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OCS Failed DP at meps and selected NFO

PhlyHigh94

Well-Known Member
Hi all, I tried looking all over but couldn't find an answer.

I was recently prorecd for the March 3rd OCS date as a NFO. No FINSEL yet because waiting on fingerprints.

Anyways, my dream was to be a SNA, and I was a Mechanical engineer and I got great scores on the ASTB, was an auto-qual. But then I failed the DP test at MEPS. I brought this up with my Recruiter at the time but he said it was not a problem. Anyways, come to find out they immediately ignored my first choice as SNA because of the DP test. What I am wondering, is can I get the test Re done at OCS or right after OCS and then get my job changed to SNA? Or is my best bet to push off going to OCS, and try to retake the test at MEPS. I am also going to a civ doctor to get DP tested next week to be sure. Or is it possible to get changed to SNA before I sign? My recruiter says I can get switched to SNA after OCS, but this is about the 4th thing he has been wrong about so I was hoping for some better information and advice. Thanks in advance.
- I am really sorry to hear that. I went to MEPS November 14. It was stressful as hell. I had nightmares about it 2 nights after. My first stop was the eye tests and I passed everything, thankfully. The color blindness test was easy. The Depth Perception was super hard. The other test to see how far or how near you can see was easy, I got 20/15 or something like that in both eyes. People at MEPS in Brooklyn were super friendly. Everyone wanted me to pass. The assisstant who conducted the eye exams told me to relax, breathe and look into that device where you have the circles and figure out which one pops out. I think I missed like two and he said, “I know you’re nervous, but look again and tell me which one looks different?” I looked again and was doing everything to notice the difference and I realized that if you look above the circles or with your peripherals, that one circle pops out, and I passed A through D. However, when I did the blood pressure, my numbers were through the roof, and it was becuz I was stressed as hell from the eye tests. Then I did the blood tests and urine tests and then an EKG at the end. I had to do it twice. The first one came out all over the place. The staff sergeant who conducted the test said “this ekg makes it look like there’s something wrong witchu. Go out, rest, and don’t remove all of your clothes.” I think I was so cold and stressed out that I almost gave myself heart palpitations. The second one was better and they approved it. Guess what? I had to wait 2 months before I got the word that I was qualified. And the main reason was that during the physical, the examiner noticed that I had alot of Nevi (moles), and he saw one that I removed 3 years ago. He wanted the pathology reports. I sent them in and they took two months to review them and basically tell me that I passed. But overall, I went in there shitting my pants, but I was hopeful, and overall I had an okay experience. Btw, it took me three tries to try and pee in a cup in front of 8-10 strangers. Somebody long ago mentioned that he ate a sandwich which appeared to have an entire turkey stuffed in it, and I fully agree to that but it was delicious as hell like he claimed. If anybody has questions, please feel free to ask.

- P.S. - I had only 2-3 hours of sleep the night before going to MEPS, and smoked a shit ton of hookah that night too, which was not very smart since eyes needs alot of oxygen to work.
 
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Ironstar

Member
This sounds like BS..OP I believe in you, you should be able to get a retry IMO

Thanks. I did a few of those magic eyes things really easily and now I know the trick to pass the meps test, wish I had time to practice before when I did it the first time. Im hoping to talk on the phone with the guy In charge of officer recruiting this week and get some actual clarity.
 

zippy

Freedom!
pilot
Contributor
Don’t go become an NFO wanting/wishing/hoping to be a pilot. You’ll be doing both yourself and the NFO community a disservice

If unsure, go out and pass a FAA class 1 medical to be a pilot. If you know you can do that, and decide you want to be a pilot more than being an Officer in the Navy, look at Army and Air National guard/ reserves (research to see which does different eye tests if needed) and consider one of the programs with the airlines that start you out from zero flight hours.




Military flying and airline flying are different. But if you want to be a pilot above all else there are options out there...
 

Renegade One

Well-Known Member
None
I went to MEPS November 14. It was stressful as hell. I had nightmares about it 2 nights after.... when I did the blood pressure, my numbers were through the roof, and it was becuz I was stressed as hell...I went in there shitting my pants...I had only 2-3 hours of sleep the night before going to MEPS, and smoked a shit ton of hookah that night
Good luck in Naval Aviation. Once you get in the door, there is absolutely no stress at all.
 

PhlyHigh94

Well-Known Member
Good luck in Naval Aviation. Once you get in the door, there is absolutely no stress at all.
Hahah I hope so. I hope even more you're not being sarcastic. The API doc told me the flight physicals at OCS and API are like MEPS but more detailed and more eye tests. So honestly I'm always worried at the back of my mind.
 

Brett327

Well-Known Member
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
You should worry more at the front of your mind. News flash: If you think getting a flight physical is a significant emotional event, you're in for a pretty big shock.
 

Meyerkord

Well-Known Member
pilot
Hahah I hope so. I hope even more you're not being sarcastic. The API doc told me the flight physicals at OCS and API are like MEPS but more detailed and more eye tests. So honestly I'm always worried at the back of my mind.
100% sarcasm. Why was MEPS so stressful for you? You realize what job you're signing up for, right?
 

papacarter

College Student
The recruiter that put you down for all three is UNSAT. Do you have any documentation of telling him that you only plan to apply SNA only; or verbal only? Is that the officer recruiter, or just your local recruiter. I got shit advice from my local recruiter (they told me BDCP didn't even exist)(it doesn't any more), then I commuted to the district or state main office where it was a LT and a LCDR running the show, they helped me apply BDCP SNA only... I didn't get a Pro-rec the first time, but I re-applied again with better grades, new astb, another letter of rec, and an instrument rating. Did any of the additions really matter? Prob not, but just the fact that i was persistent, and I tired to make myself better, was what helped. I discussed this in my personal submission.

If you don't have DP issues and you feel confident, and I would try to practice using the Navy style test with the circles because you have to do it every year. Then stick to you guns, and re-apply, and explain the situation and what motivates you in your motivational statement.. If you think you will always have trouble with the navy test and just want to be an officer and do some cool missions than take the NFO job. Go growlers where you do most of the pilot shit anyways, and you can go to the boat and be expeditionary. Just research the NFO jobs in your waiting time. because they are rewarding, but they are all vastly different, between VAQ, VFA, especially VAW, VP, VQ; just very different day to days, and tactical focuses. Pilot jobs are all pretty similar, take off and fly different types of circles, land, exaggerated of course. SNA/SNFO, you both are responsible for each others jobs and knowledge of tactics. The only place where you just go fly from place to place fat dumb and happy is in the airlines, and COD.
How would you practice for the circle test (AFVT)?
 
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