waitin on meps

[mtsupilot09]

Hey guys, great news. I'm on deck at MEPS tomorrow at 0600. And tonight is basically one huge party in Nashville. Sweet. Well, off to bed after binge drinking (water).

 

[Lobster]

Hey guys, great news. I'm on deck at MEPS tomorrow at 0600. And tonight is basically one huge party in Nashville. Sweet. Well, off to bed after binge drinking (water).

Haha not your last St. Patty's Day, and I feel your pain...we've got a game today so last night was an exciting night of watching film and going to bed...and of course the binge water drinking...

 

[BMike]

Hey i would like some advice
The first time I went to MEPS I was disqualified because the doctor noticed I had a slight facial scar and it wasn't in my prescreening records. The scar was due to an automotive vehicle accident and I should've put that down but the scar to me is an everyday thing now if you know what I mean, or in better words I forgot about it.

I turn in my ER records and I went to MEPS for a Consult. I didn't know what that meant but I ended up having an interview with a Psychiatrist and that person did not reccommend me and said I could be suspectible to depression. I guess because my ER Records had the phrase head trauma somewhere. So I failed a second time, BUT the Chief Doctor at MEPS said that there is a possibility of getting it waivered.

What am I doing about it? Right when I failed, since I'm still a college student I've made an appointment with a school pschyiatrist (college students get free stuff? didn't even know) to ask for an evaluation to be given to my Recruiter.

Now my question is, what are your guy's opinions of me getting it waived or not? I've never been diagnosed for depression, my ER records say that I'm okay and good to go. No brain damage or anything. I believe i have minor scale of flat feet but I did okay during those exercises and I got an asvab score of 79.

 

[cgoetz]

I'm pretty much in the same exact boat. I went to meps and was because of depression and my eyes. I already took care of the eye part and now I am scheduled to go for an eval on May 12. All I can tell you is keep pushing foward and that is pretty much what everyone else on this site is going to tell you. Just hang in there man and don't give up!

 

[BMike]

hey thanks, i'll keep trying.

 

[cgoetz]

I know there wer abunch of guys on here who said they had to get evals then go back to meps. I wasjust wondering how that went.

 

[donttreadonme]

Hello cgoetz. I stumbled across this thread and wanted to let you know that I'm in a similar situation. Currently a senior in college and I'm hoping to enlist when I graduate. Freshmen year I was treated for depression with some meds and met with a counselor. After a year, I was feeling much better and got off the meds (with doc's approval) and haven't had any problems since. Also like your case, in my therapists' notes there is mention of suicidal thoughts at one point, but no attempts or serious plans.

You're much farther along in the process than I am but I too have been worried about whether I'll succeed in getting a waiver. I should mention that I was hoping to enlist in the Army, though. I've talked to an Army recruiter but he seemed to be full of shit. He wanted me to just lie to Meps about the depression and told me he doubted that I would be granted a waiver if i decided to disclose it (he put the odds at about 30%). It doesn't seem like he's going to be willing to put much effort into getting my waiver through. So, I'm trying to find a different recruiter. I'm also planning on talking to Navy and AF recruiters this week to see if I would be more likely to waiver with them.

I also have a couple questions for the more experienced guys in this thread that I was hoping you could help me out with. First, if I apply for a waiver and am denied (even after going through the psych eval and everything) does that mean i'm really PERMANENTLY dq'ed? As in, I can't just wait a few years and try to go through the process again? Also, if I apply for a waiver with the army and don't get it, can I still try to get a waiver with the navy or air force? My army recruiter tried to tell me that would not be possible but I've read from other sources that it is. Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Anyway, I'll be checking this thread regularly to see how things go for you, cgoetz. I wish you the best and remember that there are plenty of other people out there facing similar challenges. Keep your head up.

 

[cgoetz]

I'm PM'd this post to "The Renegade". He works in the liason office at a meps in Ohio and he could answer your questions about retrying for a waiver. Well in light of this I think I'm still going to go foward with the eval, I mean what do I have to lose anyway right? You might be able to re apply but I'm not sure. Thanks for the encourangement man. You know what just keep trying man, don't give up.

 

[The Renegade]

Hello cgoetz. I stumbled across this thread and wanted to let you know that I'm in a similar situation. Currently a senior in college and I'm hoping to enlist when I graduate. Freshmen year I was treated for depression with some meds and met with a counselor. After a year, I was feeling much better and got off the meds (with doc's approval) and haven't had any problems since. Also like your case, in my therapists' notes there is mention of suicidal thoughts at one point, but no attempts or serious plans.

You're much farther along in the process than I am but I too have been worried about whether I'll succeed in getting a waiver. I should mention that I was hoping to enlist in the Army, though. I've talked to an Army recruiter but he seemed to be full of shit. He wanted me to just lie to Meps about the depression and told me he doubted that I would be granted a waiver if i decided to disclose it (he put the odds at about 30%). It doesn't seem like he's going to be willing to put much effort into getting my waiver through. So, I'm trying to find a different recruiter. I'm also planning on talking to Navy and AF recruiters this week to see if I would be more likely to waiver with them.

I also have a couple questions for the more experienced guys in this thread that I was hoping you could help me out with. First, if I apply for a waiver and am denied (even after going through the psych eval and everything) does that mean i'm really PERMANENTLY dq'ed? As in, I can't just wait a few years and try to go through the process again? Also, if I apply for a waiver with the army and don't get it, can I still try to get a waiver with the navy or air force? My army recruiter tried to tell me that would not be possible but I've read from other sources that it is. Any help you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

Anyway, I'll be checking this thread regularly to see how things go for you, cgoetz. I wish you the best and remember that there are plenty of other people out there facing similar challenges. Keep your head up.

The doctor is in !! Should chage my name to "Dr. Renegade" :icon_smil.


Anyway... so, based on what you are saying, you were diagnosed with depression about 2 to 3 years ago and have been off medication and released from your doctors care for your depression for about 1 to 2 years ago. I can?t comment on Army standards with any authority concerning the Army accepting individuals with a history of psychological impairment, but the increased suicidal rate in the Army could have contributed to your disapproval. However, your disapproval does not mean you can never apply. Check with your Army recruiter to see when the Battalion would be willing to entertain a reconsideration of your medical waiver. The Army may require you to wait a few months to a year, or get another psychological evaluation, or complete college to show a progress and improvement in your mental state. But like I said, I?m no expert on what the Army wants.

If you decide to go Navy, your depression -- given the length of time you were under a doctors care and on meds (which was over a year ago) -- could be approved. You may need to undergo a psychological evaluation. This is because when a history of psychiatric treatment or serious offenses involving moral turpitude exists, then a referral is made for psychiatric evaluation at an outside psychological facility (either a contractor's office or a local military medical branch). If the Army already sent you to one or if you had a current evaluation performed on you by your personal doctor, then the Navy may use said evaluation to make their determination.

Depression, depending on your state of mind at that time, is a condition that is waiver-able in the Navy. I suggest that if you want to go Navy that you talk to a Navy recruiter and give him/her all of your medical documentation and have it sent for a waiver and see what our officials say. Your condition is not complicated, so I suggest you get the ball rolling if you want to play Navy.

 

[cgoetz]

Thanks Renegade for answering that Renegade. I wouldn't give him any false info especially since my experience limited. Just one thing though he said he already got an eval and submitted to the army guys at meps and they denied him. Now my recruiter even told me that even if I do an eval they probably stil will deny me. Now I told him that regardless of that I still wished to apply. What I really wanna know just so I have this strait does the Navy allow to apply for a waiver multiple times?

 

[m26]

The doctor is in !!

Señor Renegade, may I steal your expertise for a moment?

Do you know how far back I need to go for psych records? My parents went a little nutty and dragged me to a bunch of psychiatrists/psychologists from 5th to 8th grade or so. I wasn't depressed then, but was medicated by an overzealous doc for about a fortnight... This was up in NY (we live in FL now). So digging up these records would be a royal pain. Since it was 7 years ago, I'm hoping I can get through MEPS without lying, getting kicked out, or finding these things. But when I tried to go Navy Reserves after HS, though, they just through me out when they saw I had been to a psychiatrist. No follow up questions. Just, "You're done, find the records and come back."

 

[The Renegade]

Thanks Renegade for answering that Renegade. I wouldn't give him any false info especially since my experience limited. Just one thing though he said he already got an eval and submitted to the army guys at meps and they denied him. Now my recruiter even told me that even if I do an eval they probably stil will deny me. Now I told him that regardless of that I still wished to apply. What I really wanna know just so I have this strait does the Navy allow to apply for a waiver multiple times?

You can apply for a waiver as many times as reasonably possible. If there is “just cause” – such as additional information you whish to med board to view for the purpose of reconsidering your condition – then you can resubmit the waiver again. But if there is no additional information you are submitting with your waiver, then there is no rationally to resubmitting your waiver; therefore, it will not be considered for review. Time is also a factor… waiting about 6 months then resubmitting has also been done before.

 

[The Renegade]

Señor Renegade, may I steal your expertise for a moment?

Do you know how far back I need to go for psych records? My parents went a little nutty and dragged me to a bunch of psychiatrists/psychologists from 5th to 8th grade or so. I wasn't depressed then, but was medicated by an overzealous doc for about a fortnight... This was up in NY (we live in FL now). So digging up these records would be a royal pain. Since it was 7 years ago, I'm hoping I can get through MEPS without lying, getting kicked out, or finding these things. But when I tried to go Navy Reserves after HS, though, they just through me out when they saw I had been to a psychiatrist. No follow up questions. Just, "You're done, find the records and come back."

You do need those records, or at least make an attempt to obtain them. Your situation is common; applicants come to the MEPS with counseling that was performed years ago and are unable to obtain the records. Some hospitals do not keep records for extensive periods of time. What I?ve seen done in the past is this: the applicant attempted to obtain the records for the places that had the records. If they were present, they were obtain successfully. If records were unavailable for some reason, then a letter was obtained stating that ?records no longer exist?.

If records no longer exist, or if you were only able to obtain partial records, then you have to get something (a letter, an evaluation) from your family doctor stating that the counseling you underwent does not appear to have had any effects on you into adulthood, or something to that effect. I?ve seen this done and it worked out fine. The Navy just wants to know that the problem you were treated for is no longer a problem. If the Navy can discern you have no adverse problems from your medical history, then the Navy is reassured and you should be good to go. Or if you?re medical history is not available, then your current physician or a specialist commenting on your current state of mind should be able to provide that same kind of reassurance.

So, attempt to get those records? I know it?s a pain, but there is no way around it. If you can?t remember which hospitals, then try to remember. If they say no records exist, then get a letter from them stating no records exist. Let me know if you have any specific questions or problems in your quest? I?ve dealt with a similar problem about a year and a half ago.

 

[m26]

So, attempt to get those records? I know it?s a pain, but there is no way around it. If you can?t remember which hospitals, then try to remember. If they say no records exist, then get a letter from them stating no records exist. Let me know if you have any specific questions or problems in your quest? I?ve dealt with a similar problem about a year and a half ago.

Grazie mille, Renegade. That will save me quite a bit of trouble at MEPS.

I had only remembered 3 places they dragged me to, now I've thought of a fourth. Hopefully there aren't more. I doubt even my parents remember the names of the places/docs, so I may need to get a consult.

 

[Makk85]

I am in a similar situation with a depression waiver in the process. My depression was so long ago that my records are no longer available so I now have to go in for an evaluation.

Has anyone been to one of these evaluations, and if so how long did it take for them to get it rolling for you and what was the process was like? So far my recruiter has been fairly vague about when exactly he will be setting up this eval.