MEPS Over 40

[Devildoc]

I will do a detailed posting of the trials and tribulations of a prior service, 41 year old knuckle fuck going back on active duty.

One would think the fact that I am a current drilling reservist would mean something but I am being handled as if I am noob.

It sucked the first time I did it. Can't imagine doing it again.

And, yeah, all that One Army or One Navy bullshit? It's all, well, bullshit. Reserve/NG play by different rules when you go AD.

 

[Raksasa Kotor]

Well got to Atlanta MEPS at 0530 for my 0600 appointment. Long story short the ball got dropped (again) and was told that the 40 and over physicals are conducted on Wednesdays only.

I fill you in next week.

Sounds about right.

As a prior service accession the final portion of my physical, swearing-in, and ship date for training were all on the same day, so I had given my employer two weeks notice to terminate my employment on that date. My departure from the company was not well received, so there would be no going back.

While at MEPS, they ran a second credit report for some reason - second to the one run when I initially began the reenlistment process 19 months earlier and was told I was good to go.

The ranking Airperson at MEPS decided that a five year old, $200 charge-off from a cable company that no longer existed was sufficient to bar me from reenlistment. After much losing of shit and musings on arson and missing bodies, it was agreed that I would write a statement explaining the circumstances of the bad debt to be placed with my enlistment paperwork, be sworn in as scheduled and expeditiously proceed to my next appointed duty location.

 

[Downtown “Funky Stuff” Malone🍆]

I have spent the last 13 months dealing with ops and the debt to income waiver BS. I've had to pay off 3 credit cards to get my income right. I make a hell of a lot more as a civilian than I will as an E5. For some reason they would not take my wife's income into consideration.

So all I need now is my medical slap and tickle and I should ship out 20160802.

 

[Downtown “Funky Stuff” Malone🍆]

I will never go through that again!!!! Third time's the charm.
Passed everything just waiting on the extra blood work to come back.
I will give a detailed account later.

 

[Red Flag 1]

I will never go through that again!!!! Third time's the charm.
Passed everything just waiting on the extra blood work to come back.
I will give a detailed account later.

Congratulations, blood work pending.

Thanks for keeping us in the loop. The question will come up again, and this thread will be a great reference thread.

 

[Downtown “Funky Stuff” Malone🍆]

MEPS over 40 was not that bad aside from being the oldest guy there. Was inundated with questions from the youngsters about this that and the other. Simply emphasized military bearing and make a copy of every piece of paper you are ever given.

For those that want to walk my path here is my experience:

• If you are prior service and want to go back active duty be prepared for an unnecessarily long process. As of this posting I am going on 14 months.
• If you are a reservist, pray your command does not fuck around with your 368. I won't go into detail here so if there are any question IM me.
• Get your finical house in order as it will be scrutinized. Make sure your current debt to income is in harmony with the pay grade you will be reenlisting at or you won't get past OPS.

MEPS was fairly SOP for us old cats. I had to give and extra cup of urine, an extra vial of blood and do an ECG. The anal probe is reserved for those over 50. My blood pressure was good on the first reading but they still did it two additional times throughout the process. The Underwear Olympics are still a game you will have to play so limber up. At the end of the day your medical will remain open until the extra blood work is complete. They are checking for cholesterol, lipids, flipids and other geriatric shit so you will have to fast for at least 12 hours before your date.

All in all the staff was really respectful and I received many comments like "we need more guys like you coming in" as these kids attempting to enter the military today are grabasstik, undisciplined and completely disrespectful.


That's all I have at the moment but if anyone has questions on something I did not cover please ask. It may jog the memory as I am old...

V/R,
MichaelC

 

[Downtown “Funky Stuff” Malone🍆]

Just got word and I am good to go. All clear medically!!

Recruiter working on my prior service package. Anyone have any info in what that entails??

 

[Downtown “Funky Stuff” Malone🍆]

I guess I will keep adding information as I process through although it really no longer pertains to MEPS. If I should start this in a separate thread MODS please let me know.

The prior service package is a waiver process. All prior service will have to get this waiver to go back on active duty.
They will want your latest performance evaluations if you are a reservist or your last if you have been out for a while. You will also have to write letter explaining why you want back in, why you decided to get out, what you did while you were in and what makes you a good candidate for reenlistment. A letter of recommendation from your commanding office is also needed along with a signed and initialed form 3010 which your recruiter will get to you. Other than that your recruiter will have everything else required.

Expect the "package" to get kick back at least once for some stupid shit. I am told once the waiver is approved the job will be booked and a ship date scheduled. I will let you all know what happens as my "package" is going up the chain for the second time.

 

[Downtown “Funky Stuff” Malone🍆]

Update:
Package got kicked back again.
They will want a copy of your retirement points broken down by year.
Be sure that your personnel office states on the 368 that you have no disciplinary actions pending.

Third time is the charm...

 

[Red Flag 1]

Update:
Package got kicked back again.
They will want a copy of your retirement points broken down by year.
Be sure that your personnel office states on the 368 that you have no disciplinary actions pending.

Third time is the charm...

Please, keep the updates coming. They are not going without notice, and your experience will a road map for others.

Thanks!

 

[Downtown “Funky Stuff” Malone🍆]

Please, keep the updates coming. They are not going without notice, and your experience will a road map for others.

Thanks!

My Ops officer wants me to write up a step by step for others to follow. It would of course be unofficial but if I do I will post it here.

 

[Red Flag 1]

My Ops officer wants me to write up a step by step for others to follow. It would of course be unofficial but if I do I will post it here.

Please do!!

Once you've gotten over the final hurdle, we'll staff talk and make a call on where and how to frame this thread.

 

[Downtown “Funky Stuff” Malone🍆]

Make sure your security clearance is where it needs to be for the job you are applying for. Package made it all the way to the end for the geospatial intelligence gig and got denied due to me only having a secret clearance. An interim TS is supposedly not acceptable for prior service. I asked to see the reg and have yet to get a response.

 

[Brill]

Make sure your security clearance is where it needs to be for the job you are applying for. Package made it all the way to the end for the geospatial intelligence gig and got denied due to me only having a secret clearance. An interim TS is supposedly not acceptable for prior service. I asked to see the reg and have yet to get a response.

????

You cannot be a GIS specialist because you don't have a TS but you will not get a TS because you're not a 1N whatever?

You're recruiter or MEPS liaison is a fucking idiot.

He's trying to tell you that because you haven't had a SSBI within the last 5 years, you're ineligible to train to intel? I'd ask the "rocket surgeon" what the school house does with IETers who don't have an adjudicated TS. (They're placed on hold until they at least get an interim, which is granted based on an investigation and not related at all to enlisted or commissioning status.)

 

[Downtown “Funky Stuff” Malone🍆]

The call was made at the group level. I asked what they do with kids off the street that want that AFSC and got the shrugged shoulders, palms out response.

This entire evolution has been a cluster fuck. You would think it would be easy for a reservist to get back on active duty.

Job list came out last Wednesday and package was rerouted up Sunday. Should have final approval in a few weeks. Took an F-16 Crew Chief opening. Seems like a good gig.

 

[Downtown “Funky Stuff” Malone🍆]

Well fuck me running...

Got word from my recruiter last night that my package was approved at the group level. Only took 18 months.
I will update the final death throws of this process as they happen.

 

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[Downtown “Funky Stuff” Malone🍆]

This has been my experience being an Air Force Reservist trying to get back on active duty. I am writing this to help those that want to follow in my footsteps and avoid the mistakes I made. Understand that this is my experience with the Air Force and I cannot attest to what goes on with anyother branch. This is not specific DoD or a department policy. I will say that I did try with going back AD with the Army and the process was identical. The only difference was the Army’s prior service business rules. So if you are going into another branch please speak to that branch’s recruiter.

Be prepared for a long process, an unnecessarily long process. Be prepared to be in limbo, to have your family, friends, job, and current command in limbo. Be ready to be jerked around and be ready to take whatever job is offered. As prior service, if you are not a direct duty accession (meaning you are already in an AFSC that has an open billet) your job offers will be that of the needs of the Air Force.

All that being said this is Michael C’s “Adventures Going Back Active Duty Air Force”:

· First do a family assessment. Make sure all are on board with your decision to go back on active duty. Get your finical house in order as it will be scrutinized. Check all three credit reports and make sure everything is in good standing and correct any mistakes. Be prepared to lose a stripe, maybe two and adjust your lifestyle accordingly.

· Get with you supervisor, Ops Officer and your commander and let them know your intentions. This may seem out of sequence but trust me, if they are not in your corner you will get nowhere.

· Find a recruiter. Better yet shop for a recruiter. Find one that has experience with prior service accession. If you cannot find one in your location that has the experience just find one that seems competent and eager. This will help you maintain your sanity, trust me. Mine was an hour south and well worth it.

· Once you decide on a recruiter he will get you your first and most important piece of paperwork… the dreaded DD Form 368. Nothing can start until you have an approved 368. Have it be good for a year from the date of approval, I cannot stress this enough. Expect this process to take a year or more. When I went to MEPS (I’ll address that later) the AF liaison said his last prior service took over two years. As far as I found there is nothing in the regulation that states that this form cannot have an expiration date greater that 90 days which is the BS I was fed. Also, this is supposed to be a unit level form which of course, is subject to command policy. 30 DAYS!!! They have 30 fucking days to get it back to your recruiter! I had one sit at FSS for 4 months. So if your support squadron is one that likes to not do their job, be prepared to piss people off.

· Once your 368 is approved and your recruiter has your package together then comes the hard part…. you wait, and wait, and wait and fucking wait. Understand that as prior service we are not priority. So stand by to stand the fuck by.

· Expect things to get kicked back for one reason or another, an "I" not dotted or a "T" not crossed. Some stupid shit that’s going to slow the process and make you want to stab somebody. It’s ok, it’s all part of the process. Even the best recruiter, guy at the squadron or someone at the group level makes mistakes. My package made is all the way to the end and they decided I needed a TS clearance to get the job. If your package gets kicked back it goes ALL THE WAY BACK! Suck it up and carry on, nothing worth having is easy.

· So your package is back from the squadron level and you’re ready for the next step, MEPS. Now I have received conflicting information regarding whether or not a drilling reservist with a current physical should have to go to MEPS. I did, for the 3rd time. I would suggest you discuss this with your recruiter but be prepared to go do it ALL OVER AGAIN. So if you are not already in shape get there. You will have plenty of time while your package is getting kicked around the first 6 months or so.

· MEPS is just what you remember. Age has some extra benefits but be advised, the shit push that Freefalling suggested might happen at the beginning of this thread is reserved for the 50 and over crowd. If you are over 40 it’s an ECG, extra blood panel and an extra cup of piss. Once you get through MEPS and all is good your med package will remain open at MEPS until all the extra lab work is done. For you younger cats MEPS is as usual.

· Now you are med cleared and everything is good to go. Hopefully your 368 is still good, if not get another one. Your recruiter will get your med package back from MEPS, add it to your initial package, you will select a job if the list is out and send everything back up the chain. Stand by.

After final approval from the group your package will go back to the recruiter and you should be scheduled a ship date either to your duty station if you are a direct hire or to tech school if you are retraining into a new AFSC.

That’s pretty much how it is going for me. As of the date of me posting this I am waiting on a school date for Tactical Aircraft Maintenance, specifically F16 Crew Chief.

It will get discouraging, you will have second thoughts, and you will wonder if the planets are aligned against you… they are not. If you really want it just stay the course, do not waiver and do not quit.

V/r,

SSgt. MichaelC (Soon to be USAF Active Duty)


Note: I am sure I may have missed somethings so asking questions my jog the memory.

Mods: If this seems like incoherent babble please delete.

 

[Red Flag 1]

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[AWP]

Post.

Strong work. Thank you for taking the time to type all of that. Maybe it will help a member or two.

Good luck!