# MEPS and Recruiter



## agentlank (Feb 6, 2019)

Just got off the phone with my recruiter (one day away from going to MEPS to sign my contract) and he tells me that MEPS says I'm too old for 18x/Rep63 contract with the National Guard.  I kindly inform him that the age is 35 and MEPS doesn't know what they are talking about.  I send him links to 19th Special Forces Group (A) in UTAH | Current Recruiting Information and other resources that clearly state the age is 35.  

My recruiter tells me that I will just need to enlist as an 11B and that upon return I'll get a shot at SFAS.  I know that isn't the case, but I'm a little irritated that my recruiter doesn't know this, or that he is just trying to fill a 11b slot for another NG unit.

Either way if the pipeline isn't in my contract I'm not signing it.  Am I wrong in this assessment?


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## Cookie_ (Feb 6, 2019)

Have you tried contacting a recruiter with 19th group? That may be your best bet.

@DeadZeppelin is the only board member I can think of who has been through the process. He'll probably have more pertinent info.


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## agentlank (Feb 6, 2019)

I was working with the 20th group,  and I have since called their SORD guys, he said that MEPS doesn't know WTF they are talking about.  He said he should have the problem resolved in the morning, but said the contract should include 11b, airborne, SFPC, SFAS, if it doesn't then there is a problem.

I don't want to waste my time or anyone else's, so I wonder if I should tell my recruiter that if it doesn't include that information then I'm not signing.


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## DZ (Feb 6, 2019)

Good on you for contacting 20th Group. Don't get fed a load of crap, and don't sign anything that doesn't have what you want in writing.

Good luck.


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## agentlank (Feb 8, 2019)

UPDATE:  After stressing to my recruiter that I wanted the "pipeline" in my contract he finally did his due diligence and spoke with the 20th group.  They provided him a LOA (Letter of Acceptance for me supplying a UIC, PARA/LN, and MOS 18E,.  Recruiter stated that I'll have all of these things in my contract.  I had attended a one day SFRE in the fall where they gave me a PT test, and we did an unknown distance ruck with 50 pounds dry and a rifle.  I was the only non-prior service person there, and I would estimate it was about 10ish miles.

With that said I'm planning to go up next Thursday to MEPS to swear in and get my contract.

I realize that nothing but the opportunity is guaranteed, so in the meantime before shipping I'm going to work diligently on my core strength and upper body strength.


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## Kaldak (Feb 8, 2019)

agentlank said:


> UPDATE:  After stressing to my recruiter that I wanted the "pipeline" in my contract he finally did his due diligence and spoke with the 20th group.  They provided him a LOA (Letter of Acceptance for me supplying a UIC, PARA/LN, and MOS 18E,.  Recruiter stated that I'll have all of these things in my contract.  I had attended a one day SFRE in the fall where they gave me a PT test, and we did an unknown distance ruck with 50 pounds dry and a rifle.  I was the only non-prior service person there, and I would estimate it was about 10ish miles.
> 
> With that said I'm planning to go up next Thursday to MEPS to swear in and get my contract.
> 
> I realize that nothing but the opportunity is guaranteed, so in the meantime before shipping I'm going to work diligently on my core strength and upper body strength.



Thanks for sharing and best of luck! Don't quit!


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## Cookie_ (Feb 8, 2019)

agentlank said:


> UPDATE:  After stressing to my recruiter that I wanted the "pipeline" in my contract *he finally did his due diligence* and spoke with the 20th group.  They provided him a LOA (Letter of Acceptance for me supplying a UIC, PARA/LN, and MOS 18E,.  Recruiter stated that I'll have all of these things in my contract.  I had attended a one day SFRE in the fall where they gave me a PT test, and we did an unknown distance ruck with 50 pounds dry and a rifle.  I was the only non-prior service person there, and I would estimate it was about 10ish miles.
> 
> With that said I'm planning to go up next Thursday to MEPS to swear in and get my contract.
> 
> I realize that nothing but the opportunity is guaranteed, so in the meantime before shipping I'm going to work diligently on my core strength and upper body strength.



Hell, good on you for doing your own due diligence and reaching out to 20th; that probably was the biggest factor in getting the contract you wanted. Good luck on your journey ahead man.


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## Devildoc (Feb 8, 2019)

Refreshing to read this kind of thread where the OP does all his homework on the front end and has a clue.


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## agentlank (Feb 14, 2019)

Update:
BLUF: went to MEPS, passed everything, but didn't sign contract due to ship date issues.

I went to MEPS today, everything went well, docs and staff were all very pleasant to work with. Actually met a retired 18D who was taking the blood and urine samples.

All was going well up until I sat down with the liason office.  I told them I want to ship in the Aug-sept timeframe. We had to do some memo request asking permission.  That was granted after an hour of sitting there. Then when we go to look at class dates the only thing available is Oct4. Well that's fine EXCEPT it is the new longer OSUT and the class was 24 weeks, total of 27 weeks, 4 days with Airborne.  I said that won't work.l and they told me no classes were available in August or September.

Recruiter got pissed at me cause he said what's a "few" more weeks,?  I said it's 2.5 months that I will unnecessarily have to be away from family, so it's a big deal, especially when I'm already going to be gone alot.  You could tell he was pissed.  Also what a way to spend Valentine's day, "hey honey I finally signed a contract today, that you weren't ever super excited about, and oh by the way I went ahead and added on 10 more weeks of training that you didn't know about. "

So they asked if I could go earlier. And I explained that I'm a civil servant within my first year of employment. I am on a "probationary period" and they can fire me at anytime without cause.  I told them I have mandatory training that must be completed before I ship and at this time I'm not registered to be done before August.  Again he didn't like that. But it's not like I'm working at McDonald's or some shit, I work for a 3 letter agency that does some pretty important work for national security. I told them I would work with my boss to get me moved up in priority for the training I need and if I can do that then I will ship in July.  Recruiter still pissed.

I tip my cap to the civil servant that went out of his way to help me in the liason office, he had my best interest in mind, I wish I could say the same for the recruiter.


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## Ooh-Rah (Feb 14, 2019)

agentlank said:


> Recruiter got pissed at me cause he said what's a "few" more weeks,? I said it's 2.5 months that I will unnecessarily have to be away from family, so it's a big deal, especially when I'm already going to be gone alot. You could tell he was pissed. Also what a way to spend Valentine's day,* "hey honey I finally signed a contract today, that you weren't ever super excited about, and oh by the way I went ahead and added on 10 more weeks of training that you didn't know about. "*



A:  If I was your recruiter I'd be pissed too.

B:  If you are already complaining about time away from home, you may want to reevaluate whether this is the right choice for you.

C:  What I bolded above makes me think you may want reevaluate whether this is the right choice for your marriage.



agentlank said:


> But it's not like I'm working at McDonald's or some shit, I work for a 3 letter agency that does some pretty important work for national security


Are fucking serious with that shit?   You asked them, they didn't ask you.  Nobody, especially your recruiter cares about how this is affecting your government job.

To add - Have you ever worked at McDonald's?  One of the best training and leadership schools in the country.  To compare your agency job as more important that someone who is putting in 50-60 hours a week in a salary manager position just to take care of his family, is really really douchey.  I take a lot of pride in the fact that graduated with honors from Hamburger University's two week course, and a regular member here recently graduated from the course and that will lead to a multi-unit job in the quick service industry that pays a minimum of $85k per year.

McDonald's Hamburger University can be harder to get into than Harvard and is even cooler than you'd imagine


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## agentlank (Feb 14, 2019)

I didn't mean any disrespect by the McDonald's comment, I have worked in fast food albeit not McDonald's.

My comment about my wife is not about dissatisfaction. She is supportive, but if the decision was 100% here, then she'd rather I stay home. What wife wouldn't?

I'm not complaining about time, I'm stating the obvious, why not do a 14 week OSUT vs 24....doesn't take a genius to figure that out.

F





agentlank said:


> I didn't mean any disrespect by the McDonald's comment, I have worked in fast food albeit not McDonald's.
> 
> My comment about my wife is not about dissatisfaction. She is supportive, but if the decision was 100% here, then she'd rather I stay home. What wife wouldn't?
> 
> I'm not complaining about time, I'm stating the obvious, why not do a 14 week OSUT vs 24....doesn't take a genius to figure that out.


Furthermore it was the liason that made the McDonald's joke....it was just that a joke.


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## 0699 (Feb 14, 2019)

Ooh-Rah said:


> Are fucking serious with that shit?   You asked them, they didn't ask you.  Nobody, especially your recruiter cares about how this is affecting your government job.


Damn dude.  Chill out.  It's a joke.


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## Kheenbish (Feb 14, 2019)

Ooh-Rah said:


> To add - Have you ever worked at McDonald's?  One of the best training and leadership schools in the country.  To compare your agency job as more important that someone who is putting in 50-60 hours a week in a salary manager position just to take care of his family, is really really douchey.  I take a lot of pride in the fact that graduated with honors from Hamburger University's two week course, and a regular member here recently graduated from the course and that will lead to a multi-unit job in the quick service industry that pays a minimum of $85k per year.
> 
> McDonald's Hamburger University can be harder to get into than Harvard and is even cooler than you'd imagine



I try not to put my 2cents into threads I'm not directly answering the OP,  but I would definitely say an agency or any government job or job that requires more skill is more important than a fast food restaurant. If all the McDonald's shut down the country wouldn't be in danger or have a serious effect outside of unemployment issues. This seemed like quite the overreaction.


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## Ooh-Rah (Feb 14, 2019)

I’d concur. We all have our moments of triggered rants; I just reread my post and I’d say that one will last me for a while.

My very sincere apologies to @agentlank , you were not deserving of that and I genuinely hope your future career works out for the best.


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## agentlank (Feb 14, 2019)

Ooh-Rah said:


> I’d concur. We all have our moments of triggered rants; I just reread my post and I’d say that one will last me for a while.
> 
> My very sincere apologies to @agentlank , you were not deserving of that and I genuinely hope your future career works out for the best.


Thanks @Ooh-Rah, I appreciate the apology. I too could have been more thoughtful in my original post, fresh off the disappointment of not signing, I was hasty in my post.

Sometimes I try to be witty/humorous and it doesn't always translate in a digital setting.


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## Brill (Feb 15, 2019)

Even as an Guard 18-series supporter, a 2.5 month period away from home was very normal. I can only imagine what @DeadZeppelin ’s OPTEMPO is like.


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## agentlank (Feb 15, 2019)

I think a lot of folks are missing the point.  The point is this, when recruiters tell me, "it will be this and that is no problem" and then none of that was the case it doesn't sit well with me. Both SORD and my recruiter said it will be no problem at all to delay ship date to the August-Sept time frame.  Then when I get there ready to sign all of a sudden it becomes a problem.

They said there wasn't anything available from August all the way to Oct.  October being the first available.

I fully understand once I'm in I can be called up at anytime for training, missions, deployments, etc.  But if on the front end I still have some say/control of the situation and I CAN choose a 14 week OSUT rather than 24, why wouldn't I do that. Especially when there has been ZERO mention of 24 week OSUT from my recruiter or anyone else until they printed the reservation.

Recruiters are notorious for not disclosing information, lying, telling others to lie, the list goes on, so when 10 extra weeks is sprung on me at the last minute it doesn't sit well with me. Someone, somewhere in the recruiting pipeline needs to be aware that OSUT is 10 extra weeks and they were all oblivious to that fact.

Some might be able to relate some may not, but I'm a husband and father before all else.  Every decision I make that could impact them I need to evaluate.  At this time I'm still in the driver's seat, so I'm trying to control what I can while I can, because I know that won't always be the case.

In the grand scheme of things is 10 weeks alot, no, but it was amplified by my recruiters tactics and lies.

I appreciate the insight and the comments from those that have and are serving.  I meant no disrespect to anyone or any occupation in all if this, just trying to make the best decision with all of the information I have.


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## Ooh-Rah (Feb 15, 2019)

agentlank said:


> Some might be able to relate some may not, but I'm a husband and father before all else. Every decision I make that could impact them I need to evaluate. At this time I'm still in the driver's seat, so I'm trying to control what I can while I can, because I know that won't always be the case.


And this is what I was trying to get at earlier (Although poorly).  You are battling two wants:

Your want of serving vs. your want of being there for your family.  You are now at an age for these to be very serious considerations; I think this is why the military is initially a young man’s game.

If you are saying “no” to the opportunity because of the time commitment; specifically your wife’s reaction to that commitment, I really believe you  should reconsider whether this whole deal is right for you.

As someone who chose work over family many years ago, I now wish I had chosen family.

To add - sometimes recruiters are not lying.


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## agentlank (Feb 15, 2019)

I understand what you are saying, thank you for taking the time to offer guidance. I will discuss with family and move forward with a decision.


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## Devildoc (Feb 15, 2019)

I agree with @Ooh-Rah re: last post.  On the one hand, you are not getting what you were originally 'promised', and I understand the frustration.  On the other hand, this is the first time out of many times you will hear 'needs of the service' (maybe not in those words, but that's what it is), and at the end of the day, it is what is offered.  They promise you nothing.

Please heed @Ooh-Rah advice re: family.  The hoo-ahs who wear the silly green hat can tell you with more specificity what it can do to your family life; I will say I got out of the Navy at 16 years because of what it was doing, and going to do, to my family. Sometimes I regret it, but usually not because I see the amazing relationships I have with my wife and kids.

It ain't just a weekend a month/2 weeks a year, it is a 24/7/365 commitment.....

Best of luck, and I hope you get what you want.


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## x SF med (Feb 15, 2019)

@agentlank …  SF is a high optempo branch, your training needs are different from Big Green, and will not just fall into one weekend a month and 2 weeks in the summer, you do realize that after OSUT, BAC and passing SFAS/getting selected, you have a minimum of a year/year and a galf away from your family right there...  are you going to turn down schools because you'll be away, be non-deployable because you've got family issues, the list goes on …  are you going to place your civilian government job above your team?

It sounds like SF is not for you, sorry but that's the hard truth.  Find another Guard job that will more easily fit your wants and needs at home and in your civilian career, don't let your ego get my brothers killed.  This is all said as a former SF soldier with more than one SF MOS, the mod hat went away long ago in this thread.


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## Gunz (Feb 15, 2019)

Ooh-Rah said:


> *Your want of serving again* vs. your want of being there for your family.



He says he's not prior service.

OP: At 35, this is your first shot at joining the military in any capacity. And you want to be a Green Beret. You have a wife, kids and a job. Examine yourself and your motivations with honesty. Could some selfishness play a part here? The desire to be a trigger-pulling door-kicking cool guy with coveted headgear? Or at least look like one? You have to ask yourself that because once you have children, as you know, they must come first in any decision. Without rationalizing, what is your true motivation?

Heed the advice of @x SF med .


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## medicchick (Feb 15, 2019)

agentlank said:


> I think a lot of folks are missing the point.  The point is this, when recruiters tell me, "it will be this and that is no problem" and then none of that was the case it doesn't sit well with me. Both SORD and *my recruiter said it will be no problem at all to delay ship date to the August-Sept time frame.  Then when I get there ready to sign all of a sudden it becomes a problem.*
> 
> They said there wasn't anything available from August all the way to Oct.  October being the first available.
> 
> ...



People are signing up everyday and what was available may be taken. This is not a lie on your recruiters part, that is why they say the quicker you can get to MEPS the better.  Sept is the end of the fisical year and there are always more jobs slots open in October.  This was true in 2003 when I was going to enlist and it's true today. It's the reason I didn't have paperwork yet when I met my husband, the slot I wanted wasn't open yet.


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## Cannon850 (Feb 15, 2019)

SF will definitely have a considerable impact on family time. Your family will be able to PCS to Bragg with you during the Q-course, but you can count on being away training in Camp Mackall for large chunks of that time. Although most of your MOS phase, and the entire 6 months of Language training will take place on Bragg so you'll be home for that which is nice. I was active duty so its probably a bit different, but you can count on multiple deployments or JCETS each year, and in between those you will have advanced schooling that will require you to be away from home from anywhere to a few days to a couple months. Total I would estimate that I was gone anywhere from 6-9 months out of the year, every year. Again I was active duty and have no experience with the guard, but if you want to make the most out of your career you should try for as many schools and deployments as you can get.

My wife biggest hurdle was that she's a HUGE planner. She loves to have every detail planned and accounted for, and unfortunately in this line of work you really can't make big plans months in advance. Schedules change quickly and multiple times. Trying to plan anything farther than 3 months out is nearly impossible, hell even 3 months can be a stretch.

Best of luck in your choice


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## bb08 (Mar 22, 2019)

I know this thread hasn't been active for a month but just wanted to add that I spoke with the 19th in Utah and they told me they don't send REP 63 to OSUT anymore because they don't have infantry in the group so they don't know what to do with those who don't make it through selection or Q course so they have to reclassify them. So the route at least for the 19th is basic and then AIT instead of OSUT. That gives a little more flexibility of not having to worry about the OSUT extension. However, I don't know if the 20th is doing the same.


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## Ball N' Chain (Mar 22, 2019)

I am not sure why folks would be upset to have an extended OSUT. If I could go back through, I would happily choose the 22 week program, and that is with me having a wife and daughter. More training is not a bad thing. If the system is implemented the way it is intended to be, privates coming out of OSUT are going to be far more squared away. Drivers training, more combative training, better medical training, the list goes on.... 

A couple months after you graduate OSUT, you are not going to be thinking about the extra time you spent there, but you will be better trained and not have to worry about taking time out of training with your unit to complete the extra training you're now going to be getting in OSUT.


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## LimaPanther (Mar 22, 2019)

Many going into special operations units have no idea of their time away from family. I got married 2 weeks before getting out of the Corps (Recon Marine). Went to the Army and the first 6 years we were married we saw each other roughly 2 years total. I wasn't home when my 3 children were born. When with the 10th Grp in Germany, during my Nam tours, we figured I was gone 7 months of the year. Divorce rates are high because when we are young and dumb we have a tendency to put work before family. I can say that my wife stuck with me and we will soon celebrate our 55th anniversary.


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