Reasons You Can Be Disqualified from Military Service

If you want to find out how you compare, here are the reasons you can be disqualified from military service.

A Lack of Education

Contrary to popular belief, you must have either a high school diploma or a General Educational Development (GED) certificate to successfully join the U.S. Army.
There is, however, no guarantee that this alone will be enough, as the army has become stricter with their recruitment process and only allow a small amount of enlistments with a GED.

A Failure to Pass Body Fat Standards

The military has standards for male and female recruits’ weight and height. If you do not pass the standard on the weight and height chart, but you pass their body fat standards, it is possible you will be allowed to pursue a career in a military branch.

That is because the weight and height standards could unnecessarily disregard a recruit with above average muscle mass. So, as long as you have more lean muscle than body fat, there is a good chance you could be accepted into service.

A History of Substance Abuse

Most military services in the US have a zero-tolerance approach to recruits who use drugs harder than marijuana. Every budding recruit will undergo a drug test when at the military entrance processing station, which will test for various forms of drugs in their body, such as cocaine, ecstasy or heroin.

The use of marijuana also will not be permitted during service, but it will not limit your eligibility when enlisting. You will, however, need a waiver, so you must disclose the usage with a recruiter to avoid penalization.

Financial and Credit History Issues

A recruiter will want to examine your finances and credit history. If you have a considerable amount of debt or financial problems, they might doubt whether you could financially survive on a low junior grade pay.

They may also question whether you will be able to stay focused on a mission, as you might be worried about your financial problems. It is, therefore, essential to resolve any monetary problems you have before you enlist in the army, such as repaying your debts in full and rebuilding your credit after bankruptcy at Crediful.

Medical History

Serving in the army can be both mentally and physically demanding. For this reason, a doctor will thoroughly review your medical history and physical ability to identify if you can meet the demands expected of you during service. If you can’t, you will be unable to pursue military service until you improve your health and fitness levels.

Visible Tattoos

While the U.S. Army may have relaxed its tattoo policy to welcome many recruits with tattoos into the forces, there are still some restrictions in place you must be aware of. For example, you will not be authorized to join the military if you have any tattoos on your face, neck or hands.

A Criminal Record

If you have a criminal record, it doesn’t automatically mean you cannot serve in one of the six branches of the U.S. Military, such as the U.S. Army, Navy, or Air Force. It is possible to obtain a Criminal Record Waiver if you have been charged with one of the following offenses:

• A minor non-traffic offense
• A minor traffic offense
• A misdemeanor offense
• A juvenile offense

If you were not arrested and charged for an offense, you will not need to apply for a waiver. If, however, you were charged with a felony offense, it might be harder to secure a waiver, but it isn’t impossible. Each branch of the military can decide whether to approve or deny a waiver.

Failing the ASVAB Requirements

Each military recruit will be required to pass the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test to qualify for enlistment, and each branch of the military will have its own set of standards to adhere to.

For instance, the army will test your:

• Arithmetic reasoning
• Mathematics knowledge
• Paragraph comprehension
• Word knowledge

If you do not receive a minimum AFQT score of 31, you will be unable to join the army. You also will need to secure a score of 50 or higher to benefit from enlistment incentives, such as a bonus.