Top News Stories

Participants of the Pittsburgh Interservice Recruiting Committee (IRC) run take a break during the two-mile trek. Pittsburgh MEPS has revitalized its communication efforts by launching a monthly IRC run, allowing partners to build relationships.
Pittsburgh MEPS Kicks Off Monthly IRC Runs
By Derrik Noack | Oct. 30, 2024
In the heart of Pittsburgh, the city known for its steel bridges and passionate sports fans, a breeze of change had swept through the city’s MEPS. With the arrival of new commanders at USMEPCOM HQ, Eastern Sector and Pittsburgh MEPS, there was a renewed energy and directive to align efforts with the vision of these new leaders.

Lt. Cmdr. Tamarah Grant, Tampa MEPS commander, discusses hurricane recovery during all-hands with personnel after Hurricane Milton. Tampa MEPS closed from Oct. 9-11 for safety reasons due to Hurricane Milton.
Tampa MEPS Prevails Through Hurricanes
By Ashley Toomey | Oct. 23, 2024
Hurricanes Helene and Milton took the southeast and its MEPS by storm, but the teamwork and flexibility demonstrated by Tampa MEPS personnel showed that when weathering the storm together, they came out stronger.

Elizabeth Fonk, talent acquisition specialist, speaks to a potential candidate at a recruiting fair at Solider Field, Chicago, Ill., in October 2023, one of the first TAD attended after formally launching.
USMEPCOM Doubles Down on Strategic Hiring Team
By Tyechia Price | Oct. 17, 2024
It was a warm summer night in Greenville, S.C., when Andrew Wangelin and his wife, out on a date, struck up a conversation with the man at the next table. The resulting small talk meandered, touching a range of topics before landing on work. While Wangelin was actively searching for work at the time, he never seriously considered a career in government.

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.