Usuku lwami eMEPS yase-Indianapolis ngo-Okthoba 2003
Ngemuva kokubheka izikrini zakho ngaphambi kwe-office yakho futhi unquma ukuthi ungumuntu ovumelekile we-US Military, uzokuthumela ku-MEPS, noma ku- Station ye-Military Entry Processing Station . (Njengoba usuzofunda, konke okusemasosheni kuyisiqubulo). Njengokuba umqashi wakho uzokutshela ukuthi, i-MEPS yindawo engafanele, esabekayo lapho wonke umuntu ephuma khona ekukufanelekeleni ukujoyina insizakalo.
Lokhu akudingeki kube yiqiniso! (Funda phambili, ufunde osemusha, ufunde).
Ukuthola Kukhona Ingxenye Yokuzijabulisa
Uma uya ku-MEPS ukuze usebenze okokuqala ngqa, ngokuvamile kuzoba nakho okungu-2 ngosuku. Umqashi wakho uzokuza ehhovisi lakhe ngosuku olulodwa. Uzoqedela noma yimaphi amaphepha asele futhi ngethemba lokuthi ukhulume kuwe kukho konke okuzayo. Uma engakwenzi, khona-ke uzobe ufunde leli khasi futhi uzisindise ubuhlungu obukhulu. Bese-ke, uzokuqhubela esiteshini se-MEPS noma akubeke ku-shuttle eyokuthatha lapho. Ngiyakhumbula lapho sekufika isikhathi sokuba ngifinyelele kulolo shutha; umqashi wami wayefana nomama ebukela ingane yakhe yedwa. Njengoba ngangikhuphukela ku-van, waqhubeka ememeza ngesikhuthazo futhi wangikhumbuza ukuba angashintshi noma yiziphi izimpendulo esasizikhulume ngazo ehhovisi lakhe (ukungabi yizifanele noma ukulibazisa inqubo). Futhi njengoba i-van ihamba, ngicabanga ukuthi ngabe ngibone ngisho nezinyembezi esweni elithandekayo le-SSgt Daugherty.
Wayenze konke angakwenza; Kwakukhona manje kimi ukuba ngiziqhenye.
Ukuhamba nge-shuttle ku-MEPS kwakusithakazelisayo. Ngingowesifazane kuphela, phakathi kwamadoda angu-10. Kwakukhona omunye uMoya Wezempi, Omunye WaseMarine, Omunye Wama-Navy, ne-Army 6. Amantombazane aseMpi ayengabathumeli. Ku-MEPS, inani elikhulu labaqashiwe kuyoba "abathumeli". Lokhu kusho ukuthi, yilelo suku abayithumela ngalo ku-Basic Training ku-branch yabo yesevisi.
Abanye abantu babenza izinto ezifana nokuhamba kusuka ku-Reserve kuya ku-Active Duty nokuthi yini. Ngenxa yokuthi "abathengi" abanalo lutho olulodwa ngosuku, bahlaselwa ehhotela, kanye nabanye abafana abangenakho lutho, futhi umshayeli wesitimela wangithatha ku-MEPS.
Ukufika ku-MEPS
Umshayeli we-shuttle wahamba nami e-Main Control Desk (okwakuyokwenziwa ngumqashi wami uma engithathile) bese esendleleni. Uma ungena esakhiweni se-MEPS, kunemithetho emibili ebaluleke kakhulu.
- Ungagqoki lutho ekhanda lakho. Susa ikhanda lakho, izibuko zelanga, kanye / noma ama-headphones.
- Ungafaki izinyawo zakho ezihlalweni. Ngiyazi, ukhathele futhi ufuna ukuphumula, futhi mhlawumbe "ukhohliwe." Ungenzi! Uzozibonga kamuva.
Ngaphandle kwemithetho emibili, sebenzisa umqondo ovamile. Kuyinto isakhiwo federal. Ungathwali izikhali (okubandakanya ummese we-pocket), ungasebenzisi ulimi olungcolile (awukho ekamelweni lokubopha olwandle) okwamanje, futhi ngokuqinisekile akuhlukumezi nabalingani bakho besifazane (noma ngokuphambene nalokho). Kwakukhona abesifazane abangu-3 (inani) "abacubungula" nami eMEPS, uma kuqhathaniswa nabesilisa abangaba ngu-40. Angizange ngikujabulele ngempela lapho omunye osemncane, oneminyaka eyi-punk engu-17 ubudala, othembekile emanzini wangitshela indlela abafana bonke bekhuluma ngayo ukuthi "nginamandla kanjani". Uma noma ubani obalulekile ezwa usuke udonsela lolu hlobo lokuqhaqhazela, inhlanhla eyenza ngale ndlela ethile ye-MEPS.
Abazibekezeli lezi zinto kalula. Lucky for boy Marine, angizange ngitshele ama-high-ups. Kodwa-ke, ngimfisela inhlanhla ekamelweni lokuqasha.
I-Desk Main Control
I-Main Control Desk (Nginomuzwa wokuthi kufanele ngempela kube igama elifanele, ngakho-ke libizwa ngokuthi yi-capitalized) yilapho ngithole ukunambitheka kwami kokuqala kwe-MEPS . Iseluleko sami sokuqala esibalulekile kuwe akufanele siphume abantu abahle kuleli desiki. Kwakukhona isikhulu esincane samakhosikazi (Navy), futhi wayengenobungane kakhulu njengoba ecela iphakethe lokwaziswa engithunyelwe nami nomqashi wami. Wathatha lokho ayekudingayo ephaketheni wangiphindisela.
"Udinga ukusebenzisa indlu yokudlela?" wabuza.
Ngisho noma benganikeli ukuvumela, hamba, Hamba! Ucishe uthathe uvivinyo olude kakhulu, olubalulekile, ngakho-ke uzenzele umusa futhi ubuze ukuthi ungahamba yini. Ngenza kanjalo, futhi lapho ngibuyela eDiskenshini yokuLawula, u-Miss Congeniality wangilahla ekamelweni egumbini lokuhlola.
I-ASVAB
Uma ubona isibonakaliso esithi, "vala wonke amafoni omakhalekhukhwini nabalingani," zenzele umusa bese uvala. "Ukuthula" akubali. Kwenze nje; umfana ongaphakathi komnyango uzokuthanda kangcono. Uma usengaphakathi emnyango, uzobe uyala ukuba ubeke isikhwama sakho, futhi uzokubonisa ikhompyutha. Yilapho uzothatha khona ibhetri ye-ASVAB - Armed Services Vocational Aptitude . Lokhu kuhlola kufana ne-SAT, ngaphandle kokuthi kuhlanganisa izindawo eziningi zezihloko ezifana ne-electronics kanye nokugcinwa kwemoto. Ngicabanga ukuthi ungafunda lezi zinto, kodwa-ke ungase uphele ensimini engazi lutho ngalutho. Ngakho-ke, ngaphandle uma u-idiot ephelele, ungakhathazeki ngokutadisha i-ASVAB. Mina ngokwami ngimazi kakhulu ngokukhanda imoto ngisho nangaphansi kokubunjwa kagesi, futhi ngineminyaka engu-91 kwangu-99, okubhekwa njengengxenye ephezulu. Udadewethu - okungenzeka akakaze amhlole ngisho namafutha akhe - une 94, futhi uneminyaka engu-17 kuphela. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uma ukwazi ukufaka ucingo endlini futhi ushintshe ukudluliselwa, kodwa uhlulekile i-Algebra esikoleni esiphakeme, cishe uzokwenza kahle, futhi. Lapho ungekho endaweni eyodwa, ungenza kwenye indawo. Njengoba ngathi, ungakhathazeki!
Into eyodwa okufanele uqale ukuyenza ngaso leso sikhathi ukulalela izinkomba ozinikezwayo. Akukhona nje kulokhu kuhlolwa, kodwa kusuka kubantu abaphethe. I-Sergeant ephethe ukuhlolwa cishe izokunikeza izikhombisi-ndlela ezicacile mayelana nokuthi yini ongayenza uma udinga usizo. Lalela!
Ekupheleni kosuku
Lapho sesiphelile, u-Miss Congeniality (oPhezulu oPhezulu wokuqala ovela kwiDeskithophu yokuPhatha) wasibopha ekhanda wasibeka esitokisini. Hhayi, mhlawumbe hhayi kahle. Wasitshela ukuthi kuzokwenzekani uma sibanjwa siphuza ngenkathi sihlala ehotela futhi sitshele ukuba singangeni enkingeni. (Lona yindlela enhle, echazwe ngokushoyo). Uma usu-shuttle ehhotela, awukho emehlweni abantu be-MEPS. Sula! Yenza umngane. Khuluma nabantu abakuzungezile, futhi okungenani uzoba nomuntu ozohlala naye ekudleni.
Uma ufika ehhotela, vele utshele abantu edeskini elingaphambili ukuthi uyisosha, futhi bayokuthumela lapho kudingeka khona. Uzosayina iphepha lokuthi ngeke usuleze ikamelo, uthole isidlo sakusihlwa, futhi uthole ikamelo lakho ikhiye. Cishe uzoba naye ohlala naye. Uma ufika ekamelweni futhi uwedwa, lindele ukungena ekamelweni ngemuva kokudla kwasekuseni bese uthola khona. Jabulela ngalesi sikhathi. Ungase ungambona futhi lo muntu, kodwa uma behambisa, qiniseka ukuthi uyifisa inhlanhla. Kungenzeka ukuthi babesaba engqondweni yabo, futhi badinga yonke isikhuthazo abangayithola.
Hamba uzithole isidlo sakusihlwa, ujabulele inkampani yabakuzungezile, bese ulala. I-4:30 am i-wake-up call izofika ngokuphelele kakhulu. Futhi, khumbula ukuthi uma uthola amacala okulala, unesibopho sokukhokha. I-MEPS ikhetha kuphela ithebhu yekamelo, hhayi izingcingo nama-movie.
Usuku # 2
Ngosuku lwesibili, udinga ukulungele ukubuyela ku-shuttle emuva ku-MEPS kungakapheli u-5: 00 ekuseni. Bazohamba ngo-5, uma kungekudala. (Lokhu kungahlukahluka ngesiteshi se-MEPS. Kumele ube ulalele ngaphambi kokuthola!) Ungalindeli ukuvota, setha i-alamu yakho. Kungumqondo omuhle ukuya phansi futhi uthole isidlo sasekuseni ekuseni kwasekuseni lapho ihhotela linikeza ngoba ukudla kwasemini akufiki kuze kube ngu-11: 30 noma ngaphezulu. Usuku olude uma ulambile!
Uma usufika ku-MEPS ngosuku lwesibili, bayoba nobungane ngisho nangokwokuqala. Bazokwehlisa wonke umuntu endaweni yokungena, bakunxuse mayelana nokungena esakhiweni, bese-ke ifayela elilodwa, wonke umuntu uzohamba ngokusebenzisa izitho zensimbi. Thula. Ngisho noma wazi isimiso futhi ukhona lapha ngaphambilini, khula. Awufuni ukukhipha i-Sergeant yaseMarine ngo-5 ekuseni Akufanelekile! Mhlawumbe wayekusho nje ukuthi asisabe, kodwa ngokusobala usuku engangilungile ngalo, wadonsa abathengi abathathu ngaphandle, futhi kwakuzodingeka balinde ezinye izinyanga eziyisithupha ukuthunyelwa ngenxa yokuziphatha kwabo.
I-Liaison
Kungenzeka kube ukuxhumana kwakho kokuqala negatsha lakho lenkonzo ku-MEPS. Uzohlola noma yiliphi igatsha oyena. U-Sgt Heronimus wangibheka (Ngingu-Air Force). Usayine iphepha elincane, thola i-nametag encane, futhi uma umfana epholile njenge- "Hero," bayokunika isibuyekezo esincane ngaphambi kokubonakala ngokomzimba, ukuze uqinisekise ukuthi awukhohli lutho.
"Ngabe uke wenza izidakamizwa?"
"Cha."
"Uke wagula?"
"Cha."
"Ingabe uthanda 'ukushintsha noma iziphi izimpendulo zakho kudokotela?"
"Cha."
"Okuvelele. Inhlanhla."
Njengoba ungabona, laba bantu baseceleni kwakho! Ngaphezu kwalokho, noma yikuphi ukuxhumana okuphethe i-Puddle of Mudd's "Yena Engizondayo" ohlwini lwadlalwayo lwekhompiyutha kumele lube luhle.
I-Physical
Ukuhlola ngokomzimba kubaluleke kakhulu njenge-ASVAB. Uma ungadluli lokhu, awukwazi ukungena. Manje, akusho ukuthi akukhona ukuxoshwa kwezifo ezithile, kodwa khumbula ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani lokhu . Izimpendulo zakho kufanele zibe nezimpendulo ezicacile "yebo" no "cha". Impendulo efana, "kahle, ake ngicabange ..." noma "uhlobo" kusho "yebo". Qinisekisa ukuthi awuzange wenze noma yimiphi imithi ezinsukwini ezingu-45 zokugcina ngoba akufanele ngisho nesikhathi sakho sokuya lapho uma unayo. Kuyinto yokuhlola okungokwenyama kakhulu ozoyithatha impilo yakho yonke. Asikhulumi ngomzimba wesikole esikoleni esiphakeme, lapha.
Inkosikazi eqhuba lo mbukiso yayingenhle kakhulu. Akufanele abe khona. Uzozama ukukushaqisa ukuba ubeke phansi noma iyiphi into encane ngokukutshela ngemali engu-$ 10,000 noma isikhathi etilongweni, kodwa empeleni akayethusa njengoba umqashi wami ethi uzoba khona. Khumbula ukuthi noma yini oyiphendulayo "yebo" izofuna amadokhumenti wezokwelapha, futhi ibambezela inqubo. Kufanele wazi lokhu ngaphambili, futhi noma yimaphi amadokhumenti okudokotela kufanele anikezwe umqashi wakho kusengaphambili. Ukulinda kuze kube yilapho uhambo lwe-MEPS ukwenza lokhu akulungile. Kuzovele kuholele ukungafaneleka kwakho kuze kube yilapho amadokhumenti ezokwelapha engatholakala futhi abuyekezwe.
Zizovivinya ukuzwa kwakho, umbono, ukuqonda okujulile, futhi uthathe igazi. Uzodingeka futhi unike umchamo nomuntu okubukele. Yebo, lokhu kusho ukuthi uzohlola phambi komuntu. Abafana bathi umuntu wabo ubukele ngempela, kepha kuthiwa amantombazane, le ndoda yema nje lapho ibhekane nathi, kodwa ibukeka ngaphezu kwethu. Uzoba nokuvakashelwa okuncane nomunye odokotela, ngubani ozokuhlola futhi akubuze ukuthi ngabe wenza izidakamizwa noma yini enjalo.
Ingxenye yokugcina yezinto ezingokoqobo ku-skivvies yakho. Qiniseka ukuthi ugqoka izingubo zangaphansi ezimfushane, amantombazane! Uma ugqoka i-thong, uzodinga ukuya ekuxhumaneni kwakho bese ucela i-pair. Bakukunika umuthi omusha omusha uma uyenzayo - ama-panties ama-granny! Ngemuva kokuthi wonke umuntu ahlubule phansi, azokwazisa, hlola ukuphakama kwakho, futhi ubuke ama-arches ezinyaweni zakho. Khona-ke omunye udokotela uzongena futhi akubukele ukuthi wenza imizimba ehlukahlukene njengemibuthano yengalo, ukuhamba ngodada, nokuhamba ngezintambo. Angazi kahle ukuthi kwenzekani kubafana - ngicabanga ukuthi "vula ikhanda lakho nokukhwehlela." Amantombazane ahamba ngesinye isikhathi ekamelweni elincane lokuhlola nodokotela kanye ne-NCO yabesifazane (Isikhulu esingaxhunywanga). Udokotela uzokunikeza ukuhlolwa okuncane kwesifuba, hlola ukuphefumula kwakho, uzizwe izitho zakho zamakhansela, futhi ubeke izinyawo zakho ezinkundleni. Uzokubukela kafushane ngezansi. Akukubi neze nakancane.
Uma udlula konke, nonke senziwe! I-Air Force idinga ukuthi uphakamise izinsimbi ukuze ubone ukuthi unamandla kangakanani. Akunzima, kodwa zama ukungavumeli ukuba bakhuphuke! Manje, nonke senziwe, futhi ungathatha amaphepha akho ngokomzimba kuDeskithophu Eyinhloko Yokulawula. Uma ungakatholi ukuthi isaphulelo se-ASVAB sakho sini, cela manje. Bayoba nayo phambi kwabo.
Ukululekwa kweJobe
Uzobuyela emuva ekuxhumaniseni ukuze ubazise ukuthi udlulile ukuhlolwa komzimba, futhi bangase baqhubeke futhi banikeze iseluleko emsebenzini. Kwenzeka kanjalo nje kuphela ukuthi nginguye kuphela umuntu owenza umsebenzi we-Air Force ngalolo suku, ngakho nginesikhathi esiningi sokubheka imisebenzi . Zama ukuthola umbono wazo zonke imisebenzi ngaphambi kokuthi uye ku-MEPS. Uma usuthole ukuthi yini okufanele uyenze, ngeke kudingeke ubuze imibuzo eminingi kakhulu. Ungasebenzisa isikhathi esiningi ukhetha ukuthi yimiphi imisebenzi oyithandayo kakhulu, futhi uwabeke ngendlela oyithandayo. Kungase kubonakale sengathi yisikhathi esishesha kakhulu, kodwa ungakhethi imisebenzi ongafuni ukuyenza. Kungenzeka ukuthi babhale noma yikuphi okuthandayo. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, vula amathuba amasha. Ngangingakaze ngizicabange ngiyingxenye ye-EOD - Ukuxoshwa Kwamanye Ama- Explosive Ordnance (ukuqhuma amabhomu angazange aqhube okokuqala), kodwa ngase ngibhaliswe ekuqaleni kulowo msebenzi. Ngingajabula kakhulu ngaleyo nsimu yokusebenzela, futhi ngangingakaze ngiyazi ukuthi ikhona! Yingakho kufanele ube nemisebenzi eminingana engqondweni ngaphambi kokuba uhambe. (Njengoba kuvela, ngadlulisa uhlolo olwengeziwe (I -Battery Language Aptitude Battery ) engangiyithatha ukuba ngiyilwimi , ngakho-ke lapho ngicela isicelo, bangibhalela umsebenzi omusha ngosuku olulandelayo. Ngangifuna ukuthi umsebenzi wokukhuluma ulimi ngokuyinhloko. )
Bazokuthumela ekudleni kwasemini, futhi ngethemba lokuthi, uma usuqedile, baye bafaka umsebenzi wakho wephupho! Uma kungenjalo, ungakhathazeki. Uzofakwa ohlwini lwe-Q & W (olufanelekile nolulindile) kuze kuvele umsebenzi wakho. Ngemuva kokuthola ukuthi ngabe umsebenzi wakho ubhaliswe yini noma cha, uzobe usendleleni yakho nomqashi wakho, noma ulinde i-shuttle.
Ilinde ekupheleni
Uma sekuphelile usuku, futhi ungenakho okumele ukwenze, uzokhathala kakhulu. Awuvunyelwe ukulala ngenkathi ku-MEPS. Awunifisi sengathi ngabe ulele embhedeni ebusuku? Kwadingeka ngihlale usuku lwesithathu ukuze ngithathe iDLAB (Ulimi LwaseBettery Ukufaneleka) emsebenzini womsebenzi. Kwadingeka ngilinde usuku lonke ukuze ngithole ukuhlolwa okudlule amahora angu-2. Ngiyathembisa, ngisho nangemva kwamahora angu-8 ngobusuku obusuku, ngifuna ukulala kabi kakhulu. Kodwa ngilapho ngibona ukuthi i-MEPS ayicishe ibe yingozi njengoba uSgt Daugherty, umqashi wami, esho.
Ngathatha ama-smoke breaks nama-Petal Petty Officers, ngafaka izincwadi ze-Air Force Sergeants futhi ngifunga nge-Army Sergeant e-Control Desk. Ngenxa yokuthi ngibahlonipha futhi ngilandela izinkomba, babenobungane kimi. Eqinisweni, u-MSgt Eakins, insizwa yokuxhumana-e-USAF-e-USAF ingithengele i-coke kanye nebha ye-Snicker ukuze ibasize! Uzoqaphela ukuthi izixhumanisi zihlangothini lwakho. Uma ucabanga ukuthi awuyona i-punk ephelele, bayajabula ukuthi unqume ukujoyina i-Air Force (noma igatsha lakho elifanele), futhi bayakwazisa usizo lwakho uma ungenzi lutho oluthile.
Ngakho-ke, abasha abasha , bahloniphe, landela izinkomba, ungabeki izinyawo zakho ezihlalweni, ungalali, unike izimpendulo eziqinile ngesikhathi sakho somzimba, ulungiselele futhi i-MEPS iyoba kuhle kuwe. Akudingeki kube njengokwesabisa njengoba kusho umqashi wakho! Ngesikhathi ngishiya, ngangingekho "hey, wena," ngingu "Ms. Elmore". Kungenzeka kuwe, futhi! Ngikufisela inhlanhla.