Excited!!!

Today was a very happy day! It started crazy early, had to be to the recruiting station at 5 a.m. to be to the Tampa MEPS at 6 a.m.. Had an inspect so that they could clear a code and also do a height/weight/ pregnancy test. After these tests were done headed with a recruiter and 2 guys from the Clearwater office to the Tampa Battalion for the OCS Board. We arrived around 9:30 p.m. and the first interview wasn't until close to 1 p.m.. I was the fourth of nine to go in, tried not freaking myself out but was nervous as all heck as soon as I walked in. Three Officers are sitting at this big meeting table and start asking questions. Remember they asked; what school I went to, how old I am, why I want to be an Army Officer, who my role model is, if I have a problem with being a female in the Army, and what my career goals are for five years from now, where I worked during college if I worked, and why it took so long for me to get in front of the board since I graduated in December 2007. One of the guys (it was two men and one women on the board) asked how we put ice in at the St. Pete Times Forum, so tried explaining it to them. Some problems I had was not saying yes/no sir or ma'am all the time, swiviling the chair, and using my hands to talk (some reason the Italian in me decided to come out during this Board meeting.) Most embarassing of all was when leaving there were two doors, and I went to walk out and picked the wrong one. The wrong one was actually the closet door. They told me and I said "Sorry I am a bit of a goof." It was good to see that one of the Officers didn't take it too badly because on one of the comment sheets it said about me "has a good sense of humor." Was very very glad to find out that all three of them recommended me for OCS, even better is that from all three of them I got 25 out of 25 on the evaluations.

The three of us from Clearwater than headed back to the MEPS to sign our contracts. I am scheduled for a ship date for Basic Training of September 29th at Fort Jackson (South Carolina), with OCS falling at Fort Benning (Georgia) schedule for December 14th. My goofiness continued when we did our Swearing in. The Captain walked in and we were suppose to go to attention and say "good afternoon ma'am." Well I was nervous and accidentally didn't go to attention but put my right hand up at the 90 degree angle for the oath. At least the Captain laughed about it.

So here is a brief timeline...
October 2008: Went to first full physical. (Had previously went for AFOQT, and ASVAB).
Went for inspect.
Went for x-rays at MEPS Orthopedic. (Was denied ok for physical and, told
need a waiver, packet was sent for waiver.)
March 2009: Medical waiver disapproved, told would need to get a special test done.
April 2009: Have ankle weight bearing test done. Waiver re-submitted.
June 26, 2009: Receive call from Sgt. Doyle (recruiter) that waiver has been APPROVED!
Fill out packet and submit.
July 20, 2009: Go in front of OCS Board and am approved! Sign contract!!!!!!!

I have 10 weeks to get everything in order and start preparing for Basic Training.