- Joined
- Jan 5, 2016
- Messages
- 37
- Reaction score
- 40
Hi all,
I have a bit of an unusual situation here. I've served a total of 13 years in the National Guard and the Army Reserve (MDAY/TPU status, "drilling") and I'm currently in the Individual Ready Reserve (the "inactive" reserve). When reserve component soldiers complete basic training, we get a DD214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) and then we get assigned to our reserve unit. However, I've technically been enlisted continuously for over 13 years, so I think the question of whether I've received a discharge is a bit ambiguous. Complicating the matter further, I switched mid-career from the National Guard to the Army Reserve, and was given a discharge certificate from the Guard.
So, here's the problem. I completed the AMCAS last year, and 2015 me thought, "I have a DD214, so I'll check 'yes' to the military discharge question."
I completed the AMCAS this year, and 2016 me thought, "I'm in IRR right now and technically I've never left the service since I enlisted, so I'll check 'no' to the military discharge question." Big mistake. I got a letter today saying AMCAS has opened an investigation.
Now I'm freaking out. Hopefully I can clear this up with the AMCAS people as the simple misunderstanding that it is; even if I do, will medical schools still see that my application has been "flagged"? Advice? Thanks in advance.
EDIT: The AMCAS manual doesn't provide any sort of operational definition as to what constitutes a military discharge, so no help there.
I have a bit of an unusual situation here. I've served a total of 13 years in the National Guard and the Army Reserve (MDAY/TPU status, "drilling") and I'm currently in the Individual Ready Reserve (the "inactive" reserve). When reserve component soldiers complete basic training, we get a DD214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) and then we get assigned to our reserve unit. However, I've technically been enlisted continuously for over 13 years, so I think the question of whether I've received a discharge is a bit ambiguous. Complicating the matter further, I switched mid-career from the National Guard to the Army Reserve, and was given a discharge certificate from the Guard.
So, here's the problem. I completed the AMCAS last year, and 2015 me thought, "I have a DD214, so I'll check 'yes' to the military discharge question."
I completed the AMCAS this year, and 2016 me thought, "I'm in IRR right now and technically I've never left the service since I enlisted, so I'll check 'no' to the military discharge question." Big mistake. I got a letter today saying AMCAS has opened an investigation.
Now I'm freaking out. Hopefully I can clear this up with the AMCAS people as the simple misunderstanding that it is; even if I do, will medical schools still see that my application has been "flagged"? Advice? Thanks in advance.
EDIT: The AMCAS manual doesn't provide any sort of operational definition as to what constitutes a military discharge, so no help there.