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USMEPCOM launched the Applicant Journey Tracker, July 9, the first ever tool to track applicants’ paths throughout their processing journey into the military.

July 11, 2024

USMEPCOM Launches Applicant Journey Tracker

HQ USMEPCOM, NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. — USMEPCOM launched the Applicant Journey Tracker, July 9, the first ever tool to track applicants’ paths throughout their processing journey into the military.

A travel assistant passes a debit card to an enlistee. USMEPCOM replaced meal checks for enlistees traveling to initial entry training with debit cards starting June 28, 2024.

June 28, 2024

USMEPCOM Phases out Meal Checks

HQ USMEPCOM, NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. — Every applicant who ships to boot camp receives a voucher to pay for food while traveling to their destination. Previously this was done by issuing a one-time use paper check to use at the airport. As of June 28, these paper checks have been replaced with debit cards, providing a modern, flexible payment option for enlistees.

Army Lt. Col. Peter Nesbitt, USMEPCOM Command Advisory Group (CAG) director, leads a discussion at a Data and Analytics Immersion Day. The forum, organized by USMEPCOM's CAG, allowed participants to engage in discussions on how the command is using data to enhance operations.

June 26, 2024

CAG Highlights Innovation and Future Plans in Immersion Day

HQ USMEPCOM, NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. — USMEPCOM’s Command Advisory Group (CAG) held a Data and Analytics Immersion Day, June 20. Throughout the day, subject matter experts presented a series of 10 topics on how the organization is using data to enhance operations.

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.

Chris Carr and Liz Fonk of the United States Military Entrance Procession Command (USMEPCOM) attend a hiring event in Washington D.C. Carr and Fonk are members of the newly launched Talent Acquisition Division (TAD), seeking new talent for USMEPCOM across the U.S.

Nov. 30, 2023

USMEPCOM Invites Job Seekers to “Meet Us Where You Are” with Launch of the New Talent Acquisition Division

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. — The Talent Acquisition Division (TAD) is coming to a MEPS near you, if they have not already. The newest team in USMEPCOM has begun its journey, bringing to life one aspect of the command’s strategic initiatives.

USMEPCOM Commander Col. Megan Stallings briefs attendees of the FY24 Senior Leader Offsite on the command's newest strategic plan. The strategic plan lays out the collective vision for USMEPCOM, guiding its projects and goals into 2033.

Nov. 27, 2023

New Strategic Plan Drives USMEPCOM Into 2033

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. — USMEPCOM launched its new Strategic Plan at the FY24 Senior Leader Offsite (SLO) in mid-November. A command’s strategic plan outlines the operational approach for its personnel moving forward. It does so by identifying goals and objectives, rather than specifying concrete projects.

USMEPCOM Eastern Sector leadership pose in front of quote, "Through these portals pass prospects for America's finest fighting force, United States Marines" at a Leaders Professional Development event. The Leaders Professional Development event was held 10 - 13 Oct. at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina

Nov. 17, 2023

USMEPCOM Spearheads Communications for Accession Triad

Parris Island, S.C. — The Leaders Professional Development (LPD) event brought USMEPCOM Eastern Sector leadership together with Marine Corps Reception and Initial Entry Training personnel to learn and share new perspectives at Parris Island, South Carolina, Oct. 10-13.

MMOY competition photos

BOSTON Nov. 6, 2023

USMEPCOM Military Members Compete in Boston

BOSTON — The 2023 USMEPCOM Military Members of the Year (MMOY) competition brought nine finalists to compete in a weeklong event in Boston. After contending through multiple rounds of competitions, five

Navy Lt. j.g. Derron Alleyne (R) completes a rope obstacle during a unit cohesion event at the first Houston Interservice Recruiting Committee (IRC) Symposium, hosted by Houston MEPS. The symposium brought IRC partners and MEPS military personnel together for two days of classroom instruction and team-building events.

Oct. 25, 2023

Houston MEPS Organizes First Operations Symposium

HOUSTON MEPS, Tx. — Houston MEPS recently organized its first ever Interservice Recruiting Committee (IRC) Operations Symposium. The symposium united MEPS military and recruiting personnel, fostering face-to-face connections to strengthen relationships, which are typically conducted electronically. Those relationships are critical, not only for mutual support, but for success in manning the All-Volunteer Force.

Navy Capt. Chris Carmichael briefs during the Recruiting Commanders/Operations Conference (RC/OC) at USMEPCOM, in North Chicago, Illinois.

Oct. 25, 2023

With Eyes on the Future, Talks with Recruiting Commands Ensure Continuing Partnerships

HQ USMEPCOM, North Chicago, Ill. — At the 2023 Recruiting Commanders/Operations Conference (RC/OC), hosted by the Western Sector of United States Military Entrance Processing Command Headquarters, discussions centered around the theme of building partnerships and investing in the force of the future.

Graphic by Derrik Noack

Oct. 4, 2023

USMEPCOM Invests in AI to Aide Prescreen Process

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. — The 2022 rollout of MHS GENESIS across USMEPCOM brought access to authoritative medical history for applicants to military service. This access has allowed for better medical decision making, but it has also meant an increased workload with more medical information to review for more applicants.