Introduction - Ashlander

[Ashlander]

Ashlander, please do keep me updated. I'm intrigued as to what your decision will be. And regardless of how my earlier posts may have come across, I'm here if you have any questions.

Hello again, Ranger Chuck_Finley. I have decided to go for it. I met a couple guys that used to be Rangers as well as a friend of my cousin that is currently in the 75th. Whether or not I'll make it, I dont know. But if I dont, I'll just train a little bit more, and try again. Thanks for the advice earlier.

Update on the enlisting situation.

I switched from trying to join Active duty, to the National Guard. The Active duty recruiters suggested it because they use different doctors at MEPS or some shit. Only setback to this is that I wont be eligible for Option 40 or RASP at all in the Guard. Airbourne School, I think i may be able to get out of the way though. I'll just have to sign for the shortest term available and then switch to Active when it ends since I'll be able to no problem then. Also that'll give me another couple years to prepare myself, so it has its silver lining. But I would still like to go Active with Option 40 to start with. If i get issued the Asthma waiver for the Guard I may speak with the Active recruiters again to see if it will transfer over.

MEPS actually got back to me with the Guard saying I needed a letter from an M.D. basically putting the test results into words. But the more recent test i recieved, the doctor wouldn't write a letter with it because she was from Germany and i dont think she understood what I wanted. And the letter i got with the older test is around 3 years old by now so they wont accept it. I've been going around a few different clinics to see if i can find an M.D. that will just look the results over real quick and just write out a sentence or two about them but I havent had any luck. Im going to try a couple more and the local County Department of Health to see if they can do anything.

[Chuck_Finley]

Ashlander,

Good to hear from you again. I spent time as a recruiter, and I hate to tell you this but any history of Asthma is almost always a show stopper. Your best bet is to get a new test done (most likely out of your pocket or insurance), with the appropriate read by a doctor. That way MEPS is looking at current information. IF they decided to let you come up for a physical, then they will most likely send you out to one of their Doctors for a consult.

I will tell you this. DO NOT shop around to find a Doc that will just write down whatever you want as a recommendation/referral concerning your asthma history. Asthma is nothing to mess around with. You're potentially putting your life in danger if you do (I know that sound ironic as you want to be a Ranger). If you do manipulate the system and get in under false pretenses (misrepresenting your asthma), then not only are you endangering yourself, but your fellow soldiers who may be depending on you in a combat zone and have you go down on them due to asthma. So be straightforward and find a good Doc who will do a good read on you.

Chuck

[Ashlander]

I will tell you this. DO NOT shop around to find a Doc that will just write down whatever you want as a recommendation/referral concerning your asthma history. Asthma is nothing to mess around with. You're potentially putting your life in danger if you do (I know that sound ironic as you want to be a Ranger). If you do manipulate the system and get in under false pretenses (misrepresenting your asthma), then not only are you endangering yourself, but your fellow soldiers who may be depending on you in a combat zone and have you go down on them due to asthma. So be straightforward and find a good Doc who will do a good read on you.

Thanks for the concern Ranger, but I've never had any problems with Asthma aside from failing the test in the Air Force, and I never intended on manipulating my way through it. Just to clear that up.

And I also have another good update. I took my two Asthma test results to a free clinic for people without insurance and such, and explained the situation. The doctor gave me a good look over, listened to my lungs under both normal breathing and forced exhaling or whatever, then reviewed my Asthma test results (most recent one in May this year) and came to the conclusion that I do not have it. She wrote me out a note for the recruiters and MEPS and wished me luck.

My Active duty recruiters said that we dont even need to ask for an Asthma waiver now because that note changes everything. They just put together the test results, note from the doctor saying I dont have it, and a letter asking the Sergeon General guy at MEPS for his OK for them to process me, in which case they would pretty much just ignore the whole Asthma thing with the Air Force, and waive my Re-Entry code. I think they called it an NLP or LNP or something like that, Ranger Chuck_Finley said he was a recruiter so he may know what I'm talking about. They said it can take anywhere from a few days to a month, since its just one guy looking through all of these, so I'm still waiting to back about it.

At least now I'll able to go straight into Active instead of using the Guard as a 'foot in the door' like i was expecting. Only problem now is that I wont be eligible for Option 40 because I'll have a waiver (RE code). My recruiters said they know somebody who is a recruiter for the Rangers though, so they said to just call them when I'm a few weeks away from the end of my OSUT. They'll give him a call about me, and he'll come talk to my Drill Sergeant about my performance, and then pull me out and sent me to Airborne and RASP immediatly after OSUT (provided he hears good things). If that falls through, then I'll just have to go about it the long and hard way, volunteering for Airborne and getting into RASP myself.

Hell, I hope that you get a whole belly full of determination and motivation, fight for that RASP slot in Airborne School (that's what I had to do) and have a successful tour with the 75th Rangers.

And if you do, first round is on me.

I met a car saleman a while back who used to be a Ranger, and I met a friend of one of my cousins on Facebook who just recently got into the 75th. After talking to them, I've pretty much decided it's what I want to do. I'm even going to hit the gym on my way home from work everyday untill i ship to basic just to be in better shape and conditioned for OSUT and RASP.

Btw, if i get into the 75th, im gunna hold you to that round. Hope you're a scotch drinker.

[Chuck_Finley]

Btw, if i get into the 75th, im gunna hold you to that round. Hope you're a scotch drinker.

I think I could manage for the occasion. Make it happen!