MEPS Preparation
What is MEPS
MEPS (Military Entrance Processing Station) is part of the enlistment process where you will take your ASVAB (if you haven't already), and get your medical and physical evaluations done. Once complete you will list jobs based on what you qualify for and then swear in to the Delayed Entry Program (DEP).
When will I go to MEPS?
You will be scheduled for MEPS by a recruiter once you have been pre-qualified, have a qualifying ASVAB, APT, or PiCAT, and your recruiter is certain that you want to enlist.
How to pass MEPS
How do I prepare?
When you go to MEPS, you will need an overnight bag and follow the dress code listed below. No weapons are allowed including, guns, ammo, knives, tazers, and pepper spray. You will also need to bring a few documents listed as follows and must be original or certified copies:
Government issued ID (such as a drivers license)
Social security card
Once you go, your recruiter will provide you a briefing the day before you process on what to expect.
MEPS Dress Code
UNAUTHORIZED CLOTHING:
Flip-flops, sandals or open-toed shoes
Plain white T-shirts or sleeveless shirts
Tank tops, tube tops, halter tops, and excessively low cut blouses, and any clothing that exposes the midriff
Shorts/skirts that are more than 3 inches above the knee. If the applicant is unsure; they should wear pants or a long skirt instead
Cut-off shorts or rips/tears
Revealing or see-through clothing
Yoga Pants
Pants or shorts worn below the waist
Military uniforms, to include ROTC uniforms. (Active Duty and Reservists will be allowed to wear clean PT uniforms and Youth Challenge is allowed to wear their uniform of the day.)
Body piercing or earrings of any sort (males and females)
Fingernail or toenail polish
The following items must be worn while at the MEPS:
Closed toe shoes w/socks
Tops and bottoms
Underwear for males.
Underwear and bras for females. Sports bras, thongs, or see-through underwear are not authorized.
If you wear glasses or contacts, bring them with you. For those with contacts, bring a case and solution as well to store them.
A day at MEPS
The Hotel - Drury Inn & Suites Montgomery
After your MEPS briefing you will drive from your recruiting office to the hotel. The Air Force is paying for the hotel, and your food. You will meet a MEPS liaison at the hotel who will brief you on the rules and get you set up with a room. Your dinner and breakfast will be provided.
MEPS Briefing
MEPS is an important part and you will be briefed by your recruiter about what to expect in full detail. This is a basic guide on what to expect but each individual will have their own specific requirements so use this only as a basic guide. Remember MEPS is looking for a reason to disqualify you so follow your recruiters guidance.
Trust your recruiter. We are not doing all this work to get you here to set you up for failure. If you don't disclose something to them, and then bring it up at MEPS, you will be disqualified and significantly delay your process. This briefing is the time to bring up anything you forgot, not at MEPS!
Remember you represent yourself, your recruiter, and the Air Force down there. Make a good impression.
The morning you process you will wake up at the hotel very early. Go to bed early the night before. You need to move with a sense of purpose at MEPS and can't be moving sluggish or falling asleep.
When you wake up you will shower and get dressed. Make sure you are cleaned up as dirty or stinky applicants may be turned away. While in the shower let warm water run in each ear for a few moments to melt any ear wax down. Don't use a cotton swab as it can push the wax deeper in your ear and prevent the staff from seeing your ear drum.
Brush your teeth but DO NOT use mouthwash. If it has alcohol in it you will fail the breathalyzer.
For breakfast, no coffee, orange juice, or pork products (bacon, ham, sausage) as these can cause you to fail your blood test. Stick to water.
Urinalysis. When you get to MEPS early in the process they will ask who needs to go to the bathroom. Try not to go before arriving at MEPS so that you can do this first thing. You will be required to provide a urine sample in a cup while an observer watches you. If you don't complete it within a few hours of arriving you will have to stay another night and do a second day at MEPS to try again. If a sample is not obtained within 72 hours of you arriving, you are automatically disqualified for 6 months. Just pee in the cup! If you have used marijuana within 45 days of going to MEPS, let your recruiter know so he/she can reschedule you. A failed drug test is a permanent disqualification from the military.
You will be doing the TAPAS personality test which can qualify you for additional jobs.
You will complete your Form 1408 to list any fears or phobias. If you indicate things like a fear of spiders for example, it should be a real phobia. If you see a spider do you just step on it, or go in to a panic? These answers will affect what jobs you qualify to do.
You will have your blood drawn, don't pass out. Look away if you need to but if you can't handle a needle, you will be disqualified.
Your vision will be checked including your vision level (20/20, 20/40, etc.), color vision, and finally depth perception. Depth perception has a high failure rate based on the equipment used. This test will have a series of circles (ex. OOOOO) in a row. There are 5 circles per row and one is elevated closer to you. Your job is to identify which one. If you struggle on it, try crossing your eyes, blinking rapidly several times, looking around the edge (use peripheral vision), or imagine something in the background and focus on that.
The hearing test will have you in a booth with headphones on. You will have a button in each hand. When you hear a beep in the left ear, press the left button, if a beep in the right ear, press the right button. Do NOT use headphones/earbuds 48 hours prior to arrival at MEPS. No loud music or swimming during that period either. This can cause you to do poorly or even fail this test. If you are hearing noises from outside your testing booth (like a printer or other people talking) and it's interfering with your ability to hear the beeps, let the test administrator know! If they don't help you, let the Air Force liaisons know you had issues in the hearing test booth.
Your medical exam will go over all your questions from your DD Form 2807-2 (the form you signed with your recruiter that has 164 medical questions) to make sure it's accurate and there is nothing more to add. You will be asked the same questions in different ways to see if you think up anything else. Any new medical information provided at MEPS will result in you being disqualified and you will need to provide medical records to your recruiter for submission to the doctors for review. This can potentially add weeks or months to the process. Tell your recruiter before going to MEPS!
The rest of the physical portion is similar to a sports physical. Everyone will get their genitals examined. Men, turn your head and cough. Women, you'll be on an exam table in stirrups. The doctor will also look at your sphincter for lesions and hemorrhoids. Women will also have a breast exam.
Your final physical test is the X-Factor test with the Air Force liaisons. You must lift weight above your head. The more you lift, the more you qualify for. Aim for at least 70 lbs.
You will meet with a security investigator to review your background information which will then be sent off for your security clearance investigation. They will also take your fingerprints.
After all that you will be listing jobs with the liaisons and should already have an idea of what to list. The liaisons are very busy and can't explain every job. You must list a minimum of 6 specific jobs and 1 aptitude area. You must be ok with getting any job listed and once booked, you can't change your mind. You are only allowed to list 1 medical job out of the 6 due to how rare they are. The only exception to the number of jobs is for individuals qualifying for and going in to special warfare, combat support, or linguist fields.
You will listing your availability date when listing jobs. This is the soonest date you are willing to ship out to basic training. This date should be no more than 60 days after going to MEPS (doesn't apply to high school students). Talk to your recruiter if you require a date farther out.
The final step is to swear in to the Delayed Entry Program! If you make it to this point, good job! You've completed the hardest part!
Once the swear-in is over you will be getting on the shuttle back to the recruiting office once everyone is done.
DEP brief
When you return to your recruiters office you will sign your AFRS Form 5 liability release form, get briefed on the DEP, and given your Air Force DEP shirt.