My wife was in the kitchen starting Thanksgiving preparations. The children were off somewhere on an adventure in a world of their own creation. I was sitting at the computer researching a paper for class when the phone rings. The phone's caller ID said "U.S. Army …" so needless to say, I was intrigued.

I pickup the phone and said "Hello," and after a 10 minute conversation my heart was racing with excitement. The Army is giving me the opportunity to re-activate my application for an officer's commission. The one I had to turn down almost 7 months ago because our finances just would not survive the cut in salary that comes with leaving a private sector job for a military one.

My wife and I have to discuss this before proceeding with anything. If she does not support this, I will not do anything. I have a tentative meeting set with my new recruiter on Tuesday.

Posted by Son of the Raven – November 23, 2005 @ 12:45 PM
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With the craziness of Thanksgiving behind us my wife and I finally had the chance to sit down and discuss the phone call at length. Her support is nothing short of amazing. After 10 years of marriage, I am reminded again of how special she is and how lucky I am to be married to her. This is going to be a change that impacts all of us but it will also mean exciting opportunities for all of us. Now all that is left is for me to meet with the recruiter to get the ball rolling.

Posted by Son of the Raven – November 25, 2005 @ 09:09 AM
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The recruiter that I had earlier in the year has been reassigned so now SFC R will be handling my application. Today we went through all the paperwork, updating my address and references and scanning in some of the documentation that was missing from my original application.

Unfortunately, because my MEPS physical is over two years old, I will have to do another one. No big deal. I mean I have been through all of this before and passed with flying colors so I should not have a problem this time around. SFC R has got me scheduled for MEPS tomorrow. I will be up early to go through a day of poking and prodding.

Posted by Son of the Raven – November 29, 2005 @ 02:54 PM
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I got up at 0400 this morning, showered, dressed and grabbed a light breakfast. SFC R arrived at 0440 and we were on our way to MEPS. The recruits and I were lined up outside the door then ushered to our branch liason offices to get checked in and to receive badges for the day. When I arrived at the office there was a problem. I was not on the list of recruits to be processed. After checking with the control desk, I learned that I was being delayed so that the MEPS doctors could review my paperwork before allowing me to process.

Nothing new to be honest. When I went through MEPS in 2003, I was delayed twice. The first time was because of the blackout that knocked out the entire Northeastern section of the United States. The second time was because required paperwork from command was missing.

Posted by Son of the Raven – November 30, 2005 @ 01:36 PM
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SFC R called me today to tell me that I am OK'ed for MEPS on December 5. Let's hope there are no more hitches.

Posted by Son of the Raven – December 01, 2005 @ 01:02 PM
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Up again at 0400 and this time check in went off without a hitch. Then I went through all the different stations, vision, hearing, blood test, orthopedic, etc. One of the standard parts of any doctor visit is providing a urine sample but for some people that is a problem esspecially when someone is watching. Thankfully, I do not have that problem but one of the recruits I was with was having "difficulties." A CPO was in the room observing and offering words of encouragement. The recruit who was having problems asked him to "be quiet." That promptly turned the encouraging words into a gentle tongue lashing and it went on for some time after the Chief found out that the recruit was going Navy.

The last test of the day was the physical examine and consultation with the a MEPS doctor. My best piece of advice to all is don't hide anything. Tell them all the gorey details because in the end they are going to find out anyway. There are things that will disqualify you from serving like asthma but if you hide something and they find out about it later it could get you discharged, fined and possibly put in jail. Better to get a waiver for something than to get in only to be thrown out later. I listed past trips to the emergency room as well as any surgeries that I had had. To be honest most of it was glanced over as no big deal.

There was one surgery that did raise a red flag. When I was born I had an enlarge cranium. Fluid was drained from my head to correct the problem. It left me with quite a big scar on the right side of my head. I had provided all the medical paperwork that I had pertaining to the surgery and for the most part the MEPS doctors knew that it was no big deal but any major surgery like that requires that I go through consults. Not surprising because I had to go through the consults the first time I went through MEPS. No record of the consults were with my previous MEPS records so the CMO is having me go through the consults again. The Army liason office made several phone calls to Battalion and the MEPS facility I had gone through in 2003 hoping to track down proof that the consults had been completed. No luck.

Another frustrating delay made even more frustrating because the impending holidays will likely push the consults off until after the new year. I keep having to remind myself that nothing worthwhile comes easy.

Posted by Son of the Raven – December 05, 2005 @ 05:08 PM
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I spent all of the day on the phone, calling the Navy recruiting office that had sent me to MEPS in 2003, Millington TN where the Naval Recruit Command is located and several other locations that might have a record that I had been through the consults already. No luck.

I got in contact with colleagues from the OCS Foundation who had helped me with the process earlier in the year. Major D had me contact MSgt M and SFC G in his old recruit command to see if there was any way to track down the paperwork. As great a help as these gentlemen were the records simply do not exist anymore. I will have to wait for MEPS to get me a date for the consults and go through them again.

Posted by Son of the Raven – December 06, 2005 @ 05:34 PM
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I exchanged a few emails with Major D today discussing where everything stands. He sensed the frustration I am feeling at the delays and reminded me that my determination in getting this far shows that I have what it takes to make this happen. His words reminded me of the old saying "What does not kill me makes me stronger." So, I keep training and waiting for the consults to be over.

Posted by Son of the Raven – December 10, 2005 @ 02:20 PM
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I have been working hard on my pushups, situps and running. I have also been doing leg raises, dips, pullups and chinups on a power tower my wife got me as an early Christmas present. It has done wonders to move me farther but given my age, I need to do something more. A few weeks ago a new Martial Arts school opened up near the house so I decided to check it out. My wife and I have been looking into schools for a long time both for ourselves and our girls. Unfortunately, most were either too costly or seemed to be focused on mass producing black belts while forgetting about what it really means to train in Martial Arts. Today, I went in to talk to the school's Sensei and see if this was a school to bring our children.

After talking to the Sensei and watching him teach his younger students, I know this school is for us. He respects the traditional values of Martial Arts training. In fact, he once trained under my Tae Kwon Do Grandmaster, S. Henry Cho, in the 1960s and 1970s. The style he teaches now is Okinawan Shorin-Ryu. Of course, it means is I have to start all over again. I will have to unlearn some of what I know to learn it in the manner that this style teaches. This means I will don my white belt again. My two oldest girls and I start training tomorrow.

Posted by Son of the Raven – January 03, 2006 @ 02:05 PM
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OK, three days of classes are done and I realize that I was a lot farther behind in my endurance training than I thought. I am so sore that laughing hurts. Other than that I feel great. Actually, it is great to be back training in Martial Arts again. It is a shame that I will only get a limited exposure to it before I have to class up.

My daughters are loving it too. The children's classes are challenging but fun and they are picking up things very quickly. My littlest one is jealous that the other two get to go but, to be honest, she does not have the discipline to focus in a class for one hour. She is only three after all. Maybe next year.

There are actually several military men in the class I am taking. One is an officer in the Army Reserves and the other is in ROTC at one of the local schools. His father is an OCS Graduate so I look forward to meeting him if the chance arises.

Posted by Son of the Raven – January 07, 2006 @ 09:20 AM
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Tomorrow marks one week since I started training and we had our first sparring session tonight. Point-style contact was the order of the evening but even that can get harder as the adrenilin starts pumping. Man did it feel great. I caught one student with a fake front kick and then doubled it into a hook kick where I tapped him in the shoulder.

Of course sparring with Sensei was a different matter. I think it is safe to say that his blocks hurt as much as my punches do. While sparring with him he blocked a kick and I know my foot will be a lovely shade of purple tomorrow. At another point, he and I threw a punch at the same time and our fists deflected off each other. Mine harmless cut through the air while his grazed my temple and ear. It took a second or two for the stars and bells to clear.

All in all I held my own. My timing has to come back but my body is definitely gaining the benefit. The next day soreness I suffered in the first few days does not happen any more, even with an increased intensity in class.

Posted by Son of the Raven – January 10, 2006 @ 10:38 PM
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Headed to MEPS today expecting to complete both of the consults required for my application but as usual there were issues. First, my name was not in the system so approval from the OIC was required before I could be processed. My appointment was then scheduled for 1430. Several times while waiting I asked if I would be getting both consults done today and I was repeatedly told I would be. After almost 7 hours I was on my way to the doctor's office.

Consults are done by civilian doctors so I was provided with transportation to the office and transportation back. The appointment took all of 30 minutes. The doctor asked me a series of questions pertaining to my surgery and life growing up (no seizures, or difficulties with fine motor skills, etc.). After performing several tests he declared me fit to serve. Again, I asked him about the second consult. He informed me that he would not be doing the second consult that MEPS would arrange it. While waiting for my ride back to MEPS, I called the Control Desk and asked if I would still be doing the second consult today. I was told that MEPS only schedules one consult a day because if a person failed one consult the second would be wasted money.

Because there were so many shippers heading to boot camp, it took almost two and a half hours for someone to come pick me up. MEPS will get back to my recruiter within 2 to 3 days about the next appointment.

Posted by Son of the Raven – January 17, 2006 @ 07:07 PM
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Major D just emailed me to tell me that the Army News service is reporting an increase in the maximum age for enlistment. I googled the story on the internet and found this article . This just means that the sign-off I have to get from Special Missions should not meet any resistance.

Posted by Son of the Raven – January 20, 2006 @ 12:30 PM
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SFC R was in training all day on Friday and did not get any word back from the doctors as to when my second consult will be. When he inquired this morning they still had yet to make a decision. So I am still in a holding pattern. I keep training as that is a great way to work out the frustration.

Posted by Son of the Raven – January 23, 2006 @ 03:19 PM
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Tonight we did sparring drills in class. Sensei paired me with another student who, like myself, has experience is other styles. Sensei also gave us the "freedom" to expand on the drills he gave to the class. I know that I am going to have bruises tomorrow to go along with a small cut near my eye. My opponent had a very quick punch and he caught me with my guard down.

I caught him a few times myself. Once with a roundhouse to the short ribs and another time with a punch that landed just above the collar bone. I still have to shake the habit of bouncing when I spar. It is a habit I picked up in Tae Kwon Do as a way to stay on the balls of my feet.

I love the fact that we are doing this sparring without safeties. While I understand that the safeties are meant to protect both combatants they also allow one to be a little sloppy with techniques and control. Without them you have to focus on controlling the strike even more as well as executing properly to avoid injurying yourself or your opponent.

A little test today showed that all my training is having positive results. Sensei had us lie on the ground and do leg raises. They focus on tightening your abdomen in order to keep your legs raised 6" off the ground. Well while we do that he came around the class and punched students to make sure we were doing the exercise properly. In my case he also stood, full weight, on my abdomen twice each for about 5 seconds. He weighs about 180lbs.

My training is paying off. A few weeks ago and my spleen would have been through the floor. Maybe by the time I get to BCT I will be ready for the DI to do the same while in boots carrying a 40lb pack. Then again, I doubt it.

Posted by Son of the Raven – January 24, 2006 @ 10:19 PM
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I talked with my recruiter earlier and my last MEPS consult is set for February 14th. I will be happy to get this phase of the process over and done with. I will meet with SFC R next week to resign all my paperwork as signatures on documents are only good for 30 days from the day they are signed.

Posted by Son of the Raven – January 25, 2006 @ 06:28 PM
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I just got off the phone with SFC R. He informed me that my consult has been rescheduled for Monday, February 13th as I have to go before the Battalion Review Board on the 15th. The light is starting to get brighter at the end of the tunnel.

Posted by Son of the Raven – February 08, 2006 @ 04:23 PM
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It's wonderful to know that I am done with the medical portion of MEPS. I will have to come back to MEPS to sign my contract and then to ship out but the bulk of my dealings with MEPS is over and done with.

I know I have said it before, but I have never had a day that went smoothly when it comes to MEPS. Today was no exception although today's difficulty was in getting to MEPS. On the way to MEPS we were stuck in traffic for almost an hour because a car had swerved under the trailer of a semi causing the car's engine block to be crushed and the 18 wheeler to jack-knife and flip on its side. My thoughts go out to the injuried and their families.

The consult itself was relatively simple even if it was nothing like I expected. The doctor asked me to take a computer based test of memory, word association and responsiveness. I don't know how I did, he will have to score the test and notify MEPS of the results.

Posted by Son of the Raven – February 13, 2006 @ 04:27 PM
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One of the hardest parts of my Martial Arts Training this past month and a half has been retraining myself and forgeting the habits I developed learning Tae Kwon Do. Some of the differences are fundamental like the differences in stances, while others are more habitual like bouncing to stay on the balls of my feet when I spar.

We sparred again tonight. When we started I made a conscious effort to stop my bouncing by using a slightly longer, deeper stance. It was harder to move at first but as I became more comfortable with it my movements became easier. Sensei and Sempei were thrilled with my progress.

After class Sempei commended me on stronger punches and maybe one of the hardest hits he took from any of the students. He told me he could feel his ribs spread from the force of my punch. I might have thought he was patronizing me but the big smile on his face spoke volumes.

My entire sparring session was not perfect. A blow that I had intended for Sempei's shoulder had ended up hitting him in the mouth. I should have displayed better control and I am not pleased with myself for that. He agreed that I should have exhibited more control considering my past experience but he also noted that my lower stances which changed my attacking angle and the fact that he was bearing down on me also contributed to my bad blow.

This dojo is awesome. The students work so hard to support each other and make each other better. We all help each other and no one gives or takes criticism in any way but as constructive. Sensei pushes us hard and all we do is ask him to push us harder. He loves it. We love it.

Posted by Son of the Raven – February 14, 2006 @ 10:23 PM
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The typical Battalion Review Board will often take 30 to 60 minutes to complete. Mine took aprroximately 10. It is not because I am someone special, it is because the President of the Board was the same President that resided over my Board last year. To this board the only question that was of concern was why I was a DEP loss last year.

The Board found my explanation of the events and circumstances surrounding my not signing up last year to be acceptable. As Major P said, "Many corporations, or in this case the Army, understand that some people can not accept a job offer because relocation or other factors prevent the potential employee from accepting."

I have to admit that I had my concerns about the Board. As a prior DEP loss the board could have questioned my intentions and commitment to a career in the Army. This Board however did not. Now all that is left is getting the approval on my application from Special Missions. My application will go to them once MEPS clears my consult paperwork.

Posted by Son of the Raven – February 15, 2006 @ 05:35 PM
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OK, I will admit it MEPS is starting to bug me. They have had my paperwork from the consult since Tuesday and still have not cleared me. My packet is still sitting at Battalion, waiting to go to Special Missions because of this delay. SFC R says the Army Liason at MEPS is trying to get them to finish things up but MEPS moves only as fast as MEPS wants.

Posted by Son of the Raven – February 17, 2006 @ 05:36 PM
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SFC R called me a few minutes ago to inform me that MEPS has cleared my last consult. My packet is heading to Special Missions today. If things go smoothly I could be swearing in next Tuesday.

Posted by Son of the Raven – February 22, 2006 @ 12:47 PM
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I just got off the phone with SFC R who told me that my age waiver is approved. I am going back to MEPS tomorrow to sign my contract and to swear in for the first time.

Posted by Son of the Raven – February 23, 2006 @ 05:02 PM
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I arrived at MEPS at 0630 this morning got my paperwork and then waited for the MEPS doctors to do a quick inspect. An inspect includes a height and weight check and a quick talk with one of the doctors. After that was done I was left to wait longer while the counselors started meeting sat there and waited for the counselors to start processing DEPs like myself. My counselor and I started on my contract around 1000. By 1130 I was in MEPS processing handling their portion of the contract and getting fingerprinted.

That is where I hit my snag for the day. MEPS' systems have not been updated yet to account for the fact that 35 year olds are allowed to enlist. For a short while, my contract listed me as 34, at least until the IT people could update the Software's rules for my contract. Oh to be young again.

After my contract work was done, I was briefed for my swearing in and by 1445 the swearing in ceremony was over. Major R, the MEPS OIC had signed my contract and my applicant days were over. Now I am a DEP.

I will be back at MEPS on March 7th to ship to BCT. I will have almost 10 days of Reception for handling the processing of paperwork and BCT starts on March 17th.

Posted by Son of the Raven – February 24, 2006 @ 06:19 PM
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It feels like life is moving at 100 mph. I am putting together a TO DO list of items I need to handle in my last few days as a civilian. Right now it feels like I add two or three items for each one I complete.

Let me tell you though, USAA rocks. USAA is a financial institution that caters to federal employees offering banking, insurance, financial planning, etc. In the last two days I have been on the phone with them at least a half a dozen times for setting up my accounts and getting insurance quotes. For anyone who is entering military service, it is in your best interest to contact USAA for a quote. We'll save around 40% on car insurance each year by going with USAA.

Well, back to getting items off my TO DO list.

Posted by Son of the Raven – February 28, 2006 @ 01:19 PM
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Well I am less than 72 hours away from heading to MEPS in order to ship out to BCT. Before I actually start BCT, I will go through several days of in processing at Reception. That includes a physical, immunization, hair cut and get my first set of uniforms.

I have a few last minute items to purchase and some details to finish up but all in all I am ready to go. I am looking forward to this great new challenge and phase in my life.

Last night I went out for drinks with my Sensei. We had a great talk. I know that my daughters are in excellent hands with him as their Sensei. My oldest tests for a belt promotion next Saturday. I know she will do well. She works so hard and is so determined to succeed.

Posted by Son of the Raven – March 04, 2006 @ 01:20 PM
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