Visting MEPS this weekend...

[wolfbrother]

Hello,

I'm visiting MEPS this weekend (test on Friday, physical on Saturday), and I had a few questions that I'm having a hard time finding an answer to that I need to know before I leave. As I stated in my intro thread, I have some hearing loss in my left ear. This is where I'm running into some issues. DEP supersenior and myself have been discussing this via PM, but he said that if I couldn't find the info I needed by searching board than to make a post, hence this thread. Its a two parter.

Here is the current situation: When I went in to the recruiter's office to sign the medical authorization forms, he told me to mark 'no' on all the medical conditions on the form, which was true except for one ('Have you ever worn a hearing aid'). When I was around 6 or 7 I had a hearing aid for a couple of months. I quit wearing it and have never had or used one since. I brought this up to the recruiter, and he said that MEPS has no way to get any of my medical files and they only know what I tell them on the form. I'm sure I'm not the first one to hear that speech. After going back and forth a few times with him, I ended up marking it as a 'No' because he said if I did a 'Yes' I would have to produce documentation, and would most likely end up having to get a waiver, thereby excluding an option 40 contract. According to him, since they can't pull medical files and I'm going to have a hearing test anyway, it doesn't matter.

Here is the first part of my question: Do I call him and and tell him I want to change it to a 'Yes' or tell them upfront at MEPS, and risk the possibility of getting an option 40 contract? Or is this a non-issue that I'm getting too worked up about? I just don't want it to come back and bite me in the butt someday if I don't disclose the information.

Here is the second part of my question: The recruiter said that it is possible to 'cheat' on the hearing test by observing the other people in the room and pressing the button when they do. This sounds like a really bad idea to me, but I want the option 40 contract so bad it makes it sound better. I probably won't pass due to the hearing loss in my left ear. I can hear decently well from the ear, and people don't know I have a hearing loss unless I tell them. I'm not sure that I won't pass (I think I'm probably borderline), so it is possible I might be able to pass without cheating, but I only get one shot at this, and if I don't pass, I'm down to just hoping I get a waiver, and then from there get a slot at Airborne from OSUT, which, from everything I read on this site, is not a very good chance.

I definitely don't want to have to settle for anything less than an 11X Option 40 contract, but I'm not sure I'll be qualified, depending on what I do, or even if I should be qualified. I would have just waited and posted my results from MEPS after I came back, but these issues came up and I'm kind of at a loss for what to do.

Thanks in advance for any help provided. I'll go back to the STFU that I learned from my intro thread!

-Zach

[wolfbrother]

After mulling the issue over and giving it some more thought, I have decided to do what I feel is the honorable and right thing. If I can't be honorable as a civilian, I don't feel that I could really be honorable as a Ranger. I think I need to be strong in character as well as in body to be able to reach my goal of being a Ranger. I also don't want to have my conscience be burdened by a lie or cheating and I don't want the fact that it might come back up someday to be looming over my head. I guess I came to the realization that I really want to go about doing this the right way, with no short cuts, from start to finish.

I also realize this may jeopardize my chances of an option 40 contract, or any kind of contract at all for that matter, but I don't want to be a cheater and possibly put others at risk, not that I think my hearing loss would, but I should let the Army decide that. They certainly have a more experience at these things than I do. :)

I saw the recruiter today after I got off work and notified him of the changes and gave him the paperwork related to my hearing loss. He said I would miss out on the trip to MEPS this weekend due to a lack of time to get the paperwork turned in and an approval granted. I'm hoping and praying for the best, and that they don't come back with me being disqualified without even being able to physical.

I'm definitely still in the hunt for an 11X Option 40 contract, but even if I can't get that, I still have an immense desire to serve as a Ranger and will do all I can to reach that point.

Thanks to all who sent me PMs with advice, I really appreciate it!

So now its back to waiting, STFU, and lots of PT!!
-Zach

[42L5V]

That's an example of Rogers' Rangers Standing Orders #4 right there.

Click me

Good luck, and post the results.

[ma91c1an]

Tough call.

My congratulations on making it.

Never regret making a moral decision.

[smokn38]

Tough call.

My congratulations on making it.

Never regret making a moral decision.

My sentiments exactly, we need more people like you willing to make decisions such as this, I hope everything works out.

[wolfbrother]

To Ranger 42L5V, Ranger ma91c1an, and Paratrooper smokn38: Thank you for replies of advice and encouragement in my decision.

To the board at large:
I have a new update on my situation and the news is not good. I called the recruiter today because I had not heard anything back from my visit of a week ago. As it turned out, he had called a Doc down at MEPS and according to what they said, anyone who has worn a hearing aid at any point prior to service is considered a permanent disqualification and can't even come to physical. So this basically puts me back into my morals and ethics dilemma, assuming what he is telling me is true. He didn't send down any of the paper work stating that I had worn a hearing aid so that if I wanted to do what he called "walking a fine line", I could.

So I guess my current question is this: Does wearing the hearing aid put me into a permanent disqualification if I put that on my paperwork for MEPS? I guess I'm kind of wondering if the recruiter is lying to me, but I at this point I don't really see a reason for him to, but I have been kind of skeptical of a lot of what he has told me due to many of his statements not jiving with the advice and knowledge of those on this board.

This whole thing definitely turned what was a good day into a bad one. Not the news I wanted to hear. I'm not going to give up though, and thats why I'm here posting. If there is one thing anyone should take away from reading on this message board, it is "Never quit, never give up!" I want to do everything I can to get a Ranger contract, and failing that, get an infantry contract and try to transfer to batt in service, and failing that... I don't really know what other option there is, but I will do whatever I can to get this. Any help is greatly appreciated!

-Zach

[Glenn, MSG Ret.]

I wore a cast at one time & I still qualified for the military. It eventually came off & I was fine.

I wore a neck brace while in & didn't get kicked out. It eventually came off & I was fine.

I had sutures many times before, during & after the military. They came out & I was fine.

I can't see why a temporary wear of a hearing aid should disqualify you if you can pass the hearing test.

Sometimes making a "on the line" moral decision can turn around & bite you in the ass. A line has two sides.

Glenn.

[hit_it]

You do what you feel you must.

I will tell you that what the MEPS doctor has tld you is true. You will be disqualified for having worn a hearing aid.

[wolfbrother]

SFC hit_it and MSG Glenn, thank you for your response.

SFC hit_it, is there anything I can do to honestly get around the permanent DQ for my past short term use of a hearing aid? Is a waiver available/possible in such situations? I really am willing to work hard on this, and I'm willing to take any odds, even if its a long shot. I just want to be able to take the hearing test and go from there.

I realize I could just lie and not put it on the pre-screen forms, but morally I don't want to do that, and I'm really quite scared it could come back to haunt me later and cause me to be discharged. From what I've read from other sources, the line the recruiter told me about them "having no way to get to my medical files" is a load of crap, because it happens quite a bit. Or at least so I've read.

I hope there is some help for my situation. I want the Army and Rangers more than anything else in my life right now, and I just feel like its going down the drain all because of wearing a stupid hearing aid for 4 months in 1989. It seems kind of strange to me that they allow people to wear glasses prior to and during their service, but not hearing aids. I understand about not wanting to put people in danger, but at least to me, they don't really seem much different.

I just want a shot at this. Am I dead in the water? Thanks again for your help.

-Zach

[BruteForce]

While I don't regret being honest on my West Point application / paperwork, my having disclosed that I had an allergic reaction to (x) (where x=bee, spider, etc) medically DQ'd me from further attendance at the Academy.

Do what you feel is right and just, but realize the consequences of disclosing something so dated and possibly now irrelevant.

[Jim]

.
I want the Army and Rangers more than anything else in my life right now, and I just feel like its going down the drain all because of wearing a stupid hearing aid for 4 months in 1989..

I just want a shot at this. Am I dead in the water? Thanks again for your help.

-Zach

I just got off the phone with my POC in the office of the Surgeon General. Her comment was, "He should ask his recruiter to ask MEPS for a hearing test. If there is no problem, fine. Perhaps a referal to an audiologist may be needed to validate his ability to hear. But disqualifying someone because they wore a hearing aid for a few months at age five, seems strange."

[wolfbrother]

Veteran PhishPhreakKiller: Thank you for the advice and for relating your personal experience.

Ranger Jim: Thank you for using your time and resources to help me out. I was just kind of stunned when I read your reply that someone I had never even met was willing to go to such effort for me, just based a thread in a message board.

Here is my latest update: I just got off the phone with the recruiter. I told him the info I have gleaned from this thread. He says that since the documentation relating to a hearing aid from 1989 states nothing about me no longer needing a hearing aid, and basically leaves off with me still wearing it, that the way MEPS sees it, I currently still need to be wearing it, even if I haven't for almost 20 years. And MEPS regulations says that someone who is currently wearing a hearing aid is a permanent DQ.

So I had this idea while I was talking with him, and I brought it to his attention and he said it would probably work: If I get a new hearing doctor to say I no longer need the hearing aid, then I would be good to go physical. Does this sound like a feasible plan or is this unnecessary? Do I need to get a new recruiter? It kind of scares me when I am the one bringing up ideas to him about how to get into the Army.

-Zach

[Glenn, MSG Ret.]

Zach,

Getting documentation is always a good idea. Even though it's been about 18 years since you've worn one as far as the Army is concerned you still wear one. Getting a doctor to test you & verify that one isn't needed & give you the documentation stating that will go a long way.

I know you did the right & moral thing to admit that a hearing aid was needed at a young age but it's too bad you didn't have an honest memory lapse. I can't remeber half the things that happened to me when I was 5 a probably couldn't when I was in my 20s.

Get your documentation, try to get your MEPS hearing test & see what happens. If you fail the standards then you can at least say that you tried your damnedest!

Glenn.

[wolfbrother]

I have some new information regarding my MEPS/recruiting situation. I went down last night and took the ASVAB and scored a 97 overall with a GT of 141 and a CO of 140. Needless to say, I'm very happy with these scores.

The physical was this morning and I passed on everything with flying colors, except for the hearing test. I had to take it twice and was PDQ'd for my left ear (predictable, but was still hoping and trying my hardest for a passing score), but they sent it up for a waiver and said I should know the results Monday or Tuesday. Also needless to say, I'll be very anxious until I hear back. I'm hoping all goes smooth and easy with the waiver and I'll still be able to get 11X. It would seem now would be the time to do a bit more research on ways into Batt without option 40.

I will keep the board at large appraised of the waiver situation as I get new info. Thank you all for the help and advice.