You have finally made a decision to enlist in one of the greatest military jobs force in the world. Congratulations! You’ve already spoken to all your military recruiters and have decided on one of the military branches.
And now it is time to return to MEPS….again. MEPS is the acronym for Military Entrance Processing Station. Currently, there are 65 MEPS locations throughout the United States. These military jobs are all determined by civilian personnel who grades applicants’ physical qualifications, aptitude and moral standards as set by each of the military branches.
Listen, it’s your first trip to MEPS that determines your overall fitness as a potential member of one of the military branches that you are assessed. The second trip is for actually enlisting on active duty, and then shipping off to basic training for the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force or Coast Guard.
You will participate in a mandatory medical physical. For the US Marine Corps, if you have not already done so, you will perform your Initial Strength Test(IST). There will be an enlistment contract review and you will be required to fill out an emergency data card. A pre-accession interview will be conducted. This ensures that no false info exists on your enlistment paperwork docs. You will then be briefed on the contents of Article 83, Article 85, and Article 86 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Article 83 covers fraudulent enlistments. Articles 85 and 86 are concerned with Desertion and Absent without Leave (AWOL). You’ll then be briefed on the Military’s Separation Policy.
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You will then receive a pre-oath briefing in which you will be instructed on how to stand at attention, bending your elbow at a 90 degree angle, etc. You’re then ready to take the active duty oath. Once you take the oath, you are an active duty member of the United States Military.
Following the oath, you will be given a sealed envelope that contains your necessary papers.
And then your moment of truth arrives, at the designated time, MEPS will transport you to the airport, and put you on a flight to your basic training location. You will turn your papers into NCO staffing the Military Reception Counter at your destination airport.
Your life forever will be different from the days or months before this day. Much different. You now represent any one of the strong, best trained military branches in the world. For more information, check out military.com.nlist