Air Force Status (aka Rant)

Some of you may have wondered about our Air Force status since I haven't posted anything recently. We are currently just waiting for the Air Force to make some decisions which is why I haven't had anything exciting to post in that area.

Here is a quick review of our timeline so far:

Applied to the Air Force late last fall

Accepted to OTS and the DEP early in the spring(March)

Attended MEPS the first part of April (read about hubby's MEPS experience here)

Had background check completed about a month ago

Had another physical at Hill AFB last week

Why ANOTHER physical you ask? Let me explain, and by explain I mean rant! 

I would bet money that on the paperwork my hubby filled out as part of his A.F. application last fall he had to check a box on several forms that he is colorblind. That's the reason he hasn't pursued a pilot spot or a couple of other careers in the Air Force that he would have loved, they absolutely require color vision. Apparently they either overlooked that fact or my memory is totally out of whack about the paperwork. At MEPS he, of course, failed the colorblindness test. Apparently standard color vision is preferred for the job field that they had him slated to do. So, they had him drive up to the AFB and redo the entire physical and then some additional things they didn't do at MEPS. He partially failed the colorblindness test this time and now he has to apply for a waiver. They won't respond to a simple waiver request for 3 to 4 months. 

I like to be able to plan at least a little in advance and this is driving me nuts to have to wait to find out something so simple that could and should have been taken care of months ago! If this delays his date for OTS and he is able to go to another semester or two of school and get a double major we would like to know sooner rather than later so he can have enough time to register for the classes that he would need.

End of rant. Phew! I really am very excited about going into the Air Force and think it will be a good life for our family. I know that this kind of thing isn't unusual in the military but it is taking a little bit to adjust to.

Are you color blind? Take one of these color blindness tests to find out.

MEPS

This past Thursday hubby went to the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS). His experience was slightly different than it is described online for most people so I will try to relay to you what he relayed to me about how it went.

We found out last weekend that he would be going in on Thursday. What that really means is that he reports to the hotel the night before. He needed to be checked in by 6pm on Wednesday. Even though we live less than an hour from the MEPS station they asked him to stay at the hotel with all the other guys. This particular hotel handles a lot of MEPS guys and they had a lounge area set up with wifi, video game systems and games, snacks and meal vouchers. The wifi was great for my hubby so he could finish the homework he needed to get done since he missed class to pick me up from getting a root canal done and then he needed to meet with his recruiter to review the paperwork that he would be submitting the next day at MEPS. They share a room with a roommate who could be from any branch of the military.

Most of the people who go through MEPS are enlisting so they take the ASVAB test while they are there, to determine what area of the military they are suited for but since Scott is going in as an officer they don't use that. They will use AFOQT test that he took years ago in the AFROTC that measures aptitude. (you can only take it twice and the scores never expire) The AFQOT doesn't replace the ASVAB (they already know a lot more about the officer candidates by this time than they do about those enlisting) but it does give the Air Force a good glimpse of Scott's brain and how he thinks. If that doesn't all make sense, ask me and I can try to explain it better!

Hubby said that MEPS was similar to a VERY comprehensive physical. It also included a drug test, a blood test, hearing test, vision test, depth perception test and a range of motion test. The range of motion test was very specific and included things like rotating your ankles different directions, making different kinds of fists, walking like a duck, balancing on one foot, kicking front and back, standing from a squat in a fluid motion without using your hands, large and small arm circles, etc...

One thing that I thought was interesting was that their fingerprint is used extensively to help identify them and fingerprint scanners were used to sign in to different tests to ensure that they were the ones completing it. 

At the end of the day Hubby was sworn in as Air Force reserves and committed to 8 years with at least 4 years active duty. The fingerprint was also used to sign the papers at the end of the day.

For hubby it was a one day deal and he was done, some of the websites where I looked to find information about MEPS said it was a 2 day deal.

There is some waiting time between different sections but not as much as he expected. Hubby took a book but ended up chatting with people more than reading (he's way more social than I am in situations like that, plus I jump at every chance I get to read a book without little fingers covered in jam or other sticky things poking at my pages while little voices request a snack, or need help with something). He said that there are lots of magazines in each room and tv's with the news, animal planet, etc...so you definitely won't be staring at a white wall the whole time you are waiting.

Before you go I would check out the weight requirements so you don't fail that portion of the day. Hubby passed without any issues but some other guys were a little over or a little under and didn't pass.

It's a great feeling to have one more things checked off the list and now we are just waiting on a class date for next year! Wahoo!

(And of course, don't forget your ID, all forms of ID that the recruiter tells you to bring...)

And of course don't lock your keys in your car when your wife can't drive up to bring you a spare set.....