PFC Cody Towse...eventually.

Well there are a couple ways you can start at an advanced pay grade in the United States Army. Things like college credit, ROTC, Eagle Scout Awards, and things like that. Since I'm an underachiever...I have none of those things under my belt, but alas there was hope. Basically you just have to be able to pass the Army Physical Fitness Test, and refer either two of your borderline retarded friends, or just one that has at least some semblance of organized thought in their skull, meaning they get at least 50 on the ASVAB.

I got my cousin Dustin Campbell to sign up too. Unfortunately for my pride's sake, he can put together an organized thought pretty well. Since he beat my score on the ASVAB with a 96. (I got a 93) Bummer, I know. I haven't take the physical fitness test yet but I don't think there's really any way I can fail it, it's not a particularly grueling thing. So between Dustin and my PFT, I'm going to start as as E-3. (Private First Class) This all means I get more pay initially starting out, and there are going to be about 10 fewer people in the army that can give me orders...

Hurry Up And Wait

Well I think I've been awake for about 27 hours now...so I'm slightly sleepy. Damn MEPS. The day went like this: First, everyone gets up at about 4:30 and gets all ready for processing, you know, showering, brushing your teeth, not putting on a thong (that was a specific instruction given to all recruits before going to processing...yeah I know). After a short bus ride from the Radisson hotel in Salt Lake City, we ended up at the actual MEPS building, about 20 minutes before they open apparently, so we waited outside. It was great.

The first thing that I learned today was that apparently recruiting stations are hotbeds for terrorist activities, since we were all frisked, wanded, and had our bags run through an x-ray machine...and naturally the metal detecting wand picked up the Juicy Fruit in my left pocket, but not the phone in my right.

Now the rest of MEPS is hard to remember in any specific order. I remember peeing in a cup. being taught how to "correctly" check a box on a form, getting a reasonably invasive physical exam, exercising in my underwear with five other recruits, and becoming pretty apprehensive about the fact that a couple of the guys in there were probably some day going to end up handling weapons that can wipe out small countries.

One of the new things I encountered was being told that no matter what I did, I did wrong, not because of incorrect procedure, but because of vague instruction or doing them too slow. A thing I'll have to get used to I guess.

There is also a lot of waiting at MEPS. Waiting for interviews, waiting for blood tests, waiting for urine tests, waiting for faxes, waiting for recruiters, waiting for paperwork, waiting for waiting rooms to have enough room for you. It's great.

We also had lunch. It was kind of like the stuff they gave you in elementary school, but withoutthe essential ingredient of lunch lady love, prepared by a guy that looks like he got the job as a service from the local prison unemployment bureau.

Oh, and if you end up going to MEPS any time in the future, try to avoid the fat guy named Scott, he is a lot like the cafeteria guy, but more condescending.

After lunch I went to the Army liaison to finalize my contract and DEP (Delayed Entry Program) in. I know DEP is a noun and not a verb, but I DEP'd nonetheless. I got my contract all assembled, promising me the MOS of 68W. (Health Care Specialist [Combat Medic])

Shortly after thumbprinting about a dozen pages I signed the dotted line...which is actually electronic now, so bummer.

Next step was to take my Oath of Enlistment, which ended up being just the Air Force major in charge of the facility, an aspiring Navy SEAL, and myself. Not much pomp and circumstance, and the whole thing lasted about 45 seconds.

Then I waited around to get a ride back home from my recruiter. By then of course I had mastered the ability to hurry up and wait.

Rolling with the Caissons

I guess I'll have to find a new name for this blog now. I went to a scheduled meeting I had with the Navy recruiter at the beginning of the week (Monday) and he wasn't there...so I walked next door and joined the Army. We went through the potential jobs I could have in the Army and I found a couple that I would really like, first and foremost being 68W - Health Care Specialist...which is really just a liberal way of saying combat medic. The next day (Tuesday) Sergeant Anderson (my recruiter) called me and told me that a spot was open for 68W and that he could put a hold on it so I could get it guaranteed in my contract, so that's what we did. I went in yesterday (Wednesday) and finished up all the paperwork for my background check so I could get my Secret security clearance. Why I need a security clearance to walk around in the desert patching up wounded soldiers I will never know. I'm scheduled to go to MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) on Monday the 22nd and spend the night at a hotel and get a physical and some other stuff done on Tuesday. I also got my ship date: 20110906. It seems forever far away, but hopefully it will come quick.

The Beginning of an end

Today, after much running around, mail requests, mail denials, bitter frustration, requisition forms, and general disappointment, I have finally gotten all the medical records and personal documents together that I needed to enlist in the United States Navy. My recruiter has submitted all of my information and said that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, I should be able to leave for basic training in May or June. I've never been quite so excited for anything in my life. I've grown tired of living a mediocre life and can't wait to start a journey full of responsibility, honor, and dedication. I will try my best to keep this blog updated as I go through my various trainings and duty stations for a long time to come. I hope that this blog can be a tool for aspiring corpsman to use and better inform themselves and their families about what they can expect. I'll be going through MEPS this upcoming Wednesday and Friday. I'll be taking the ASVAB on Wednesday, followed by my physical on Friday. At least that's how we're planning it thus far.