Thanks! I won’t be enlisting at the ripe of age of 41, but I just wondered.
One word: roommates.
I’m sorry, but you ain’t seen a thorough physical until you’ve applied for the Peace Corps. And unless she’s a college grad, she’s basically SOL.
Why does everyone seem to think Peace Corps is Army Lite?
As a general rule, there are fewer people shooting at you.
As a follow-up question, why does everyone think that getting shot at is a regular part of all Soldier’s duties?
SSG Schwartz
Yeah, but it’s hardly a similar organization, the goals and requirements are totally different. It’s not like an 18 year old can say “Well, I couldn’t get into the military, I’m gonna try Peace Corps instead,” and actually get in. You need to be a college grad or have an ass-ton of work experience in your field. You have to have letters of rec, personal statements, interviews… it’s a real process. I know the army process is no picnic either, but they do have much lower standards for previous knowledge and experience.
Not really the same.
Just a joke - I was answering hawksgirl. My time in was in the Navy - and the joke there was that the other services trained harder while we worked harder.
Like all jokes, there’s a grain of truth there.
Amen to this. And I’ve been through both Peace Corps and MEPS physicals.
ETA: At least MEPS doesn’t make you pay for it yourself.
Ok, sorry for the hijack. That just really bugs me.
Whats the overturn business?
Either she has it or doesnt right?
Not trying to be difficult, just expecting a beaurcracy to make some sense I guess.
Best of luck to her and you!
See, she needs a doctor to say she does not, has not, and probably will not have eczema. Trouble is that when an MD says you have something, ISTM that not many will go against the grain and say you don’t.
SSG Schwartz
Yea, well at least you don’t have to sign her death letter. Better you than her. i wouldn’t want twins both serving in the Theater, either. You got one as sacrifice, what more do you want, you vampire.
I’m a retired Lt Col. I have a son who was also denied the privelege of joining the armed forces–also his dream (he has Crohns, asthma and a colaboma in his eye) and I told him pretty much exactly what you said.
SSG Schwartz, I feel for you. Do you ever recommend other ways to serve? I know its not your job, but it might help soften the blow of rejection for both of you. Recommending USAJOBs.com for civil service positions including DOD jobs, Peace Corps, state and government, and yes, my son is studying to be a teacher might give hope to someone who doesn’t see those things as service.
As an aside, I too was rejected the first time. I have really bad vision. I got an opthamologist to submit paperwork that said my eyes were healthy, just severely nearsighted. I was rejected by the SG. I was determined to get in, so I resubmitted–my recruiter didn’t even change the paperwork. I got accepted (I had extremely high AFOQT scores which might have helped), went through my final physical at the MEPS–including my vision–and raised my hand that day. At the MEPS, the doctor looked at my waiver and said, “you have the worst eyes I’ve seen get accepted in 23 years.”
A friend of mine from college called me after she complete Peace Corps training. One of the guys in training with her was a former Marine. He told her that physically Marine boot camp was more difficult but that mentally the Peace Corps training was much harder.
That’s totally out of line.
Boooooooooooo
hijack!
That’s interesting - one of my best friends in Peace Corps was also a former Marine. We figured he was the only Marine Corps —> Peace Corps person in the entire organization. Can I ask what country your friend was in the Peace Corps?
love
yams!!
It’s the only other organization that she could apply to that I knew the name of. Having never had any interest in joining any sort of semi-volunteer organization, I honestly have no idea what the requirements are. My point was that there may be other alternatives that will similarly get her out of town and out in the world but which aren’t as widely known about as the US military. They don’t have a monopoly on voluntary public service and she might very well be interested in one of these if she was made aware of them.
She was in training with him, not necessarily in the same country. After training they went off all over the world. If I remember right, her training was in the Fall of 1989. She was in what was then called Zaire.
I want you to not shit on my thread. You do know that some (MOST) people survive the experience of being in the Army. Or maybe you don’t get cable in the bridge you live under.
SSG Schwartz