How long did your enlistment process take?

[oktavist]

I've signed up for the army. Want to get into 35 sierra MOS. Been to the recruiter. Been to MEPS and tested really high on the ASVAB.

Wanted to enlist sooner but I broke my leg really bad and have a bunch of metal in it now. Took 3 surgeries to fix and I couldn't walk for about a year.

Now it's fully healed and I can run over 5 miles in a single stretch. I'm waiting on a medical waiver approval.... I know most people don't need a medical waiver, but I'm still curios about how long the whole process takes. Recruiter just says, "I'm checking daily. It could be anytime."

I first went to the recruiter back in may... most of the time was just on me. Trying to get medical/driving records, birth certificate, letter from doctor, etc all while working.. I'm jealous of all the 18 year olds that can have their parents do all the paperwork and don't have to work at the same time...

Only been 3 months so far, but it feels like it's taking forever....

[2761377]

FYI- my 18 year old son successfully completed his enlistment process into the National Guard with zero help from me. his mother provided his birth certificate and hers, that was all.

his recruiter did everything else- drove him to get school records, bank account and even to the orthodontist to remove his retainer.

there must be a reason your recruiter didn't help you. you say you've been to MEPS? did you take the physical? my google-fu tells me if you weren't allowed to take the medical evaluation at MEPS, there is little chance for a medical waiver. http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joini...icalwaiver.htm

" Sometimes the doctor doing the review will determine you have a medical condition which is obviously disqualifying with little or no chance of a waiver. In such cases, MEPS may disqualify you on the spot, and refuse to do the medical examination at all. If this happens, you're pretty much dead in the water."

to answer your question, somewhat more directly, my son, mos 13D signed his contract in Feb 2015 and reported to MEPS for induction processing 4 Aug 2015.

[Unit74]

Bro, you are coming in as a liability. Hope you make it, but doubt they will waive you. Maybe the ANG takes sick bay commandos, but the regular branches would give you a pass for sure.

[oktavist]

2761377 I should apologize for the comment about 18 year olds... I don't know so I shouldn't talk. This has been a very eye opening experience. I come from a quaker family living in a town full of hippies (I'm the black sheep) so I don't know anyone I can really ask about this stuff. I thought it would be a more clear cut process. I never expected to spend so much time and money on it... Thanks for giving me a rough time frame.

Unit74 I can understand how people would think I might be a liability, but anyone that sees me knows I'm not. And it's not like I'm trying to get into jump school. 35s is Signals Intelligence. I read a thread on this forum about a guy who passed sniper school with one leg. I'm fully healed, full strength, no pain, and two legs. You may be right, but I'm not the type of guy to give up...

[Bobby Ricigliano]

From the time I first walked into the Army Reserve recruiter's office until the morning he dropped me off at the airport to fly to South Carolina was less than one month.

I specifically asked to be fast tracked because I didn't want to be able to back out or change my mind. I also wanted to go in the fall when it wouldn't be really hot.

[tnlrat37]

I was DEP so it took me almost a year, but I had several friends sign and ship out within a month. Your med waiver is gonna be a long process, it's alot of risk for them to take u and they're still downsizing, be sure u have a backup plan, good luck hope u get in.

[DysfunctionalVet]

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[rero360]

enlisted when I was 17, spent one day at MEPS, have the recruiter over to the house for the parents to sign paperwork about a month prior, was delayed entry so I didn't leave for Basic for a while, but even with a bad back it didn't take any longer than normal.

[Snoopy47]

I needed a waiver because of LASIK surgery, it took three months to jump through those hoops.

[BoJackUSMC]

When I joined the service, it was when we invaded Iraq so less than 2 months total.... bootcamp, SOI, and Iraq straight..

[Slack Jaw]

I was in boot when 9/11 happneed but I remember it only took me 2 months from asvab to boot. Not sure why I commented, doesn't help you one bit though...gl.

[ducky_0811]

What's going on is your recruiter isn't spending any more time than he needs to on a project. From your prospective you joining is important, from his, it'll happen but not for a while and it takes A LOT of work on his end. So yes, he makes you go an do all the leg work (it's you that's wants to join right?). As far as the waiver process, to the guy who used his google-fu, sorry man but Google has failed you.

A med waiver is the result of two things. Either an applicant floors at mmeps and is disqualified, and sent to waiver authority.

Or, the applicant has a pre existing medical condition which is already known to be disqualifying and sent to waiver authority.
In the later case, the paper work iis initiated and sent to whichever waiver authority is needed, reviewed, and if the doctors say he will be qualified after completing the physical, the doctors send a letter clearing the applicant to floor at meps. After completing the physical the waiver is then resubmitted for final approval. The purpose for this is to see if there are any other physical conditions that need to be addressed.

You may ask, we'll why not do the physical first then? Bc that costs money and takes up a processing spot from someone who has no medical issues and can join immediately. They need to make sure the condition is able to be waived first before spending money on the applicant.

This process often does take months. If it's any consulation, I had an applicant in my office have a waiver approved for having a metal plate in his face reconstructing his left orbital bone.

Good luck to you.

[oktavist]

Thanks everyone for your responses.

Me: "I'll just go run laps around the meps building until they let me in."
Recruiter: "LOL!"

[BoJackUSMC]

Honestly go tell your recruiter you are thinking about joining the navy because they told me they will get me in less than 3 months... i bet your recruiter will get you in fast.

[ducky_0811]

Lol, if one of my applicants told me that I'd chuckle and say go right ahead, you obviously don't possess the dedication or loyalty to this branch of service we're looking for here in the Marines. If he left, I'd be happy to have gotten rid of pompous applicant who was eating up a ton of my time. If he stayed, at least I knew I wouldn't have any problems with him in the future.