Just out

[musiakalb]

Originally Posted by Barbazu

I made it through boot camp at 39 years old! I'll gladly fill you in on the whole experience and answer any questions you may have about boot camp. I'm currently at Corry Station so I can answer a few questions about it, too.

What happens if future sailors arrive and don't pass the initial drug test at Great Lakes, even though they passed at MEPS originally? Is there a chance to retake or so they send you straight home? I have a family member who is shipping soon. People smoke stuff around him all the time. But he doesn't do anything.

Also, if he takes his immunization papers when he ships off, will he be free of getting a million shots at Great Lakes?

Oh, one more question: What do we pack to ship to him for A school? He'll be at Great Lakes for A school.

[Barbazu]

If he pops the drug test he'll get the boot no questions asked. The Navy doesn't play with drug tests. We had a dude fail the initial test and they sent him packing. If he takes immunization papers they'll probably let him skate on some of the shots. But good luck dealing with them. Medical was not fun.

For A school I'd send him some civilian clothes, cell phone, books if he's a reader, maybe some snacks. Once he gets through the initial phase 1 week or so he'll be able to leave the base to pick up whatever he needs. Plus there's a NEX there so he'll be able to get food and clothes. I was in Pensacola, and the only thing I really wanted my wife to send me was some pictures of my kids and my cell phone.

[BonzerAsp]

Originally Posted by musiakalb

What happens if future sailors arrive and don't pass the initial drug test at Great Lakes, even though they passed at MEPS originally? Is there a chance to retake or so they send you straight home? I have a family member who is shipping soon. People smoke stuff around him all the time. But he doesn't do anything.

Also, if he takes his immunization papers when he ships off, will he be free of getting a million shots at Great Lakes?

Oh, one more question: What do we pack to ship to him for A school? He'll be at Great Lakes for A school.

Medical is a pain in the ass. My file had my immunization record in it and I still got shots that I had already received. What's nice though is apparently when they take the 6 (7 depending on rate) vials of blood, they can find out what you already have had. That's what I heard while I was there at least. I didn't get ALL of the shots, but I definitely got more than I probably should have. If you were hardly ever vaccinated as a kid, the most shots you'll get a day were like 7 or 8. They're split into 2 days for a total of around 16 shots.

[LT Guppy]

Originally Posted by BonzerAsp

Medical is a pain in the ass. My file had my immunization record in it and I still got shots that I had already received. What's nice though is apparently when they take the 6 (7 depending on rate) vials of blood, they can find out what you already have had. That's what I heard while I was there at least. I didn't get ALL of the shots, but I definitely got more than I probably should have. If you were hardly ever vaccinated as a kid, the most shots you'll get a day were like 7 or 8. They're split into 2 days for a total of around 16 shots.

They did titers for my class. People needed anywhere between 2 and 12 shots depending on what their blood showed immunity to.

*OCS not RTC, but titers save the navy money, so they *should* do them everywhere

[BonzerAsp]

Originally Posted by LT Guppy

They did titers for my class. People needed anywhere between 2 and 12 shots depending on what their blood showed immunity to.

*OCS not RTC, but titers save the navy money, so they *should* do them everywhere

Ah, so that's what that's called. I think that's a pretty cool method personally. I felt bad for the recruits that had to get every shot though. Poor souls.