Brain Games

When that day finally came for me to head off to the MEPS for my physical I was scared shit less. Not afraid to join, but afraid something would happen that would keep me from joining. I had put so much time and effort and energy and sweat into this one moment and I was desperately afraid something would happen, or they would find something that was gonna fuck it all up for me.

It was about a 3 hour bus ride from Florence, Al to Nashville, TN where the MEPS station was located. The MEPS (Military Enlistment Processing Station or something close to that) is used by all branches of the military. They put you up in a hotel and then you all ride over to the MEPS and get your physicals, pick out your jobs, sign on the dotted line and get sworn in. When we arrived at the hotel, we all had room mates. Most of the folks there, all at least 10 years my younger since I was 26 at the time, thought it was an awesome time to have a drunken party. I having been off at college for the last 2 years thought it was time to just wait it out till 5 am and try not to gain any weight before I got on the scale. My roomie, a girl who's name escapes me also stayed in the room, we talked a little, about what I can't remember, watched some tv and then turned in for the night.

I got up the next morning and headed to the Shoney's next door where breakfast was being provided. I was STARVING but only ate a banana cause I didn't know what the scale would say. When we got to the MEPS we did some paperwork and then were called up in groups to do the see the doctors. We got blood drawn, got our hoots examined, got mostly naked and walked like a duck. We got xrays answered alot of questions and got on the scale.....133.5 lbs . The most I could weigh was 135 pounds, woot I made it! I couldn't believe it, I passed! Then the real worry kicked in that now that I had finally made the weight cut that something else would pop up to ruin it for me. They took our blood pressure and checked our heart rates. I was so anxious that my was through the roof. My pulse was a shocking 135 bpm! I told the doctor that I was very anxious and he sent me out to the waiting area to chill out for a half hour. I sat out there and tried to calm myself down. I had my heart rate back down to the 80's even though at home it was in the 60's when they came to get me to recheck it. The second time it was 145, I was freaking out. I told the Doctor "I swear this is just me being anxious, at home it's in the 60's!"
He said this is what we are going to do, I'm going to send you home for 30 days and bring you back and check it again. He asked me if I smoked, I said that I did. He told me to stop smoking and to cut out all caffeine. Are you kidding me, I was living off of coffee and cigarettes!! I told him I would and went home feeling scared and like I had shot myself in the foot for no good reason and was in danger of scaring myself out of my dream.

30 days later I was back in Nashville and ready to take the entire physical over again. I was very nervous and starving. Much to my surprise, when I told them why I was there and what had happened, the ONLY thing they did was take me back to get my pulse checked. Once again, my anxiety rose with fear the same thing would happen to me again and I would blow it for myself. When he checked it, my bpm was 99, the Doctor said that it had to be under 100, so I made it, just barely, but I had made it, I was ecstatic.

I went on to talk about a job. I had decided on some sort of radio operator because it sounded cool and I wouldn't be stuck at a desk all day. I watched a little video and picked 31C (Single Channel Radio Operator) and signed the contract. I would be leaving for basic in April (the earliest available date). Then we were all gathered up and taken into a big room with a podium and some flags and a Major had us all raise our right hands and take the oath.

I had made it happen.

At lunch time they brought out box lunches, it was a really sad looking cheese burger and some chips, it was delicious.