The Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) is the facility where all the branches of the Department of Defense send applicants to complete required testing and exams in order to qualify to join their applicable branches. The Air Force and Space Force is no exception. There are 2 sections to MEPS. The first is testing. The second is medical examination. Depending on the geological distance from MEPS, you may do both in one trip over 2 days.

When will you go? Well, this depends on several factors such as what testing you need to complete, if you are cleared for a medical exam by the medical team, and practice test results. This is arranged through your recruiter. Once you are scheduled, it's time to prepare!

HOW TO PREPARE FOR MEPS

First things first, you will not be able to do any processing at MEPS without the following documents. These MUST be original or certified copies.

• Government issued ID (i.e. Driver's License or Valid Passport)

• Social Security Card

• Birth Certificate

• Proof of Education (i.e. High School Diploma, GED, College Transcripts) *Not required for High School Juniors/Seniors

MEPS has a dress code, and is strict on what is and is now allowed. When packing, check your bags and self. Do no bring any weapons. No guns, knives (OF ANY KIND!), straight razors, tazers, or pepper spray. Be sure to check your wallet for those emergency tools, those count too. Bringing a weapon will prevent you from entering.

Unauthorized Clothing:

• No sports bras or thongs

• Flip-flops, sandals, or open-toes shoes

• Plain White T-Shirts or Sleeveless Shirts

• Tank tops, tube tops, halter tops, low cut blouses, or clothing that exposes the midriff

• Short or skirts that are more than 3 inches above the knee.

• Cut-off shorts or rip/torn shorts

• Revealing or see-through clothing

• Yoga pants

• Pants or shorts worn below the waist

• NO MILITARY UNIFORMS OR PARTS OF UNIFORMS

• Body piercings or ear rings of any sort (both males and females)

• NO FINGERNAIL OR TOENAIL POLISH

Required Clothing:

• Closed toe shoes with socks

• Tops and bottoms

• Underwear (both male and female)

• Females must wear bras. (Again, no sport bras, thongs, or see-through underwear)

• If you wear glasses or contacts, bring them with you! Contact wearers must bring a case with solution to store them when needed

WHAT TO EXPECT IN MEPS

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. "Yes sir", "No, sir", "Yes, ma'am", "No, ma'am".

• 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 all branches of the military.

• 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 in Step 2) 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. The max is 110 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.

• The liaison used to build your job preference list. This is done after your return with your recruiter. The liaison will give you a list that you qualify for.

• You will need to provide an availability date. 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. Know this date BEFORE even going to MEPS, it cannot be changed.

• 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. Time to get that High-Five and sweet sweet swag!

The Seattle MEPS does not allow visitors for the Oath of Enlistment at this time. Oath of Enlistments are filmed and can be found on their Facebook page. They are usually separated by branch.
https://www.facebook.com/SeattleMEPS