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So I have a friend who because of constant harrassment decided that he wanted to leave the military early by telling his unit he was gay. He got the discharge, came back home to michigan, and realized there weren't any jobs waiting for him. So now he's broke, can't pay his bills and he desperately wants to get back into the military for stability reasons.

Only issue is, he doesn't know if he can, and without doing any research, I told him I don't think he can either.

But he keeps texting me asking me to look into it for him and rather than go ask my 1st sargent or something, I'd rather ask you guys instead.

Is his hopes of getting back into the military possible, or was I right when I told him he was most likely screwed?

And oh yeah, thank you for taking the time to respond.

It depends on what it says on his DD214. And what his rate/rank was.
Supposedly enlistment is way up due to the fact that the military is the only one hiring.
So just based on that I think your friend is screwed.
I hope he has contacted a VET rep. at the employment office to get head-of-the-line privileges.
Sadly in MI it may be no help.

There is another thread here showing how I guy was investigated and sent back for another tour after coming out. He said he was honorable discharged but they put homosexual on his discharge paper work.

I don’t understand this.

See if you can talk him into going back to school.

There is tons of money out there for vets.

It depends on his RE code. If he got an early discharge for being gay, I would imagine that his RE code would be a 4 and he would not be able to reenlist. If his Re code was a 3 he would need a waiver to reenlist. I asked a friend who is a retired Personal Officer and he says no way. I would suggest that your friend contact his local recruiter. He doesn't have to tell them it's for him and they can give him the information for sure. Good Luck

I don't see how someone who was discharged for being gay can get back in because it is now known that he is gay. The policy in regard to homosexuals and the armed forces is pretty clear. I'm not in the military, I just don't see how it's possible because of the policy against known homosexuals serving in the armed forces.

Oh wait, maybe he can say he went to gay reparative therapy and is no longer gay. I wonder how the military would treat that!

Halfstep saidIs his hopes of getting back into the military possible, or was I right when I told him he was most likely screwed?

Screwed. If he was discharged based on his homosexuality, he can't reenter the military at present. Period. I recommend he stop wasting time & energy on the military, and focus it on his civilian life.

I have a friend who was able to leave the marines because he was being harassed for being considered gay. They did not ask if he was gay or not. He was able to go back into the marines earlier this summer since he couldn't find a job stateside.

dustin_K_tx saidSee if you can talk him into going back to school.

There is tons of money out there for vets.

Not true, if he took a General Discharge for being gay. Most of those educational benefits are only available to those who are Honorably Discharged. Another injustice in the US due to our national homophobia.

I don't have any relevant information in regards to getting back in the military. Although, I'd have to agree with everyone else, and find out what type of discharge he got. And whether or not homosexuality is mentioned anywhere.

If he can't get back in, but his discharge is "clean", he can always try to apply for a government job. I can tell you right now, the private sector sucks. No one is hiring. But state and federal government agencies are hiring. And they do give preference for prior military. And some jobs are available only to prior military. I wish him the best of luck.

http://www.usajobs.gov/

Red_Vespa said

dustin_K_tx saidSee if you can talk him into going back to school.

There is tons of money out there for vets.

Not true, if he took a General Discharge for being gay. Most of those educational benefits are only available to those who are Honorably Discharged. Another injustice in the US due to our national homophobia.

You are right and it will depend, what is on the 214.
Texas has addition funds for vets. who didn't get the G.I. benifit...i truely do not know if it is dependent on discharge status.

I think he is done with the Military. He would be better off focusing on what he can do to improve his life without it.

Tell him to go through an ex-gay therapy session, get the document that says he's no longer gay and provide it as proof that he's not gay anymore.

Thank for the responses.

Turns out he has a Code 4 homosexual acts discharge.

So he's screwed.

Halfstep saidThank for the responses.

Turns out he has a Code 4 homosexual acts discharge.

So he's screwed.

Agreed, at least for present. This policy can be changed, to include retroactive provisions, but I doubt we'll see that happen for quite a few years to come.

While most Democrats would support it, Republicans can effectively block it, even from a minority position in Congress. Only when Republicans are reduced to less than 30% of Congressional seats would such a thing be a practical possibility.

McGay saidTell him to go through an ex-gay therapy session, get the document that says he's no longer gay and provide it as proof that he's not gay anymore.

Yeah he should do that. I would love to see how the military would handle something like that.

Red_Vespa said

dustin_K_tx saidSee if you can talk him into going back to school.

There is tons of money out there for vets.

Not true, if he took a General Discharge for being gay. Most of those educational benefits are only available to those who are Honorably Discharged. Another injustice in the US due to our national homophobia.

Most discharges for being gay are admin separations with an honorable discharge. It would only be something less than an honorable if there were other circumstances behind his discharge such as drugs or something. Chances are its an honorable discharge.

His next step should be to seduce Michelle Obama and get pictures of his ultimate triumph over her and then use them to blackmail Barack into doing the right thing.

Unless things change, he's kinda outta luck sorry.

Why fight for a nation that does not treat you with same respect that it does to everyone else?

I've had similar conversations with my son who is a chief in the navy and he would say this young mans military future is over.

Why fight for a nation that does not treat you with same respect that it does to everyone else?

I can understand that point but there's more to the nation than all the haters.
I wish the military would stop being so @#$@ing hypocritical in it's 'principals'.
Oh, and stop making such retarded recruitment commercials that pander to a person's ego. That, and ones that look like video games and/or action movies. They should show what war is really like, not fiction and fun just to get people in..

I get so angry how the military makes family and communication with them so important - oh unless you are gay which you aren't suppose to be, so you can just do without..

Can one of you guys in the military ask how a guy or girl that got kicked or would be kicked out for being gay would be treated if they went to some ex-gay therapist, went through therapy, then claimed to have been made straight?

Or how they would be treated if they professed to being a former homosexual but went through therapy and are now straight? Would they still be kicked out for admitting that?