Attempting to Join
Hello. I want to attempt to join the National Guard later this year. I was previously in the Coast Guard and got a DUI, and I was discharged a year later. It’s a misdemeanor on my record.
Tried to join the Army a few years later and I was told that because it was a misconduct discharge under UCMJ, I couldn’t join. The recruiter showed me the manual as well. I don’t know if that’s something that still could’ve been waived or not. I’ve heard prior service isn’t a recruiters first choice to work with as it is.
At first he did seem to want to work with me, and it may have been an error on the Coast Guard’s part, but my DD-214 was never finished, and I never received an RE code. That’s why he said let’s try and see.
I told the recruiter I never received my last DD-214, and I could only show him past DD-214s from prior active duty and deployment time as a reservist.
He pulled my REDD report, and nothing in my military record showed the DUI either. So, he tried to process me but he said MEPS might stop me because of that section of the manual he pointed out, and basically my charge would conflict with my time in service and be obvious at that point. After that he didn’t send me to MEPS to see what would happen.
When I was arrested while in service, I told my command right away, and I think because of that (I’m really not sure why), I was given an honorable discharge. I understand the Coast Guard has a zero tolerance policy now.
In December this year, my probation will be over, fines paid, and everything taken care of. I have good credit, no debt, no other blemish on my record.
I’m saying that to say even if I walk into a recruiting office with everything handled, and no financial, medical, etc disqualifications, is it still possible to join the National Guard with a DUI and misconduct discharge on my record, according to policy? Is this waiverable at all?