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What rights do I have and is there any way I can possibly serve my country?

Mon, 12/13/2010 - 00:47

 

Well here goes, I have to admit first off that I have tried to avoid dealing with epilepsy for a long time, just kind of take the pills and don't reach out advocacy-wise. Anyway, I saw this site and figured that it might be worth looking at. in 2002 I had a gran mal seizure I was 13, after being diagnosed with epilepsy I was placed on 750mg of Depakote ER to excellent effect, I was siezure free for eight years. recently I was involved in a certian colleges Army ROTC program and was taken off of medication in august of 2009 per my doctors instruction, I had no seizures and was careful to get 6-7 hours of sleep a night I was on top of the world. I had wanted to serve more than anything in the world for a very long time..then the floor dropped from under me. On July 5, 2010 I had another Gran Mal seizure due to a lack of sleep (only got 3-3.5 hours the night before)..I had at the time been home for the summer and luckily didnt have it in the presence of my fellow cadets. I have since been place back on the medication and have not had any seizures(it is HIGHLY controlled). I had at the time of the seizure been attempting to contract. My status as an epileptic resulted in fighting with DODMERB officials and they had wanted to do an independent EEG, anyway, after the seizure rather than admit the what had happened, I withdrew from the program under "medical issues beyond my control". I don't know what to do or even if there is any way for me to serve even if it is not in a Combat Arm or as an LT, hell I would accept any form of service, from the Navy to the USCG at this point...please help.

 Frustrated  former-Cadet.   

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