October 08 boards

[exo]

Still patiently waiting... not much more fun where I'm at either OUSOONER.

 

[Flyer09]

I just went and cleared MEPS yesterday. I'm still physically disqualified from military service because of the PRK surgery. It should take a couple of days for my MEPS results to come back to my recruiter (blood and alcohol testing). Then my packet has to be sent to the flight surgeon for review and completion of the waivers for a past shoulder surgery and the PRK. My recruiter has stated it should be another 4-5 weeks before all my paperwork is filled out, waivers are completed, and I get contracted in. Everybody is right though, the waiting sucks, but I can't class up until April at the earliest anyway so I'm not in any rush.

 

[nugget61]

Hey Flyer, are you waiting on the PRK for 6 months because you had really bad eyes preop or because of MEPS?

 

[Flyer09]

According to my recruiter, MEPS wanted to wait for my 6 month checkup before they would schedule me for an exam. I was about 20/80 or 20/100 preop so by no means did I have bad vision. MEPS was the single reason for my hold up according to my recruiter. Why they wanted to wait, I'm not sure as I was going to be physically disqualified anyways with or without the 6 month checkup.

 

[nugget61]

Dang, was hoping that was not the case... I can't find the MEPS requirements for vision testing in writing anywhere - NAMI & the waiver guide say 3 months for us though.
Don't want to sit on the sidelines for an additional 3 months.

 

[Flyer09]

It may have just been something with MEPS Lansing or the CMO. I realized the doctor doing my physical was also the station CMO and she was the one who reviewed my records. My recruiter said it is the first time something like that happened for him so he isn't sure if it is something new or just a fluke. If you have had the PRK surgery outside of the military you are going to get a letter from the DOD stating you are permanently disqualified from any military service. Ignore it as you are "technically" disqualified because of the surgery but the flight surgeon and NAMI have final say with the waiver.

I'd have your OR try to send you off to MEPS anyway. I think my hold up was that MEPS only had a partial record of my PRK surgery. When I had LasikPlus send the records I was only on my 3 month check-up. When I got to MEPS and was looking through all of the paperwork in my folder I noticed that it said insufficient follow-up, no post-op refraction test results. At the time it never dawned on me. It only dawned on me when I called LasikPlus today and realized the only time they sent the records was way back in September so of course no post-op refraction test was done as I was still healing. So I had them fax over the last 3 months of records.

 

[maijanka]

Hey Sonicboom. Congrats on the final select and class date. I read that you said the process took 9 months. I am just curious, did you have any significant setbacks or did the normal process take 9 months? I am currently sitting at about 4 months and just wondering if I should brace myself for another 5. I am up for the Jan Boards that just met this week and I am waiting to find out if I am selected

 

[exo]

I predict... I will hear a Feb 1st OCS report date by this upcoming Wednesday...

 

[Flyer09]

My whole process took just under a year but as stated I had a 6 month hold due to the PRK surgery and finishing up my degree. I think if you are motivated, your OR is motivated, and you get lucky at boards you could get through in about 5 months or so.

 

[sonicboom]

Hey Sonicboom. Congrats on the final select and class date. I read that you said the process took 9 months. I am just curious, did you have any significant setbacks or did the normal process take 9 months? I am currently sitting at about 4 months and just wondering if I should brace myself for another 5. I am up for the Jan Boards that just met this week and I am waiting to find out if I am selected

maijanka, my process took 9 months, but I don't it's always that long. My particular situation was a bit length because I had several disruptions.

March '08 contacted my OR
April '08 had to get a doctor's note ruling out childhood asthma
May '08 took ASTB and submitted some paperwork
June - August '08 was abroad doing an internship. I stayed in contact with my recruiter and worked on getting the necessary waiver for childhood asthma
Sept - Oct '08 submitted application. was pro-rec'd in October and went to MEPS, performed PRT
Nov '08 was abroad again
Dec '08 waited
Jan '08 final selected
Feb '08 begin OCS

So, to answer your question. No, you don't necessarily have to wait 5 more months. Everyone's situation is unique. I think mine was a bit more involved because of the childhood asthma and the constantly going abroad. Hope that helps. Just remember even if it takes 9 years it is worth it.

 

[maijanka]

maijanka, my process took 9 months, but I don't it's always that long. My particular situation was a bit length because I had several disruptions.

March '08 contacted my OR
April '08 had to get a doctor's note ruling out childhood asthma
May '08 took ASTB and submitted some paperwork
June - August '08 was abroad doing an internship. I stayed in contact with my recruiter and worked on getting the necessary waiver for childhood asthma
Sept - Oct '08 submitted application. was pro-rec'd in October and went to MEPS, performed PRT
Nov '08 was abroad again
Dec '08 waited
Jan '08 final selected
Feb '08 begin OCS

So, to answer your question. No, you don't necessarily have to wait 5 more months. Everyone's situation is unique. I think mine was a bit more involved because of the childhood asthma and the constantly going abroad. Hope that helps. Just remember even if it takes 9 years it is worth it.

Thanks Sonicboom. This was really helpful. I too had childhood asthma and had to go through getting the Dr.'s OK. (PFTs are so much fun). Now it is just time to hurry up and wait as they say. Be glad the wait is over! Good luck with OCS, only a couple more weeks to gear up!

BTW-did you have to waiver for your childhood asthma before your board?

 

[sonicboom]

Thanks Sonicboom. This was really helpful. I too had childhood asthma and had to go through getting the Dr.'s OK. (PFTs are so much fun). Now it is just time to hurry up and wait as they say. Be glad the wait is over! Good luck with OCS, only a couple more weeks to gear up!

BTW-did you have to waiver for your childhood asthma before your board?

Yes, I saw my childhood specialist, who sent paperwork to my OR who forwarded to a medical review boards (maybe it was MEPS I'm not sure though). I couldn't proceed with my application until that was approved. Once it was approved (the whole process took 2 months) then I moved ahead. It all takes a LOT of time. Chin up.

 

[exo]

Waivers completed, JPAS accepted last Friday, everything is done except for the date I leave. Anyone have any idea how long it should take to receive an OCS date after medical and security is done?

 

[Twitterpate03]

Patience is all I know. Got all my stuff finally completed last Monday. Still waiting myself and I got picked up on August's board.

We'll get it! Just gotta hurry up and wait first. :icon_mi_1

 

[Leviticus]

The "hurry[ing] up and wait[ing]" thing sucks. haha So it's looking as though I should expect my final select to come through in a month or two...right? Waiting on the Navy doesn't seem nearly as bad as waiting on the AF...