cryesis Posted August 16, 2012 Report Share Posted August 16, 2012 Well next week I go down to meps for my physical, going into the 106th rescue wing of the air national guard as a Flight Engineer. Anything I should know before going there, other from what the recruiter has told me? Hope I make the tape standard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akscott60 Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 Prepare to deal with a doctor older than any known human, being in your underwear, and boredom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01CelicaGTS Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 Prepare to deal with a doctor older than any known human, being in your underwear, and boredom.This. You'll be fine. It's a lot of waiting around. Drink a lot of water, so that you can pee in a cup (while a guy is watching you) the first time around. There were 3 guys that I went to MEPS with that couldn't pee at first. One of them made the deadline by about 5 minutes. Also, apparently (I don't know how true it is) don't have sex (with a partner or yourself ) the day before MEPS. It can make you test positive for protein in your urine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cryesis Posted August 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 can they take blood for the drug test? Ive never done drugs and never peed in front of a guy......and I dont think either of those things will ever happen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC8488 Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 Peeing in front of someone is mandatory. If you cannot, you will not be allowed to process any further. I have seen guys get a permanent DQ for not being able to pee at MEPS. Get your dad, mom, brother, recruiter, anybody to stand in the bathroom while you pee for practice if you are worried about it. Just like anything else, if you cannot do it, PRACTICE! You will be in a line of other guys shoulder to shoulder with a monitor standing behind you all. There will be lots of talking and cutting up, get used to it. This will happen many times over the course of your military career. If my memory is correct you have a three strike rule. If you don't pee, MEPS will hold you overnight for a second attempt the following day. If you don't then, you have to wait 180 days. Fail the third attempt and it's a permanent DQ from military service for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
01CelicaGTS Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 They will take your blood, but not for the drug test. Urine is for the drug test as well as kidney function, and blood is for other tests. As WOFTApp said, you will have to pee in front of people for the rest of your Army career, so you will have to get used to it. As my recruiter said "you have to be able to pee on command in the Army." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloidaho Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 So you opted for the Air Guard eh? Have fun. I loved my time in the Air Force and Air Guard, and it is certainly a path to Army flight school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnitedWeStand111 Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 No is the magic answer, except for stuff on paper they will find (arrests, tickets, bad credit, etc) wink wink Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC8488 Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 +1No need to tell more than necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d10 Posted August 18, 2012 Report Share Posted August 18, 2012 No is the magic answer, except for stuff on paper they will find (arrests, tickets, bad credit, etc) wink wink I had a ton of speeding tickets that I never mentioned. It was to the point where I couldn't remember all of them so I thought it would be better to mention nothing rather than only some of them. It's worked out for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Pig Posted August 18, 2012 Report Share Posted August 18, 2012 (edited) Yeah, dont sit in a chair with your legs crossed! Youll get some Army PFC medic who thinks hes a DI running around telling everyone to uncross their legs because its "disrespectful" One of my greatest adventures was going from active duty Marines to Army Reserves. I had to go back to MEPS as a Sgt. Sitting there in my t-shirt and jeans with some yahooo screaming at the kids and I just sat there with my legs crossed looking at him. He actually barks, "You. What makes you so special?" I say "The fact that Im a Sergeant and your not." Dont keep asking "Did I pass?" At MEPS no news IS good news. If you didnt pass something critical, youll know very quickly. Nobody there cares who YOU are. Your one of hundreds that are seen everyday. Just move along the assembly line. If you think there is ANY issue with your contract, talk to someone about it. DO NOT leave until your issue/question is addressed. If anything your recruiter told you conflicts with what the MEPS counselor tells you or visa versa, get is addressed. Make sure you have your recruiters cell number with you if your recruiter doesnt stay at MEPS. And make sure your recruiter knows that if you call, his/her butt better answer! Keep in mind your counselor that is handling your paperwork is NOT your recruiter and probably knows nothing at all about whatever job you are signing up for. Don't drink soda or coffee for about a week prior. You dont need all that sugar and caffeine in your system. Other than that, just expect to be bored with a lot of sitting around. Dont be an ass because I guarantee the kids and the staff you meet at MEPS will be people you will continue to bump into at points throughout your career. If your trying to be a pilot the last thing you want to do is be an jerk to the medical staff. You will run into those people again. Ive been to MEPS 3 times and still shake my head at some of the idiotic things I saw enlistees say or do while they were there. Like the guy who got arrested getting a hooker in San Diego the night before we shipped to MCRD. Im sure wherever he is now, hes very successful! As far as peeing in a cup in front of some dude...... you better get used to it. WAit until you have some smokin' hot female medic jam a needle full of Penicillin the size of a pencil in your butt cheek! Wow...... I didnt know I knew that much about MEPS Edited August 18, 2012 by Flying Pig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.matt Posted August 18, 2012 Report Share Posted August 18, 2012 Flying Pig, everything you said about sums up what I can remember from when I went 8 years ago. You say you went active Marines to Army Reserves; did you have to go throught the conditional release from the Marine Corps? If so, I'd love to get some info on that because I'm having a great time trying to get my S-1 to even understand what a conditional release is, let alone to help me get it started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Pig Posted August 18, 2012 Report Share Posted August 18, 2012 (edited) I was completely discharged from the Marines and actually had a 1 month break in service. Yeah, it took me a whopping 4 weeks to decide I missed the green machine:) The Marines allowing me to basically finish out my IRR in the Army Reserves was nothing. I walked into the Army recruiter like I was a kid off the street. But being able to switch over directly may keep you from spending a weekend being treated like a kid. The prior service recruiter handled all of it. Keep in mind one thing, not a big deal but it caught me off guard. When you ultimately discharge, you will actually end up with an honorable discharge from the Army, not the Marines. If you are still in and trying to switch to the Army, that may be a little different. But I kept my Sgt/E5 with no problem. It wasnt even an issue. Keep in mind though, this was in 1997 for me. So I dont know what may have changed in that regard. I was an infantryman in the USAR-11B30 Edited August 18, 2012 by Flying Pig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.matt Posted August 18, 2012 Report Share Posted August 18, 2012 Ok, I guess I'm going to end up kind of doing the same thing. However, my contract is completely up, IRR and all, this December. I will have my true DD-214 in hand before the Jan. board meets. Because of that I'm not too concerned about getting the conditional release but for some reason my recruiter thinks I'm going to need it for the Bn boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flying Pig Posted August 18, 2012 Report Share Posted August 18, 2012 You going to be applying for WO? Man, I finished up completely in 2000. The only reason I didnt switch over to an aviation MOS from an 0331-Machingunner was that the Army wasnt doing any re-training at the time unless I went active. So when I joined the USAR I had to stay infantry. Right around 2000 the USAR got rid of all the grunts. I still kick myself for not putting in a package pre-9/11. About 2011 I put in a package being a dual rated CFI with about 2000hrs but I needed an age waiver at the time for about 1 yr. State Aviation Officer put out a directive stating no age waivers would be granted at all. Now at the ripe ol' age of 37......Im getting ready to check into the nursing home I guess I already have one foot in the box!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.matt Posted August 19, 2012 Report Share Posted August 19, 2012 I am applying for WO. If i can't go that route, I'm not going to do it at all. I got enough time in the infantry and enlisted from the Marine Corps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbl2799 Posted August 24, 2012 Report Share Posted August 24, 2012 Bring a book and prepared to be bored. Sorry about your plight in advance, but we've all had to go through it! See you on the flip side Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightsta1ker Posted August 25, 2012 Report Share Posted August 25, 2012 So... How did it go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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