MEPS and Recruiter

[agentlank]

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?

 

[Cookie_]

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.

 

[agentlank]

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.

 

[DZ]

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.

 

[agentlank]

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.

 

[Kaldak]

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!

 

[Cookie_]

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.

 

[Devildoc]

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

 

[agentlank]

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.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

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.

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

 

[agentlank]

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

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.

 

[0699]

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.

 

[Kheenbish]

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.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

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.

 

[agentlank]

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.

 

[Brill]

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.

 

[agentlank]

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.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

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.

 

[agentlank]

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.

 

[Devildoc]

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.