Applying to the March 2013 Board

[MGoBrew11]

I did the full physical the first time. Then just had to go back to get the consult. As for the flight surgeon comment, the doctor at MEPS told me that after my consult all the results would go to a flight surgeon to approve before getting a PQ. That individual had given me bad information in the past though so I'm not really sure if it's true or not.

That sounds right. All your medical info from MEPS (and all supporting documentation) goes to N3M. They review all your medical information and give you the green or red light. Then you are issued your final select letter.

 

[BENDER]

That sounds right. All your medical info from MEPS (and all supporting documentation) goes to N3M. They review all your medical information and give you the green or red light. Then you are issued your final select letter.

Do you know how long the process usually takes? I went to MEPS in October, never heard anything back. Recruiter says he's waiting on the PQ when he called me about the pro rec a week ago...

 

[Navy Airedale]

Awesome! I was about to go get my eyes burned off in a couple of weeks! Glad I can wait a bit longer.

If you’re going for pilot, DO NOT GET PRK. The Navy does not approve of it for pilot, not sure for NFO, but I am sure the same rules apply. The only eye surgery pilots are allowed is the old fashion one where the cut the cornea of the eye; however, I would not recommend doing any of that until you have passed flight school, reason being, the Navy is meticulous. There is an instruction somewhere that says no PRK because I wanted to get it too. If you do get it, keep it under the radar and be cautious, it could come back to hunt you…

 

[MGoBrew11]

Do you know how long the process usually takes? I went to MEPS in October, never heard anything back. Recruiter says he's waiting on the PQ when he called me about the pro rec a week ago...

It varies drastically unfortunately...some people it takes a couple of weeks, others a couple of months. It took me 3 months from having all paperwork into N3M to getting my PQ letter. I had gone to MEPS long before that. They were waiting on my 6 month PRK paperwork at N3M before that 3 month wait started. No clue why it took them so long to make a determination once they had the PRK paperwork.

The best you can do is make sure all of your paperwork is indeed submitted and just wait it out. Waiting on the PQ letter from N3M and the final select was definitely the most frustrating part of the entire process for me. In my case, it took 6 months from pro rec to final select and 9 months from pro-rec to OCS check in. Mine was an extreme case, but it can happen.

 

[MGoBrew11]

If you’re going for pilot, DO NOT GET PRK. The Navy does not approve of it for pilot, not sure for NFO, but I am sure the same rules apply. The only eye surgery pilots are allowed is the old fashion one where the cut the cornea of the eye; however, I would not recommend doing any of that until you have passed flight school, reason being, the Navy is meticulous. There is an instruction somewhere that says no PRK because I wanted to get it too. If you do get it, keep it under the radar and be cautious, it could come back to hunt you…

WHOAH. Really bad gouge. PRK is the only surgery allowed for applicants.

I got PRK and I am an SNA right now. A whole bunch of my SNA buddies also got PRK and were just commissioned.

PRK is considered disqualifying but it is very easily waiverable. I have never heard of a PRK waiver being denied. The surgery you need to be careful with is LASIK.

 

[AirGuy]

That sounds right. All your medical info from MEPS (and all supporting documentation) goes to N3M. They review all your medical information and give you the green or red light. Then you are issued your final select letter.

This is pretty confusing. So I submit my package to OCS, fail the PQ due to nearsightedness and then get PRK and retake it? Or does my package not get sent because I failed the PQ? If my recruiter knows that I am getting PRK then will my package get sent?

 

[AirGuy]

If you’re going for pilot, DO NOT GET PRK. The Navy does not approve of it for pilot, not sure for NFO, but I am sure the same rules apply. The only eye surgery pilots are allowed is the old fashion one where the cut the cornea of the eye; however, I would not recommend doing any of that until you have passed flight school, reason being, the Navy is meticulous. There is an instruction somewhere that says no PRK because I wanted to get it too. If you do get it, keep it under the radar and be cautious, it could come back to hunt you…

You can't go to flight school if your vision is 20/40 or less. Congrats on the PRO-REC!

 

[MGoBrew11]

This is pretty confusing. So I submit my package to OCS, fail the PQ due to nearsightedness and then get PRK and retake it? Or does my package not get sent because I failed the PQ? If my recruiter knows that I am getting PRK then will my package get sent?

Sorry, didn't mean to make that more confusing than it should be. I really don't know what they do if you fail eyes at MEPS but plan to get PRK after that. I got PRK well before MEPS, so I did not have to worry about it.

My basic point was just to make sure that you are keeping your recruiter informed about the PRK because getting PRK after pro-rec is definitely not the norm. If he says he can work it, he may very well be able to.

You won't "fail" the PQ at MEPS for eyesight. MEPS basically just collects information and sends it to your recruiter/N3M. If you are 20/50, for example, MEPS would record that and N3M might say, "NPQ for pilot, but you can go NFO if you want".

You should probably have PRK done before anything is sent to N3M. But your recruiter may think differently. My NRD would not send me to MEPS until the 6 month wait on my PRK was done, to avoid this issue specifically.

 

[Navy Airedale]

WHOAH. Really bad gouge. PRK is the only surgery allowed for applicants.

I got PRK and I am an SNA right now. A whole bunch of my SNA buddies also got PRK and were just commissioned.

PRK is considered disqualifying but it is very easily waiverable. I have never heard of a PRK waiver being denied. The surgery you need to be careful with is LASIK.

Your right, LASIK is the one you cannot have; however, the navy flight surgeon who performed my evaluation strongly advised me not to get it until after flight school. If he can get a wavier beforehand, that would be great.

 

[MGoBrew11]

Your right, LASIK is the one you cannot have; however, the navy flight surgeon who performed my evaluation strongly advised me not to get it until after flight school. If he can get a wavier beforehand, that would be great.

Roger. It depends on your pre-application vision though. If you are not at least 20/40, you cannot even apply. You have to get the surgery before OCS. You cannot get a PRK waiver before you've even had PRK, if that is what you are suggesting.

 

[USAF_WX2USN]

It varies drastically unfortunately...some people it takes a couple of weeks, others a couple of months. It took me 3 months from having all paperwork into N3M to getting my PQ letter. I had gone to MEPS long before that. They were waiting on my 6 month PRK paperwork at N3M before that 3 month wait started. No clue why it took them so long to make a determination once they had the PRK paperwork.

The best you can do is make sure all of your paperwork is indeed submitted and just wait it out. Waiting on the PQ letter from N3M and the final select was definitely the most frustrating part of the entire process for me. In my case, it took 6 months from pro rec to final select and 9 months from pro-rec to OCS check in. Mine was an extreme case, but it can happen.

Thanks for the insight. I went to MEPS again in the middle of Jan and had to wait for a waiver from the navy for past high blood pressure, which just got approved last week. Still waiting on my PQ letter then FS.

 

[AirGuy]

Sorry, didn't mean to make that more confusing than it should be. I really don't know what they do if you fail eyes at MEPS but plan to get PRK after that. I got PRK well before MEPS, so I did not have to worry about it.

My basic point was just to make sure that you are keeping your recruiter informed about the PRK because getting PRK after pro-rec is definitely not the norm. If he says he can work it, he may very well be able to.

You won't "fail" the PQ at MEPS for eyesight. MEPS basically just collects information and sends it to your recruiter/N3M. If you are 20/50, for example, MEPS would record that and N3M might say, "NPQ for pilot, but you can go NFO if you want".

You should probably have PRK done before anything is sent to N3M. But your recruiter may think differently. My NRD would not send me to MEPS until the 6 month wait on my PRK was done, to avoid this issue specifically.

So, just to clarify on the whole PRK thing. I want to hold off as long as possible cause I'm 19. Can I send in my application to the OCS board, and get Pro-Rec'd first? I will be able to send in my application in May (12 months prior to graduation). It would be ideal if I could wait a couple of months from then and get my PRK towards the end of the year (December or Jan 14). Either way, I'm not going to OCS until after May so it would be more than enough time to get a waiver and be PQed. It seems my situation is a bit different because I will be applying while in school.

Also NavyOffRec posted that the next board would be in July 13, does anyone know the deadline for this board? Anyone have dates on boards beyond July 13?

 

[MGoBrew11]

So, just to clarify on the whole PRK thing. I want to hold off as long as possible cause I'm 19. Can I send in my application to the OCS board, and get Pro-Rec'd first? I will be able to send in my application in May (12 months prior to graduation). It would be ideal if I could wait a couple of months from then and get my PRK towards the end of the year (December or Jan 14). Either way, I'm not going to OCS until after May so it would be more than enough time to get a waiver and be PQed. It seems my situation is a bit different because I will be applying while in school.

Also NavyOffRec posted that the next board would be in July 13, does anyone know the deadline for this board? Anyone have dates on boards beyond July 13?

Okay, that makes more sense now. I was under the impression you had already been to a board and gotten the pro-rec. Your situation is definitely pretty unique. Because you are applying 12 months before you can even ship to OCS, they might let you apply first and then get PRK while you are waiting to graduate. I don't think anyone on here will have a definitive answer for your situation. Ask your recruiter how he/she thinks this situation will play out and make your decisions based on what they say.

 

[AirGuy]

Okay, that makes more sense now. I was under the impression you had already been to a board and gotten the pro-rec. Your situation is definitely pretty unique. Because you are applying 12 months before you can even ship to OCS, they might let you apply first and then get PRK while you are waiting to graduate. I don't think anyone on here will have a definitive answer for your situation. Ask your recruiter how he/she thinks this situation will play out and make your decisions based on what they say.

Alright. I have to contact an officer recruiter right?. (They are 4 hours away...). There is another office I went to that is 5 minutes away but they said they only recruit enlisted. Should I research and ask for any particular recruiter? Or will they assign me a recruiter.

Ideally I want NavyOffRec

 

[AirGuy]

Oh and 1 more thing. I fall under NRD Raleigh. http://www.cnrc.navy.mil/nrds.htm But I am way closer to NRD Atlanta. Do I have to go to NRD Raleigh or can I go to Atlanta instead?