Loofahs
Member
Hello, thank you everyone for this forum, it has been incredibly helpful.
Three questions that I either haven't found an answer for, or the answer I've found is significantly dated (6-8 years old):
1) I have been told by my Officer Recruiter that I do NOT need any Letters of Recommendation for a package. I called the head recruiting office in my district and he said the same thing (trust but verify), that letters of rec are no longer considered important to packages. Yet I come on this forum and nearly every single hopeful has 4 LORs from all sorts of military personnel and powerful individuals. What's the deal? I feel like this is a test so see if I won't bother to accrue some letters regardless and I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to waste the time of past professors and employers if it doesn't matter.
1b) What about Character References? My original OR said if I'm not currently employed then to not worry about them, but again I don't know if I should take initiative and start emailing past employers/people who have known me for a long time. Is there a specific form I should be using? DD370?
2) Are LASIK surgeries worth it? I have enough money saved to get the surgery, and I'm willing to wait the 180 days, but I don't know how available that waiver is, and my OR doesn't recommend doing anything that will create more hurdles for me to get past at MEPS, stating each hurdle decreases my chances of becoming an officer. How available and how much of a hassle are the eye surgery waivers?
3) My only health issue in the past 23 years has been a case of pneumonia ~2 years ago, in which I went to the hospital, they gave me some medicine, and sent me home 45 minutes later. I told my OR this, but since then I have been strongly advised by both him and the head recruiting office that I would be wise to retract my statement regarding having pneumonia. Otherwise MEPS will take excruciatingly long to get my paperwork finished, and I won't have enough time to have my physical and make it onto the December 16th NFO board. They say they only recommend this because it's obvious my case is in no way serious (IE asthma, schizophrenia, etc), nor will it put me or the Navy at risk. I am leaning toward sticking with my story and waiting around until the god damn April board, but the recruiters are making a very compelling argument. They are clearly not fans of MEPS or the work MEPS does. It seems to be a very "us vs. them" mentality. Advice?
If I missed any answers with the search bar I apologize, I have been searching vigorously for 3 days.
I appreciate any and all advice given.
Three questions that I either haven't found an answer for, or the answer I've found is significantly dated (6-8 years old):
1) I have been told by my Officer Recruiter that I do NOT need any Letters of Recommendation for a package. I called the head recruiting office in my district and he said the same thing (trust but verify), that letters of rec are no longer considered important to packages. Yet I come on this forum and nearly every single hopeful has 4 LORs from all sorts of military personnel and powerful individuals. What's the deal? I feel like this is a test so see if I won't bother to accrue some letters regardless and I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to waste the time of past professors and employers if it doesn't matter.
1b) What about Character References? My original OR said if I'm not currently employed then to not worry about them, but again I don't know if I should take initiative and start emailing past employers/people who have known me for a long time. Is there a specific form I should be using? DD370?
2) Are LASIK surgeries worth it? I have enough money saved to get the surgery, and I'm willing to wait the 180 days, but I don't know how available that waiver is, and my OR doesn't recommend doing anything that will create more hurdles for me to get past at MEPS, stating each hurdle decreases my chances of becoming an officer. How available and how much of a hassle are the eye surgery waivers?
3) My only health issue in the past 23 years has been a case of pneumonia ~2 years ago, in which I went to the hospital, they gave me some medicine, and sent me home 45 minutes later. I told my OR this, but since then I have been strongly advised by both him and the head recruiting office that I would be wise to retract my statement regarding having pneumonia. Otherwise MEPS will take excruciatingly long to get my paperwork finished, and I won't have enough time to have my physical and make it onto the December 16th NFO board. They say they only recommend this because it's obvious my case is in no way serious (IE asthma, schizophrenia, etc), nor will it put me or the Navy at risk. I am leaning toward sticking with my story and waiting around until the god damn April board, but the recruiters are making a very compelling argument. They are clearly not fans of MEPS or the work MEPS does. It seems to be a very "us vs. them" mentality. Advice?
If I missed any answers with the search bar I apologize, I have been searching vigorously for 3 days.
I appreciate any and all advice given.
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