When do u go to meps

Well, the day starts, given that the applicant has stayed at a contract hotel overnight, they are given a wake-up call at in the morning. Breakfast there at the hotel, and so they're here at the MEPS shortly after in the morning.

The applicant will come in in the morning and sit down with the liaisons, and we will go over what their day is going to entail and what they should expect and, yeah, normally at about , , when they do show up, we are the first face that they get to see in the morning. Speaker 1: Long gone are the days where applicants are herded into various, you know, large rooms and impersonally treated.

We have moved into a red-carpet treatment for our applicants, where they are treated with dignity and respect. Speaker 3: Good morning, everybody. I'm Sergeant First Class Ketcham. We reassure them throughout the day, all the time. I mean, yeah, when they first come up on the floor, you know, they come very early in the morning. Once we get them signed into the MEPS, we get them all in one area, and we give them the morning brief. Once we get done here, you're going to go to the medical folks.

You're going to get a medical brief, and you're going to run through that process, OK? Once the briefing's done, you're going to get an exam.

You're going to meet with the physicians, OK? And you're going to go through that. Once you're done with the medical, you're going to go down to your service liaisons. You're going to sit down with a counselor, and you guys are going to negotiate a job. Once that's complete, you'll come over to the processing section.

All right, we'll do what we have to do over there, get you ready to swear in, take the Oath of Enlistment and then we'll set up the transportation to take you home. Speaker 2: When they do understand the entire process, then we try to make sure that everybody is on the same page, and that if there are any concerns, hopefully then the individual feels comfortable enough to raise them before we get started on the day.

That way, they have a nice, smooth process. They know where they're going, where they're coming from, and when they come back to see us, they're in a good mood because they know one more spot is done. Speaker 4: I've tried going to school, I've tried regular jobs and just nothing excited me.

Speaker 5: I've always wanted to join the Military. I went through college, and the, you know, the economy is not the greatest thing right now, but I've always wanted to join. Speaker 6: Family full of Marines. My uncle did 32, my father did 23 and it'll be awesome to join as well, become a part of a brotherhood.

Speaker 5: And you know, I found some opportunities that can be used with my degree, all that kind of stuff, and they offer a lot of gainful things for what I want to do in the future. Speaker 1: We are privileged to have them come into the Military.

This is a voluntary service. This is not a draft era, and so it's important to us and to each of my staff to treat those who are interested in serving their country with the respect that they deserve.

Narrator: The Military Entrance processing station, or MEPs, is where applicants for military service go to complete the enlistment process. MEPs ensures that each applicant meets the aptitude, physical and behavioral standards set by the Department of Defense and service branches. The government pays for the accommodations for all military applicants preparing to go through the MEPs process. Hotel staff explain what to expect the following day, including the rules of behavior and a list of prohibited items not allowed in the MEPs.

After their briefing, applicants can enjoy hotel facilities and a special applicant rec room where they can hang out, get to know each other, play games and watch TV until p. Applicants aren't allowed to drink alcohol or leave the hotel, but they can hang out with friends and family and the hotel public areas. It's important to note that the time between being "sworn in" and Basic Training could be as short as two days or as long as a year. It also varies based on job assignment and branch of Service.

Advanced preparation is the foundation for a successful Basic Training experience. Recruits should do everything they can to make the transition from civilian life to military life as seamless as possible. Starting or increasing the intensity of your exercise regimen will get your body in shape. It also helps to read about your chosen Service so you know what to expect in the weeks ahead.

The first few days at Basic Training are known as orientation also referred to as "Processing Week," "Reception" or "00 Week". This is where new recruits adjust to their new surroundings and learn the dos and don'ts of their respective branches. Also during orientation, new recruits might:.

Starting at orientation, the actual training begins. This varies from Service to Service and lasts between eight and 12 weeks.

When recruits successfully complete Basic Training, they are prepared for all elements of service: physical, mental and emotional. As military personnel, they will go on to receive additional training, such as Advanced Individual Training or Technical Training, to develop the skills needed to do their specific jobs. Once finished, they transfer to their next duty stations. This is where members of the Services put all their training to use by carrying out their assignments, performing their jobs and serving our country.

College Fund. Bill later. Bill and the amount of the extra funds provided by the service. Usually but not always , if you accept the college fund, this will decrease the amount of any monetary enlistment bonus you may be entitled to. Bill for their College Fund Programs. Again, the exact amount offered often depends on the job selected.

As with other enlistment incentives, if you were promised the College Fund, you must ensure it is listed on your final active duty enlistment contract or an annex to the contract. Advanced Enlistment Rank. All of the services offer advanced enlistment rank for recruits with a certain number of college credits, or for participation in other programs, such as Junior ROTC in high school.

The Air Force is the only service which offers accelerated promotion for six-year enlistees. The Navy also offers accelerated promotion up to E-4 for individuals who enlist in certain designated enlistment programs Such as the Nuclear Field. With the exception of the Air Force six-year enlistee advance rank program, recruits who join with advanced rank are paid the rate of base pay for that advanced rank right from the first day of active duty.

However, in most of the services, recruits do not get to actually wear the rank until they graduate from basic training in basic, everyone is treated the same — ie, just lower than whale droppings. For Air Force six-year enlistees, they enlist and go through basic as an E-1 or E-2 if they were qualified, such as college credits and are then promoted to E-3 20 weeks following basic training graduation, or when they graduate technical school job training , whichever occurs first.

Date of Rank as an E-3 is then back-dated to the date of basic training graduation. As with other enlistment incentives, advanced enlistment rank must be included on your enlistment contract. College Loan Repayment Program. In a nutshell, the service will repay all, or a part of a college loan, in exchange for your enlistment. The Army and the Navy are the only active duty services which can offer a guaranteed first duty assignment.

However, since the invasion of Iraq, the Army rarely offers this incentive anymore. When authorized, under the Army Program, you can get a written guarantee in your enlistment contract for your first duty assignment following basic training and job training of course, there must be open positions for your particular job on the base before the Army will give it to you. This option is only available for certain, hard-to-fill Army Jobs.

Additionally, the guarantee is only good for 12 months. After that, the Army can move you anywhere it wants. Under the Navy program, you can be guaranteed a first assignment in a designated geographical area. However, under the Navy program, there is a catch — the program is not available to those who sign up with a guaranteed rating job. When you enlist in the National Guard or Reserves, you will know, right from the start, where your drilling unit is located generally within miles or so of where you live.

Buddy Program. Under this program, two or more individuals of the same sex can enlist together, and — at a minimum — be guaranteed to go through basic training together.

If the individuals have the same job, the services can also guarantee that they will go through job training together. Split Option. If something happens to your job training date, it can sometimes take forever for the Guard and Reserves to get another training slot.

When dishing out job training slots, the active duty forces get first crack, and what is left over is offered to the Guard and Reserves. If you attend job training immediately after basic training, you will still be in shape.

That means, for the first month or so of job-school, your off-duty time is strictly regimented. Active Duty Montgomery G. The choice of whether or not to participate in the program is up to the recruit, and is made after a briefing in basic training. Under the current law, Congress can increase these amounts each year to match inflation. The active duty G. Bill Benefits can be used while on active duty, or after honorable discharge Note: Benefits expire 10 years after discharge.

To use MGIB while on active duty, you must serve two continuous years of active duty. To use MGIB after honorable separation from active duty:. You must have served three continuous years of active duty, unless you were honorably discharged early for one of for one of a very few specific reasons such as medical. You only need two continuous years of active duty if o You first enlisted for two years of active duty, or o You have an obligation to serve four years in the Selected Reserve the 2 X 4 program.

You must enter the Selected Reserve within one year of your release from active duty. OR o You were separated honorably early for one of the very specific reasons allowed such as medical. When used after getting out of the military, the G. Bill pays more. When used while on active duty, the G. Bill only pays for the cost of tuition for the course. Because of this, most people do not use the G. Bill qualification, you do not get your money back.

For detailed information about the Active Duty G. Bill, with a few exceptions: Your military pay is not reduced for this program. However, your monetary benefits are not nearly as generous as the Active Duty Program. You must enlist for a period of six years or more. Fore detailed information about the Reserve Montgomery G. Active Duty Tuition Assistance All of the services offer percent Tuition Assistance for courses taken while on active duty. However, there are limitations.

Additionally, there are limits on the amount of TA available per semester hour. Additionally, many states offer additional education benefits for members of their National Guard National Guard is controlled —for the most part—by the individual States, not the Federal Government, so benefits can vary widely from state-to-state.

However, for all of the reserve service , military members who are called to active duty under Title 10 — Federal Call up — get the same TA benefits as their active duty counterparts. College Degrees and Commissioning Programs The Air Force is the only service that actually issues college credits and college degrees. The CCAF does not itself offer college courses. In this article, we explain what the MEPS is and what to expect. Armed Forces. This is a joint-service organization with the Department of Defense staffed by civilians and military personnel.

You will speak with a recruiter before reporting to your MEPS location and may go through some pre-screening processes. If you pass the screening and examinations, you will also select your occupation and complete the oath of enlistment at your MEPS visit. Depending on your enlistment process, you may visit the MEPS once or twice. Those who visit only once typically stay for two days and proceed directly to basic training afterward.

You will stay in a nearby hotel the night before where you receive a briefing on what will happen the following day. You are not permitted to leave the hotel, yet friends and family can visit with you in the common areas. Your visit to the MEPS center may take all day. Processing often runs from 5 a. This measures your aptitude in 10 areas:. If you have a high school diploma, you must have an overall score of at least 31 to join the Army or National Guard.

The Coast Guard has the highest standard with a minimum score of For candidates with a GED, the Air Force requires a score of at least 65 and all other branches require a score of 50 or higher. Test administrators from the federal government often provide ASVAB testing at local or area schools.