Want to fly USMC, but need waiver (loonnnggg story with OSO and MEPS)

[BINGO]

Thats your decision and yours alone. However, IMHO, you should give it another shot with the local OSO. Good luck to you man, hope it works out.

And that I did.

UPDATE ON SITUATION

I'll try to keep this as short as possible and get the point out of the way.

Today was my first day back to school from the summer and this is usually the time the Marines come set up their recruiting booth and typical pull up bar.
I had some time between a class and the booth caught my eye, so I decided to see if the current leadership of the Phoenix OSO had changed.

I walk up and ask one of the enlisted gentlemen who's currently in charge over PHX OSO and he says, Captain *******. This happens to be the second Captain mentioned in my earlier post that doesn't want to help me. So I kindly say thank you and as I'm walking away he stops me and says, He's right here if you would like to talk to him. By that point he's already standing up and has his hand out. It's clear that he doesn't know who I am because we've never spoken face to face. Sure enough, he's a helo pilot just like the former Captain.

The conversation went like this.

Me: Good afternoon sir, you don't recognize me but I'm Blank Blank, we've spoken over the phone.

Captain: Look man, I can't help you. You need to leave.

Me: Please sir, If I can just have a moment of your time. Since we've last talked I've gotten multiple letters of medical approval from Doctors to help me get a waiver.

Captain: Dude, you aren't qualified to be a Marine, the answer is no.

Me: I'll tell you what, you can take all of those water bottles, and that bag, strap it to my already stuffed backpack and I'll do 20 pull ups right now and I'll attend your next PFA and max it. If I can do that, will you please consider pushing my documents to BUMED for a waiver?

Captain: Absolutely not. After you contacted BUMED I got a call from the guy you talked to who is my superior and he yelled at me for a solid 20. You blew your chances.

Me: Sir, are we thinking the same person? The guy I'm talking about is the director of the board, and a civilian contractor (Doctor). He has a typed up pending request for more documentation sitting on top of my file in Washington DC. If you push my documents, I can get the waiver.

Captain: No, your not qualified to be a Marine. You will never be a Marine and even though you have drive, it doesn't matter. It's NOT what we're looking for.

Me: I was never diagnosed or treated for any mental illness by a Doctor (MD or DO). I saw a nurse practictioner from a local counseling center. That holds no weight in my situation and is warrant to further investigation of a waiver. Since I have seen actual Doctors who've examined me, and one who's known me for around 11 years.

Captain: I want you to leave right now. You are taking away from what we are trying to do here.

Me: Sir, nobody is here. And the people who are, are most likely looking for school money. I'm paying my own way through school, I've pulled up my grades, done everything you've told me to do to get a waiver and now your denying me of my chance to do what most would dodge in a draft?

Captain: Okay now your just taking this to another level. You leave right now or I'm going to take it to that level.

At this point this Captain is inches from my face pointing the other direction telling me to "go ahead and try me" OR ELSE.

The guy is actually physically threatening me. Others around are watching this guy in disbelief.

To avoid further contention, I said, you know what, I have 1.5 years left and I'll continue to shop around and hope someone in this country will push a simple fax to BUMED.


To sum this all up. I am shocked at my local OSO's behavior. OTHER OSO's are shocked at their behavior and I am honestly ready to take this to my Senator and see what weight that will carry. I am not the only person who has taken serious flack from this unit and when that Captain physically got up in my face with his hands up to fight, it was just purely out of conduct for an Officer to be acting that way.

I am not closed to the Navy, CG, or possibly Army, but deep inside, the Marines dream carries on.

I'm not here looking for negativity from anyone (which is inevitable for some), I just thought I would let some curious readers know how it's coming along.

Thanks to those who've offered a golden 2.

 

[efn1221]

Point taken. I realize which mistakes were made. Did I learn from them? Yes.

It's not about blaming the system to feel good, it's about getting a chance to show what I can do as an officer. I can't enlist if I ever plan to still fly. I'm 24 and have a deadline to finish my major to be eligible for pilot training.

BTW, I've spoken with the Navy about my situation and they said getting me a waiver is strong possibility, it just might take time. That is another option. My uncle flew for the Navy and enjoyed his time. If the Corps doesn't work out, I will apply elsewhere. Maybe CG too, I don't know yet.

Only prior piliots can fly for the Coast Guard. Just to keep the record straight...OCS does screen candidates who someday might become Marine Corps Officers. OSOs screen applicants who someday might become candidates. So, you failed step one.

If you are prior enlisted you can get an age waiver to fly. I would say that your ONLY shot is going enlisted first.

Lives are always at stake. All of those who are involved in the screening process take that seriously. They aren't being prejudice against you. They are looking out for all of us. There are plenty of other ways to serve society. Good luck.

 

[Pepe]

Only prior piliots can fly for the Coast Guard. Just to keep the record straight...OCS does screen candidates who someday might become Marine Corps Officers. OSOs screen applicants who someday might become candidates. So, you failed step one.

If you are prior enlisted you can get an age waiver to fly. I would say that your ONLY shot is going enlisted first.

Lives are always at stake. All of those who are involved in the screening process take that seriously. They aren't being prejudice against you. They are looking out for all of us. There are plenty of other ways to serve society. Good luck.

I'm surrounded by several flight students from the Coast Guard that aren't prior pilots. Not real sure where you're getting your gouge, but it's bad.
And enlisting first is not the ONLY way to fly. He doesn't even need an age waiver yet...Bad gouge all around.

 

[efn1221]

so basically your telling one to lie their way out of problems? why would people want to fly with you?

you quote A Few Good Men, but you should remind yourself how that movie ends...Jack is to receive a court martial for a variety of charges for issuing an order and then LYING about it.

Jack received a court martial because he didn't keep his mouth shut.

C'mon Marines and Sailors! JJ DID TIE BUCKLE There are always gray areas when deciding between loyalty and integrity.

 

[efn1221]

I'm surrounded by several flight students from the Coast Guard that aren't prior pilots. Not real sure where you're getting your gouge, but it's bad.
And enlisting first is not the ONLY way to fly. He doesn't even need an age waiver yet...Bad gouge all around.

I could be wrong. Their website advertises RIGHT NOW that they aren't interested in you if you aren't a prior pilot. Go check it out. Of course maybe that's just their current pitch. Who knows?

 

[MasterBates]

WTF is JJ DID TIE BUCKLE supposed to mean.. (I'm assuming it's an acronym for something)

 

[efn1221]

I'm surrounded by several flight students from the Coast Guard that aren't prior pilots. Not real sure where you're getting your gouge, but it's bad.
And enlisting first is not the ONLY way to fly. He doesn't even need an age waiver yet...Bad gouge all around.

He claimed he couldn't go enlisted first because he would run out of time because he wants to fly. All I was simply stating was that if you go enlisted first, you get a couple extra years to commission. Plus, going enlisted would get him another shot with some different recruiters.

Go Mustangs!

 

[Swanee]

WTF is JJ DID TIE BUCKLE supposed to mean.. (I'm assuming it's an acronym for something)

It's the 14 leadership traits that are in the kool-aide around here...

 

[efn1221]

WTF is JJ DID TIE BUCKLE supposed to mean.. (I'm assuming it's an acronym for something)

The 14 leadership traits. I'm just stirring the pot.

 

[phrogpilot73]

I could be wrong. Their website advertises RIGHT NOW that they aren't interested in you if you aren't a prior pilot. Go check it out. Of course maybe that's just their current pitch. Who knows?

You must have missed this link.

And you can quit now with the prior-enlisted Kool Aide & the "gray area" posts. We don't want to hear it.

 

[Markg]

And that I did.

UPDATE ON SITUATION

I'll try to keep this as short as possible and get the point out of the way.

Today was my first day back to school from the summer and this is usually the time the Marines come set up their recruiting booth and typical pull up bar.
I had some time between a class and the booth caught my eye, so I decided to see if the current leadership of the Phoenix OSO had changed.

I walk up and ask one of the enlisted gentlemen who's currently in charge over PHX OSO and he says, Captain *******. This happens to be the second Captain mentioned in my earlier post that doesn't want to help me. So I kindly say thank you and as I'm walking away he stops me and says, He's right here if you would like to talk to him. By that point he's already standing up and has his hand out. It's clear that he doesn't know who I am because we've never spoken face to face. Sure enough, he's a helo pilot just like the former Captain.

The conversation went like this.

Me: Good afternoon sir, you don't recognize me but I'm Blank Blank, we've spoken over the phone.

Captain: Look man, I can't help you. You need to leave.

Me: Please sir, If I can just have a moment of your time. Since we've last talked I've gotten multiple letters of medical approval from Doctors to help me get a waiver.

Captain: Dude, you aren't qualified to be a Marine, the answer is no.

Me: I'll tell you what, you can take all of those water bottles, and that bag, strap it to my already stuffed backpack and I'll do 20 pull ups right now and I'll attend your next PFA and max it. If I can do that, will you please consider pushing my documents to BUMED for a waiver?

Captain: Absolutely not. After you contacted BUMED I got a call from the guy you talked to who is my superior and he yelled at me for a solid 20. You blew your chances.

Me: Sir, are we thinking the same person? The guy I'm talking about is the director of the board, and a civilian contractor (Doctor). He has a typed up pending request for more documentation sitting on top of my file in Washington DC. If you push my documents, I can get the waiver.

Captain: No, your not qualified to be a Marine. You will never be a Marine and even though you have drive, it doesn't matter. It's NOT what we're looking for.

Me: I was never diagnosed or treated for any mental illness by a Doctor (MD or DO). I saw a nurse practictioner from a local counseling center. That holds no weight in my situation and is warrant to further investigation of a waiver. Since I have seen actual Doctors who've examined me, and one who's known me for around 11 years.

Captain: I want you to leave right now. You are taking away from what we are trying to do here.

Me: Sir, nobody is here. And the people who are, are most likely looking for school money. I'm paying my own way through school, I've pulled up my grades, done everything you've told me to do to get a waiver and now your denying me of my chance to do what most would dodge in a draft?

Captain: Okay now your just taking this to another level. You leave right now or I'm going to take it to that level.

At this point this Captain is inches from my face pointing the other direction telling me to "go ahead and try me" OR ELSE.

The guy is actually physically threatening me. Others around are watching this guy in disbelief.

To avoid further contention, I said, you know what, I have 1.5 years left and I'll continue to shop around and hope someone in this country will push a simple fax to BUMED.


To sum this all up. I am shocked at my local OSO's behavior. OTHER OSO's are shocked at their behavior and I am honestly ready to take this to my Senator and see what weight that will carry. I am not the only person who has taken serious flack from this unit and when that Captain physically got up in my face with his hands up to fight, it was just purely out of conduct for an Officer to be acting that way.

I am not closed to the Navy, CG, or possibly Army, but deep inside, the Marines dream carries on.

I'm not here looking for negativity from anyone (which is inevitable for some), I just thought I would let some curious readers know how it's coming along.

Thanks to those who've offered a golden 2.

Instead of going to a Senator, why don't you just go to another OSO out of state? It seems as if that was your second option if talking with the local OSO did not work, if it means applying for OCC, than so be it.

 

[smokeyhat]

How does one actually get a hold of the medical board incharge of giving waivers for flight School? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[BINGO]

Instead of going to a Senator, why don't you just go to another OSO out of state? It seems as if that was your second option if talking with the local OSO did not work, if it means applying for OCC, than so be it.

I just found one in Tuscon. If that doesn't go through, I've heard San Diego is legitimate.

Thanks

 

[HeyJoe]

How does one actually get a hold of the medical board incharge of giving waivers for flight School? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Try going here where you'll find a reference (read first before you call) and phone numbers. I wouldn't think of it as a sitting "board" per se. Waivers are staffed via paper so don't expect a customer service type setup. They'll likely want you to read instruction and go through the process. Note: they do not "give" or "grant" waivers, they can only recommend a waiver, but it is up to senior officer in charge of program you are applying for to make the final decision.

 

[Markg]

I just found one in Tuscon. If that doesn't go through, I've heard San Diego is legitimate.

Thanks

Awesome, keep me posted.