"Locked out Mos's"

Felt like I got kicked in the ....?

Went to Des Moines with Recruiter Sunday night ,arrived at Hotel at 0 hour.
Got 4 hours sleep ate breakfast was almost last one in building. Except for 2
sleepers.

Had some paperwork did reweigh and so on.

Got to the counselor no 25M no surprise!,looked at a few others seen they
had 25B available. Started investigating that a little then he said I was not
able to get a security clearance;I said what?... Told him my 2 waivers are a
done deal,and I specifically asked Recruiter about the clearance. Was told it's a go weeks ago!

So in the Mos description it say's alcohol waiver blah blah something.So now my Owi is at fault,but after talkin to this gal and filled out a paper with
a couple debts owed to collection's which they already knew! They shift the gears and say they can't give me clearance because of Debt because
I am a risk. OK so I go in a small room first thing I see is a note on wall say's (Recruiters do not bring applicants into this room anymore!) don't
know if it was a joke or not ,but I can tell you I was not laughing.

Then I asked if the debt was payed in full before I left for basic would they
go for that because I would have taken the 25B job;well it was a go then no then what about a 42A job it's computer related we can get u that or the3 year cook job. Not sure but isn't that 42 job being reclassified as 88M
then Recruiter made calls smoked cigarettes on my time. Sorry but I can't
help that he smokes!

Finally at around mid afternoon I walked out wen't to the bathroom proceed
to the lounge and ready to leave the floor.

Bottom line is this 1. Felt like I was deliberately lied to just to get me there.

2. The Army is not looking out for the best interest of my Family,or they
would not have wasted a entire day of mine when I could be working 2 Art
jobs I have to pay off debt! (that is my opinion)

3.Yes I called the Army looking to join.
4.I am not trying to waste anyones time!
5.I am not blaming Recruiter :?: '' He apologized on the way home!"
6.If someone feels like they are being mislead 9 out of 10 times they will
stand down!(opinion on the numbers)
7.Not sure about Army now,and maybe it's no wonder they r having hard\
time getting people in!

Thanks for listening needed to vent!
 
dude, that really bites...

Here are my opinions on your experience.

1. The whole MEPS experience sucks regarldess if you are successful or not. I have been to MEPS 3 times; once when I signed up the first time, once to become medically quilified for round 2 and once to get my butt back into the army for round 2. None of it was enjoyable. Especially when you are sitting with the guy on the computer who tells you if you are a go or not.

2. You might be right in thinking you are mislead. I have worked with recruiters before. Sometimes when they get a candidate that they know will not qualify for a job, they will bring them to MEPS anyways. The thought here is that the recruit might find another job he or she likes. You can blame this on how recruiting is like a sales job. Altely recruiters have been getting classes on busness thought processes. Sales 101 says a great salesman does not get the customer exactly what he/she wants. A good salesman works with whats availible to sell to the customer. Car sales is a good example of this idea.

3. You may not have been mislead. In the Army, as well as life, there are an infinate number of what if's. It is impossible for anyone to know them all. People try to act like they know when they do not. I found this very clear as I went thru the process to become an officer in the Army. I cannot remember the specifics, but I was told the wrong information by very creditible high ranking people quite a few times.

4. Yes the Army makes it hard to get in. I was a fully qualified soldier in the reserves who wanted to go back to active duty, and I had permission from my unit to do so. The amount of BS that I went thru to finally get back to active duty was immense. And I was also told the wrong info during this process. I was told I would have to go back to AIT for 8 weeks of training. That was my belief until the day I signed the contract and went active.

Maybe this will help, maybe it will not. Sorry that things did not work out for you man

Doody
 
Keep plugging. If this is what you really want, you can make it happen. Just come back in Oct. at the start of the fiscal year and try again. Make sure your recruiter has everything handled. It is unlikely your recruiter had you a secret clearance as you had no need for one. Background checks are what everyone gets when they join, which is what you most likely had.

Don't let your MEPS experience turn you off. I don't know of a single guy, including myself, that has good things to say about MEPS. It is pretty much like that for everyone. Even when you get what you wanted and needed, you still leave feeling like you wasted an entire day.
 
Cooled Down!

I appreciate the input I am getting from this forum!

No I am not throwing in the towel.

I may have to sacrifice the job's I wan't now,and try to get them when I am
able to re-inlist?

I may wait it out

The way I understood the jobs that come up on the screen are the jobs you qualify for!

They state that I will have better chance of clearance jobs if join as cook
then pay off debts reinlist in 25 series.

Myself I don't think a clearance job will ever be in my cards

"your past dictates your future"
 
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jaz-do said:
I appreciate the input I am getting from this forum!

No I am not throwing in the towel.

I may have to sacrifice the job's I wan't now,and try to get them when I am
able to re-inlist?

I may wait it out

They state that I will have better chance of clearance jobs if join as cook
then pay off debts reinlist in 25 series.

Myself I don't think a clearance job will ever be in my cards

"your past dictates your future"

Debts are something you'll have to get paid off, for sure. Your history, well, that's all subjective. If you're honest, there's been some time since your mistakes (and depending on what they are) most of the investigators are pretty good at looking past it. Secret clearances aren't really that tough to get as long as everything is in order.

Have you looked at all of the MOSes the Army has? Anything else you may like to do? Take some time and look at ALL of them see if something catches your eye.

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/enlistedjobs/a/arjobs.htm
 
jaz, I am in the same boat as you (in terms of getting screwed by MEPS) I was told several times that my knee was cleared, I was good to go, they were waiting for me to make the decision and then I get to MEPS and find out someone fell asleep on the job and forgot to have the paperwork sent up to battalion HQ (Minneapolis) to actually get me cleared, they just assumed it was taken care of.

In my two experiences with MEPS I have found them to be quite unpleasant, and yes, there were mistakes made with my paperwork the first time too.
 
Been through MEPS three times, two no go's and one go. All three experiences sucked arse big time. Its not meant to be enjoyable and I am dreading this fourth time that I hope is in the cards for me.

I already have in my head what I will and will not accept. I know what I have that makes me a wanted commodity. And I know what I am willing to sacrifice. You have to know these things going into MEPS and don't let them get inside your head. Like PJ was saying October is the start of the new fiscal year and all the targets are reset. Also what is unavailable one day may become available the next and vice versa. It all changes in real time according to who just grabbed a spot or who just got bolo'd.

I am walking into the dealership knowing the car I want, my trade-in and the worst car I'll leave with. Get yourself a game plan and go kick their teeth in mate. ;)
 
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