Medical

I’ve been in the army reserves three years come September 8. Last October I had orders to see a doctor for a physical. He recommended me to see a neurologist as soon as possible because he noticed weird things when he checked my eyes (the test, looking up down side to side). My unit said my medical results never got sent to them and they completely ignored it. In mid-January I started getting grand mal seizures and was diagnosed with epilepsy. This went through my unit and I was put into the process of getting a medical discharge. I don’t have insurance and wasn’t able to get medication and my first sergeant emailed me saying my medical discharge was being processed and not to show up to drill again unless I heard from him. He capitalized him, and made it clear that it not be through anyone else. The only time I was contacted after that was for the next drill and it was by someone much lower in the unit saying she expected me at drill, which I didn’t worry about because she was under the first sergeant. I never heard from them again. The month before that drill I showed up one day to meet with the Master Sergeant in order to get my discharge paperwork. Two hours after the appointed meeting time, she still hadn’t shown up and the first sergeant couldn’t reach her on her phone, so I was told to leave my paperwork in her office and go home. Now this past week I’ve found out my name was on papers with another guy getting a medical discharge saying that due to inactive performance we were being dishonorably discharged. He went in and talked to the master sergeant and she’s claiming she met with us and one other and told us what we needed and we blew her off. This never happened. We all have paperwork showing our medical stuff. I can print off my e-mail saying not to show. I have phone records showing no contact or attempted contact with my unit. He says our unit’s in the process of getting disbanded. We’re trying to reach the higher up JAG, but received the wrong number.

I don’t feel I deserve a dishonorably discharge when I had orders not to shwo. I also have doctor’s notes saying how limited I have to be since we don’t know the cause to these seizures and they’re uncontrolled. I also feel there’s something wrong that discharge/medical info was sent to someone else and not myself.

Is there anything we can do?

It sounds like they didn’t want to process you through a Medical Review Board, which is a TON of paperwork for them, and instead your 1SG screwed you by telling you not to come to Drill. He actually does NOT have the authority, nor does the Commander, to tell you that. As long as you are an Active Reservist, you are required to attend Drill unless you get hard-copy orders from a higher command Discharging you or Reassigning you to the IRR.

Just so you know, you will not get a Dishonorable Discharge for Unsatisfactory Participation. They can give you an Other Than Honorable or transfer you to the IRR though.

You need to make a formal IG complaint NOW. I would also call my Congressman, Senator, JAG, and the higher command G-1 Deputy Chief of Staff. Have all documentation ready before you start making calls and writing letters, including email traffic and medical documentation.

I would love to know the name of your Unit, 1SG, and what command you are under. Feel free to email me with this info and I will get you information on who to contact at your higher headquarters.