News Archive

News Stories

Oct. 17, 2024

USMEPCOM Doubles Down on Strategic Hiring Team

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

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

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

Sept. 6, 2024

Meet a Med Tech: Milwaukee siblings serve at MEPS more than 30 years

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.

Aug. 27, 2024

Buffalo MEPS Commander's Boxing Glory

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.

July 31, 2024

USMEPCOM Western Sector Welcomes New Senior Enlisted Advisor During Change of Responsibility Ceremony

Army Command Sgt. Maj. David Goins accepted responsibility as the new senior enlisted advisor (SEA) of USMEPCOM Western Sector, succeeding Army Command Sgt. Maj. Roger Rendon.

July 29, 2024

USMEPCOM Boosts Efficiency with New Prescreen Process

USMEPCOM initiated phase III of the roll-out for a new medical prescreen review July 22, expanding what launched at just six Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) in March. With initial data indicating significant progress in reducing applicant accession timelines, the new process, which was originally launched as a pilot, is now in place at 30 MEPS and will be expanded to all MEPS through subsequent phases by the end of October.

July 17, 2024

USMEPCOM Welcomes New Commander

Army Col. Frankie Cochiaosue assumed command of United States Military Entrance Processing Command (USMEPCOM) from Army Col. Megan Stallings during a Change of Command and Retirement ceremony, July 17.

July 17, 2024

Remembering Chris Arendt

USMEPCOM honored the life and accomplishments of the late Christopher (Chris) Arendt, retired Navy officer and former Accession Policy deputy director, with the dedication of USMEPCOM’s auditorium bearing his name July 16.

July 12, 2024

USMEPCOM updates policy for Applicant Guests to the MEPS

As of July 2, 2024, the applicant guest policy is as follows:1. Two-Guest Standard.  Active-Duty applicants who are about to ship to basic training and National Guard or Reserve applicants on initial

July 11, 2024

USMEPCOM Launches Applicant Journey Tracker

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

June 28, 2024

USMEPCOM Phases out Meal Checks

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.

June 26, 2024

CAG Highlights Innovation and Future Plans in Immersion Day

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.

June 13, 2024

Army Officer Returns to Command Eastern Sector

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.

June 12, 2024

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

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).

June 10, 2024

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

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.

May 30, 2024

Technology Leaders on Innovation Culture

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 29, 2024

USMEPCOM Hosts Testing Symposium

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.

March 25, 2024

USMEPCOM Pilot Reengineers Medical Prescreens

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.

March 22, 2024

USMEPCOM Expands Antiterrorism Efforts

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.