After my son expressed an interest in the Navy, we planned a trip to the local Recruitment Office. We called first and set up a time to visit the following day. We sat and chatted for a few minutes asking general questions about a possible career, and about life in general as a member of the US Navy. --Then the Recruiter started asking my son a series of questions to gauge his interest and seriousness as a candidate.
He asked about his academic record, sports activities, achievements, and interests, and most importantly --"Why do you want to join the Navy?" From there, he asked my son if he would take a short-- 30 minute pre-test on the computer, just to see if he was suited and prepared for the military. I think Tyler scored around 85 on this pre-test, and based on these results and our conversation the Recruiter suggested that my son write the ASVAB.
Since he was still in school, and then because of one small scheduling glitch-- as well as wanting a little time to work through an ASVAB Test Preparation book, it was a couple of weeks before the trip to MEPS to write the test.
--One kind of funny story...
Before we got a solid date to go down and write the test, I stopped by the Recruitment Office with him to ask a few more questions, but it was closed (early afternoon) because of one reason or another. We walked back to the car and I sent Tyler running back to the Marines Office next door to ask if the ASVAB Test was only offered on certain days at certain times (we had no clue) but when he stepped inside (he says) he got yelled at...
"Do you have an appointment???"
"ummm... no... I was just wanting to ask a question."
"Well, you have to have an appointment. What was your question?
"ummmm... Do you know when the Navy Recruiter will be back?"
"Do we look like babysitters?"
---My son came back to the car with this story and a big grin... I asked-- "So, what did you find out?"
He said--- "I found out I want to join the Navy, and not the Marines."
Ha ha. True Story.
Replies
The days go by.... and nothing seems to happen. I know the Navy is a big machine, but is it a well-oiled machine? My son still has not received his clearance to attempt the PST on Monday-- we are hoping to hear tomorrow or Friday. Today he stopped by just to check status, and he was given another stack of papers to fill out-- Security Clearance Info, as well as standard drug screening questions. It seems like he's had to fill out some of the same forms more than once.
The Recruiter says everything is taking longer these days because of a high volume of recruit candidates. I wondered if this is unusual-- he's filled out forms 4 times now, been to MEPs twice, and still hasn't been cleared for the PST-- he did his physical over two weeks ago.
This is interesting, and hopefully helpful to others down the road. It's one of those things we never really anticipated or thought about until it happened. In preparation for the physical exam- which we have scheduled for early Monday morning, the Recruiter noticed that my son still has braces on his teeth. He had major work done and while the goal was always to have everything completed by his high school graduation when we began more than two years ago, he still has a little work to be done before he is finished.
The Recruiter told him that he would need a letter from his Orthodontist stating when the braces would be coming off--- to ensure that they are off before he goes to Boot Camp. The current plan is to get them off in September or October, which should have been fine as the earliest mentioned date for BC is October. So no problem, right?
If this was the end of the story, it would be no problem. We'd heard conflicting info here about whether or not braces were permitted in Boot Camp , and also whether or not the Recruits were permitted to have Retainers on their teeth (to preserve all that hard work that's been done by the braces). --After talking about it with the Recruiter, the best info we have is that braces are NOT permitted, and neither is a retainer, except where medically required, and then only if they are not visible.
What this means is that IF you need braces or a retainer, you can have them, provided they are not visible. Basically, if you have a note from the Orthodontist saying you need them, AND if you have the kind that are attached behind your teeth and that have no wires or brackets (such as those Invisalign offerings) then you might be permitted to keep them on. Same goes for the retainer-- it can't be something that is visible. I guess they don't want anything that sets one person apart in any way from another, and of course, they don't want anything that is going to cause a problem during exercise or physical activities surrounding the training.
We'll know more Monday about all of this-- after his physical. He has to be at the Recruiter's Office at 0430 on Monday for the trip down to MEPS. He was given a long list of what to do and what not to do, before and during the physical, and also told to expect to spend the entire day having all this done.
It was completely unanticipated, but it's something as simple as dental work that will likely delay his entry into the Navy.