I'm Sorry · 7:10am May 27th, 2014
I am. I really am.
Now before you freak out, no. Nothing bad is going to happen. The bad stuff is behind us now. I am merely here to explain why things happened the way they did.
As you may, or may not, have noticed, I've been very much absent for the better part of five months. This is due largely in part to a few factors. School and work have been two major ones, but there is one event that crushed me so badly, that I couldn't gather the will to even contemplate writing.
In early January of this year, I finally lost a fight. Not a physical fight mind you, but a bureaucratic one. For almost the past two years I have been on hold for enlistment in the US Navy. Everything in my file was stellar. Top five percent of recruits in the nation, physically fit, and mentally stable. I could tell you the story of the crazy guy in line with me, but that can be at a later time.
Anyway, everything was going well for me. Passed the drug test, blood work came back perfectly clean, no physical deformities, nothing that would scream "Get this guy out of here!". That was until I got to the medical interview. After showing up at the processing station at 0300 after a breakfast of orange juice and a cookie, I was told my contract was being suspended indefinitely. Why? The doctor claimed I had "Severe acne".
Now, keep in mind I'm an eighteen year old male at this point. What kid out of highschool wouldn't have some kind of acne. I was absolutely crushed. But I took a deep breath and looked at my situation. Acne, how hard can that be. Get to my dermatologist and get this taken care of in a month and then go back for another evaluation. Easy.
It wasn't. Every time I went back for another evaluation I would be told my acne still wasn't in good enough condition. Even with letters from two dermatologists, a general practitioner, and an admiral, I was still denied entry. My recruiters were beyond frustrated, my dad was beyond angry, the admiral was in disbelief, and the rest of my family thought it was some sick joke by the military.
So in January, after being denied for a fifth time, my recruiters sighed and asked me what I wanted to do. They had used all of their contacts to push paperwork through, and had no where else to turn. It was at that point that we all agreed that we tried our best. But that didn't help me feel any better. During this process, I was so proud of myself. I had found a life direction that I really was excited about and could achieve. My family was always supportive of my choice. my mom even said that even when I was little, she knew I would either be a lawyer, or in the military. So seeing a true life dream get crushed just as I was about to make it... well, it hurt. It took every bit of self control and will power to pick myself up and keep going.
So even though it felt like two years had just been wasted, I can now look back and see that I did gain something from the whole experience. If anything, I learned not only how to wait patiently, but I also learned how to be heard in a bureaucratic nightmare. I learned how to be persistent when getting answers without being threatening or aggressive. Those are skills that can only really come from experience. So while I'm still a bit jaded from this whole ordeal, I have tried my best to keep a strong attitude and just keep moving on with life.
So here I am, at the end of my first semester back at school. I've got a new plan, and a new direction in my life. In fact, it's not that different from my original one. Instead of trying to enter the military as an enlisted, I decided to go back to school and pursue a degree in computer science with the ultimate goal of becoming a commissioned officer in the US Navy.
So here we go folks. Bring your seat backs and tray tables to their full, and upright, locked positions. Flight attendants will not be coming around to collect trash, so stick it somewhere safe. It's time for me to get back at the helm.
Hang on, it's gonna be a wild one.
-The DM
I'm sorry to hear about why you could not enlist, that is one of the biggest examples of bureaucratic BS I've seen in a long while.
I'm so glad you did not let it keep you down and are going for the dream in a new way and hope great success follow!
So let me be the first to say this though, welcome back DM, you where missed and I could be happier that you back and still full of fire!
I know how you feel mate, this will be my seventh attempt into the Australian army. Keep up the pressure
Seriously, for fuck sakes man! That sucks balls and I'm serious.
Still, at least you found an alternative to get in there, so that's cool.
I know exactly how you must have felt. It was turned down from the Austrian Army once too because of overweight. The only difference was that due to my personality deficiency I was so crushed that I never tried again.
I have long since given up on reaching my dreams so I hope you will reach yours. o/
Acne? W...wow..... Just Acne? T...that's absurd..... I am sorry you had to be subject to such rejection, even more so from such a simple thing as acne...............
Now that's a Bureaucratic nightmare, but at least you were able finally get through. My dad wanted to enlist when he was younger, but couldn't get in for a very good reason: A cracked skull from being hit by a car when he was around 10-11 years old. Glad to see you back.
Sorry man, but good luck in the future.
How in the flying fuck does that even work?
Two things:
1. Acne? I had acne when I enlisted, even though I had been popping the zits regularly, and I was still in as an E-6, thanks to BSA(Eagle Scout). Seriously, enlisted as an Eagle Scout in the BSA is a very good idea.
2. Someone must've gotten really stupid if they denied a letter of recommendation from an Admiral. Lan'sakes, that's obnoxious!
*Offers a hug*
Oh hell yes
Hey Runner, could you pass on a message to Flame telepathically for me?
The message is: "Try and keep up!"
Okay! Now let's see here... where in relationship to the plane is he...
Wow, that is Bullshit with a capital B. Acne? What in the actual fuck? Everyone has acne at some point, it's no big deal. Whoever was making the decision that acne was grounds for refusal needs a talking to. Sorry to hear about that. I also got rejected for the military with disqualifications as is.
Acne?
Really?? 
I'm 26, I STILL have a small problem with acne, but I have been in the military (not US, mind you) for 5 years and... something months. One of my drill instructors had worse acne then me.
I think someone was just full of shit.
But, it was probably for the best, seeing as how you will now likely become an Officer.
*Salute*
Anyway, good luck with your studies.
Also as a new reader of Voidrunner (I might get to the others later) I hope you update soon.
Do you remember how I said that I was going for my seventh attempt? Better make it eight attempts now, all because I may not be the fastest or most enduring runner, but by all means leave out the fact that I can lift and carry almost 70 kilos untrained. And yes they did test that to see if I was bullshitting... I wasn't
. Chalk up another for bureaucracy...