Grrrrrr . . . Mostly Vent/rant Against the Military - Making Me Crazy!

aaahhhh the bureaucracy....

CONGRATULATIONS on raising kids who want to serve our country!!!

I'm sorry for the problems. I would ask the recruiter if they have a check list of everything that is needed. If so - get it. They should have this and know what is needed.

If your children were NOT born in the US - but are US Citizens? They need to know where they were born - adoption forms will be needed - if you adopted them. This will be needed for his security clearance and background check. He may need NFNA certifications if they were born in China, Korea, Russia, etc. That's just the way it is.

Believe it or not? there is a department that goes through each document. There SHOULD be a checklist - just like you get when you are separating or retiring (USAF does this - I don't know about Army). I'd ask the recruiting center for a complete checklist of what is needed and make sure you have it.

As to the medical records? They need it so if he re-injures himself, they know which they are responsible for. When he separates or retires, he will get another final physical that will see if there are any problems they are responsible for. This will affect his retirement pay for disability. If he gets medically separated in the future, they will have documentation on what happened WHILE he was AD.

again - i'm sorry for the bureaucracy!! CONGRATS on raising great kids!

Yup. I get it. My dh is retired military, but now works pretty much back in the same department and field, but as a federal employee. He was in the Navy for 30 years and retired as a Captain. So he knows what he's doing.

He is trying to get our dd a military ID. She's over 21, but medically disabled, and so qualifies to remain as his dependent with all the privileges (she doesn't/can't work or go to school).

Even with his 30 years of experience and 6 years in the civil service, he cannot fathom how to complete the paperwork for this. It's like the application paperwork is missing several crucial steps. He's been to customer service at the ID center and they didn't know either. He's called numerous places. It's still a "work-in-progress" but he is so frustrated.

I'll rant with you!

Tyler retired from the military about 5 years ago. He began terminal leave 90 days before his actual retirement date. During that time, he had physicals (hearing test, eye test, actual physical) and debriefings. The list went on and on and on...

It's a lot of red tape, or bureaucracy. People do look over every paper. It's okay to ask the recruiter for a list so that you can be prepared. If they don't have one? Maybe your question and pushing for one will help them be more efficient? It's worth the try and effort.

Wishing your children much success in their careers!

Welcome to the world of the military.

Yes, there is a ton of paperwork to be done to make sure the person entering is the person he/she is. There have been people apply and get in who were not who they said they were or not even legal citizens of the US. It is more difficult for the "civilian" applicant than the military applicant (child of an active duty person) but there is still paperwork as the government has a track record of the military child (dad/mom's assignments with dependents). My son's background check was done and since he grew up outside the US anything he did on off base was on file.

I feel that each person who really wants in will get in it just might take longer.

All information written on the application is verified by several investigators so that they can conduct security clearance levels for the position they will be assigned. The tight scrutiny also applies to any future spouse and allows access to military facilities such as commissary, BX/PX, hospital, MWR facilities.

In all, there are many areas that this one initial investigation covers that the new inductee will have access to his/her whole tour(s) of duty

the other S.
Retired Military Wife