Introduction- El Doc

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IF you are a Ranger or are serving/have served in the Armed Forces, please include your dates of service, unit(s) and additional info. Please protect your privacy by not including full names and current personal information.
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ElDoc
Future Soldier / Opt40
Posts: 18
Joined: February 19th, 2019, 11:33 am

Introduction- El Doc

Post by ElDoc »

Hello Rangers!

I enlisted in 2008 as a medic with an option 40 contract. After Cole Range I made the stupid decision to go out drinking with a buddy of mine and was caught. I got dropped and was sent to the 3rd US Inf Reg (The Old Guard). I was there from 2009 to 2011. While there I dropped an SFAS packet and after passing was sent to the Q. I was in the Q from 2011 to 2012 but was performance dropped 3 weeks from graduating due to marital issues I was having at the time which eventually led to divorce. From there I was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. I spent the next 3 and a half years there until I ETSd in 2016. After my active duty time, I enlisted into the California Army National Guard on a 1 year contract with the 1st Assault Helicopter Battalion, 140th Aviation Regiment and was honorably discharged once that was up.

6 months later I was filled with regret about getting out because I felt like as an able bodied man, it was my duty to continue to serve. I tried coming back in the Army but wasnt having any luck with any of the recruiting stations in my area so I looked at other branches. The Navy was willing to work with me so I joined as a Corpsman attached to Marine Corps 3RD ANGLICO and gave myself a 1 year timeline to be in a NSW pipeline. I hit my 1 year mark last month and reassessed how close I was, I was even further away from getting to my goal than I was when I joined. I found an Army recruiter who was willing to work with me, filled out a 368 conditional release, and sent it up my COC. 3 weeks later it came back approved. I just had my MEPs appointment yesterday for medical and to pick a MOS. I was hoping for another 68W option 40 but 68W is closed for prior service at the moment all across the Army. I was, however, able to get a 13F option 40 and I go back in on Monday to finish my paperwork.

I will be honest, when I went through RIP in 2008 I was 19, very stupid, selfish, and immature. I made the decision to go out drinking and I deserve every bit of the consequence from that. It has been something that I have regretted and I never stopped thinking about. When I was in the Q going through my marital issues, i deserved that drop as well. I never brought any of my issues up to the cadre so they never knew what was going on in my personal life. I could have handled that whole situation a lot better looking back on it now. I see these failures from my past and I use them as learning experiences now. I'm 30 years old and have a wife and family from a new marriage. Mentally and physically I have done a complete 180 from when I was 19. I haven't touched a drink in over 4 years, train twice a day for 6 days a week, eat clean, and treat my body like that of a professional athlete.
Assuming the last of my paperwork goes well on Monday, I feel beyond lucky to be given a second chance at trying out for the 75th Ranger Regiment and I intend to complete everything to the highest standard and as professional as possible. I cannot let the opportunity to work alongside, and become one of the nations best and brightest soldiers pass me by again. Thank you for taking the time to read my intro.
DEP 13F option 40
Ship Date: 20190212
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CharlieRanger1FFV
Ranger
Posts: 2232
Joined: July 5th, 2010, 12:36 pm

Re: Introduction- El Doc

Post by CharlieRanger1FFV »

It sounds like you finally have your head screwed on straight, Doc...Welcome to the site.


RLTW!!!
Silencium Mortium

B /1/504 82nd Abn 69 - 70
C co (Ranger) 75th (Abn) Inf, II Corps Rangers, 70 - 71 Viet Nam
12th SFG (A) 76 - 78
75th Ranger Regiment Association, Lifetime Member # 2776
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ElDoc
Future Soldier / Opt40
Posts: 18
Joined: February 19th, 2019, 11:33 am

Re: Introduction- El Doc

Post by ElDoc »

UPDATE:

I just completed a successful reservation at MEPS for my 13F option 40 contract. I ship out March 12th and begin 13F AIT March 25th.
DEP 13F option 40
Ship Date: 20190212
sauerkraut11b
Embryo
Posts: 7
Joined: February 10th, 2019, 4:58 pm

Re: Introduction- El Doc

Post by sauerkraut11b »

Good going Doc! I myself am prior service and hoping for a option 40 contract. Was it pretty difficult to acquire?
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ElDoc
Future Soldier / Opt40
Posts: 18
Joined: February 19th, 2019, 11:33 am

Re: Introduction- El Doc

Post by ElDoc »

Thank you Rangers Xray and CharlieRanger1FFV!

Thank you as well Sauerkraut11b! It was not difficult for me to obtain. A few weeks ago USAREC put out "USAREC message 19-036" which states:

"Effective immediately prior service and glossary non prior service soldiers who are "no med" processors are authorized to ship with opt 40 without completing the airborne screening at MEPS."

As soon as I found out I had my recruiter email me the message because I had to see for myself. Sure enough it was right there plain as day. Down at MEPS however, they were trying to tell me that I would need to enlist into the big Army and put together a RASP packet after spending some time at my unit. Luckily I had that message on me and I showed the counselor that there had been an update that he was unaware of. He called the ROC to confirm and we went forward from there. Unfortunately as prior service you are going to be limited on the amount of MOS' available to you if your old one is unavailable. You will be limited even further trying to get an Opt 40 contract. You can wait it out for an MOS that you really want but from all the research I've done online and from what I've been told by multiple recruiters, an opt 40 contract is hard to come by these days even for initial entry soldiers. I had about 10 MOS' to choose from for big Army and out of the 10 only 13F was available with Opt 40. I'm happy with my choice and look forward to learning this new skill set and being an asset to the Regiment once I pass RASP.
DEP 13F option 40
Ship Date: 20190212
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Disinfertention
Ranger/Admin
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Re: Introduction- El Doc

Post by Disinfertention »

ElDoc wrote: February 27th, 2019, 6:28 pm Thank you Rangers Xray and CharlieRanger1FFV!
ElDoc,

I will send you a PM right after this. Based on your short timeline I hope for a quick response to try and get you integrated and as prepped as possible.

Excellent intro. Honesty is a good trait although it doesn't always serve us well. Here it does because I don't have to ask any follow up questions. I get where you are coming from although I can't directly relate. I'm really impressed you were able to secure an OPT40 as a prior service person and well done leveraging that message.

Check for my PM, hopefully you get it tonight as every day matters at this point.
USASOC 2015-2023
HHC 2/75 2012-2015
HHC & Cco 1/75 2010-2012
OCS Cadre 2007-2010
Cco 3/75 2003-2007
Ranger School 09-04
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ElDoc
Future Soldier / Opt40
Posts: 18
Joined: February 19th, 2019, 11:33 am

Re: Introduction- El Doc

Post by ElDoc »

PM recieved! Reply inbound
DEP 13F option 40
Ship Date: 20190212
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ElDoc
Future Soldier / Opt40
Posts: 18
Joined: February 19th, 2019, 11:33 am

Re: Introduction- El Doc

Post by ElDoc »

UPDATE

I have shipped and finished my inprocessing. I will go straight to AIT from here and will be starting soon.
DEP 13F option 40
Ship Date: 20190212
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Disinfertention
Ranger/Admin
Posts: 2734
Joined: August 13th, 2003, 3:51 pm
Has thanked: 13 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: Introduction- El Doc

Post by Disinfertention »

Great news to move through quickly. Try to keep us updated on your progress if you aren't too busy!
USASOC 2015-2023
HHC 2/75 2012-2015
HHC & Cco 1/75 2010-2012
OCS Cadre 2007-2010
Cco 3/75 2003-2007
Ranger School 09-04
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cams
Ranger/Moderator
Posts: 9644
Joined: June 9th, 2005, 6:45 am

Re: Introduction- El Doc

Post by cams »

Good job Doc for not giving up on your goal, you’ll be much older than most of the other RASP candidates, and with prior service expected to show up as a more mature soldier with leadership skills. Expect that and be ok with it. Also expect that a Ranger Sgt at RASP may be a lot younger than you, so keep any attitude in check with regard to that.

Good luck and get it done.

As an aside, when you have time and log in here, fix your sigline. It has you showing a ship date of 20190212, when in fact it was 20190312.

Attention to detail, especially as a 13F, is key and a one number typo like that as a 13F could be bad for everybody involved.
2/75 HHC C/E 89-92
Rio Hato/AO Diaz CCT/Commo

"It is a heavy thing, to see a Father so strong in life, unable to rise."

"A great civilization is not conquered from without
until it has destroyed itself from within." -W. Durant
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