ATOT, I need your advice...

[Chaotic42]

So I was planning on being in the military by August. I was going to MEPS next week, everything was looking good.

I call the recruiter today and he says, "You are permanantly disqualified due to a degenerative cartilage disorder".

So now I have no idea what to do. I'm in a town I don't like, at a job I don't really like, and I'm 21. I have a few college credits.

What would you do? I have to admit I'm pretty depressed right about now.

Link

 

[Anubis]

i guess take more college corses and look for a better job

thats pretty sh!tty to hear tho. sorry

 

[amdskip]

Go to school and get a degree.

Cheer up

 

[blackdogdeek]

do you have any money? if so, this sounds like a good opportunity to go backpacking across europe. actually, it might not even be that expensive if you stay at hostels.

a friend of mine went to london to bartend for like 6 months then did the backpacking thing. that should give you a lot of time to figure out what you want to do in life.

 

[Czar]

degenerative cartilage disorder ?

 

[gigapet]

move to cali and start fresh.....that never seems to fail

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: Czar
degenerative cartilage disorder ?

That's what he said. I'm looking it up now. It's the really bad form of Chondromalacia, apparently. I'm not sure if it's only my knees though, he didn't specify.

 

[PunDogg]

yeah try to get more college credits, like going to the community colllege for a year or soo then transfer to a 4 year college or you can try for an associates degree, thats only two year degree, then you can look for another job

Dogg

 

[Fiveohhh]

try a different branch maybe one of'em will let ya in do be a desk jockey.

 

[Czar]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: Czar
degenerative cartilage disorder ?

That's what he said. I'm looking it up now. It's the really bad form of Chondromalacia, apparently. I'm not sure if it's only my knees though, he didn't specify.

Chondromalacia?

whatever it is you have, I sure hope it all goes well

 

[Toasthead]

dude that sucks!

 

[kevinthenerd]

Do what Stephen Hawking did.

Get a high degree and find a job that doesn't require a whole lot of physical activity. A whole lot of geek jobs fit that description, but if that's not your thing, I'm sure you'll find something.

Don't give up.

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: amdskip
Go to school and get a degree.

Cheer up

That....or move to Hollywood and get into pr0n.

Nah...go back to school. Learn a bit more...take time to find something you want to focus on and then do it!

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: Fiveohhh
try a different branch maybe one of'em will let ya in do be a desk jockey.

Nah, that was the first thing I asked him. I was ready to go to whatever branch I could. He said no dice.

According to my dad (who is really pissed off about the whole thing), it was a football injury. I remember it well, at least when I wasn't passed out from the pain.

How do I go about paying for college? I can't just go take the SAT now and get a scholarship, can I?

 

[Nyical]

Sorry to hear that!


You could quite your job, get a sex change and move to SanFran


Or try the Airforce or Coast Guard they have a few desk jockey jobs

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: Fiveohhh
try a different branch maybe one of'em will let ya in do be a desk jockey.

Nah, that was the first thing I asked him. I was ready to go to whatever branch I could. He said no dice.

According to my dad (who is really pissed off about the whole thing), it was a football injury. I remember it well, at least when I wasn't passed out from the pain.

How do I go about paying for college? I can't just go take the SAT now and get a scholarship, can I?

Why not?

Look into scholarships/grants based on your parents' employment, any type of minority status, high school academic achievement, etc.

And there are always student loans but be careful with those.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: Nyical
Sorry to hear that!


You could quite your job, get a sex change and move to SanFran


Or try the Airforce or Coast Guard they have a few desk jockey jobs

I was trying for the AF. Despite the wide range of duties, a 1st in, last out Marine and a computer programmer in the Air Force have to meet the same requirements (except for weight).

conjur: Well, my dad is retired USAF, I'm a WASP, and I had some scholarships in high school. I guess I should call the admissions offices and see what my options are.

Hmm....

 

[rudder]

Originally posted by: Fiveohhh
try a different branch maybe one of'em will let ya in do be a desk jockey.

I think when you are disqualified from one it goes for all the branches. I was permanently disqulaified for similar reasons.

What was your MOS? Was it something you were going to make as a career field?

EDIT: saw the other posts. Don't worry about college because of the money. Get your first 2 years at a community college then transfer to a 4 year school. Student loans are low interest and there are plenty of people here on ATOT that can give you advice about living on the cheap.

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42


conjur: Well, my dad is retired USAF, I'm a WASP, and I had some scholarships in high school. I guess I should call the admissions offices and see what my options are.

Hmm....

Go for it!!!

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: rudder

Originally posted by: Fiveohhh
try a different branch maybe one of'em will let ya in do be a desk jockey.

I think when you are disqualified from one it goes for all the branches. I was permanently disqulaified for similar reasons.

What was your MOS? Was it something you were going to make as a career field?

EDIT: saw the other posts. Don't worry about college because of the money. Get your first 2 years at a community college then transfer to a 4 year school. Student loans are low interest and there are plenty of people here on ATOT that can give you advice about living on the cheap.

3C0 or 1NX.

 

[hzl eyed grl]

I've had chondromalacia since I've been about 15. It sucks ass. I'm sorry to hear it, Chaotic. I've already had one knee surgery and it lasted for about a month. I wish you the best of luck!!!!! *HUG*

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: hzl_eyed_grl
I've had chondromalacia since I've been about 15. It sucks ass. I'm sorry to hear it, Chaotic. I've already had one knee surgery and it lasted for about a month. I wish you the best of luck!!!!! *HUG*

So it's not permanently treatable?

 

[hzl eyed grl]

I honestly don't know. My knees are pretty bad. My left knee is WAY worse than my right, though, and it's always been that way. It's the one that I had the surgery on. It grinds pretty bad when I move it. When I had knee surgery, my doctor smoothed out the cartilage there and it didn't grind for about a month or so, but then it got back to being bad. I had the surgery that is listed on the webpage that you linked. I had a lateral release. That helps your knee track properly. Whether or not that part helped, I couldn't honestly tell you. I just know that I hurt most of the time and walking for long periods of time and stairs don't always work for me. One thing to always remember is to keep doing any and all leg exercises that they tell you to do. If I would have kept them up starting at age 15, I would probably have less of a difficult time. If you strengthen your quads, it helps your kneecap track better.

 

[kevinthenerd]

Originally posted by: rudder
and there are plenty of people here on ATOT that can give you advice about living on the cheap.

I'm one of them. Stay out of clubs. Eat Ramen. If you get the on-campus meal plan, don't go out every weekend with your friends for Denny's at 3AM.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: kevinthenerd

Originally posted by: rudder
and there are plenty of people here on ATOT that can give you advice about living on the cheap.

I'm one of them. Stay out of clubs. Eat Ramen. If you get the on-campus meal plan, don't go out every weekend with your friends for Denny's at 3AM.

Nah, I wouldn't do any of that anyway. I can live on a pretty tight budget if need be.