Severely injured Marines may reenlist

[USMCRET6391]

By John Hoellwarth
Times staff writer

Marines are losing limbs in the war zone. But it doesn’t mean they and others who receive severe but not life-threatening wounds can’t re-enlist and do 30 years on active duty, according to a May 17 Corpswide message.

Marines “severely injured” in combat who are found unfit for duty by their compulsory physical evaluation board can now apply for permanent limited-duty status and re-enlist every four years, according to MarAdmin 228/06.

“Combat injured Marines being retained must be capable of performing in a military occupational specialty and effectively contribute to the Marine Corps mission,” the message said.

Marines are not required to pass a physical-fitness test. The message tasks the director of the Corps’ Personnel Management Division to issue guidance on evaluating these Marines’ job performance and competitiveness for promotion.

Under previous policy, Marines who lost limbs to enemy action were hospitalized, rehabilitated and medically retired into the care of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The policy applies to active-duty and Reserve officers and enlisted Marines who have been “severely wounded” as a result of enemy action, not through “their own misconduct.”

For more information on the policy, including the first moves to make in order to stay on active duty, check out this week’s issue of Marine Corps Times.

[SGRock]

Another example of the Corps taking care of its own

[USMC Chuter]

A young LCpl in my company tried for over a year to be allowed to stay in.. He lost his leg below the knee, but he was able to rehab to the point where he could pass the PFT on a prosthetic. He was shown to the door just a couple weeks ago, shot denied. He was told that he was the first reserve Marine to try to stay in under those circumstances, but he's medically retired against his will anyway. Tough kid.