April 23, 2025

Meet an ITA: The Winning Balance of a Part-time Career

SAN DIEGO, Calif — Looking forward to retirement is a milestone shared by many. Paul Holley, from San Diego Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS), has crossed this milestone twice – so far – in his lifetime and now looks forward to his work as an Intermittent Test Administrator for the MEPS, administering the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Career Exploration Program (CEP) test to high school students in Southern California.

April 16, 2025

USMEPCOM Celebrates Miami MEPS Grand Opening

Miami, Fla. — After more than seven years in the making, United States Military Entrance Processing Command (USMEPCOM) celebrated the official grand opening of the newly relocated Miami MEPS on April 15, 2025.

April 9, 2025

Service Beyond Self: Pittsburgh MEPS Testing Tech Leads with purpose

PITTSBURGH MEPS, Pa. — Matthew Kaminski, a dedicated Test Score Technician at Pittsburgh Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS), spent more than two decades serving his country in uniform, first in the Navy, then in the Air Force and now out of uniform as a federal employee. His service doesn’t stop there, Kaminski is also the driving force behind MVP - Meetup Volunteers Pittsburgh, a community organization he founded two and a half years ago that has grown to more than 600 members.

April 2, 2025

Meet an Education Services Specialist: Shaping Futures at Montgomery MEPS

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. — Education Services Specialists (ESSs) play a vital role in the military processing mission across USMEPCOM, serving as the primary coordinators for the ASVAB Career Exploration Program (CEP). As the main advocates for the program, ESSs collaborate with school counselors, administrators and other education professionals to expand access and awareness, ensuring students have the resources they need to make informed decisions about their futures.

March 18, 2025

New York MEPS Med Tech Supports Public Health Initiative in Peru

NEW YORK MEPS, N.Y. — Diana Olivares-Salazar, a medical technician at New York Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS), recently traveled to Peru as part of her Master of Public Health (MPH) program, working with a nonprofit organization focused on sustainable health solutions in less fortunate communities.

March 10, 2025

OPSOs Strengthen Leadership and Collaboration at USMEPCOM Symposium

HQ USMEPCOM, NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. — Operations Officers (OPSOs) from Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) across the country gathered at USMEPCOM headquarters, March 4 – 6, for a symposium designed to enhance their leadership, improve communication and strengthen networking among peers.

March 5, 2025

Meet an ITS: A Second Career with Purpose

NEW ORLEANS MEPS, La. — At the New Orleans Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS), Hugh Brown found a meaningful way to connect with the next generations of military applicants in a surprising second career as an information technology specialist (ITS).

Feb. 25, 2025

Behavioral Health Consult Program Increases Efficiency and Impact

HQ USMEPCOM, NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. — Since first directly hiring behavioral health providers in December 2023, USMEPCOM has made significant strides in improving processing efficiency and reducing the wait times for military applicants requiring behavioral health consultations. What started with just six MEPS has now expanded to 12, with plans to grow to 16 MEPS based on identified needs.

Feb. 18, 2025

From Jet Mechanic to Chief Medical Officer: The Story Behind a Unique Challenge Coin

There are many tales of how challenge coins came to be a military tradition. The most common assumption dates to World War I, when a Soldier’s unit medallion saved his life by proving his identity to French soldiers, leading to many service members carrying them after. Another depiction says the tradition began in Vietnam, where U.S. troops avoided buying drinks in a bar by showing a coin to prove combat service.

Feb. 12, 2025

Meet a Provider: Nurse Practitioner Thrives at Fort Gregg-Adams MEPS

At the MEPS, medical providers play a critical role in military processing. They conduct physical exams, review medical documentation and make the initial medical qualification decisions for applicants joining military service.

Feb. 6, 2025

A Hero's Legacy in El Paso

EL PASO MEPS, Tx. — In El Paso, Texas there is a saying among locals that it’s a big city with a small-town feel. I did not fully understand that, until I saw how a community comes together to support a family that has lost so much but inspires so many. Senior Airman Daniel Ray Sanchez, an El Paso native, lost his life fighting for our country, but his legacy continues not only in our local community, but also in all applicants who set foot in the El Paso MEPS ceremony room.

Jan. 16, 2025

USMEPCOM's Seven-Year Sprint

HQ USMEPCOM, NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. — For the past 30 years, the command has been accomplishing its daily mission on an information technology system of systems made up of 10-12 applications. Primarily built in the 1990s, these applications became outdated and difficult to maintain or modify. The race to complete an end-to-end replacement of these systems began in 2017 and December 12, 2024, marks the finish line.

Dec. 13, 2024

USMEPCOM Launches Recruit Travel Application

HQ USMEPCOM, NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. — The U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command (USMEPCOM) is taking a significant step in modernizing its operations with the introduction of the Recruit Travel application.

Dec. 2, 2024

Meet an HRA: One Veteran’s Mission Continues at the Houston MEPS

HOUSTON MEPS, Tx. — A career at one of the Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS), located throughout the U.S., offers opportunities to contribute to our nation’s defense, make a lasting impression on the next generations of troops and gain skills that continue to grow. For one man at the Houston MEPS, this is exactly what he gets to do.

Nov. 20, 2024

Pittsburgh MEPS Supports Veterans and Builds Camaraderie in Veterans Day 5k

PITTSBURGH MEPS, Penn. — Pittsburgh MEPS strengthened its community ties and boosted morale by initiating a monthly Interservice Recruiting Committee (IRC) running group in August 2024, which has spurred a growing interest in physical fitness and community involvement among MEPS personnel.

Oct. 30, 2024

Pittsburgh MEPS Kicks Off Monthly IRC Runs

PITTSBURGH MEPS, Pa. — 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.

Oct. 23, 2024

Tampa MEPS Prevails Through Hurricanes

TAMPA MEPS, Fla. — 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.

Oct. 17, 2024

USMEPCOM Doubles Down on Strategic Hiring Team

HQ USMEPCOM, NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. — 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.

Oct. 4, 2024

Off the Couch and Onto the Pavement: One Man’s Story of Transformation

New York MEPS, N.Y. — 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.

Sept. 17, 2024

USMEPCOM Announces Military Members and Civilians of the Year in San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO — 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