A3nema
Unverified
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2014
- Messages
- 33
This may be a little lengthy but I hope it is worth the read. I am 29 years old, 30 in February, and a PJ hopeful....ya I said it ;). I worked in a night club for over ten years, starting when I turned 16 and finishing around 26. I started as a porter and ended doing the light designing for the entire club. Around the end I started school for computer programming, as I like computers and anything that builds the mind, which I continue to this day. The problem is that nothing was/is fulfilling in my life. Money means very little to me and striving to be a better person than I was the day before seems to be my only goal. I also see this life as something we only get to go through once, so the programming aspect is good; but not great.
Three years ago, this march, my brother joined the USAF. He seemed to feel the same way I did, only he was already set(in life) as far as a job/career was concerned. He expressed how much he loved the military life, where its what you do and not what you say you can do. I read the careers just to check, not even thinking I would find anything to push me in life like I want. Then I saw Pararescue and knew EXACTLY where I wanted to be. The thought of saving another person immediately caught my attention and hooked me in. The problem?? By this time I was 27 and about to turn 28......along with having NO formal swim training, and hating running. The Plus?? Ive always been a backyard type athlete, teaching myself pitching(ending at around 88mph), and surfing my whole life.
Within 4 months I taught myself a swim stroke VIA Youtube, became an efficient runner, and ended up putting up pretty decent numbers on my P.A.S.T test. Swim: 8:18 Run: 9:40 Pull: 15 Push: 70 Sit: 65. The problem Was that I would now need a waiver since the cut off Is 28yrs old and I was 3 months from 28. Me and my recruiter talked about seeing the liaison officer for the next P.A.S.T test in a week to show him my numbers and possibly get an age waiver. He said he would send my paperwork anyway and get back to me the next week, but seemed a little odd. The next week I hear nothing until Thursday night when he calls and says “we are no longer doing P.A.S.T tests for guys who aren't DEP'd in yet”; Now I can only hope my paperwork goes through. The next week, Monday came and I called but he was busy and would call back. Wednesday the other recruiter answered and said he would have to call me back, The same with Friday. I was never, to this day, contacted by him and thought that was the end.
Fast forward to a month ago when my brother comes back from Korea on leave. He tells me the AirForce has raised the age limit and gave me a look, he must have known the smile was coming. Come to find out, from the new recruiter, the old one didnt even send my paperwork in; guess he met his monthly. The recruiter was pretty stunned and outraged at the fact that this happened, but owell its the past and all I can do now is focus for whats to come. The problem?? 2 years of screw all and computer dorkism(proud of BTW) which knocked down ALL physical ability I gained. The plus?? Within a month I'm swimming a 8:30 and my body is eating/recovering like a machine. In the next week I plan on joining a local cross-fit to help make sure I'm ready to go when I leave. I know I will probably be a lot older but I don't feel that has anything to do with it. The only thing standing in my way is me. Understanding that has helped in learning things so quickly and I hopes in what I can only imagine to be the most rewarding hell a person could wish upon themselves. Sorry for the long intro but it did say “put effort into it”; thanks if you read through :).
Three years ago, this march, my brother joined the USAF. He seemed to feel the same way I did, only he was already set(in life) as far as a job/career was concerned. He expressed how much he loved the military life, where its what you do and not what you say you can do. I read the careers just to check, not even thinking I would find anything to push me in life like I want. Then I saw Pararescue and knew EXACTLY where I wanted to be. The thought of saving another person immediately caught my attention and hooked me in. The problem?? By this time I was 27 and about to turn 28......along with having NO formal swim training, and hating running. The Plus?? Ive always been a backyard type athlete, teaching myself pitching(ending at around 88mph), and surfing my whole life.
Within 4 months I taught myself a swim stroke VIA Youtube, became an efficient runner, and ended up putting up pretty decent numbers on my P.A.S.T test. Swim: 8:18 Run: 9:40 Pull: 15 Push: 70 Sit: 65. The problem Was that I would now need a waiver since the cut off Is 28yrs old and I was 3 months from 28. Me and my recruiter talked about seeing the liaison officer for the next P.A.S.T test in a week to show him my numbers and possibly get an age waiver. He said he would send my paperwork anyway and get back to me the next week, but seemed a little odd. The next week I hear nothing until Thursday night when he calls and says “we are no longer doing P.A.S.T tests for guys who aren't DEP'd in yet”; Now I can only hope my paperwork goes through. The next week, Monday came and I called but he was busy and would call back. Wednesday the other recruiter answered and said he would have to call me back, The same with Friday. I was never, to this day, contacted by him and thought that was the end.
Fast forward to a month ago when my brother comes back from Korea on leave. He tells me the AirForce has raised the age limit and gave me a look, he must have known the smile was coming. Come to find out, from the new recruiter, the old one didnt even send my paperwork in; guess he met his monthly. The recruiter was pretty stunned and outraged at the fact that this happened, but owell its the past and all I can do now is focus for whats to come. The problem?? 2 years of screw all and computer dorkism(proud of BTW) which knocked down ALL physical ability I gained. The plus?? Within a month I'm swimming a 8:30 and my body is eating/recovering like a machine. In the next week I plan on joining a local cross-fit to help make sure I'm ready to go when I leave. I know I will probably be a lot older but I don't feel that has anything to do with it. The only thing standing in my way is me. Understanding that has helped in learning things so quickly and I hopes in what I can only imagine to be the most rewarding hell a person could wish upon themselves. Sorry for the long intro but it did say “put effort into it”; thanks if you read through :).
