Question for U.S. Army recruiters or people with M.E.P.S. experience.

Question

When dealing with joining the Reserves is it easier to get a medical waiver to go Enlisted, or to go Officer?

(I have a fair volume of medical paperwork supporting me, and a Congressman backing me, but I want to tip everything in my favor I can including what I join for)

I really don't care if I enlist or go officer. I just want to serve my country which either does, and while I am trained to lead and have my degree, my reserve time won't make me near the money my civilian time does either way so I'm cool with just serving in hard to fill fields on the enlisted side too (I've scored within 3 points of a perfect on the ASVAB. Twice. So I can fill virtually any slot.) So to me it's mostly about just following the path with the best chance of getting me in, period. Either way I serve my country, either way I get the educational benefits (the one thing that might benefit me as I do my post grad work), either way I get some great training.

I've been told both answers by friends who are in, but neither friend is in the field of recruiting.

One claims that it's easier to get Enlisted, because the Reserves are hurting badly for Enlisted people more so then Officers, and since you're only enlisting it's easier to just get in since the MEPS people don't want to argue with a Congressman or debate with the civilian specialists.

The other friend disagrees, and says it's easier to get in as an Officer. He says that for one as an Officer it's an individual doctor that reviews you personally, not just a MEPS doctor to whom you're just another number to in a long list of people he'll check or not check in one A.M. He also says that since they take longer to determine who will be a good officer, once the board has picked they want you that they're more likely to waiver stuff to get you in since it's harder to find qualified officers then enlisted people.

I'm pretty sure I'm not allowed to go for both simultaneously.

Since I'll need that medical waiver though, I'm curious which friend is right.

Which path is more likely to get me in, if I try and go Enlisted, or if I try and run for a Commision? Which hands out more waivers, easier?

Answer 1

It really doesn't matter.  Every medical waiver is treated the same way.  When you go officer, you are NOT an officer, you are just like any other recruit.  You will still do the duck walk in your undies either way. With the officer route, you are a E-4 until you finish OCS.  Actually, you will be treated worse than a private because you are OCS.

Your recruiter is right, do what you want. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE IN CHANCE.  I would advise being an officer.  If you are a specialist enlisted, you will be cleaning toilets for a good two years before doing anything without regard for MOS.  When you are deployed, that's a different story.  But garrison wise, you will find that being junior enlisted means a lot of trash details.....