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Military applicants wait to be sent to their next evaluation at Chicago MEPS. USMEPCOM's new Conditions Unlikely to be Waived (CUW) policy will focus evaluations on applicants more likely to qualify for service.
New Policy to Increase Efficiency in Military Accessions
By Derrik Noack | May 4, 2026
In collaboration with Service recruiting partners, U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command (USMEPCOM) implemented a policy, “Conditions Unlikely to be Waived” (CUW), effective May 4, that stops processing for applicants with one or more of 28 medical conditions designated as unlikely to be waived by Service partners.
Dr. Brian Piltz, USMEPCOM Western Sector medical officer, processes an applicant during a MEPS in a Box popup in Orlando, Fla. Dr. Piltz brings a uniquely diverse background to guide operations, mentor providers and support the mission with a hands-on, problem-solving approach.
Meet a Medical Officer: Experience That Shapes Leadership
By Derrik Noack | April 21, 2026
Dr. Brian Piltz has just recently settled into his role as Western Sector medical officer, but he has a perspective shaped by nearly two decades with USMEPCOM and a career path he describes as anything but traditional.
Home school students from the National Capital Region receive post-test interpretation after completing the ASVAB. Baltimore MEPS spearheads an initiative for home school students with the first-ever event aimed at connecting home school students with a multitude of career opportunities, including those in the military by utilizing the ASVAB Career Exploration Program.
USMEPCOM Surpasses Annual Student Testing Goal
By Ashley Toomey | April 3, 2026
As of April 3, 2026, United States Military Entrance Processing Command (USMEPCOM) has surpassed its annual testing goal, administering 536,197 student tests as part of the ASVAB Career Exploration Program (CEP).
Lt. Amber Martz, a nurse practitioner with the USPHS Commissioned Corps, conducts a physical with an applicant at Memphis MEPS. Martz serves as the first-ever USPHS officer within USMEPCOM.
Memphis MEPS Welcomes First US Public Health Service Officer in Historic Partnership
By Ashley Toomey | March 18, 2026
United States Military Entrance Processing Command (USMEPCOM) has reached a milestone with the assignment of its first-ever United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps (USPHS) officer to a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS).
Col. Frankie Cochiaosue, USMEPCOM commander, speaks with attendees of the 2026 USMEPCOM Medical Leadership Training Symposium (MLTS). The USMEPCOM MLTS, held March 9-11, brought medical leaders together to strengthen collaboration, share best practices and advance standardization efforts supporting the accession of the next generation of service members.
USMEPCOM Medical Leaders Strengthen Accessions Mission at MLTS
By Ashley Toomey | March 10, 2026
The USMEPCOM Medical Leadership Training Symposium (MLTS) returned Mar. 9 – 11 in Rosemont Ill., bringing the top command providers and leadership together for three days of discussion, process improvements and standardization training.
(L) Yvette Meeches, Fort Dix MEPS lead human resources assistant, takes the oath of enlistment into the Army Reserve.Meeches joined the Army Reserve as a 38B, civil affairs specialist and will continue to support the MEPS after initial entry training.
Fort Dix MEPS Lead HRA Answers the Same Call She Helps Others Answer Every Day
By Ashley Toomey | Feb. 26, 2026
Fort Dix Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) marked a powerful full-circle moment when lead human resources assistant (HRA) Yvette Meeches raised her right hand and took the Oath of Enlistment.
Travis Stahlhut, USMEPCOM management analyst and US Army veteran, poses with his daughter, Holly, after her own oath of enlistment at Chicago MEPS. A legacy of service extended a generation when Holly Stahlhut enlisted into the US Army at Chicago MEPS on Jan. 13, 2026.
A Legacy of Service: One Family’s Journey Through MEPS
By Ashley Toomey | Feb. 10, 2026
For Travis Stahlhut, management analyst, J-1 Human Resources directorate, service has never been just a career, it’s been a conversation, a set of values, and now, a legacy shaped through MEPS.
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