View Full Version : Showing up to SOI with an injury?
For those who don't know, I just graduated from MCRD PI on Friday, and graduated with a...very bad "ankle sprain". After being off it and icing it, my foot is doing alot better, its still swollen but it doesnt look like elephantitis as my SDI said, I can also walk without limping and jump, etc.
Im hoping it will be at 100% by Tuesday when I check into SOI, but what if its not? I don't want to show up and go immediately to an MRP type thing at SOI. As of right now I can walk and stuff, so what happens when I get to SOI and they're like ok, lets step it out, 5k hump. Do I say "Oh by the way, Ive got a foot injury" and sound like I'm trying to go home? Do I step it out and wait till it gives out, risk permanent damage, and look like some idiot who can't do a simple 5k walk?
What's my best course of action? I called the local AFB (there is a hospital there) to see if I could get seen by a doctor, but they told me I'm still "stationed" at Parris Island and I'd need to call PI to get information or permission, the lady really didn't sound like she knew what she was talking about, it was the most confusing thing I'd ever heard. And I can't go to an emergency room since...its not an emergency. I believe they said I could go to a civilian "urgent care clinic", but what are they going to do besides take x-rays (again), and tell me to stay off it?
What can/should I do? SOI starts Tuesday.
Zulu 36
09-12-07, 08:09 PM
I spoke with my oldest daughter, who is a medical records tech in the USAF Reserves. She said the woman at McDill AFB is full of sh*t. But my daughter is out of Patrick AFB (next to Melbourne, FL), not McDill. So she has no pull.
The woman was right about one thing, you still belong to MCRDPI until you check into SOI.
If I were you, I would take it easy. Report to SOI as scheduled. Remember this, SOI will have your medical records and they will know about the ankle injury. As such injuries are common in boot camp, I'd bet all med records are screened to check for fairly recent injuries that may affect you at SOI.
As with MEPS, be honest and up front if asked. Better to spend some time healing before training instead of really fu*king up your ankle. Just be happy you're doing SOI at Camp Lejeune and not Pendleton. Much, much flatter.
If you go into training and your ankle starts to hurt, go to sick call pronto. Again, better to heal first, train second. SOI will still be there. They'll know by your records that you aren't a crybaby.
The day you get there one of the first things you do after changing over from your alphas into cammies is you'll get screened by a Corpsman. He'll look over your medical records in about 2 seconds and then he'll ask if you're fit to train, this is where you need to tell him everything and be totally honest, this isn't MEPS or the moment of truth where you need to hide an allergy to shellfish or something. The Doc will then decide whether you're fit to train or not and if you're not then you'll go to MRP... yes they've got MRP at SOI as well.
No matter how hard boot camp was, SOI is so much more physically demanding, the PT is longer and harder, you'll hump heavier, longer, and farther than you ever dreamed, you get practically no sleep, the list goes on... what this all means is if you have something wrong with you then you'll break down very quickly and won't make it and be recycled back in training or go to MRP for an even more serious injury than you already had. In boot camp, your goal is to become a Marine... at SOI your goal is to get the hell out of there as soon as possible and get to the fleet.
Just be honest with the Corpsman the day you check in and you'll be fine.
Thank you gentlemen. Its definitely best to spend a little more time at SOI healing and getting proper treatment than do permanent damage, get a med discharge and become a nasty civilian again.
devildog4life30
09-13-07, 09:01 AM
When I graduated from mcrd san deigo I was saick with the flu. I went to dyess afb in abilene to sick call. They took me right in and were awsome. I was SIQ the first week in SOI and had no problems from anyone. I would go to that AFB and get looked at!
Maybe that's my best course of action, its not a far drive at all. I should just go and see what happens. The worst they can do is say go away.
I graduated from MCRD/SD with a severe ankle sprain just like you. We were never seen by a Corpsman but rather asked if we had any injuries we needed to report. I was still limping pretty bad and...
davblay
09-13-07, 10:11 AM
Matt, if your ankle is not bothering you while you are on leave then I would wait until you get to Lejeune. You are out of Boot Camp now, they will not make you go home if it is a curable injury. They will keep you out of the soup until they are sure you are healed enough to do the training! You have nothing to prove to anyone now, you are a Marine. You are not competing with the rest of the platoon for PFC any more, you are there to get the training you need to report to the Fleet. Relax, let it heal, see the Corpsman when you report to Lejeune, if it is not hurting you now!