Zaptoman
Pineapples don't grow on trees.
How I got an NFO slot after LASIK or... The really really long and trying road.
As far as I know I am the second person ever to be accepted (as a civilian) for OCS to Naval Flight Officer after having LASIK. For those of you with bad eyes, who still want to be up in the air, it is possible.
I started my application for Navy OCS about 14 months ago. My OCS date is Dec 6th.
When I put my application in to the Navy, I had already been dealing with the Army WOFT program for about 9 months. I was fed up so I went with my first pick, the Navy. At this point Lasik candidates aren't allowed a pilot slot according to regs, so I picked NFO. (Goose was why everyone watched Top Gun anyway, right?)
At this point I had already been to MEPS and gotten one issue squared away courtesy of the Army. That issue was having the wrong paperwork on my Lasik surgery sent to MEPS. DO NOT DO THIS! Make sure the paperwork sent to MEPS comes from your doctor's office post-surgery. NOT the information the machine spits out during surgery. This is what happened in my case and caused a foul-up of unbelievable proportions.
After a few months in-process with the Navy I received my pro-rec. For those of you not familiar with the process, this is the first "good to go" you get. However it was many months before I got my "final select".
Be prepared to travel. The process requires you to be examined at one of ten Lasik-equipped Naval facilities, all of which are on the coast. After finally making an appointment, I drove to Camp Pendleton, CA to have mine done. This is the same exam performed by your doctor post-surgery, but a little more thorough. Additionally, be prepared for the fact that while this is a requirement, there is no official way to do it. To even schedule an appointment at a Naval doctor, you have to be in the system. As a civilian, you aren't in the system and can't be. Talk to the person in charge. Explain who you are, and your situation. Be kind and respectful. They will help you through.
For the non-vision related side - ASTB, and your packet, this is my advice. For the ASTB, study. Study your butt off. Don't just use the ASTB guide book, it is highly misleading as to the questions on the actual test, ESPECIALLY the math section. Get all the prep books you can, and then prep some more. For your packet, your letters of recommendation and your personal statement are the key. As far as I am concerned, your scores are really secondary to these things. Focus on getting three amazing letters of recommendation. Talk to a favorite College professor, a friend or acquaintance who is already an officer, and a present or former pilot. Get them to vouch for your goals, beliefs, and your character.
The one piece of advice I would give is to be patient, but not complacent. Understand that you are going to have to jump through a ton of hoops, its going to take a while, and that it is going to be frustrating at times. Be prepared to repeat steps. Make friends with your recruiter and don't piss him off, he is going to have a ton of work to do already to get you in, and a bad attitude on your part isn't going to help. Most importantly, don't give up. Ever.
As far as I know I am the second person ever to be accepted (as a civilian) for OCS to Naval Flight Officer after having LASIK. For those of you with bad eyes, who still want to be up in the air, it is possible.
I started my application for Navy OCS about 14 months ago. My OCS date is Dec 6th.
When I put my application in to the Navy, I had already been dealing with the Army WOFT program for about 9 months. I was fed up so I went with my first pick, the Navy. At this point Lasik candidates aren't allowed a pilot slot according to regs, so I picked NFO. (Goose was why everyone watched Top Gun anyway, right?)
At this point I had already been to MEPS and gotten one issue squared away courtesy of the Army. That issue was having the wrong paperwork on my Lasik surgery sent to MEPS. DO NOT DO THIS! Make sure the paperwork sent to MEPS comes from your doctor's office post-surgery. NOT the information the machine spits out during surgery. This is what happened in my case and caused a foul-up of unbelievable proportions.
After a few months in-process with the Navy I received my pro-rec. For those of you not familiar with the process, this is the first "good to go" you get. However it was many months before I got my "final select".
Be prepared to travel. The process requires you to be examined at one of ten Lasik-equipped Naval facilities, all of which are on the coast. After finally making an appointment, I drove to Camp Pendleton, CA to have mine done. This is the same exam performed by your doctor post-surgery, but a little more thorough. Additionally, be prepared for the fact that while this is a requirement, there is no official way to do it. To even schedule an appointment at a Naval doctor, you have to be in the system. As a civilian, you aren't in the system and can't be. Talk to the person in charge. Explain who you are, and your situation. Be kind and respectful. They will help you through.
For the non-vision related side - ASTB, and your packet, this is my advice. For the ASTB, study. Study your butt off. Don't just use the ASTB guide book, it is highly misleading as to the questions on the actual test, ESPECIALLY the math section. Get all the prep books you can, and then prep some more. For your packet, your letters of recommendation and your personal statement are the key. As far as I am concerned, your scores are really secondary to these things. Focus on getting three amazing letters of recommendation. Talk to a favorite College professor, a friend or acquaintance who is already an officer, and a present or former pilot. Get them to vouch for your goals, beliefs, and your character.
The one piece of advice I would give is to be patient, but not complacent. Understand that you are going to have to jump through a ton of hoops, its going to take a while, and that it is going to be frustrating at times. Be prepared to repeat steps. Make friends with your recruiter and don't piss him off, he is going to have a ton of work to do already to get you in, and a bad attitude on your part isn't going to help. Most importantly, don't give up. Ever.
