I was right

Here's the deal:

The original recruiter I was working with got fired.
The recruiter who took his place HAS NEVER DONE OFFICER CANDIDATES BEFORE.

He did really well with enlisteds (18, 19, 20 yr olds) so they threw him into Ohio to deal with the mess my original recruiter left behind.

Instead of asking questions, he tried to figure out everything on his own.
I feel kind of bad for him, but at the same time, I wish he TOLD me what happened...

There were so many emotions I experienced after I found this out, I can't even begin to describe it.

Honestly, I am a MUCH more difficult candidate than enlisteds - I've lived, worked, and studied abroad, traveled A LOT, and have all sorts of different references and unusual family circumstances. No wonder he couldn't wrap his head around it.

I went into the Boston MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) yesterday and nearly cried with relief. I started by asking them if this was the first time my recruiter in Ohio was doing this. As you read above, they said
"Yes, you are definitely right."
It was the first time I dealt with competent people who really truly helped me and knew what to do.

I had two wonderful Sargents who stayed hours past their work days to make SURE my security clearance paperwork went through. I'm not even going to get into the disaster that was the security clearance. Suffice to say, the software needs a MAJOR upgrade, and there should be a way to allow APPLICANTS to fill in the electronic paperwork. Either way, this is what I finally got to do:

1) Sign off on my security clearance paperwork. It took 9 hours, 5:30am to 2:30pm, to finally get it signed. It was submitted and resubmitted about 15 times.

2) Get fingerprinted.

3) Do a medical check in (easy)

4) Swear In! It was so nice to FINALLY be able to voice/establish some commitment to my employer for the next 13 years.
It went like this:

I, (NAME), do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God

It finally felt real, which was also helped by...

5) Getting a contract. Now, this is KIND of tricky, because technically, I need to do my flight physical before I get a real, bona fide, pilot trainee contract. Remember, there is a chance that I would get  bumped to Combat Systems Officer if they find something during the flight physical that they don't like. But basically, my contract has me as an Air Force reservist, pay level E-5, with a 8 year commitment (4 yrs. active duty, 4 yrs. reserve). It will change when I pass the flight physical, so it's just a formality, but it feels SO GOOD to FINALLY have SOMETHING in writing.

So guess what? I have one thing left to do: Pass my flight physical, which according to my recruiter, is still scheduled for the 19th of November. I'm so incredibly happy.

Final piece of good news: I was given the number of a recruiter here in the Boston area that I can ask questions to. No more dealing with clueless individuals. What a relief.