT an enlistment. I know they swear in and everything, BUT... what it was intended for was to take people who were interested in service and help prepare them for it, AS WELL AS TO BE A BUFFER... for exactly things like this. It gives both the service and the DEP member a time to evaluate each other.

All the services would like the DEP's to believe that its an enlistment, and sometimes they will go to great lengths to convince the depper that they will go to jail or some such if they dont go.... (I'm guilty yes I had a sheriff I knew go track down a kid... etc etc..) BUT, I never sent a soldier downrange when I felt that he would harm himself or others. Now to be strictly honest the regulations which cover physical qualifications are INSANE... by them almost nobody is qualified, so it's basically a judgement call and I think the recruiter here has told the kid to shut up...

So, go up his chain.... thats all it will take, just go up to his Battalion...not company ... Battalion level command. If you give me WHERE the young man joined from I can give you the name and phone number of who you need to call. Right now the kid needs some help and NOT added stress. The recruiter KNOWS that all PSYCH records are sealed tighter than a mine... so he knows nobody will turn over this kids treatment records.... in most cases even the patient cant get them just an excerpt....

Anyway, the recruiter is faced with taking a loss that he will have to make up this month or next... and hes apparently not going to take it willingly. I have seen worse. Its a dirty business, and most recruiters over time get dirty, or dont survive. It a fine line, and when you place a persons CAREER on the line over getting x amount of kids in this craps gonna happen. AND I dont wanna hear a WORD about how thats not the case, ect ect... I was in recruiting for 7 years, I know how the game is still being played. All my old recruiters, for the most part have either went on to great carrer in the normal Army or joined the dark side and became permanent recruiters/station commanders themselves so I keep a hand in.

Anyway, give me the town and state, and I can give you the name and number of the Marine you need to talk to.