Top News Stories

Enjoying the cheers from the crowds, Husun Davis runs in his first ever marathon in NYC.
Off the Couch and Onto the Pavement: One Man’s Story of Transformation
By Tyechia Price | Oct. 4, 2024
Settling into his couch to watch the New York City Marathon, Husun Davis, transportation assistant, New York MEPS, experienced a moment of profound clarity. Being unable to get across the bridge that morning from New Jersey to Brooklyn due to the bridge closure for the marathon, Davis found himself alone at home, unlike the years past when he lived in NYC and he stood on the street shaking and ringing his cowbell, cheering on runners as they ran throughout the city. Moving to Jersey from NYC excited Davis, although as the marathon approached, the idea that the bridge closure would mean he would have to stay in Jersey didn’t cross his mind until it was too late. The hotels in NYC had filled, spectators and traffic built up as the starting time approached closer with each hour.

2024 USMEPCOM Military Members of the Year:
Company grade officer: Army Capt. Terence Martin, Dallas MEPS
Battalion senior enlisted advisor: Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Jeremy Fogleman, 8th BN
MEPS senior enlisted advisor: Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Shawn Cox, Pittsburgh MEPS
Senior noncommissioned officer: Army Sgt. First Class Scott Royse, Miami MEPS
Junior noncommissioned officer: Marine Corps Sgt. Nathaniel Tiatia, Boise MEPS
USMEPCOM Announces Military Members and Civilians of the Year in San Antonio
By Ashley Toomey | Sept. 17, 2024
The 2024 USMEPCOM Military Members of the Year (MMOY) and Civilian Employees of the Year (CEOY) competition brought finalists from across the country to compete in a weeklong event, September 9-12. After contending through multiple rounds of challenges, 10 winners were named. The winners and their categories are: 2024 USMEPCOM Military Members of the Year: Company grade officer: Army Capt. Terence Martin, Dallas MEPS Battalion senior enlisted advisor: Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Jeremy Fogleman, 8th BN MEPS senior enlisted advisor: Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Shawn Cox, Pittsburgh MEPS Senior noncommissioned officer: Army Sgt. First Class Scott Royse, Miami MEPS Junior noncommissioned officer: Marine Corps Sgt. Nathaniel Tiatia, Boise MEPS 2024 USMEPCOM Outstanding Civilian Employees of the Year: GS06 and under: Jorda Cruz, Honolulu MEPS GS07-GS09: Shawn Waite, Knoxville MEPS GS10 and above: Jennifer Nowak, El Paso MEPS 2024 Headquarters, USMEPCOM Outstanding Civilian Employee of the Year: GS07-GS09: Shawna McNure, J-3 Operations GS10 and above: Andre Markham, J-3 Operations

Medical Technicians Linda Jacobson and Don Roth review documentation together. The pair has been working together as a brother-sister duo for more than 30 years at the Milwaukee MEPS.
Meet a Med Tech: Milwaukee siblings serve at MEPS more than 30 years
By Ashley Toomey | Sept. 6, 2024
At the 65 Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) across the country, medical technicians (med techs) are vital to determining eligibility for those seeking to join the armed forces through "Freedom's Front Door." Med techs conduct urinalysis, vision tests, height and weight assessments and enter medical data into MHS GENESIS – all of which support the USMEPCOM mission of evaluating applicants by applying Department of Defense standards in processing and determining eligibility for military service.

Navy Lt. Cmdr. Cory Flament, Buffalo MEPS commander, poses with the heavyweight trophy after taking top prize at the 2024 New York Golden Gloves boxing tournament. Flament took up boxing less than a year ago and became the 2024 New York Golden Gloves champion in a matter of months.
Buffalo MEPS Commander's Boxing Glory
By Derrik Noack | Aug. 27, 2024
The scent profiles of classic chocolate chip, nutty peanut butter and buttery toffee are all too familiar to Navy Lt. Cmdr. Cory Flament, Buffalo MEPS commander. He co-owns a cookie company near the MEPS with his partner in baking gourmet treats, and partner in life, wife Brittany. The sweet scents he was used to are a stark contrast to the odorous smells of vinyl punching bags and sour sweat he found himself drawn to just last autumn.

U.S. Navy Capt. Christopher Carmichael, USMEPCOM Western Sector commander, passes the Western Sector colors to Army Command Sgt. Major David Goins, the incoming Western Sector senior enlisted advisor (SEA). during a change of responsibility ceremony, July 31. Goins accepted responsibility as the new SEA of USMEPCOM Western Sector, succeeding Army Command Sgt. Maj. Roger Rendon.
USMEPCOM Western Sector Welcomes New Senior Enlisted Advisor During Change of Responsibility Ceremony
By Tyechia Price | July 31, 2024
Army Command Sgt. Maj. David Goins accepted responsibility as the new senior enlisted advisor (SEA) of USMEPCOM Western Sector, succeeding Army Command Sgt. Maj. Roger Rendon.

(L) Dr. Liza Pilch, Milwaukee MEPS chief medical officer, works alongside Helen Smith, Milwaukee MEPS medical technician, to review applicant prescreens. Milwaukee MEPS is one of 30 MEPS in phase III of a change to the workflow of medical prescreens for military applicants.
USMEPCOM Boosts Efficiency with New Prescreen Process
By Derrik Noack | July 29, 2024
USMEPCOM initiated phase III of the roll-out for a new medical prescreen review July 22, expanding what launched at just six Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) in March. With initial data indicating significant progress in reducing applicant accession timelines, the new process, which was originally launched as a pilot, is now in place at 30 MEPS and will be expanded to all MEPS through subsequent phases by the end of October.

Dr. Katherine Helland, director of Military Accession Policy, passes the USMEPCOM guidon to Army Col. Frankie Cochiaosue, USMEPCOM commander. Cochiaosue assumed command of USMEPCOM, succeeding Army Col. Megan Stallings, during a Change of Command and Retirement Ceremony July 17 at USMEPCOM headquarters in North Chicago, Ill.
USMEPCOM Welcomes New Commander
By Derrik Noack | July 17, 2024
Army Col. Frankie Cochiaosue assumed command of United States Military Entrance Processing Command (USMEPCOM) from Army Col. Megan Stallings during a Change of Command and Retirement ceremony, July 17.