Enlisting in the Military

Speaker 1: I am Commander Cathy Macer. I am the commanding officer of the Boston Military Entrance Processing Station. MEPS is the place where applicants come to process into the Armed Forces, and we are responsible for ensuring quality accessions into the Armed Forces during both peacetime and during times of mobilization. Well, the day starts, given that the applicant has stayed at a contract hotel overnight, they are given a wake-up call at 4:00 in the morning. Breakfast there at the hotel, and so they're here at the MEPS shortly after 5:00 in the morning.

Speaker 2: My name is Staff Sergeant Michael Lyle. I am the MEPS liaison when it comes to anybody for the Air Force. The applicant will come in in the morning and sit down with the liaisons, and we will go over what their day is going to entail and what they should expect and, yeah, normally at about 5:15, 5:30, when they do show up, we are the first face that they get to see in the morning.

Speaker 1: Long gone are the days where applicants are herded into various, you know, large rooms and impersonally treated. We have moved into a red-carpet treatment for our applicants, where they are treated with dignity and respect.

Speaker 3: Good morning, everybody. I'm Sergeant First Class Ketcham. I'm Operations NCRC here at the Boston MEPS.

We reassure them throughout the day, all the time. I mean, yeah, when they first come up on the floor, you know, they come very early in the morning. Once we get them signed into the MEPS, we get them all in one area, and we give them the morning brief.

Once we get done here, you're going to go to the medical folks. You're going to get a medical brief, and you're going to run through that process, OK? Once the briefing's done, you're going to get an exam. You're going to meet with the physicians, OK? And you're going to go through that. Once you're done with the medical, you're going to go down to your service liaisons. You're going to sit down with a counselor, and you guys are going to negotiate a job. Once that's complete, you'll come over to the processing section. All right, we'll do what we have to do over there, get you ready to swear in, take the Oath of Enlistment and then we'll set up the transportation to take you home.

Speaker 2: When they do understand the entire process, then we try to make sure that everybody is on the same page, and that if there are any concerns, hopefully then the individual feels comfortable enough to raise them before we get started on the day. That way, they have a nice, smooth process. They know where they're going, where they're coming from, and when they come back to see us, they're in a good mood because they know one more spot is done.

Speaker 4: I've tried going to school, I've tried regular jobs and just nothing excited me.

Speaker 5: I've always wanted to join the Military. I went through college, and the, you know, the economy is not the greatest thing right now, but I've always wanted to join.

Speaker 6: Family full of Marines. My uncle did 32, my father did 23 and it'll be awesome to join as well, become a part of a brotherhood.

Speaker 5: And you know, I found some opportunities that can be used with my degree, all that kind of stuff, and they offer a lot of gainful things for what I want to do in the future.

Speaker 1: We are privileged to have them come into the Military. This is a voluntary service. This is not a draft era, and so it's important to us and to each of my staff to treat those who are interested in serving their country with the respect that they deserve.

Narrator: The Military Entrance processing station, or MEPs, is where applicants for military service go to complete the enlistment process. MEPs ensures that each applicant meets the aptitude, physical and behavioral standards set by the Department of Defense and service branches.

The government pays for the accommodations for all military applicants preparing to go through the MEPs process. Hotel staff explain what to expect the following day, including the rules of behavior and a list of prohibited items not allowed in the MEPs.

After their briefing, applicants can enjoy hotel facilities and a special applicant rec room where they can hang out, get to know each other, play games and watch TV until 10:00 p.m. Applicants aren't allowed to drink alcohol or leave the hotel, but they can hang out with friends and family and the hotel public areas. The rec room closes at 10:00 p.m. so everyone can get a good night's sleep. They're going to need it.

Breakfast is served very early so applicants are ready to board the MEPS bus on time. Be sure to eat a well-balanced breakfast and drink plenty of fluids before departing from the hotel. Your body will need the fuel. It is free and served very early so applicants can make roll call at the MEPs bus at 4:30 a.m.

Applicants must wear underwear and neat, moderate, comfortable clothing. Piercings must be removed. Offensive wording or pictures are not tolerated and hats are not permitted inside the MEPs. Prohibited contraband items are not allowed in the MEPs. See your recruiter for a complete list of prohibited items.

The MEPS staff member briefs the applicants. Applicants will pass through a security screening on their way into the MEPs. Once inside, the MEPs applicants will stow their personal belongings in the spaces provided for that purpose. Earrings should be removed. They obstruct the headset for the hearing test.

Each applicant must carry their driver's license, social security card, birth certificate and any requested medical records with them during processing. Your recruiter can provide more details. Cell phones are only allowed in the waiting area.

Some MEPs process as many as a hundred and fifty applicants in a single day. Processing may take from 5:00 in the morning until 9:00 at night. After the briefing with the MEPs commander, applicants meet with a representative of their chosen service branch, where they receive applicant name tags and are then sent to the control desk for instructions. Name tags are to be worn visibly at all times until checkout.

It's important for each applicant to stay alert and follow instructions throughout the day. Biometrics, including applicant photograph and fingerprints, are done early in the day and will be used whenever an applicant checks in or out of the station. Applicants must check in and out at each station to help ensure they're in the right place at the expected time.

All applicants must take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery or ASVAB. The ASVAB is an intensive series of aptitude tests that help determine which military jobs the individual is best suited for. Some applicants may have taken the ASVAB on the afternoon of the previous day, or earlier still at a satellite testing location near their home. The ASVAB measures reading comprehension and math skills as well as electronics, science and mechanical knowledge. It takes up to three hours. Applicants may also be required to take special-purpose tests that assist the Armed Services in determining the best fit for particular jobs.

The next step is the medical examination. Tests will include a complete physical urinalysis, HIV, pregnancy, drugs and alcohol, the ortho neuro examination, which tests balance and coordination, and hearing and vision tests.

Your name tag will be used as a meal ticket at lunchtime. Lunch will be provided by the MEPs to all applicants at no cost. Once an applicant passes the physical testing, they meet with their service liaison about available jobs, incentives, salaries and ship out dates.

In processing, applicants verify all the details of their contracts, and their fingerprints are taken for an FBI check.

Family and friends pack the MEPS ceremony room to witness the stirring oath of enlistment ceremony. Applicants will return to the MEPs on the date specified in their enlistment contract to begin their military service. After a follow up medical inspection, second oath of enlistment and final processing, the newest members of the nation's all-volunteer force board the bus for a ride to the airport and then on to their services initial training center.