News Articles

In alignment with Department of Defense (DoD) Instruction 5400.17 and recent Executive Orders issued by the President, USMEPCOM has reviewed and adjusted its social media content to ensure compliance with DoD policies and priorities.

As a result, certain posts have been removed, are in a process of being removed or modified to maintain consistency with federal guidance and uphold the integrity of our official communication channels. Content will be archived in accordance with DA PAM 25–403.

USMEPCOM remains committed to transparency, professionalism, and adherence to DoD directives while continuing to engage with our community in a manner that reflects our core values.

For any questions regarding social media policies, please refer to official DoD guidance available at https://www.esd.whs.mil/Directives/issuances/dodi/
Army Col. Megan Stallings, USMEPCOM commander, passes the Eastern Sector colors to Army. Col. Avi Grein, Eastern Sector Commander.

June 13, 2024

Army Officer Returns to Command Eastern Sector

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill — Army Col. Adam “Avi” Grein accepted command of Eastern Sector, USMEPCOM, succeeding Army Col. Janelle Kutter during a change of command and retirement ceremony June 13 at USMEPCOM headquarters in North Chicago, Ill.

Baltimore MEPS leadership and staff pose with 7B Recruiting company after conducting a successful pilot initiative. 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.

June 12, 2024

Inaugural Career Exploration Event Opens New Horizons for National Capital Region Home School Students

Alexandria, Md. — Baltimore Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS), in collaboration with various military and educational partners, has taken a significant step towards embracing underserved home school demographic within the National Capital Region (NCR).

Air Force Master Sgt. Melissa Laboy, USMEPCOM medical accessions NCOIC, provides training to Air Force Reserve Component Airmen and Army National Guard Soldiers who volunteered to serve in the USMEPCOM Prescreen Support Coordination Center (PSCC). The PSCC allows providers to review military applicant medical prescreens virtually, helping to decrease the amount of time an applicant spends in their MEPS and shortening contact-to-contract time.

June 10, 2024

ARC Airmen and NG Soldiers Train to Assist USMEPCOM with Summer Surge

HQ USMEPCOM, North Chicago, Ill. — USMEPCOM led training for incoming Air Force Reserve Component (ARC) Airmen and Army National Guard (NG) Soldiers, June 4 – 7, who will serve as prescreen and exam providers. The majority will serve on the Prescreen Support Coordination Center (PSCC), established in the summer of 2022 to tackle prescreen backlogs.

Matt Lince, J-6 and Innovation Facilitation Team director, and Army Lt. Col. Peter Nesbitt, Command Advisory Group director, sat down to discuss USMEPCOM's culture of innovation, technology and data advances, recent initiatives to improve applicant processing, transformation across the command and the draw of USMEPCOM as a career destination.

May 30, 2024

Technology Leaders on Innovation Culture

North Chicago, Ill — Matt Lince, J-6 and Innovation Facilitation Team director, and Army Lt. Col. Peter Nesbitt, Command Advisory Group director, sat down to discuss USMEPCOM's culture of innovation, technology and data advances, recent initiatives to improve applicant processing, transformation across the command and the draw of USMEPCOM as a career destination.

Jennifer Newak, Education Services Specialist at El Paso MEPS, participates in discussion at the 2024 Test Control Officer and Education Services Specialist Symposium in Fontana, Wisconsin. USMEPCOM hosted over 140 personnel from across 65 MEPS for the Test Control Officer and Education Services Specialist Symposium, May 21-23.

May 29, 2024

USMEPCOM Hosts Testing Symposium

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. — USMEPCOM hosted a symposium for education services specialists (ESSs) and testing coordinators (TCOs) from all 65 MEPS, May 21 - 23. The educational session for the testing personnel provided opportunities to discuss operations, review trends at USMEPCOM and learn about current and future initiatives, all of which relate to USMEPCOM’s values of driving change and improving processes. The theme of the symposium, Migration to Innovation, enabled ESSs and TCOs to embrace new ideas and advancements in testing and beyond.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Courtney Rollins, Buffalo MEPS medical specialist non-commissioned officer, and Dr. Laurence Batmazian, Buffalo MEPS chief medical officer, collaborate outside the medical exam room of Buffalo MEPS. Buffalo MEPS is one of six MEPS testing a pilot that changes the workflow of medical prescreens for military applicants.

March 25, 2024

USMEPCOM Pilot Reengineers Medical Prescreens

HQ USMEPCOM, North Chicago, Ill. — On March 19, USMEPCOM launched a new pilot, reengineering the medical prescreening process for military applicants. Six Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) will pilot the program for 60 days and gather data to enhance the recently developed process before potentially rolling it out to other locations.

Antiterrorism Officer Basic Course, students pose for a photo in between training sessions. The course was conducted by United States Army Military Police School (USAMPS) Mobile Training Team (MTT) and hosted by the United States Military Entrance Processing Command (USMEPCOM), Mar. 18-22.

March 22, 2024

USMEPCOM Expands Antiterrorism Efforts

HQ USMEPCOM, North Chicago, Ill. — USMEPCOM HQ hosted the United States Army Military Police School (USAMPS) Mobile Training Team to conduct the Antiterrorism Officer Basic Course (ATOBC), Mar. 18-22.

Dr. Fagin, Chief Medical Officer Subject Matter Expert, discusses new prescreen pilot at the bi-annual USMEPCOM Medical Leadership Training Symposium (MLTS), Mar. 11-14. The prescreen pilot is currently live at 6 MEPS across the country, with intent to increase efficiency during medical screening.

March 21, 2024

Meet a CMO: Retired Corporate Wellness Director Thrives at USMEPCOM

HQ USMEPCOM, North Chicago, Ill. — Dr. Gary Fagin was ignited by a profound sense of duty as he was called to serve his country following a career in internal medicine and a second one in corporate wellness.

Maj. Lucy Paterson, an Army surge provider, takes notes while attending prescreen training at USMEPCOM HQ in North Chicago, Ill., Jan. 9 -12. The Army deployed more than 60 providers and 46 medical technicians to MEPS across the country to support applicant processing during the busiest time of year.

Jan. 23, 2024

USMEPCOM Gets Ahead of Summer Surge with Army Providers

HQ USMEPCOM, North Chicago, Ill. — USMEPCOM processes applicants into the U.S. armed services every day but anticipates a yearly spike in applicant enlistments during summer months, when an influx in applicants come through Freedom’s Front Door that is commonly referred to as “summer surge.”

(L) Megan Hart Lee, USMEPCOM's first clinical psychologist, receives training from Air Force Capt. Daniel Strickland, USMEPCOM deputy command surgeon, during her initial onboarding. The new team of clinical psychologists at USMEPCOM will conduct applicant behavioral health consults in an effort to reduce timelines for entry to service.

Dec. 12, 2023

Behavioral Health Providers Increasing Processing Efficiency

HQ USMEPCOM, North Chicago, Ill. — USMEPCOM is assembling a team of clinical psychologists to serve as applicant consult needs. These providers will conduct virtual behavioral health assessments for applicants needing a consult, as determined by their Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) or service waiver authorities. The first clinical psychologist, Megan Hart Lee, commenced onboarding in early December and is set to initiate virtual behavioral health consults for MEPS applicants by month-end.