I am going through a serious moral dilemma right now. I am a very spiritual person. I've always wanted to serve my country and I still do. But lately I've had concerns that this isn't the kind of environment that someone of my faith needs to be in. Being in the Army has had serious ramifications on my spiritual life and none of the benefits can outweigh that disadvantage. I've been in for a year and have completed BCT but not AIT. I want to ask for a discharge before AIT, which I'm supposed to ship to within the next month. If I wait until after AIT, they'll think I just stayed in for the bonus money, which isn't the case. I just don't know how the discharge process works or what kind of discharge I might get. I don't even know how to go about asking for a discharge. I've always been a motivated soldier, never been a slacker, never missed a drill, so it will shock my recruiter and the other cadre. Any advice would be helpful. If you're going to tell me that I'm a traitor or didn't do my research before joining, you're wrong and you're wasting your time responding. Thanks.
If your spiritual faith has you in a moral dilemma why did you join in the first place?
Sometimes we make decisions we later regret but have to live with. However if you have not been to AIT and you are in the Army National Guard all you have to do is not show up and you will be given an Honorable discharge. Doing this though may be something you may regret later in life.
In the Guard its not difficult to change units and/or your MOS. Have you considered serving as a Medic or a Chaplin's Assistant? Surely this would not compromise your spiritual beliefs. You may loose your enlistment bonus but at least you will be able to fulfill your military commitment.
Originally posted by RavenWarrior: If your spiritual faith has you in a moral dilemma why did you join in the first place?
Sometimes we make decisions we later regret but have to live with. However if you have not been to AIT and you are in the Army National Guard all you have to do is not show up and you will be given an Honorable discharge. Doing this though may be something you may regret later in life.
In the Guard its not difficult to change units and/or your MOS. Have you considered serving as a Medic or a Chaplin's Assistant? Surely this would not compromise your spiritual beliefs. You may loose your enlistment bonus but at least you will be able to fulfill your military commitment.
I appreciate your response.
There was no moral dilemma when I joined. It didn't bother me until I realized the negative affect it's had on me. I actually do want to be Chaplain Assistant, but there are no slots open in this area. The problem with being a Chaplain Assistant is they'll expect me to accept other faiths -- call my God a liar. I can't do that.
Yes, I could just stop coming to drill, but I couldn't do that. I've never been in trouble before and I don't want to leave that way. I figured all those people who skipped drill got a dishonorable.
I am aware that I might regret this decision. That's what I'm afraid of. But I know that I'm attempting to get out for the right reason.
One thing to consider is once you complete AIT and try to get out you are placed in the IRR for 8 years from the time of enlistment and can be called up anytime during that 8 years. If you get out prior to finishing AIT it is my understanding that you are not placed in the IRR.
Another option is to go talk to a Army Reserve Recruiter to see what MOS's they have that might not be as much of a moral dilemma for you.
The Army National Guard can't give you a dishonorable discharge for not coming to drill. All the REP 63's that did not finish Basic or AIT and failed to report to AIT or Basic Training are given Honorable discharges.
If you were to become a Chaplin's Assistant you would not have to accept other faiths. You would just have to be tolerant to others who's beliefs are different from yours. I figure that would be between that person and God and it is not my place to judge others as to their religious beliefs.
Actually you will probably get a General Discharge under Honorable Conditions with an RE Code of 3. I wouldn't really advise it. It can mess up so many things in your life in the future.
If becoming a Chaplain's Assistant is what you want, then you might have to be willing to go anywhere in your state, even if it means driving 2 hours to a unit that has a slot available.
I did that when I re-enlisted. I decided a long time ago that I no longer wanted to do infantry, so I re-classified and became an NBC NCO, which was an E-4 slot, so to get my E-5, I decided to re-classify to become Chaplain's Assistant. In order to do that, I now drive about 1 1/2 hours to my new unit.
There are always options and if you truly don't want to go through 88M school, then stop in and talk with your recruiter, tell him/her what your concerns are.
And to clear something up "The problem with being a Chaplain Assistant is they'll expect me to accept other faiths -- call my God a liar." They won't expect you to accept other faiths, they expect you to be willing to assist the Chaplain assigned to the unit, no matter what his faith is. They will NEVER ask you to call your God a liar. I, myself, am Catholic and if by some odd occurrence my state gets a Muslim Chaplain and he is who I'm assigned to, I will still do my job. You will still be allowed to attend the service of your choosing, but you might be assigned to a Chaplain not of your own faith. Most Chaplains in my state are Protestant. It's just a fact of life for me.
Don't sweat it though and don't AWOL. I've been there and done that and it was a pain getting back in. You made the decision to enlist, so committed to so many years. Fulfill it, it's much more honorable than quitting.
Originally posted by TripleMOSQd: Actually you will probably get a General Discharge under Honorable Conditions with an RE Code of 3. I wouldn't really advise it. It can mess up so many things in your life in the future.
If becoming a Chaplain's Assistant is what you want, then you might have to be willing to go anywhere in your state, even if it means driving 2 hours to a unit that has a slot available.
I did that when I re-enlisted. I decided a long time ago that I no longer wanted to do infantry, so I re-classified and became an NBC NCO, which was an E-4 slot, so to get my E-5, I decided to re-classify to become Chaplain's Assistant. In order to do that, I now drive about 1 1/2 hours to my new unit.
There are always options and if you truly don't want to go through 88M school, then stop in and talk with your recruiter, tell him/her what your concerns are.
And to clear something up "The problem with being a Chaplain Assistant is they'll expect me to accept other faiths -- call my God a liar." They won't expect you to accept other faiths, they expect you to be willing to assist the Chaplain assigned to the unit, no matter what his faith is. They will NEVER ask you to call your God a liar. I, myself, am Catholic and if by some odd occurrence my state gets a Muslim Chaplain and he is who I'm assigned to, I will still do my job. You will still be allowed to attend the service of your choosing, but you might be assigned to a Chaplain not of your own faith. Most Chaplains in my state are Protestant. It's just a fact of life for me.
Don't sweat it though and don't AWOL. I've been there and done that and it was a pain getting back in. You made the decision to enlist, so committed to so many years. Fulfill it, it's much more honorable than quitting.
TripleMOSQd brings up lots of good points. Every state is a little different. In Alabama if you did not show up for Basic Training or AIT you get an Honorable not a General discharge with a RE Code of 3. I am only answering your questions based on my knowledge of the Alabama Army National Guard it may be different in your state.
I still would strongly advise you fulfill your military obligation. I am in no way trying to talk you into not showing up for drill or AIT. I am just answering your questions. I bet you will regret it if you don't.
There are many MOS's that would not be a moral delima for you. Why not look into doing something in a medical unit like Pharmacy Tech or something along those lines. In the long run you will regret it if you did not fulfill your obligation. There are ways to serve in the Guard that would not compromise your spiritual beliefs.
Originally posted by Right_Turn08: I appreciate your response.
There was no moral dilemma when I joined. It didn't bother me until I realized the negative affect it's had on me. I actually do want to be Chaplain Assistant, but there are no slots open in this area. The problem with being a Chaplain Assistant is they'll expect me to accept other faiths -- call my God a liar. I can't do that.
Yes, I could just stop coming to drill, but I couldn't do that. I've never been in trouble before and I don't want to leave that way. I figured all those people who skipped drill got a dishonorable.
I am aware that I might regret this decision. That's what I'm afraid of. But I know that I'm attempting to get out for the right reason.
What denomination are you? Where does any reg say you have to "accept other faiths"? Don't you think that being a light to someone of a different denomination would be a good thing? Just because you do not hold an MOS of a CA doesn't mean that you cannot be one. Quitting is just lossing the battle. You can still help people if that is what you want to do. You may be in a position in the Guard where the soldiers around you don't attend a service. Don't have a strong faith. Think of what you can do in that situation. If you need some education in doing so take a few CA core courses online it will give you a start for when a slot does open up. So again which denomination are you?
You posted this on another board... and as I stated on that board this morning... Didn't the oath you swore to uphold, include swearing to God you will defend the constitution?
I have served in the Guard for well over 20 years now. I have been in 4 major commands both at the company and headquarters level. Every unit I have served in sets time aside on Sunday for religious services. It is rare we had an actual Chaplin conduct those services. Most of the time religious services on drill weekend is conducted by someone in the unit who volunteers to do it. Who knows that person could be you. So even if you are not a Chaplin or Chaplin's Assistant you could still be a spiritual leader others in your unit go to for guidance.
I have served in a few different unit's now and in the absence of official religious services, we are allowed to leave drill and go to a nearby church to practice our particular faith.
