Hardship Discharge Representation for Pregnancy and Parenthood

Hardship Discharge Representation - Pregnancy / Parenthood - Case Study #2

Matter:

Female Officer requests Hardship Discharge for Pregnancy/Parenthood.

Service:

Army Reserve

Summary:

This case involved fighting for a request for a hardship discharge based on Pregnancy / Parenthood.

Client, a Female Officer, Troop Program Unit (TPU) Army Reserve, was pregnant and desired to transfer to the IRR and be discharged. Her unit however failed to counsel her properly about all of her available options in accordance with applicable Military Regulations. She'd made several attempts herself over a period of about 7 months to obtain the unit's full cooperation, but for a number of reasons, she met with continuous resistance. It appeared that her chain of command was simply unaware of the proper procedures available to process her request. No one appeared to know exactly what to do. The upshot was something akin to a stalemate – or a lose/lose situation for both the client and the unit.

Our Client contacted us not long before her due date. We were able to use our experience in the administrative discharge arena to identify the problem, and then roll out a proposed solution. With some well-placed suggestions up and down the Client’s chain, the command reviewed the regulations, considered our proposed course of action, and presented a mutually acceptable compromise to the stalemate. We had crafted a sound, winning argument that apparently triggered a suitable compromise which worked in everyone's best interests. And then we followed through, staying on target and remaining in close contact with decision makers up and down the chain of command until her honorable discharge orders were published at the highest levels of the Army Reserve force structure.

Result:

The Client's resignation was approved and she received an honorable discharge.

Highlights:

Hitting the right notes with the right people to help fix a situation which had become rather tangled and messy.

References:

Please call us at 214-363-1828 or email us at info@meililaw.com for further details and contact information.

I contacted Col. Meili as a fellow practitioner to gain some context and perspective on a pretty complex set of issues. Because I practice in a different field of law, Col. Meili's extensive expertise was invaluable and he was more than generous with his time. A skilled and dedicated professional who cares deeply about obtaining the best possible outcome for his clients, Bill's a leader in this field.

- Steffen Chapin


After an exhaustive search of military attorneys, I came across the name of Bill Meili. From my first email exchange and telephone call, I knew that Bill was the right person to handle my case. I had discussed my unique circumstance with a handful of other attorneys who felt it may be too difficult to achieve the outcome that I was seeking - but Bill was interested in me and my case, and wholeheartedly believed that we had the ball in our court. I could tell that Bill cared about me as a person and soldier, not just viewing me as a paycheck.

- Anonymous