View Full Version : Finally DEPping in!
crazymjb
08-29-07, 08:39 PM
Or starting my journey to, at least. My parents finally signed my paperwork last night, however, I have some documents about anti-depressent use going up to MEPS. My recruiter said there is a good chance it will get DQd and have to go to BUMED, but ultimatly I should be alright.
Just happy that I have finally, officially, kicked everything off!
Mike
HurricaneRJ
08-29-07, 08:41 PM
Great news man. Keep thinking positive.
crazymjb
08-29-07, 08:51 PM
Thanks. I have to admit, the thing about the probable DQ and such is a bit nerve racking. If it isn't rejected I head up to MEPS tomorrow evening. Ultimately I am relativly sure it will work out. I have doctors letters and all, and am otherwise a model prospect. My recruiters, though weary, also seemed to think it was more than doable.
Mike
HurricaneRJ
08-29-07, 10:11 PM
Yeah I know what you mean. I had asthma but I have no way to prove that I don't have it anymore. So I thought they would disqualify me for that. But I just let the process roll, plus the doctors say if I can loose 80lbs and not experience a Asthma attack at all. Then i grew out of it.
hempstead56
08-29-07, 10:49 PM
Let us know how it goes @ MEPS
crazymjb
08-29-07, 10:49 PM
So it sounds like they are somewhat lenient where they can be? My recruiter said the doctor that was there was pretty logical and understanding, but they just got a new one that he doesn't know about.
Mike
davblay
08-30-07, 01:30 AM
the fact that the recruiter took the time to help you sounds good to me!
crazymjb
08-30-07, 02:15 AM
My recruiter has been excellent. He takes the time once a week to PT with us, and than usually talks with us for a couple hours as well. We were all told that once we look him in the eye and tell him we want to be Marines, he will do everything he can to make that possible. He is probably the most motivated and motivating person I have ever seen. This past week, however, I have been dealing witht he NCOIC as my recruiter just had his first son.
I am hoping the phone call this AM is good news giving me the clearence to go up to MEPS to DEP in. I'll keep you all posted.
Mike
crazymjb
08-30-07, 02:11 PM
Well I haven't been DQd, but MEPS is requesting the actual files, and the doc won't be back from his vacation until Monday. Apparently they aknowleged that I am in fact a "promising candidate"
Mike
Congrats. Don't get bummed if you get DQ'ed, it happened to me and it took just a little more time to getting accepted, about a week in my case.
Best of luck.
KRenee87
08-30-07, 07:08 PM
Don't feel down. I thought I had to get a waiver for my irregular heartbeat when I went to Meps. My recruiter got all of my medical files from my cardiologists and EKGs and gave them to Meps. Turns out, the Doctors listened to my heart and couldn't hear any problems so they cleared me and I didn't need waiver after all.
kbs95125
08-30-07, 07:22 PM
I got DQ'd my first day at MEPs (on a mission day) for having too much earwax in my ears, even though I passed the hearing test with flying colors. My recruiter was so ****ed at the doctor. Haha. He drove my to a nearby doctors office had my ears cleaned and took me back the next day.
I've heard of people getting dqed for having skid marks in their drawers, but never ear wax. That's a bit extreme. In the docs defence, I wouldn't want to see that mess either if I had to look at that kind of thing all day.
crazymjb
10-18-07, 05:45 PM
BUMED recommended me so I am going up to MEPS Sunday night. I'll let you all know how it goes, I'm stoked!
Mike
HurricaneRJ
10-18-07, 05:54 PM
Always Faithful.
RockSteady85
10-18-07, 06:01 PM
I thought I was going to get disqualified for an open surgery I had on my knee about 5 years ago where they reaised part of the bone that is attached to the patellar tendon to raise my kneecap. It was pretty weird - the orthopaedic surgeon was from the same exact small town of about 1000 in NW NJ that I am, and we started talking about my orthopaedic surgeon, whom he said he trained! Eventually he looked at my x-rays, asked about any pain I had (none anymore because I have worked hard to build up my quads to support my knee), and checked out my knee. He was pretty concerned about the fact my kneecap is so loose that "if you pivoted while running it seems like it could dislocate on a whim" but I told him I have never had that problem. He said all I have to do is strengthen the inner thigh muscles, the VMO, and it will be checked before I ship to make sure everything is kosher. I thought I was going to get disqualified and need a waiver, but I walked out of there with a HUGE smile upon my face when I heard otherwise.
crazymjb
10-18-07, 06:10 PM
It is definatley a relief. I was originally DQd on pre-val and that feeling sucks. My recruiter said they may have me talk to a shrink when I'm there but thats not a given, and that even so that will go fine.
Mike
Good luck man.
and what is BUMED
LeonardLawrence
10-18-07, 11:22 PM
<NOBR>The Bureau of Medicine and Surgery</NOBR> <NOBR>(BUMED) directs the worldwide medical and</NOBR> <NOBR>dental services and facilities maintained by the</NOBR> <NOBR>Department of the Navy. The mission of BUMED</NOBR> <NOBR>within the national defense structure of the United</NOBR> <NOBR>States is to safeguard the health of Navy and</NOBR> <NOBR>Marine Corps personnel</NOBR>
crazymjb
10-20-07, 10:03 PM
Turns out Monday I am just going for physical, but not actually swearing in. They said the BUMED hasn't completly been approved but I have been approved to continue to physical, which is a good sign.
Mike
Cool cool... once again good luck bro hope everything works out for you!
HurricaneRJ
10-20-07, 10:31 PM
When you get to MEPS, and someone ask you what branch your joining. Tell em your joining the Marines, and say it proud. Not even 3/4 of people there have courage to do what your doing. You will get a ton of respect there.
crazymjb
10-20-07, 10:50 PM
I will say it proud if asked. I'm just annoyed I won't be walking out of there with my red T-shirt.
Mike
RockSteady85
10-20-07, 11:21 PM
I will say it proud if asked. I'm just annoyed I won't be walking out of there with my red T-shirt.
Hey, I had to go to MEPS 6 times in less than a month because I was always a different height and would therefore be overweight by like 2 pounds. I also had to go back for an orthopaedic consult on my knee too, but I eventually made it through. Just keep your eye on the prize and stay motivated and you will get your poolee shirt, no worries :-)
crazymjb
10-20-07, 11:50 PM
6 times??? Yikes.
I just hate missing school because I get more work piled on and I have to catch up. That, and I just want to finally have a time frame.
I will never give up. So far its been about 2-3 months with stuff at BUMED.
Mike
RockSteady85
10-20-07, 11:59 PM
6 times??? Yikes.
I just hate missing school because I get more work piled on and I have to catch up. That, and I just want to finally have a time frame.
I will never give up. So far its been about 2-3 months with stuff at BUMED.
Mike
Well if you want to be a Maraine Corps poolee missing some school is a sacrifice you'll have to make. I have to cancel a lot of appointments my clients make with me (I'm a self-employed IT consultant) because of having to do PT with my recruiter, or going to MEPS like I was, but being able to be a part of the Corps is my priority right now. Like you, I got rather frustrated that I had to keep going back for small stupid things and I also wanted a time frame to deal with. I signed my contract 11 October and I found out I am shipping on 13 November. Everyone else got to choose their ship date except for me. I feel concerned I won't be able to get to my IST standards at the very least (I can pass with a 77 on the crunches, but the flex arm hang and the run are my concerns), but I am still going to try like all hell to get there by the 13th anyway. Good luck, and let us know how it goes.
crazymjb
10-22-07, 05:08 PM
Well heres the update:
I did the physical and passed everything. The doc told me my waiver should be processed shortly and I should be back this or next week to swear in.
MEPS experience:
It sucks. Nobody can prepare you for how bad it truely is. The docs here were literally all in there 60s or 70s and dressed like it was a mental institution, coke bottle glasses, all white clothes, etc. I accidently wrote something when I wasn't supposed to in the paperwork room and was pulled outside.
Doc: Why were you writing?
Me: I was answering the "Yes" questions as specified sir.
Doc: I said not to
Me: I am very sorry sir, I must have overlooked it
Doc: Do you have ADD?
Me: No Sir
Doc: What did you get on your asvab?
Me: 99 Sir
Doc: I know your type, you think you're smarter than me
Me: No Sir
Doc: Go see the Marine liason and tell them what you did.
Marines just kicked me back to the doc, who I guess decided he'd scared me enough to learn my lesson and let me finish. This guy was a creep, the whole tone of his voice was incredibly serious/dumbfounded.
Bottom line: Meps sucks.
I still am eager to go back and swear in.
Mike
HurricaneRJ
10-22-07, 08:26 PM
I hate going up to MEPS and you have civilians threathening your military career. I just want to punch this fat overweight guy one time. Tried to disqualify my hearing test because I coughed.
KRenee87
10-22-07, 08:36 PM
One of my 'old' MEPs doctors was a 82nd airborne surgeon back in Vietnam. I actually had a great conversation with him. I guess I lucked out.
RockSteady85
10-23-07, 10:51 AM
The orthopaedic surgeon who checked out my knee to make sure it was okay ended up being from the SAME exact town of maybe 1000 people that I am from, and we were both 2 hours away from there in Brooklyn! We ended up talking about all of the orthos in the county, what we thought, and he said he trained them all! He was a pretty cool guy, retired Army Colonel. I think I lucked out there too LOL.
crazymjb
10-24-07, 03:13 PM
Just got a call from my recruiter that my waiver passed. I am going next Thursday (nov1) unless a kid that is taking the ASVAB up at MEPS right now fails, in which case I go tomorrow AM.
Since I already blew my physical and ASVAB out of the way all I need to do is moral screening(clean) and swear!
Mike
crazymjb
10-24-07, 05:21 PM
Thanks, I can't wait to get down there (well I can, that place sucks) and just get all my stuff finalized and be good to go.
When I was there there (Hilton the night before, than MEPS the next day) there were 20 poolees about to become recruits. It is amazing how we all instantly got along, even though we didn't all know eachother. The tension on the bus in the AM could be cut with a knife... Same with the MEPS "lounge." I can't wait to be in their shoes, only a few months (well about 7) down the road :D
Mike
crazymjb
10-25-07, 02:10 PM
My recruiter called me this AM to go DEP in today... I get to MEPS, go bring my waiver to the doc, and there is a clerical error in the waiver. The waiver did pass but they phrased something wrong... Apparently this happened to three other BUMED poolees today... So now it is expected to be next tuesday.
Mike
HurricaneRJ
10-25-07, 02:47 PM
Expect delays everywhere you go. The only place your on time is when you head to the bathroom.
RockSteady85
10-25-07, 07:08 PM
My recruiter called me this AM to go DEP in today... I get to MEPS, go bring my waiver to the doc, and there is a clerical error in the waiver. The waiver did pass but they phrased something wrong... Apparently this happened to three other BUMED poolees today... So now it is expected to be next tuesday.
When I was at MEPS they completely misspelled my last name by a mile. This was on every...single...document. It took them forever to correct it, and I was always being asked, "Are you sure this isn't your last name?" Well yeah, fairly sure, since it happens to be the same name I have been using for all of my nearly 22 years of life, unless there's something I don't know about!
crazymjb
11-01-07, 09:00 PM
First off, my computer died and the parts for my new one don't come until next week so I will be offline for most of that time.
Second, I finally DEPped in today, ship date 20080707. However, I am moving the date to 20080609. 0331 in the SMCR.
Next friday we are getting sworn in again by the Commandant. His son is the CO of our RS (RS, Portsmouth NH). I specifically am in RSS Waltham right outside Boston.
:D
Mike
crazymjb
11-03-07, 05:34 PM
Anyone know how I change my status from Marine Friend to Poolee? I assume a mod has to do it.
Thanks,
Mike
HurricaneRJ
11-03-07, 06:35 PM
You can update it yourself.
I forgot how I did mine.
DEAVILA
11-04-07, 01:12 AM
I was just thinking about something..When i go to boot..and come back.I'll no longer be a Poolee, But a Marine..So My Leatherneck Name..Shouldn't be Poolee DeAVILA anymore..ANyway I can Change that??...
________________________
"SUPERIOR THINKING HAS ALWAYS OVERWHELMED SUPERIOR FORCE"
DEAVILA
11-04-07, 01:12 AM
I was just thinking about something..When i go to boot..and come back.I'll no longer be a Poolee, But a Marine..So My Leatherneck Name..Shouldn't be Poolee DeAVILA anymore..ANyway I can Change that??...
________________________
"SUPERIOR THINKING HAS ALWAYS OVERWHELMED SUPERIOR FORCE"
Big Jim
11-04-07, 01:42 AM
Don't Ever Forget, As Long As You Have The Will And Desire To Stay Marine, Success Will Come To You. Speaking From Experience, I Can Promise You This Fact! Stay Motivated!