SITREP THREAD. Post your Progress Here.

Finished up my junior year, and finally started talking to the recruiter. I know they are baby steps, but steps I've been waiting a long time to take. One year of school, enjoying my youth, and getting this enlisting stuff squared away.

I processed through MEPS last Tuesday. I didn't qualify for SEAL because of my vision. Reqs are 20/40 best, 20/70 worst, both correctable to 20/25. I had 20/25 best, 20/100 worst, correctable to 20/25. My recruiter told me it's not waiverable.

Having chased this for the last two years, it's a hard pill to swallow. I'll be meeting with the local Motivator next week for the PST, and I'll talk to him then about the likelihood/possibility of getting someone to sign off on this.

Interesting. They mist be overflowing with recruits if they aren't giving eyesight waivers. They were running a program where SEAL wannabes could get their eyes fixed on the Navy's dime. They got the surgery and spent their recovery time out in Coronado doing work around the SPECWAR Center util they were ready to class up. I have no idea if they're still running it, but your Motivator should have info on it. Good luck.

Update on my situation: Still haven't heard anything either way from the Army recruiter and the MRT guys never called. Drove up to PA last weekend to meet with the recruiter for the TACP unit. Interview went well and filled out some more paperwork. Waiting on MEPS in Alaska to send my paperwork from my Navy enlistment to the MEPS in PA. Once that happens, I'll be going back up for a couple days to go through MEPS and take the PAST. If I pass both, the recruiter will submit my waiver.

I've been recovering from my dislocated shoulder (April) and finally got out of physical therapy a week back or so. I'm back to doing pull ups (10 max set right now,) and everything without pain. Sometimes I feel it being weak but I make sure to baby it then. Currently I'm OFP at my unit so that I can spend time prepping how I need to while I await my PCA. I'll be heading to Horno to check in with 1/4 next month. My new BRC class date is mid-August. I don't know if my new unit will "help me out" and TAD me to the prep course, but I'm definitely not slouching in the meantime. I try to swim 4-5 times a week. Usually I work out twice a day and then do some martial arts at night. On my light days I just do martial arts or just work out once.

Every since I've gotten injured I've been able to pack on some muscle, ironically. My clean diet (vegetarian) has prevented me from gaining excess weight and I kept up my cardio. Once I was able to add more strength training into my routine I saw near-immediate gains. I'm pretty big for my normal size, right now. I just have to eat a crapload to maintain this weight.... I more than likely will not able to maintain my size during Recon Prep/BRC because of the limited resources there.

Is there anyone around the Pendleton area that's a swim instructor? I need some help getting better at treading with bricks and underwater crossovers but I can't necessarily get to the Pulgas pool during their open swim time, (1130-1300). I'm at Horno right now with 1/4. I talked to the Course Chiefs and my 1st Sgt and they're both on board with me pushing my school seat back since I don't believe I'll be good to go by mid-August. I don't want to show up just to get hurt again.

But anyway, if anyone has some advice about where to go/who to see about some weekend swimming improvement for treading with weight/crossovers that would be fantastic.

Cleared MEPS today. Next step is the TACP PAST, which I take tomorrow at 1300. After that, they submit my waiver and then I can sign the dotted line and start doing something. Damn depth perception test almost fucked me. I swear I remember it being a book test when I first enlisted. Some damn circle pattern in a machine today. I actually failed the one at MEPS, but took one with the medical dept at the 193rd SOW and passed it.

Awesome news!
The trick to the depth perception (circle pattern) test is don't look directly at the row you're testing. Look a bit off to the side and the "correct" circle will be more apparent/perceptible. Not that it matters now...

Yeah, I was thinking about that on my drive to the hotel. I think I was trying way too hard to see the circle and was fucking myself up. Like you said, it doesn't matter anymore for now. Should I have to test it again in the future for something, I will keep this trick in mind! Thanks brother.

Congrats man, let us know how the PAST goes.

CDG, good luck...drop me a line from time to time. If you make it to Hurby Field I'll give you some friendly advice......

I can finally do pull ups/swim without any shoulder pain. Back to training like a boss, instead of training like a normal person.

Thank you. I will definitely take you up on that offer when the time comes.

I passed the PAST test today. It was the hardest PT test I've ever taken as far as adherence to standards. Even the PT tests I took at BUD/S were not graded as strictly. I have a lot of room for improvement on the push-ups and sit-ups, but was fairly happy with the run and pull-ups. Hopefully I will be enlisted and drilling by September.

It's done like that for a reason....when you get to Hurby you don't want to hear a instructor counting one, one, one, one after you have completed 25 "incorrect" push-ups..... Start now on upper body stuff...the O-course will demand it.

Just to clarify, I was in no way bitching about being held to a strict standard. I was just making a statement.

No worries. Just want to see you make it. Make sure your rucking is solid and if you have anybody that can start working with you on land nav that's a plus.

My rucking is fairly good. I had been gearing up for a shot at SFAS before it fell through, so I had been doing a decent amount of rucking. The standards for the rucks I was given by the 148th should not be an issue. As far as land nav goes, I did a weekend with a dude that runs a tracking school and learned quite a bit. I will likely go back to him for another weekend before I take off for a refresher. He has a large course set up in the mountains that can keep me busy for a couple days. I appreciate the advice.

My waiver came back today. I swear in on the 17th. Fuck. Yes.

You know you're going to need a proper shave and hair cut now.