Wow...
Well obviously there is a lot of misinformation on this subject and it has been going on for a long time. What brought me here is I was looking at the RE4 and looking at the regs covering it just because I was curious. After reading all this (and I couldn't stop once I started), I feel I have to respond.
First off, I have an RE4 - as I said, this is what started my reading here as it is.
I'm Honorably Discharged (no not General, not OTH, not DO - plain old Honorable)
Type of Seperation: Retirement
Narrative Reason: Disability, Temporary
Seperation Code: SFK (SFK - Placed on temporary disability retired list)
Did not finish out my contract, however my DD-214 states, "Member has completed First Full Term of Service". Awarded NDSM, ASR for my trouble.
Broke my ankle and knee, was put in rear-d with a bunch of, well, in the base goof troop until my med board completed (almost everyone there was being med boarded out, though there was the occasional CM and BCD's come through - stored in the back of course).
I have to go back in 2013 to be re-evaluated (make sure I healed) and will either be perm retired, extend TDRL, or RTD'd. Pretty sure I won't be RTD'd, but stranger s*** has happened. The reg's say that RTD "with consent", if I want back in I can come back in (right like if they want me back they will give me a choice :whip: ). Hell, my 1SGT emphasized over and over how I SHOULD come back in.
Point is, I didn't break anything but bones. No ART15's, not even a poor counciling statement. You clearly don't just get RE4 with BCD's, OTH's, or DH. That's utter horse s***. I think a lot of folks here are knee jerking responses. Are they likely to let me back in prior to my re-eval? I doubt it even if WW3 starts up, but that wasn't my point. I'm going out on a limb and say if you do have an RE4, you're pretty done, regardless of the reason, however it obviously isn't a permenant thing as in with my case, and several others in my unit.
As for you cat's who went AWOL and whatnot? As my old man put it, "In Viet Nam they'd just shoot you and be done with it..." You most likely knew better... I'd be ashamed, and prolly not mention that in front of vets. YMMV
Anyhow, just thought I HAD to put my 2 cents in since I was clearly getting a bad rap over my RE4. I did my time, honored my end, got jacked up, now my country is (fortunately) honoring their end - And that's good cheese, hooah. :salute2: