"Welcome to the Air Force"

Here is the story of my 3rd trip to MEPS. I arrived at MEPS at 5:45AM and checked in with my liaison where I was given my name tag. I then went to medical and checked in there and waited for everyone to arrive. After awhile a med tech came and started handing out our medical records, he asked me why I was there and I answered "blood pressure". He looked at my record and said "you're already qualified, you're here for height and weight". So after watching a power point about ruled and such me and about 15 guys went into another room where we were told to strip to our underwear. Then we each had our height and weight recorded. After that we took turns meeting with a doctor who quickly asked us some questions such as; have you used any drugs since your last time here, do you have any new medical conditions, ect. After that I checked out of medical and took my paperwork to my liaison. They were busy with shippers (people who are leaving for basic training that day) and told me wait outside until they were done. I sat in the waiting room for almost two hours, then I went into my liaison's office where I did a weight lifting test where I had to pick a 100lb weight off the floor and lift it over my head. I then went to another office where I did a pre-enlistment interview where they asked me questions about my criminal history. Then they asked me who I wanted to get my life insurance payout and who I want to be legally responsible for my body if I die. After that they took my fingerprints. I then turned in my paperwork to my liaison who sent me to the control desk. They told me to be back at the control desk at 11:45AM for the next enlistment ceremony. So I went to the cafeteria and ate my "free" lunch which consisted of a ham sandwich, bag of chips, cookie, and a can of sprite. Free is in quotations because I had to sell my soul to the government to get it so its not really free. At 11:45AM I returned to the control desk, they gave me some paperwork and told me to wait in a room down the hall. There were seven guys including me in the group, a guy came in and talked about military law and such. He then took us into the ceremony room, it was a formal room with red carpet and a podium with all the military branches flags lined against the wall. The guy had us stand in rows and quickly showed us how to stand at attention. He told us that in a few minutes a officer was going to come into the room, we were to stand at parade rest until we heard the door close then we were to come to attention and say "good afternoon, sir". So then that happened, the MEPS commander who was an Army Captain came in and we all came to attention and greeted him in unison. He talked about what we had accomplished and our decision to serve our country. He then told us to raise our right hand and repeat after him. I said...

"I, Marc Harold Michels, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to the regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

After the ceremony we returned to the room we were in before and the MEPS commander came and had us actually sign our enlistment contracts. After that I returned my paperwork to my liaison and started my job counseling. My liaison went over some more paperwork with me, I signed some more stuff. Then  he went over all the jobs I was qualified for. He had me list them in the order I wanted them. After he put them in the computer he had me sign some more stuff and said I was done. He shook my hand and said "welcome to the Air Force". I returned to the control desk to check out and turn in my name tag and that was it, I walked out the door the newest member of the United States Air Force.

So now I am in DEP the delayed entry program. I am now waiting for one of the jobs I listed to become available, when that happens I will get a phone call and be given my ship date (when I go to basic training).

Return To MEPS

Tomorrow (Wednesday 1/30/2013) I am going back to MEPS to address my blood pressure. I don't know what to expect tomorrow, I'm just going to show up and hope for the best. I have to be there at 6AM, I have to work tonight so I am going to go straight to MEPS from work. I will edit this post from my iPhone at MEPS tomorrow so everyone knows how things went as soon as I find out.

EDIT: Things went well... I swore in... Updates after sleep...

Moving Forward

So I went to my doctor and had him take my blood pressure four times. Every time it was below 140/90, he gave me a letter that said I don't have high blood pressure and I gave that to my recruiter. Today he called and told me that MEPS approved me and since I technically don't even have high blood pressure I won't have to wait for a waiver. So I am now going to go back to MEPS next Wednesday January 30th to finish up where I left off. Check back next Wednesday night to find out how that goes.

MEPS/ Medical Waiver

My experience at MEPS started by visiting my recruiter at his office at 11AM on Tuesday. There he had me sign several forms and then placed them in a large yellow envelope that he gave to me to take to MEPS. He gave me directions and told me to be there at 2:30PM. So I drove myself to MEPS on the east side of Indianapolis. When I got there I went inside and went through security, I then joined a line of others there to take the ASVAB. We waited in line to have our picture and fingerprints taken, they also looked at our drivers license and social security cards and had us sign-in. Then they gave us each a sticker name-tag that had our name and branch of the military as well as some bar codes on it. We then walked down a hall to a room full of computers where we checked in and were assigned a computer to go to. I then took the ASVAB, it was about two hours of computerized multiple choice questions. After I was done I picked up my results and went back to the main desk where I signed out and gave them my name tag.

The next day I had to be back at MEPS at 5:45AM. After I arrived I went through security and went to the main desk, they told me to go see my service liaison. MEPS is a joint DOD facility so applicants joining any branch of the military go to the same place, however individual branches have offices there where you chose your job. So I walked down a hall to a door marked "Air Force", where I met the Air Force's representative at MEPS. She took the large yellow envelope my recruiter gave me the day before and gave me another stick on name tag. After that I went back to the main desk where they gave me a folder with my name on it labeled "medical record" and told me to wait in a room down the hall. After everyone was there the MEPS commander, an Army Captain came in the room and showed us a power point about what we would be doing that day and some of the rules. After that we all walked to the end of the hall to the medical section of MEPS. There I started the six hour medical exam. The way it worked was there were several stations and we were kind of divided into groups that took turns at the stations. At each station you gave the medical technician your "medical record" folder and they would write your results on paperwork in the folder. It was a very complete exam that started with them writing down my hair color and eye color. Then they took my blood pressure, apparently I have high blood pressure. Next they looked in my ears, because I am joining the Air Force I also had to "pop" my ears by closing my mouth and plugging my nose while trying to exhale. They I took a hearing test, the kind with the headphone and the button you press every time you hear a tone. After that I had my vision checked, they tested me for colorblindness, depth perception, as well as checking my visual acuity. After that we went into a room where we watched another power point and filled out a medical questionnaire, we then took a breathalyzer. We then broke back into groups and I went to get a blood test. I have a problem giving blood and get really dizzy anytime they draw blood so I wasn't looking forward to this part, also I really had to use the bathroom because I had been holding it for the urinalysis. The guy I got was joking about how he learned how to draw blood from watching a YouTube video. He spent about a minuted digging into my right arm trying to find a vein before a practically passed out and he stopped. I then got up and ran to the waiting area so I could sit down before I passed out. I sat there for a few minuted until the room stopped spinning and went to the drug test station. I shoved my way to the front of the line because at this point I was about to wet my pants. I went in the bathroom, they gave me a cup, a guy watched me pee in the cup and then I gave it to him. I then went back to try again to get my blood drawn. This time another guy did mine, he did it in my other arm. The second attempt was much better and he found a vein and took a vial of blood painlessly. After that I waited in line to see an actual doctor, I waited for almost and hour and a half. When I got into the doctor's office he asked me some questions like had I ever used drugs or had surgery. He then did a full exam of me, lets just say it was a VERY thorough exam. After that I went to do what is affectionately called the "underwear olympics". I was in a room with five other guys and a doctor, we all stripped down to our underwear and did 15 minutes of range of motion and balance exercises while the doctor observed. After that we met individually with the head doctor who went over all our test results. Because I had high blood pressure I was told I need to get a medical waiver from my family doctor. I then took my envelope to the medical desk where they gave a form to give to my doctor to get my waiver. I then took my paperwork to the main desk, they sent me to my liaison to check out. I then turned in my name tag to the main desk and left for the day.

So now my next step is to lower my blood pressure in the next week, go to my family doctor, get him to sign off saying I'm not going to die from hypertension, then give that to my recruiter who will sent it to MEPS for approval  After that I will go back to MEPS to pick a job and swear in to the Delayed Entry Program. I'll keep everyone updated on my progress getting my waiver and getting into DEP.

Happy 2013

Happy New Year! I am excited for 2013, a lot is going to change this year if things go my way. I am really anxious for next week. I go to MEPS next Tuesday and Wednesday. Before going I was told to go to this website (click here), and make a list of my top 9 jobs. Here is my list.

1. Aerospace Maintenance (2A5X1)
2. Helicopter Maintenance (2A5X2)
3. Air Traffic Control (1C1X1)
4. Aerospace Propulsion (2A6X4)
5. Aircraft Electrical And Environmental Systems (2A6X6)
6. Client Systems (3D1X1)
7. Air Transportation (2T2X1)
8. Aircraft Fuel Systems (2A6X4)
9. Aircraft Armament Systems (2W1X1)

Those who know me know that I like computers, I was going to college for computers and I recently received my CompTIA A+ Certification. They might wonder why only one job (#6) is computer related. Well because I am interested in things other than computer as well. I really like airplanes, that is my favorite part of my job at FedEx is getting to work around airplanes. It has been a dream of mine to get my pilots license, and I will be looking into Air Force flying clubs. Also the Air Force has many more airplane related jobs than computer related jobs. I have no interest do computer programming or anything like that so Client Systems is really the only computer job appealing to me. Ultimately my list reflects my desire to learn new skills while satisfying my fascination with aircraft.

Expect my next post to be on Wednesday January 9, 2013 after my 2nd day at MEPS. Hopefully I will have good news to report.