Final Select Purgatory

[Santana]

Great to hear, beaverslayer. I've run into a little speed bump myself. Apparently I had a dual citizenship that even I didn't know about. I hold a Philippine citizenship, even though I haven't lived there since I was two years old. I don't even have a Philippine passport. So I had to send a letter to the Consulate General renouncing my citizenship. My recruiter tells me this shouldn't delay things very much, if at all, but it doesn't keep it from being an extra hassle for everyone.

 

[Santi87]

Hey, bro I was in the same category with the asthma/pilot issue and now roughly a year later I'm moving thru API in pensacola. If your navy you'll have to go thru a bitch of a test to get a waiver for it but it is certainly doable if you want it bad enough. Forget the terminology exactly but you have to pass two breathing challenges. One was called a methecoline? (sp?) challenge. The docs at OCS will send you to the hospital to do it. Try your best to do it early on or even get it done prior to going. At OCS EVERYONE (no exceptions) gets sick, especially with bronchitis in the winter (which screws your breathing challenge straight to hell.) So make sure your lungs are gtg for that.

Also if you are failing you PFA prior to leaving for OCS you need to work your ASS off to a ridiculous level if you plan on surviving OCS. Even people who rocked the PFA were struggling day to day at times. The fact you want to be an officer and can't pass a bloody walk in the park PT test is ridiculous. (God help you if you are a SNA pro-rec who fails PT tests. Thats just disturbing.)

They finally requested that I take a Pre-Post Bronchidilator Spirometry exam, which I passed with normal results. Is this the test they had you do, where you blow into the machine and it takes your base readings, then they give you a puff of the inhaler and test you again after 10 mins to see how much it changed? They should give me the all clear as I was well within normal limits in all the measurements, and no change after the inhaler (indicating no lung obstructions), just wondering if they generally only require this one pre-OCS and then the Methacholine test once I get to OCS/after I commission (the spirometry test as only $150 with the test and doctor visit, but the Methacholine is like $1500+, it'd be a b---- to have to dish that out of pocket since I already passed the first one). I'm hoping the Navy will pay for that one.

I'm solid on the PFT and haven't been sick in quite a while, keeping the lungs and cardio strong to be ready for those winter workouts.

 

[blarged]

no skydiving

whoops...

 

[Santi87]

Shift in purgatory -- passed the breath test for asthma and cleared for the physical, finally ready to go to MEPS -- turns out they entered my birthdate in their system wrong. Pushed back another day or two. It never ends! Could definitely be worse, but it never ceases to amaze me...gotta love it

 

[flyboy]

I just took the oath of enlistment today for BDCP Pilot officially eliminating me from the purgatory. I just wanted to send a thank you for everyone on this site that has given me advice, answered questions, and been supportive. It made the weeks, months and years (yes 3 of them) go by quicker than they would without this site. I supposedly class up 15 Jul 11 for OCS but as y'all know, the hurry up and wait game in the Navy is in full effect. Thanks again, and good luck to anyone else waiting for a FS and oath of enlistment. FLY NAVY!

 

[Danielsw25]

Still a bit confused...

Alright, my app is out for getting selected right now. Should know by early October. However, I will 26 by that time and as the cutoff for pilots is to be under 27 at time of commissioning, I am trying to expedite things as much as possible so the wait is minimized between pro-rec and FS/class date.

My major issue is that I am in Alaska, specifically the interior, and there is no Navy presence here. I spoke to an Air National Guard station yesterday about getting my PRT done, but he said as the standards were different, he didn't think it was a good idea as it might come back to bite me. So as far as I know, the only way I can get this done is to fly somewhere that there is a Naval recruiter? I emailed my recruiter already, but he takes a while to respond, if ever, so I am trying to track down this info myself if I can. If this is my only resort, I will have to wait until after I get pro-rec as I don't want to blow 600 bucks just to have someone watch me workout for 15 minutes (flights in Alaska are NOT cheap).

MEPs is done. Picket fence apparently (I was told that a 1 in all sections is perfect health, aka, picket fence). He got me in while I was visiting California for a wedding. I see a lot of stuff about the security clearance. They took my fingerprints and stuff at MEPs, and my NASIS paperwork was sent out with my packet, so I am confused in this area. Is the security clearance something I can work on before pro-rec, or do I have to wait until after? Again, I emailed the recruiter asking this, and if I don't hear back by Friday, I will call him, but you guys give great info here (I found out about cancelled boards LONG before he told me).

As I understand it, I need three things done between PR and FS. MEPs, PRT and SC. I have one and possibly two (they might be doing security background already?) done, and I would love to have them all done asap.

Last thing is, I am trying to plan the next few months as if I am getting selected. I will work through December, banking money, and by then I will know if I am pro-rec or not. If so, I would like to take a 6 week trip to New Zealand as a last big hurrah before military life. Of course, if things move too quickly, this isn't an option, but from what I am reading, if I get pro-rec in October, I don't expect to class up til March or April, which is good timing all around for me. By the time I return from New Zealand, I will have about a month to get in peak shape, visit friends and family and then ship off. Is it ok to take a trip like this before shipping? Should I change my timetable? I saw a couple posts mentioning a security interview; what is that all about? When did this take place in relation to the rest of the process?

Congrats to all you with FS already. And those that are waiting, enjoy your time left!

Regards,

Daniel

 

[Shakeszilla]

Daniel,
Don't take a trip to North Korea or Iran right before shipping, but New Zealand shouldn't be a problem. Just clear it with your recruiter first. Also be sure to keep your phone on because you will need to keep in touch. I remember having to resign a bunch of documents and faxing them to my recruiter because they had expired or something right before I received my FS.
As for the PRT, that is a really tough situation but you may not have a choice, especially because your time frame is so cramped. I don't know specifics about Air Force standards, but I do know that Army Sit-ups have different form than Navy Curl-ups, so it may be a similar situation with the Air Force. Check the Navy website for Talk to your recruiter about the ANG station and maybe they'll suggest that you do the test at an enlisted station near you (Just checked that the officer recruiter for Anchorage in in Seattle!), but you may just have to bite the bullet and fly out somewhere where they can do the PRT.
Remember, Nobody cares as much about your application as you do, but if you really work hard at showing your recruiters that you are serious about this, (E.g. flying out to take a PRT.) then they'll do what they can to expedite your app. Good Luck.

 

[Daniel M]

I am in the same boat as all the waiters waiting for my FS letter. I've finished everything else, just did the PT test on Tuesday. OR says that once he submits the scores we should be seeing the FS letter in approx. 2 weeks or so. We'll see.

 

[Danielsw25]

Daniel,
Don't take a trip to North Korea or Iran right before shipping, but New Zealand shouldn't be a problem. Just clear it with your recruiter first. Also be sure to keep your phone on because you will need to keep in touch. I remember having to resign a bunch of documents and faxing them to my recruiter because they had expired or something right before I received my FS.
As for the PRT, that is a really tough situation but you may not have a choice, especially because your time frame is so cramped. I don't know specifics about Air Force standards, but I do know that Army Sit-ups have different form than Navy Curl-ups, so it may be a similar situation with the Air Force. Check the Navy website for Talk to your recruiter about the ANG station and maybe they'll suggest that you do the test at an enlisted station near you (Just checked that the officer recruiter for Anchorage in in Seattle!), but you may just have to bite the bullet and fly out somewhere where they can do the PRT.
Remember, Nobody cares as much about your application as you do, but if you really work hard at showing your recruiters that you are serious about this, (E.g. flying out to take a PRT.) then they'll do what they can to expedite your app. Good Luck.

Shakezilla, thanks for the information. That sucks though, was totally planning on taking a brief stopover in Iran before heading to NZ! I mean, who doesn't want to end up in prison for over a year for allegedly "spying"?!

Seattle? Of course. Us poor Alaskans get no love. I just start assuming the worst, so as soon as that fellow told me about different qualifications, I tacked on the $700 or so into my figures for a ticket there to take the PRT. I just found out my app is definitely being viewed in September, so as long as I am in shape by October, I wouldn't mind spending a few hundred bucks to finish the last bit before getting a final select.

Good to know that overseas trips don't seem to be taboo after getting the pro-rec, but I will of course confirm with my OR before buying a ticket and taking off. Seems like the time frame might be sped up anyway, so the trip might be a no go.

Again, thanks for the information. Sounds solid.

 

[NAVYBM2]

Pro-Rec in March, final select came in Aug 18. It was NOT fun at all.

 

[Chachi]

I got my Pro-Rec on June 28th from the June Boards and am STILL waiting for my FS!

 

[ajalali]

Joe, I feel your pain, I got mine in March...! Soon though, soon...hopefully...one day...ah geeze

 

[Arrdvark74]

I took my oath of office and signed my life away and now get to wait for December to go to OCS. Not sure when I going to receive my orders but i am good as owned to the navy for the next 8 years. Well back to working out so i don't look like a complete idiot at OCS.

 

[UffDa]

Has anyone seen FY11 MAR-APR or MAY OCS class dates being posted by anyone yet? I've been looking at usnavyocs.com and AW for any signs of those classes starting to fill up, but I have not seen any yet. I'm hoping SWO slots are still open for these months and I can anticipate a FS letter by NOV with an OCS date next spring.

Just checking to see if anyone else has any thoughts on this. Good luck to everyone!

Pro-Rec: SWO SEP 10'
FINDOCS: SEP 10'
FS: ???

 

[bluemarlin04]

Any priors here? I am assuming I don't need to hit MEPS and do another security clearance since the one I have is still active. I could be wrong. I really hope I don't have to live the hell that is MEPS again. Do SNA's need to take a flight physical to get a FS letter?