MEPS or BAMC

[Confused2626]

I am not sure where people are supposed to go for their physical. Based off of these forums, it seems like everybody goes to their local MEPS. I was under the assumption by my recruiter that it is actually done at BAMC under some HPSP tour/overview. So I asked a different recruiter (same office) a few weeks later and they confirmed flying me down to San Antonio for the physical. So which is it? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me to waste money flying somebody for their physical when they might fail.

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[Mcrap]

From my limited knowledge on this subject. I do believe that they will fly you to BAMC in order for you to do your physical. In my case they even offered to fly me to Washington to seen Madigan. I think they do this so that you get to know the hospital a little, and so that you can talk to a couple of army doctors. Waste of money or not that is what they do. Make sure that if you arrive the day before that you do not eat breakfast, because they will draw blood from you to check you glucose levels. (My recruiter failed to tell me so I had to stick around an extra day to get my blood drawn)

 

[psychbender]

Some recruiters do this, but most people do not get flown to BAMC for their physical. I drove to middle-of-nowhere-West-Virginia, as it was the closest MEPS site. Flying to see doctors who might not be *******es (bad MEPS experiences) was never presented as an option.

 

[Confused2626]

Some recruiters do this, but most people do not get flown to BAMC for their physical. I drove to middle-of-nowhere-West-Virginia, as it was the closest MEPS site. Flying to see doctors who might not be *******es (bad MEPS experiences) was never presented as an option.

Awesome, good to know. I guess I should say..that these people I am dealing with don't call themselves recruiters but health scholarship specialists or something like that. I haven't quite figured it out yet.

So is the BAMC experience much different than the MEPs experience? Sounds cushy to me anyway.

 

[Mcrap]

Like I said I only had to go to BAMC so I don't know about just MEPS, but my visit was very pleasent. (Then again they are trying to get you to sign so it makes sense) They posted all the HPSP people doing the physical that day in a pretty nice hotel. Don't remember exactly what the hotel name was but you get your individual room. Its also nice to meet your potential future colleagues. All in all I had a very good experience. I was actually fortuante enough to talk to a doctor who enjoyed his time in the services but warned me of all the potential downsides of military medicine. (ie. Finishing residency in pediatrics or what ever specialty and getting sent as a battlion surgeon (No matter how good of a candidate you are it can still happen to you)) Oh and be ready to wait a while. As they say "hurry up and wait".

 

[Jolie South]

I'm from Texas and I did not get flown to BAMC. I went to the Dallas MEPS and the day was less than pleasant. I was probably the only person there that was not an 18 year old enlistee. Don't expect special treatment.

 

[Mcrap]

Damn. Apparently I lucked out, but like I said I only have limited knowledge as to how everything works and I would trust more experienced posters as to what the norm is.

 

[pmoney]

My recruiter set me up a time at my convenience to go to BAMC. Very very smooth process, do it if you can. We went not at the normal time (sunday-tues or so) but a flying visit (left thurs night-flew back fri night).

Got my own room at the hotel for a few hours, woke up, blood drawn quickly, ate at cafeteria, then the physical. Physical was very quick and easy, had some waiver questions regarding my eyesight (I eventually needed an opthalmologists note) but it was taken care of. For hearing, we (recruiter, the PA doing the physical, and me) went to the MEPS on Ft Sam Houston for some reason. I know for a fact I had a much easier time than dealing with MEPS after seeing the other recruits there. Then with the few hours I had left, my recruiter and I visited the SA riverwalk and checked out Ft Sam for a little bit.

It was a very organized, quick process, barely any waiting. I HIGHLY recommend telling your recruiter to get you to BAMC for the physical. You'll be dealing with people who do physicals only for HPSP vs the whole mess at MEPS.

 

[DoctaJMa]

If you have an option go to BAMC. The tour is awesome!

 

[xmsr3]

Are physicals conducted on the weekends at BAMC? I am just asking because if I do get my recruiter to send me down there I want to be sure I pass the weight standard or at least the tape test.

This would mean waiting until after fall semester started,(give me enough time to lose the weight and make sure I meet the weight standard) and my schedule is such that missing 2 days to fly to Ft. Sam would be a big hassle, (its already going to be a challenge scheduling 1 interview/week and getting decent grades with all the class time I miss).

So being able to do the physical on a weekend would be great. Heck I would even be willing to fly down to San Antonio myself, (my dad works for Delta so I can fly standby for free).

 

[Perrotfish]

Everyone I know from Army got BAMC, while all the AF and Navy people, including me, got sent to MEPS. I don't know if that's a rule or a sample size error.

 

[Jolie South]

Everyone I know from Army got BAMC, while all the AF and Navy people, including me, got sent to MEPS. I don't know if that's a rule or a sample size error.

Maybe that's what it is.

 

[Mcrap]

Are physicals conducted on the weekends at BAMC? I am just asking because if I do get my recruiter to send me down there I want to be sure I pass the weight standard or at least the tape test.

This would mean waiting until after fall semester started,(give me enough time to lose the weight and make sure I meet the weight standard) and my schedule is such that missing 2 days to fly to Ft. Sam would be a big hassle, (its already going to be a challenge scheduling 1 interview/week and getting decent grades with all the class time I miss).

So being able to do the physical on a weekend would be great. Heck I would even be willing to fly down to San Antonio myself, (my dad works for Delta so I can fly standby for free).

Again in my limited experience all of the appointments I was given were only during the week. They may fly you in on a Sunday, but processing and touring only happens during the week. So if they fly you in Sunday you do all the processing and what not on Monday and then Tuesday they fly you back to wherever you are from. What you can do is wait until summer to do your physical if you really can't fit it into your schedule.

 

[psychbender]

Everyone I know from Army got BAMC, while all the AF and Navy people, including me, got sent to MEPS. I don't know if that's a rule or a sample size error.

I'm Army, and all of the other Army HPSPers I met in rotations, or from my school went to MEPS, rather than BAMC. I think it just depends on your recruiter.

 

[Mcrap]

I'm Army, and all of the other Army HPSPers I met in rotations, or from my school went to MEPS, rather than BAMC. I think it just depends on your recruiter.

I just finished doing the whole process this past year with the Army, so maybe it is just a recent thing that the Army is doing this to improve numbers.