Enlisting in the Military

BUS DRIVER: ​Good luck, enjoy, have fun, good luck.

LIEUTENANT COMMANDER EMMANUEL MAMARIL: ​Good morning everyone.  Welcome to the MEPS.  This portion of the presentation is gonna provide you a building orientation layout, as well as different services and process that you will be doing while you’re at the MEPS.

CAPTAIN TREVOR JOHNSON:​ This is where you go before you go to basic.  So you’ve been recruited, you’ve got an idea that you’re joining the military.  This is where you do your testing, your medical, and then we find you a ship date to go to your basic training.

MR. MARK HODGES:​ The applicant can expect to go through five different things in the medical portion of their day here at the MEPS.  They have their vision tested, they have their hearing tested, they give a little bit of blood, they give a little of urine.  A physical examination, a small interview.  We’re making sure that their joints are working functionally.  The safety of the applicants, both physically, mentally, is very important to the MEPS staff and personnel.

TJ:​ The ASVAB is essentially the test that you take to find out what jobs you might be good at.  It’s gonna ask you a series of questions that will essentially figure out what you’re good at based on your technical skills, your mathematical skills, scientific skills, and then give you a range of jobs that you would be best suited for.

MASTER SERGEANT AUDREY TURNER: ​The ASVAB is definitely important when it comes to determining what jobs you qualify for.  But it’s not going to curtail you if you score low, because your skills and abilities may show otherwise on that test.

Q: ​How are you feeling this morning?

F: ​Nervous.

Q:​ Nervous?  That’s okay, that’s totally normal.

CHIEF PETTY OFFICER THOMAS TEEM:​ Most of our job is actually talking to the applicant to get to know what they wanna do.  Cause we don’t want to put somebody somewhere where they don’t wanna go.

Q2:​ What type of job are you hoping to obtain in the Air Force?

F2:​ I’m interested in --

TT:​ So taking your test scores, and what you want to do, kinda find the best job that fits you.

TJ:​ The oath symbolizes your commitment to joining the Armed Forces, and your commitment to the United States of America.  An applicant taking the oath will stand at position of attention.

TJ:​ Raise your right hand and repeat after me.  “I,” state your full name.

AT:​ What I usually tell applicants when they come through MEPS, if you’re nervous, you’re doing it right.  This is a big decision, and it’s completely okay to be nervous.  But hopefully you feel excited too.

TJ: ​I’ve been in the Army now going on eight years, and I get nervous every time I go to a new duty station.  But being nervous means you care.  So, I’m glad you care, and I’m glad that you’re here.

MASTER SERGEANT AUDREY TURNEY:​ Walking through the MEPS doors, making the decision to enlist, is a huge, life-changing opportunity, and decision.  We recognize that, and so we want to be there to greet you and guide you and make you feel comfortable by answering any questions you have.

CAMERON MASTERSON:​ There’s not much that’s unexpected for MEPS.  When you get here, everything’s explained to you.  They tell you exactly what to do, exactly where to go.

MR. MARK HODGES:​ Most kids have a misconception that it’s gonna be all yelling and screaming, and it’s gonna be nothing but pain and heartache, but in actuality, it’s more like a day at the doctor’s.

MH:​ An applicant can and sometimes does unfortunately fail the initial medical examination.

AT:​ As liaison, we’re here to navigate that path for applicants.  There are waivers in place that we can grant based on you as an individual and your character, and the circumstances.

CHIEF PETTY OFFICER THOMAS TEEM:​ The testing is not just your overall score that we look at.  So taking your test scores and what you want to do, we kind of find the best job that fits you, if you have no idea what you want to do.  We deal with that all the time too, because we just go through every job you’re qualified for, and what sounds interesting to you.

KEVIN FULLER:​ You just go do the ASVAB test, and based on your score, you get a job.

AT:​ There’s a lot that we are doing to support you.  But in the end, I hope you feel confident, and that you feel you’re gonna be successful, because that’s what us as liaisons want for you as well.