My son Ronnie joined the National Guard, graduated Basic in November, and started AIT. In February he had an anxiety attack so they sent for his medical records. When they learned of a suicide attempt in 2006 they gave him a medical discharge but he's still at Fort Gordon, GA waiting for the paper work to go through. He may be waiting until August because, he told us, the officer in charge of discharges is dragging his feet on pushing the paper work. Please pray that his paper work would go through as soon as possible so he can come home and get on with his life. He is planning on taking correspondence courses in counseling and pastoral studies but can't get started until he gets home. He also rededicated his life to Christ in Basic and needs prayer that his old friends won't drag him away from "the Old Paths" again. Thank you.

We will certainly pray for him and his situation.

Unfortunately, it is not his officer in charge that is dragging his feet. This is a very normal situation like this. It has to go through a review committee three times back and forth and there has to be no rebuttal. It is just how the system works. If he had attempted suicide, then it is the psyschiatrist/psychologist that is handling the paperwork, and there are many hands that the paperwork has to go through back and forth.

Love in Christ,

Jim

My prayers are definitely with him and his situation. It has been my experience in the military as Brother Jim said that being put on a medical hold awaiting any kind of action can take months. I was buddies with a guy in Long Beach years ago that was on a medical hold for diabetes. It took him almost six months before the final decision was made to give him a medical discharge.

In Christ,
George

My prayers are with you as well. My son is finishing 30 weeks of basic training with the army reserve this month if he can make the final qualifying 2 mile run under the time limit. He has been on crutches due to multiple stress fractures in both legs. He ran the last mile of his last attempt hopping on one leg because of the pain. It took two weeks to get them to scan his legs before they found the damage. His whole barracks had respiratory problems due to mold in the building. No one was allowed to buy any medication. We sent cough drops and tylenol. His sergeant allowed them until they had an inspection by the captain. Everything was confiscated. I wonder if the lack of common sense is required to become an officer.

The lack of common sense is one of the prime criteria to become an officer in the military Brother Tim. I was an enlisted man and yet I had to train the new officers in how things are really done. They had too much book learnin' and not enough of the common sense thing.

In Christ,
George

Are you old enough to remember 90-day wonders?

Donita, have you talked directly with his commanding officer? If that doesn't work, talk with your local unit's commander to get guidance. Most of the services have a family-aide coordinator.

Although they are lacking in a lot of areas the American Red Cross is also a good liason in such cases.

Brother Tim, I am not certain about the 90 day wonders, but I used to have to deal with the ones straight out of OCS that did not know anything and thought they knew everything.

In Christ,
George

Is there any new information as to Ronnie's status? Has there been any movement on anyone's part. Please give us an update.

IN Christ,
George

I would like to know your son's status also. I live in Grovetown, Georgia, that's a mile from Ft. Gordon. I would love to be of any help to this young man. I'm a member of an Independant Fundamental Baptist Church only 10 miles from Ft. Gordon and I'm very familiar w/the area. If you'd like, P.M. me or e-mail me at cscarle@kjvmail.com with details on how I could help. I'll be praying nonetheless...
In Christ,
Bro. Chuck