All about... MEPS!

The next experience to catalog is MEPS, or Military Entrance Processing Station.  If you are about to go to MEPS yourself, I hope this will help you know what to expect.  Your recruiter should fill in a lot of the blanks since they want you to be prepared for everything, but anything left out I hope I cover for you here!  So, for those who don't know- MEPS is where you take all of your tests (unless you took the ASVAB in high school), medical exams, and background checks.  It makes for a long day, so be ready to hurry up and wait!

Image from www.mepcom.army.mil

If you've read my last post, you'll know I had a delay when going to MEPS.  Once I got the all clear from the commander, it was the next week that I went- June 25-26-Tuesday to Wednesday.  Usually your recruiter will drive you to MEPS, unless you come to a different arrangement.  My recruiter did not go with me- he arranged for another recruiter from the area who was already going up to Iowa City with recruits, where we'd meet up with another recruiter to go all the way to Des Moines.   We went straight to the MEPS building, as some of us needed to take the ASVAB (I did).  After the test, we waited for everyone to be done and then we took the shuttle to the hotel.  Everyone from every branch of the military goes through the same MEPS- I ended up rooming with a Navy shipper (she was shipping to Navy's basic training the next day).  When we checked in we got a meal ticket for dinner, and the hotel let us refill our drinks- which is good because my recruiter told me to drink a lot for the urine test the next day (no caffiene or sugar).  More on that later...  There was a suite of rooms that were adapted especially for the MEPS people- video game room, huge tv (where we all watched a short video on MEPS), and movies to pick from if we wanted.  Curfew was 10:00 pm as we had an early start the next day- up at 4:45 for breakfast and bus to MEPS at 5:45 am. 

I'll say this now:  I felt really old!  Most of the people there were fresh out of high school, though there were some older people there that were joining different branches of reserves or guard, or some were switching branches. 

Day 1 was when I took the ASVAB test- the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test.  This is what (mostly) determines your job qualifications in the military.  I had purchased a book to study and review- I thought I would do terrible on the electronics and mechanical sections, but I did alright!  I didn't find out my scores right away- I texted my recruiter and he told me the score (99QT!) so I went to sleep happy. 

The next day was the full battery of tests, exams, paperwork, and questions questions questions.  When we arrived, we lined up, checked in, and went to get our files from the respective branch offices.  We started out with a briefing, where they scare you and fill out a whole bunch of paperwork- PAY ATTENTION.  There are lots of directions and everything is in ink- don't make them make you redo a whole form.  We had 3 people do that.  After briefing, you go on to medical.  Leaving the room you do a breathalyzer test, then bloodpressure, eye test, hearing, blood samples, etc.  The night before, we were told to "have" to go to the bathroom to make that process easier... but they don't make that the first thing you do.  One poor recruit waited about 3 hours. You then carry your paperwork around to have the various tests completed and recorded: you get your ears, eyes, every other aspect of your body (yes, I mean EVERY)... checked.  Those you do seperately- the medical people will call you.  In a group, you will do a hearing test in "the box" and then the physical mobility check where you are all (males are seperated from females) in your undies and do a range of motions, including the infamous duck walk.  I don't know about the men, but ladies- don't be shy.  It's no big deal and not that bad! It is freezing in the room, but that's the worst of it.  The hearing test freaked me out- not so much being in the small box (there are 4 stools with seperate headsets and clickers), but because everyone starts at different times.  I was worried that I missed mine since I could hear someone else clicking away! 

I then had to check on taking the DLAB test- for some reason I wasn't pulled to take it early so I was able to take it after medical once I ate lunch (yes, they feed you!).  That was an... interesting test to say the least, but I did well.  The Air Force liason told me my score of 123 and my jaw dropped.  I seriously thought I bombed that test. 

I guess there is one more point about MEPS to make. I spent the morning concentrating on getting through and talking to the other females* as many were much younger than me and hadn't experienced all the fun exams before like I have. (Heads up to male readers- it's about to get personal for a second.) For some women, MEPS will be the first time they have to stand in a room in a group with very little clothing and many haven't had a full exam before, either. It is really not invasive at all- more of a check to make sure you are, in fact, female and that everything is healthy-looking. There wasn't a female doctor at the Des Moines MEPS when I was there, but there is a female nurse with you at all times. Don't worry about how you look- everyone is just there to get through it. Oh, and make sure you wear clean underwear and nothing exotic (which your recruiter will tell you). Also **female issue alert** if it is "that time of the month"- plan ahead. There is a length of time that you are wearing nothing but paper robes (two).

Once you are done with medical, you usually start to talk jobs meeting one-on-one with the liason- this probably differs from branch to branch, or it depends what stage you are at.  We also were taken back one by one for "processing"- someone asks you all the questions that you've gone over with your recruiter when you filled out the paperwork.  Throughout MEPS they will tell you if caught enlisting fraudulently, you can face 5 (I think) years in prison and a $10,000 fine.  Over and over.  It can be nervewracking- but hopefully your recruiter prepares you well.  For me, that process happened quickly, though I had to go hunt down some paperwork (always check in at the desk!!).  Back in the liason's office, we went over the job listings and contracts... then I waited to be sworn in!

The swearing in ceremony was the highlight of MEPS- there was a group of us that all went at once.  We stood at parade rest and attention when a Marine Major (I believe he was major) came in and gave a speech and had us swear in.  Some recruits had family members there, but I was glad mine weren't because I'd have been in tears (I know- bmt will get that right out of me!).  That was when I knew I made the right decision- it felt exactly as it did when I graduated from Saint Mary's College, so something must be right!

After that, guess what?  More waiting!  This time we were waiting for the shuttle home.  My family surprised me when I did get home, that was really nice.  Sometimes your recruiter is there to debrief you- I met with mine a few days later.  I am glad to be done with that process, though I didn't think my experience was as bad as my recruiter made it out to be.  Maybe because I'm older- a lot of the younger people were really anxious, especially in the physical exam portion.  I even got the grouchy front desk lady to smile at me :)  If I had any advice- I'd say listen, be polite/respectful, and if in doubt, stop at the front desk! 


*In the Air Force, boys and girls are referred to as males and females- I'm not sure if they do it to seem more respectful, but it could be to remain professional.