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January/February 2015 SNA/NFO Board

Andrew Howard

FY15 SNA/SFO APPLICANT
Checking in. Just missed this past bored and still awaiting to go to MEPS.

Few stats:
SNA/SNFO Applicant
University of South Florida: 3.3 gpa, BA in Criminology, graduate in Spring 2015
ASTB: 51 6/7/6
Recommendations: Secret service agent w/ prior Army duty, three past jobs and professor. O-6 retired navy and O-7 AD Air Force

Planning on MEPS Friday, wish me luck! And good luck to you all!
 

KnightFlight

Well-Known Member
Checking in. Just missed this past bored and still awaiting to go to MEPS.

Few stats:
SNA/SNFO Applicant
University of South Florida: 3.3 gpa, BA in Criminology, graduate in Spring 2015
ASTB: 51 6/7/6
Recommendations: Secret service agent w/ prior Army duty, three past jobs and professor. O-6 retired navy and O-7 AD Air Force

Planning on MEPS Friday, wish me luck! And good luck to you all!
IDK if will be an issue for you at all, but the depth perception test at MEPS was terrible for me. They told me I had pretty much no depth perception (which is very untrue). I had to go to an ophthalmologist and retake it and submit the perfect results in with my kit. I recommend googling "tips for passing MEPS depth perception test" or something along those lines, I wish I had before hand. Everything else was normal and easy, just a lot of waiting in line.
 

CGrissom15

Active Member
IDK if will be an issue for you at all, but the depth perception test at MEPS was terrible for me. They told me I had pretty much no depth perception (which is very untrue). I had to go to an ophthalmologist and retake it and submit the perfect results in with my kit. I recommend googling "tips for passing MEPS depth perception test" or something along those lines, I wish I had before hand. Everything else was normal and easy, just a lot of waiting in line.

I had the exact same thing happen to me. I failed the Depth Perception at MEPS, but knew I didn't have an issue. Went to an ophthalmologist the following week, passed with flying colors, and faxed the results to my OR. The next business day I got the thumbs up that I was cleared to apply for pilot. So here I am, finalized my packet on Wednesday for SNA and NFO.
 

Andrew Howard

FY15 SNA/SFO APPLICANT
IDK if will be an issue for you at all, but the depth perception test at MEPS was terrible for me. They told me I had pretty much no depth perception (which is very untrue). I had to go to an ophthalmologist and retake it and submit the perfect results in with my kit. I recommend googling "tips for passing MEPS depth perception test" or something along those lines, I wish I had before hand. Everything else was normal and easy, just a lot of waiting in line.

Will do! I've got perfect eye sight from what I've experienced with testing in the past. Have borderline allowable hearing loss in my right ear I just found out though so that should be interesting... Is hearing loss waiverable? I've heard that it's hard to obtain a waiver for it.
 

mb1685

Well-Known Member
IDK if will be an issue for you at all, but the depth perception test at MEPS was terrible for me. They told me I had pretty much no depth perception (which is very untrue). I had to go to an ophthalmologist and retake it and submit the perfect results in with my kit. I recommend googling "tips for passing MEPS depth perception test" or something along those lines, I wish I had before hand. Everything else was normal and easy, just a lot of waiting in line.

I'm really paranoid about that test. Since I haven't had an eye exam in ages, I had one at an optometrist a couple of weeks ago just out of curiosity and they said I have no problems at all (I took every test they had). I took the RANDOT depth perception test they said I did fine (I actually missed the second to last one but not the last one, so I'm guessing for a military physical they would would just stop there and count both of them as wrong), but those last two were really tricky. I keep reading that Magic Eye books can help with the technique and I've ordered a book to practice...but that makes me even more worried since I've always been terrible at those. I know if I fail I can go to another civilian optometrist, but it would suck to fail it later at OCS and/or API.

I also am squeamish about getting blood drawn and haven't had it done in years, so I'm going to get a civilian physical soon too. Partly to gauge my health beforehand, and partly so hopefully it will calm my nerves when it's time to get blood drawn at MEPS. I'm just a big ball of paranoia, haha.
 

KnightFlight

Well-Known Member
Will do! I've got perfect eye sight from what I've experienced with testing in the past. Have borderline allowable hearing loss in my right ear I just found out though so that should be interesting... Is hearing loss waiverable? I've heard that it's hard to obtain a waiver for it.
No clue about hearing loss for SNA. I'd imagine you need to be pretty spot on though. The test is dumb too, you sit in a room with 5 other people clicking their buttons at the same time, it makes it very difficult to tell if you just heard your own noise or someone else just clicking. My advice would be to see if you can sneak in the room when there are only a couple others waiting rather than a full line of people.
I'm really paranoid about that test. Since I haven't had an eye exam in ages, I had one at an optometrist a couple of weeks ago just out of curiosity and they said I have no problems at all (I took every test they had). I took the RANDOT depth perception test they said I did fine (I actually missed the second to last one but not the last one, so I'm guessing for a military physical they would would just stop there and count both of them as wrong), but those last two were really tricky. I keep reading that Magic Eye books can help with the technique and I've ordered a book to practice...but that makes me even more worried since I've always been terrible at those. I know if I fail I can go to another civilian optometrist, but it would suck to fail it later at OCS and/or API.

I also am squeamish about getting blood drawn and haven't had it done in years, so I'm going to get a civilian physical soon too. Partly to gauge my health beforehand, and partly so hopefully it will calm my nerves when it's time to get blood drawn at MEPS. I'm just a big ball of paranoia, haha.
Check out the yahoo questions tips that come up when you google the MEPS depth perception test. They have a lot of tips to pass ie, don't rush even if the prompter is making it seem like you have to take as much time as you need, close an eye and see if that helps if not close the other, close both eyes for a second and open them together, squint, blink a lot, blah blah blah. Different things work for different folks, try them all lol. Oh and supposedly the outside circles are never the ones to pick. I believe for SNA you need perfect scores on this test, do some research and see what works for you.

Not sure what to tell you about the blood. I know people have trouble with that, but I never have personally so I can't give you tips there. I would honestly google that as well, someone is bound to have found something that works for them. I will tell you this as a warning though, a kid in line ahead of me passed out while waiting in line and smashed his face on the wall. He had to be taken out in an ambulance. DO NOT let this be you.
Maybe go get an STD test, I get one about every 6 months just to be safe and they take blood for that, could be good practice for MEPS.
Good luck!
 

mb1685

Well-Known Member
No clue about hearing loss for SNA. I'd imagine you need to be pretty spot on though. The test is dumb too, you sit in a room with 5 other people clicking their buttons at the same time, it makes it very difficult to tell if you just heard your own noise or someone else just clicking. My advice would be to see if you can sneak in the room when there are only a couple others waiting rather than a full line of people.

Check out the yahoo questions tips that come up when you google the MEPS depth perception test. They have a lot of tips to pass ie, don't rush even if the prompter is making it seem like you have to take as much time as you need, close an eye and see if that helps if not close the other, close both eyes for a second and open them together, squint, blink a lot, blah blah blah. Different things work for different folks, try them all lol. Oh and supposedly the outside circles are never the ones to pick. I believe for SNA you need perfect scores on this test, do some research and see what works for you.

Not sure what to tell you about the blood. I know people have trouble with that, but I never have personally so I can't give you tips there. I would honestly google that as well, someone is bound to have found something that works for them. I will tell you this as a warning though, a kid in line ahead of me passed out while waiting in line and smashed his face on the wall. He had to be taken out in an ambulance. DO NOT let this be you.
Maybe go get an STD test, I get one about every 6 months just to be safe and they take blood for that, could be good practice for MEPS.
Good luck!

The one I took had 3 circles per row so I guess it was a little different. I found the product page for the one I took (based on my research, it looks like it's definitely the RANDOT) and it says it goes from 400 arc seconds to 20 arc seconds, and I read that for SNA you need 40 arc seconds, so I'm assuming I can miss the last one but that's it (but I can't find specifics on which row corresponds to which amount). I think I was trying to focus on the dots rather than looking 'past' them though...I need to hit the Magic Eye book when I get it! At MEPS, isn't it a different kind of test where you're actually looking into a machine?

EDIT: According to this -- http://www.uscg.mil/health/cg1122/docs/qiig/QIIG_51_Att_5.pdf -- getting the first 7 right (out of 10) on the RANDOT is 40 seconds of arc, so it sounds like I'm in good shape!
 
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KnightFlight

Well-Known Member
The one I took had 3 circles per row so I guess it was a little different. I found the product page for the one I took and it says it goes from 400 arc seconds to 20 arc seconds, and I read that for SNA you need 40 arc seconds, so I'm assuming I can miss the last one but that's it (but I can't find specifics on which row corresponds to which amount). I think I was trying to focus on the dots rather than looking 'past' them though...I need to hit the Magic Eye book when I get it! At MEPS, isn't it a different kind of test where you're actually looking into a machine?
Look into a machine, each section has 3 rows, each row has 4 or 5 columns, you pick which one "sticks out" for of each row. Sort of like:
A)
OOOOO
OOOOO
OOOOO
 

mb1685

Well-Known Member
I just edited my post and I think I found some good news. It looks like for the RANDOT, getting the first 7 right is considered 40 arc seconds, and I had no trouble with those (only had trouble with the last two; I missed number 9 but got number 10 right). And if I'm understanding correctly, if I fail the MEPS test I can go to an optometrist and take the RANDOT again (or maybe submit the records for the one I already took since it wasn't long ago?), and if I hopefully get selected but fail at either OCS or API, they can administer the RANDOT as an alternative test. If that's all true then I can relax a tiny bit, haha.
 

KnightFlight

Well-Known Member
I just edited my post and I think I found some good news. It looks like for the RANDOT, getting the first 7 right is considered 40 arc seconds, and I had no trouble with those (only had trouble with the last two; I missed number 9 but got number 10 right). And if I'm understanding correctly, if I fail the MEPS test I can go to an optometrist and take the RANDOT again (or maybe submit the records for the one I already took since it wasn't long ago?), and if I hopefully get selected but fail at either OCS or API, they can administer the RANDOT as an alternative test. If that's all true then I can relax a tiny bit, haha.
I would plan on passing at MEPS and not using anything external. I have no clue how the NAMI works, but I'm assuming they have a better test than those terrible machines. And I'm doubtful at that stage that you could go to an external doctor.
 

mb1685

Well-Known Member
I would plan on passing at MEPS and not using anything external. I have no clue how the NAMI works, but I'm assuming they have a better test than those terrible machines. And I'm doubtful at that stage that you could go to an external doctor.

Yeah, I have my fingers crossed for clearing MEPS with no hassle. I just keep reading the machines are notoriously bad, to the point that they have forms already premade for people to take to optometrists if they fail, haha. And it's been a while since I've searched, but I'm almost positive I recall reading that at OCS and API they'll give you the RANDOT if you fail whatever they use first (which I assume is also the machine you're talking about). Now that I know I apparently just need the first 7 rows, I'm a lot less worried. But if I'm wrong, someone please correct me!
 

RMP

Looks good to me
I had the exact same thing happen to me. I failed the Depth Perception at MEPS, but knew I didn't have an issue. Went to an ophthalmologist the following week, passed with flying colors, and faxed the results to my OR. The next business day I got the thumbs up that I was cleared to apply for pilot. So here I am, finalized my packet on Wednesday for SNA and NFO.
You still use fax machines?
 

MM3 Hooyah

New Member
Hey guys just checking in. I have been reading this forum for a year now and have finally put together my package and will be joinging you guys for this up coming board. I hope it is in Dec. but probably will have to wait till after the holiday season.
 
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