Well I finally received my "Congrats, Successful Reservation Letter" this week. Looks like I ship out on Jul 30 for a "tentative" start time of 8-8-8! I know one other guy in my unit is going along with me. Anyone else with this start time?
So much for my almost a year to get in super shape plan that I had. I was surprised when I learned that they opened WTC classes for this year as last I read on this forum they were closed until 09.
For prep I've been doing push ups and sit ups and going for ruck marches in battle rattle and a 50# ruck with my Brother. We kick off from an American Legion hall so we get some positive feedback from the Vietnam era guys. We do 4 miles in an hour and have bumped it up to 6 miles this week.
I'm looking forward to the training at WTC. Last time I trained with the Army was 9 years and change ago when I was an Air Force Security Forces guy. We had to do 5 weeks at Ft. Dix to learn ground combat skills. That was so much fun here I am back in the Army. Just took me awhile to get the bad taste of the Air Force out of my mouth.
I am due to ship out of Boise ID on Jul 29th. I haven't gotten any letter, just orders. I thought the training would start right away. I have read a lot online about it. Main thing I get is to be ready to hit the ground running!
According to everything I have onhand, I report on the 30th to Ft Sill for 4 days of Reception...barber, medical,dental, clothing issue ect. On those day it's up at 0430 and lights out at 2000. Day 4 at 1300 we are transported by bus to WSMR (approx. 6 hr.ride)for the remainder of the training. It's all subject to change of course. Either place we end up one thing is for sure...it's going to be warm!
well im excited to hear that there is a class on the 8th, I take my pt test tomorrow for my waiver, then a week for paperwork then its to meps to sogn up and hopefully ill get this class.
Recruiter called not long after my last post- grade waiver was approved, going to MEPS tomorow to get contract.Gonna lose a stripe to E-4 which is kinda a bummer but my goal is to get that stripe back fast & get the next one faster!! Hopefully I'll get this class.
Got my contract.Even though I ship out on July 23, they have me going to 8/25 class. Hopefully when I get there I'll get put in the sooner one.Either way, I finally made it thru all the hoops & waivers!!
Originally posted by Idaho83646: According to everything I have onhand, I report on the 30th to Ft Sill for 4 days of Reception...barber, medical,dental, clothing issue ect. On those day it's up at 0430 and lights out at 2000. Day 4 at 1300 we are transported by bus to WSMR (approx. 6 hr.ride)for the remainder of the training. It's all subject to change of course. Either place we end up one thing is for sure...it's going to be warm!
Ship date July 29th from San Diego MEPS. See you there.
To all who said congrats,thank you.To those waiting on waivers,speaking from experience,hang in there,they will come.As I said in earlier post,either class I get no matter, just happy to go!!
Hello I am currently waiting to hear from Ft.knox to see if my waiver was approved. After that I guess I am supossed to go to MEPS. I have been on this road for over 2 months. My conclusion about all this is the recruiters have no clue what they are doing, when it comes to prior service. This of course is partialy not there fault cnsidering that most of them are instructed to find new recruites. I'm new to this forum and I do have questions. I have noticed that some of the people on here are leaving within weeks of their signing, however others are leaving in months. How does this happen? Will the counselor at MEPS ask you if you have a preference? Or do they look at your wieght? Does anyone know how this time line is based? Will you be able to take a cell pnohe to WTC? Some of these questions have been answered before, but the problem is everyone has there own version. Another question is about the bonus. How does that whole process work? Will it be magicaly placed in my account, and will it be right away? How long after I am in should I expect to gain my rank back? I lost a stripe and I want it back!! Is it possible to gain it back during WTC? Or what about AIT? Is anyone going to MP school after WTC? Can anyone give me any insight on that process? What usually happens when new recruites are mixed with prior service?
Wow lots of questions.Only thing I can do is answer based on my situation.Ship date is determined by the counselor and the class start dates of WTC & AIT.You can take a cell phone,just only use in authorized area as determined by DS @ your respective WTC.Bonus is usally paid after completion of AIT,direct deposit unless it is a quick ship bonus which I have no idea how that works.I lost a stripe too and to the best of my knowledge you can't get promoted until you get to first duty station & I'm not quite sure if you have to go before a board again.I've heard a couple different versions & will ask 1SG when I get to permanent duty post. Prior service guys/gals usally mix in with new recruits & sometimes get appointed class leaders. Hope that helps some.I am by no means expert so if I'm wrong on anything somebody on the forums here will set us both straight!
On the issue of promotions, you will have to go to a board again. You will have to put together your packet to become promotable and that will require another board visit... they often like to send you to a Soldier or NCO of the Month board first for practice. How long it will take to get your rank back will depend on how soon your new NCOs feel that you're ready for promotion and what your cutoff point requirements are. Some MOSs get very fast promotions through E-6 and sometimes it is the opposite. I wouldn't expect to make E-5 back in the first 6 months and a shot at E-6 will probably take even longer... just depends on what rank you are working for. There is a chance that your new leadership will try to push you through the system quickly... perhaps if they need someone at the new rank... but it is generally in their interest to test you some before giving you increased responsibility. Also, the process of becoming "promotable" usually takes at least a few months... then you have to make the cutoff.
sgtrevdc is right about the MEPS stuff. Some AITs run all the time and some have very limited classes each year. This will determine your ship date as they aren't interested in having you sit at your AIT, taking up space, for several months waiting for your class to start.
As far as prior service and IET Soldiers mingling in AIT, my experience at Fort Gordon in 2000 was that we (the prior service people) had our own barracks, POVs, etc. We were in an environment with Drill Sergeants and IET Soldiers, so we had to follow stricter guidelines than at a permanent station, but for the most part, our standard of living was comparable with the rest of the Army. We had to smoke in a hidden area so the IETs wouldn't see... we weren't allowed to drink in the barracks but we could go out and drink if we wanted to... no curfews... things like that. In my experience, no prior service people were given leadership roles but that was because they wanted to give the IET students some time in those positions rather than burden the prior service with taking care of the babies. They are babies for a couple years, lol. The Drill Sergeants also like to avoid too much extracurricular contact with the prior service Soldiers because they tend to give the IETs information that is often wrong or detrimental to good order and discipline and not conducive to the sort of ironclad control the DSs prefer.
Your recruiters should be helping you... but as I think most of us PS people have seen, recruiters expect you to do most of the work to get back in. In some ways, you probably know just as much or more about the Army than they do so there's no real reason for them to carry you around and do everything for you. It would be nice if they made a heartier effort, but they are under a lot of pressure and not everyone functions well in that role. Good luck to you and stick with it. You'll get there!
Thank you all for the information. I hope to be going to MEPS for a consult soon. My waiver was approved to get physicalled. During this process I have learned alot. And I feel that now I have a better in sight on the in's and out's, of this mess. I however have still more questions. I understand the whole promotion board thing, but what about the guy who is not an NCO. I have a friend here who was told he will be an E-2. He has 19 months time in service and 6 months as an E-3. Will he have to start over to be able to regain his E-3? And as for myself I have heard that your reserve unit will give you your uniforms prior to basic? Is that true? Another questions is if I return back from trainning in the last month of my reserve unit's deployment will I get to go? I have tried to ask several people about this but this seems to be a very tough question.
Wow two years to hit e-5....He's not to happy about that...lol. Is there any place we can look this up...lol. Is there some possible procedure that could be done? we are both prior service Marines and are very motivated to go..any clue if anyone can put some light on the wait for the results on a consult at meps?
Well its nice to see that you have a sense of humor. I knew people like that in the Marines, we called them **** birds.lol. Anyway today the recruiter told me that it would probably be two weeks before I go see anyone in regard to my consult. Are you at WTC? Or are you speaking from experience? And how long did you stay in WSMR, if you were there..How cold does it get there? This is one former Marine who hates cold weather.
If you like the high speed humor, you might also get a chuckle out of the SPC rank being called a Sham shield... or that it is just "PFC upside-down, full of $hit, and given the bird." Now that's a fact, Jack!
Don't forget "Full bird private" and "Command Private"
Shipping out of Columbia,SC 29July for 8Aug WTC. No congrats letter OR orders. Just a MEPS contract(13F by the way). Went to MEPS on 15July and my counselor told me that this was the LAST WTC IN 2008! I was expecting to ship October so I could get in shape. My running is going to suck a$$ but i've overcame many obstacles and this will be no different. Since my ait is @ Ft. Sill am I allowed to drive my POV there or how will I go about getting it ther? Anyway see you there (i'll be the one with 1000 and 1 tattoos)and good luck to you all. Bless
