So you’ve decided to enlist in the military, but your recruiter says you need to go to MEPS before you can leave for basic training. If you’re like most people, you’re probably asking, “wtf is MEPS?” In this article, I’ll detail what MEPS is, what you’ll do there, some things to look out for, and give some tips on how to make the best of your time throughout the process.
What Is MEPS?
MEPS is short for Military Entrance Processing Station, and it’s where you’ll take the ASVAB, get medically screened, and eventually swear in — if you pass, that is. Generally, you’ll take the ASVAB on the first day, stay the night in a hotel, and do your medical screening and swear-in on the second day.
A quick search about MEPS will bring up countless posts about how tedious the process is, and there’s no doubt you’ll come across some horror stories. For instance, I knew a guy who found out he had a congenital heart defect while getting screened at MEPS. That’s a major issue, but there are quite a few even minor conditions that can disqualify you.
MEPS is there to make sure you’re healthy before going through what will most likely be some of the most rigorous training of your life. It sucks if you have a disqualifying condition, but at least you can find out about it before it…
