Barriers to Military Enlistment

Remember that in most cases, these are not permanently disqualifying. However, these are factors that you should mention to your recruiter. If you are later found to have lied or not informed the military about your legal or medical past, they might throw you out. Remember that there is no penalty or punishment in talking about your situations with your recruiter, so always check with him/her first.

Prior Military Service

a. A waiver is required for any applicant or current member of a reserve component who was separated or discharged from any component of the United States Armed Forces for any of the following reasons: A waiver may not be submitted until a two-year period has elapsed since separation or discharge. (For approval authority, see d below)

(1) AWOL/desertion

(2) Courts martial convictions

(3) Concealment of an arrest record

(4) Discharge for the good of the service

(5) Entry-level performance or conduct

(6) Fraudulent entry

(7) Failure to meet weight standards

(8) Misconduct

(9) Personality disorder

(10) Trainee Discharge Program

(11) Unsatisfactory performance

(12) Unfitness

(13) Unsuitability

b. A waiver is required for any applicant who was separated or discharged with a field bar to reenlistment issued, or was denied extension or reenlistment by any component of the U.S. Armed Forces at time of last separation or discharge. (A waiver may not be submitted until two years from date of last separation or discharge.)

c. A waiver is required for any applicant who was separated or discharged from any component of the U.S. Armed Forces for any of the following reasons. (A waiver may be submitted at any time after separation unless otherwise indicated.)

(1) Alien not lawfully admitted to the United States. (Must currently meet citizenship criteria.)

(2) Defective enlistment/reenlistment

(3) Dependency

(4) Erroneous enlistment

(5) Hardship

(6) Failure to meet medical procurement standards

(7) Minority

(8) Parenthood

(9) Pregnancy

(10) Unfulfilled enlistment agreement

(11) Void service

Absent Without Leave (AWOL) or Lost Time

a. Any applicant who, during their last period of service, had AWOL or lost time of five days or less, regardless of type of separation or RE code, will be required to have a waiver for enlistment.

b. Any applicant who, during their last period of service, had AWOL or lost time of six or more days, regardless of type of separation or RE code, will be required to have a waiver for enlistment.

c. The approval authority for lost time of five days or less is the recruiting battalion commander. For six or more days lost, the approval authority for RA enlistment is (for the Army only -- check with your commanding officer/NCO for other services): the CG, PERSCOM, and for the USAR, the CG, ARPERCEN.

Conscientious Objection

a. Persons who profess conscientious objections or religious convictions at time of application for enlistment, which precludes unrestricted assignments and who desire to enlist as noncombatants.

b. PS applicants who previously were conscientious objectors, but who no longer are conscientious objectors, must not have been discharged by reason of conscientious objection.

c. The approval authority for enlistment in the RA or USAR is the CG, PERSCOM.

Reentry Eligibility Code (RE-Code)

Any RE code that is disqualifying for reasons not otherwise listed will require a waiver to be submitted in the same manner as those listed above.

Reserve Component Separations or Transfers

a. A waiver is required for any applicant who was last transferred from a troop program unit or between components of any Reserve unit or control group for being an unsatisfactory performer, apathy or other reason that is an unsatisfactory condition (other than participation). (See c below.) (Waiver may not be submitted until two years from the date transferred.)

b. A waiver is required for any applicant who is a current member of a RC who is pending adverse or administrative actions considered disqualifying under chapter 4 and may not be processed until such action is completed. Waivers will be submitted based on final action in these cases.

c. A waiver is required for any applicant who has been transferred to the ING, IRR or other services' control group for being an unsatisfactory participant and is not currently serving satisfactorily in a troop unit. A waiver may be submitted at any time (members of the IRR who transferred to a TPU after being an unsatisfactory participant may not be processed until six months after transfer. A waiver is not required after six months have elapsed.)

Age

a. A waiver for applicants who exceed the age criteria for enlistment into the RA are not considered. The age criteria for enlistment is governed by statute. Waivers for RA enlistment will not be considered with or without prior military service.

b. A waiver may be submitted for enlistment into the USAR for applicants who have prior military service only.

Dependents

a. Any applicant who does not meet the dependent criteria of this regulation and a waiver is authorized by the specific paragraph will require a waiver.

Surviving Son or Daughter

a. Any applicant who previously was separated from any component of the U.S. Armed Forces as a surviving son or daughter requires a waiver for enlistment. Note: A surviving son and/or daughter refers to any son or daughter in a family in which the father or mother or one or more of the sons or daughters --

(1) Have been killed in action or have died when serving in the United States Armed Forces from wounds, accident or disease.

(2) Are in a captured or missing-in-action status.

(3) Have a permanent 100% service-related disability (including 100% mental disability), as determined by the director of Veterans Affairs or one of the military services, and are not gainfully employed because of the disability.

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