Talked to a Recruiter Today

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64 SRT8 Dart

64 SRT8 Dart

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A little back-story.

When I was a Junior in H.S. (17) I enlisted in the IL Army National Guard. Upon taking my ASVAB and going through the physical, I ended up failing the last exam....the eye exam. Which disqualified me from proceeding.
I had an accident when I was in 7th grade that damaged my right eye pretty good and apparently left a traumatic cataract afterwards.

Fast forward to today. My overall vision is 20/20 but my right eye is now at 20/50 and when I close my left eye, and use the right eye, there's a slight haze/smoke caused by the cataract. My left eye is 20/20 and compensates for the right one.

I've been contemplating and talking to my wife for the last year about maybe trying to join again and finally went and talked to the CO Army Nat Grd after work today.
I was hoping for a better outcome, like maybe I could convince them to foot the bill for the lasik if I enlisted for "X" amount of years. It was a no-go of course, lol.
We talked about the injury and he came up with the idea that I might be able to get my Med Ins. to cover it as it was the result of an injury and not by natural causes. I'm sure they'll argue that it's just a cosmetic case and will deny it but I'll argue that it's affecting me from pursuing a career, as that's just the plain truth.

I feel that this may be the path to help me further my pursuit in becoming a law enforcement officer as well as gain a few other positive disciplines to help my wife and I.

Anyways, thought I'd share.
 
they are picky ....I saw a few recruiters a few times at school from different branches.......they go to college job fairs and all that kind of thing .......I was excited and ready and roarin to go because I found out that they will take people who are not U.S. citizens and they take females ....however they wont take people with an artificial ankle and hardware in their back....heck they wouldn't even take me in the college ROTC

I was ready to go sniper shoot Osama Bin dork who was alive at the time, first time I ever talked to them ....but they want to be picky ...they missed out on a potential finely tuned combat machine. :neutral:
 
Yeah, I knew they were picky, but it makes you mad when you know they take in thugs and criminals....to avoid jail time....but will reject an upstanding citizen who really wants to better themself and help his country in the process....all because he has a "correctable" eye problem. lol
 
If you speak with a lasik specialist and they assure you that your condition can be corrected, then I would definitely go for it, even if it IS more than you wanted to pay. I mean, it would get you in the military and on a pathway to where you want to go in life.......so even a hefty bill would be worth it, IMO.

There's no way they're going to "fix" you before you even enlist, but.....after you're in, maybe you can get some kind of military discount; I think that's the best you can hope for. Time's a tickin'.......I say go for it!

RaniDart70 said:
I was ready to go sniper shoot Osama Bin dork ...they missed out on a potential finely tuned combat machine. :neutral:
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LOL Oh, they don't even KNOW what they missed out on, Miss Rani........you could probably break down an M-16 and reassemble it in record time with your eyes closed up in a tree somewhere!! :D
 
I have a brother in the Navy, and a cousin in the Air Force and both of them wear corrective lenses. My brother has been in for several years now and just this year the Navy paid for his Lasik surgery. Maybe it's an Army thing.
 
RaniDart70 said:
I was ready to go sniper shoot Osama Bin dork who was alive at the time, first time I ever talked to them ....but they want to be picky ...they missed out on a potential finely tuned combat machine. :neutral:
Click to expand...

Man, watch out guys!!!!!!! She'll take you down!!!!!
 
how much is Lasik surgery ???

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp9euwAEe6o"]WATCH MY LASIK EYE SURGERY! - YouTube[/ame]
 
64 SRT8 Dart said:
A little back-story.

When I was a Junior in H.S. (17) I enlisted in the IL Army National Guard. Upon taking my ASVAB and going through the physical, I ended up failing the last exam....the eye exam. Which disqualified me from proceeding.
I had an accident when I was in 7th grade that damaged my right eye pretty good and apparently left a traumatic cataract afterwards.

Fast forward to today. My overall vision is 20/20 but my right eye is now at 20/50 and when I close my left eye, and use the right eye, there's a slight haze/smoke caused by the cataract. My left eye is 20/20 and compensates for the right one.

I've been contemplating and talking to my wife for the last year about maybe trying to join again and finally went and talked to the CO Army Nat Grd after work today.
I was hoping for a better outcome, like maybe I could convince them to foot the bill for the lasik if I enlisted for "X" amount of years. It was a no-go of course, lol.
We talked about the injury and he came up with the idea that I might be able to get my Med Ins. to cover it as it was the result of an injury and not by natural causes. I'm sure they'll argue that it's just a cosmetic case and will deny it but I'll argue that it's affecting me from pursuing a career, as that's just the plain truth.

I feel that this may be the path to help me further my pursuit in becoming a law enforcement officer as well as gain a few other positive disciplines to help my wife and I.

Anyways, thought I'd share.
Click to expand...

Is your vision correctable? Each MOS has a different vision requirement. You may have to settle on an MOS that has minimal vision standards in order to get in. I just talked with our recruiters and the waivers are really tighening up throughout all the services.

I assume they caught your eye issue at MEPS when you had your physical? PM me and I can provide you some guidance on how to manuver the system.
 
Contrary to popular belief, the Army does not take jail birds any more.
That option was taken from judges long ago.
That being said, the vision issue isn't so much the problem as the cataract is. If the MOS you are wanting is doesn't have a RGB restriction or corrective lens in PULHES portion of the enlistment. In short, you can't be colorblind or wear glasses.
There are a lot MOS's that you just cannot be colorblind in. Especially red/green. Combat MOS's being the majority there. We used red/green alot as markers,maps, in sights, primers, powder, ect.
If the Lasick will allow you to get in, I think I would just foot the bill and do it. If for no other reason, it'll fix your eye.
I spent 20 yrs in the Army, most of it behind a howitzer, if you go in, look for a career path that will lead somewhere. Trust me, the only people hiring former Howitzer chiefs, aren't in the US.
 
Okay, talked with the eye specialist today and the receptionist said that I had a good chance that the insurance would cover it after I explained everything to her. She said the doctor wouldn't be back until Thursday but she said she would explain my situation to him and see what he has to say. She said I'll definitely need to come in for an indepth exam....which is free!

Also, it won't be lasik, it's going to be some sort of cataract removal surgery. She said the procedure is $3000 per eye! lol Thank goodness I only need one done, lol.

The two doctors at the specialist are two of only a few in the nation who offer moneyback guarantees on their work and I guess are the top few in their line of work....so that's a plus. I'll pay more $$$ for quality any day.
 
RaniDart70 said:
they are picky ....I saw a few recruiters a few times at school from different branches.......they go to college job fairs and all that kind of thing .......I was excited and ready and roarin to go because I found out that they will take people who are not U.S. citizens and they take females ....however they wont take people with an artificial ankle and hardware in their back....heck they wouldn't even take me in the college ROTC

I was ready to go sniper shoot Osama Bin dork who was alive at the time, first time I ever talked to them ....but they want to be picky ...they missed out on a potential finely tuned combat machine. :neutral:
Click to expand...

They won't take anyone with metal in their body. They wouldn't take me due to back and knee problems.

I think the minimum height is 4'10". :D
 
dart4forte said:
Is your vision correctable? Each MOS has a different vision requirement. You may have to settle on an MOS that has minimal vision standards in order to get in. I just talked with our recruiters and the waivers are really tighening up throughout all the services.

I assume they caught your eye issue at MEPS when you had your physical? PM me and I can provide you some guidance on how to manuver the system.
Click to expand...

This was a while ago, but they took my uncle, who was legally blind! (IIRC, he was 20/30 with glasses.) He had LASIK and is now 20/20, though still needs reading glasses.

Personally, there is no way I would EVER let ANYONE near my eyes with a laser! I'll deal with glasses.
 
Have an eye consultation on Nov 6th to see what the Dr. might be able to do. He's one of the top Dr.'s in the country and has performed 10's of thousands of these surgeries. So, I'm in good hands...or so I'm told, lol.
 
Hope the insurance will pick up the tab and thanks for your desire to serve our country.
 
64 SRT8 Dart said:
Yeah, I knew they were picky, but it makes you mad when you know they take in thugs and criminals....to avoid jail time....but will reject an upstanding citizen who really wants to better themself and help his country in the process....all because he has a "correctable" eye problem. lol
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DON'T BE SPOUTING OFF THAT FALSE CRAP. They haven't 'took in thugs and criminals' in OVER 30 years. State facts, or label them as opinions kid.
If you don't know, ASK. Some other person will read your words and accept them as truth.

In this economy the military can afford to be VERY choosy. All branches but the Navy will NOT accept (waiver) someone with a prior drug conviction. The Navy will not take accept anyone with a previous DUI.

If you want a list of what they do and don't accept, I will give me former coworker a call.


If anybody has a hardworking friend/family member that wants to join a safe job-I recommend submarine work-in the NAVY. If I had to do it over again, I would try out for FT (Fire control Technician) which we affectionately refer to as Freetime Technicians. In this rate, I would have had 10 times the time off that I have, and would have been a Master Chief by now-no doubt, not even a little bit.
 
well all the branches go by the same set up for the medical. my son just went and took his test and has nerofibroses, get lumps in their body. and was rejected he is trying to get a medical waver so that he can still go in. i wish you the best of luck
 
UPDATE:

Had the eye dr appt today and am scheduled for Dec 12 for the surgery...sort of a problem though.....insurance will only cover the basic replacement lense, which I would need a contact or glasses for. He said he could put a STAAR Toric in....which is what I would prefer...better quality and will get me where I want vision wise....but, it's $650 out of my pocket, which I don't have :(
Guess I have a few weeks to try to come up with the $$$
 
64 SRT8 Dart said:
UPDATE: Had the eye dr appt today and am scheduled for Dec 12 for the surgery...sort of a problem though.....insurance will only cover the basic replacement lense, which I would need a contact or glasses for. He said he could put a STAAR Toric in....which is what I would prefer...better quality and will get me where I want vision wise....but, it's $650 out of my pocket, which I don't have :( Guess I have a few weeks to try to come up with the $$$
Click to expand...
I got my fingers crossed for you bud. I'd surely help you with the $ if I could. Unfortunately I'm in the same boat you are so to speak. I can however, send you a few prayers for the desired outcome. :)
 
I think it was in the 80's that they quit the option of jail or the army. I took the asvab and the physical for the army. I was 11 pounds under weight and they wouldn't take me. I had RK(like lasik but with a scalpel instead of a laser) done in the early 90's, my mom was going to have it done, too. But they wouldn't do it, because she is blind in one eye and if something went wrong she would be completely blind.
 
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