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.