More Questions about MEPS

[collegegrad]

I'm going to MEPS in San Diego, CA on Friday; I've done a search for past posts, but have 3 questions regarding MEPS.

So far according to old threads, it's recommended for those going to MEPS to: bring a book/mp3 player, wear conservative underwear, drink a lot of water/get adequate rest, and have some/all of the paperwork filled out.

1. In your experience, how long does MEPS normally take, starting from 0500? I have work at 1500 and am unsure whether to take the day off or try to rush back (2 hour drive).

2. Should I bring a recent eye examination (contact lens/glasses perscription) with me? Birth certificate? Any other additional documents?


3. Any other general advice?

Thank you for your assistance in advance.

 

[schwarti]

I haven't been yet, but my recruiter said to take the day off work. (Actually, he said two days - one for the PRT, the other for MEPS itself.) I'll let someone who has been there comment on the actual amount of time it takes.

 

[CPENgunner]

I went through SD MEPS a few months ago. It sucks. Its chaotic, run by the Army, and takes an exhorbitant amount of time to complete. I was there from 0445 to 1430. Word of advice, make it very clear that you are getting checked out for OCS and not for enlisted boot camp. Everyone there assumes that the majority, if not all, are there to get medically cleared for enlisted boot camp. Just to give you an idea, I was one of two people getting checked out for OCS out of about 400 total people who went to MEPS that day. The lady giving the morning information brief did not even know the difference between Navy OCS and enlisted recruit training and had to get a Marine Corps Captain to clarify what I meant. Pay attention to what the Doc's, nurses, and physicians are writing in your file...what they write is pretty much permanent and they have a tendency to f*ck up significantly either out of complacency, nonchalance, or lack of attention to detail. Either way, pay attention. This is an odd question for you to ask, but I wouldn't worry about the underwear unless you wear butt-huggers...if thats the case, I'm sorry. Drink enough water to take a piss at some point in the morning. For me, it didn't matter that I had an eye exam the week prior, they will still perform one on you. Bring a magazine or something to pass the time and a snack. Again, it takes forever. Hope that helps.

 

[MSkinsATC]

When I went through, its was very similar to CPEN's experience. No one is really sure what to do with the OCS guys so make sure you specify that you are going to OCS. After telling the third person (cause no one else understood) it finally got through and I was set.

(I dont wanna sound like an ass, but dress like an officer!! The other OCS guy I was doing MEPS with was in torn up jeans and a t-shirt with holes in it...dont be that guy. I was wearing khaki's and a polo shirt and trust me thats all it takes to stand out from the enlisted folks. Sorry just my rant, I feel like if you want to be an officer start acting/dressing the part...you set the examples for the enlisted.)

Ohh yeah and I dont know what you are talking about with the underwear, just wear your normal stuff.

 

[Spekkio]

Meps is a bitch. I went through it in NY a couple weeks ago -- you spend most of the time waiting around to get herded like cattle to a station where some doc who speaks broken English is going to check you out.

As others have said, the personnel assumes that you are looking to ship out to boot camp the next day. As such, they usually treat you like an enlisted recruit, albeit telling them that you're applying for OCS doesn't really change their attitude towards you very much.

My advice is to take your time with the eye exams. The technicians tend to make you feel rushed, and I failed the depth perception test due to this.

Reading helps pass the time, but I wouldn't recommend doing it until after you take the eye exam. My distant vision tends to degrade for a short while after reading for long periods of time because of staring at something so close for so long. If that doesn't happen to you, then go ahead.

Also, the "dress like an officer" bit is sound advice.

As far as the underwear, you will be doing calistenics (sp?) in your underwear. So long as you are clean, it shouldn't be an issue. Personally, I have both tighty-whities and boxers, and I happened to be wearing tighty-whities that day because my recruiter didn't warn me. It was a bit embarrassing till I saw that the other 4 guys doing them with me were nearly 200+ lb fat slobs, and one of them smelled horrendous. How these guys are enlisting is beyond me, but that's another story. What really annoyed me is that I walked into the station, and some guy tells me to strip down to my underwear and took my file. Three other guys in labcoats approached me within the next five minutes asking "why are you here?"

My time at MEPS lasted from 8 am - 1 pm. You should take off work, though, because it's never guarunteed how long it'll take.

 

[FSUPilot]

Went through MEPS-Houston last month. I checked in at 0430 and was out by 1300.

Best advice I can give is to keeps your ears open at all times. The last thing you want is to miss hearing your name called and get moved to the bottom of the list.

They'll warn you about the underwear when you get there. You'll do some stretching exercises in your underwear with a group of about 10-15. I guess they've had problems in the past with "inappropriate" underwear. I don't think I want to know the whole story behind it.

 

[skim]

I too went through SD Meps, I was the only officer candidate (can I use that?)there and what CPEN says is true. They kept bouncing me around telling me I need the ASVAB and then told me I needed to go home. A Chief kept up the fight for me telling them that I dont need it, while I just sat there in the lobby. Finally around 10 am (I got there at about 5-6 am) after EVERYONE processed through and were lining up to begin, I finally got a clear to go get looked at, and got out around 1500 or so, only to be sent back since my right ear needed a cleaning. The second time was smoother but was still about 5 hours just to have my right ear looked at. HAVE FUN!!!!!!

Also, the "dress like an officer" bit is sound advice.

The first time I went, I wore a polo shirt tucked into my jeans. I was the only one there with my shirt tucked in. Didn't do a bit of good, but I did get called a nerd by a Petty Officer when I told him i was trying to get a commission......

 

[FUPaladin]

(I dont wanna sound like an ass, but dress like an officer!! The other OCS guy I was doing MEPS with was in torn up jeans and a t-shirt with holes in it...dont be that guy. I was wearing khaki's and a polo shirt and trust me thats all it takes to stand out from the enlisted folks. Sorry just my rant, I feel like if you want to be an officer start acting/dressing the part...you set the examples for the enlisted.)

I'm glad that I'm not the only one who made this observation. I was the only officer candidate out of about 60 people when I went through MEPS back in June, and I was just wearing what I would wear to class in college on a warm day, but even in my untucked polo shirt and cargo shorts I was still the best dressed person there. Let's just put it this way: I saw at least two t-shirts with motorcycles on them.

As for some of the MEPS horror stories in this thread, I can't really relate to them, because everything went smoothly for me and they moved us through pretty efficiently. I was done well before lunch.

 

[BigIron]

I.......but I did get called a nerd by a Petty Officer when I told him i was trying to get a commission......

You should have said "ON YOUR FACE, PIG!" down, up.... down, up...

 

[skim]

not till I get my butter bars
I will either find him, or someone who resembles him. I will get even!!!!! J/K

 

[Recidivist]

MEPS is in no way fun or quick. What should take very little time takes a lot of time. They did feed us at the Sacramento MEPS, so food wasn't a problem. You will probably be there till about 2 or 3 in the afternoon.

Just be glad you're job isn't the one where you have to grab balls and look at anuses.

Also, don't forget to tell them you need a prostate check because Navy and Marine Officer School candidates require them.

 

[skim]

Oh btw, speaking of lunch at meps, after getting attitude from both examinees and examiners, I went to the lunch line and found the lady behind the counter was talking loud (almost yelling)and seemed to have attitude too. Only when I got up to her to get my sandwich I noticed that she was deaf. She was actually pretty nice.
to answer your #2 question, I didn't bring anything that wasn't given to me already. I brought my glasses and wore my contacts. I would have just worn my glasses since taking them out to test was a pain.
p.s.
try and get the nuts and butts room done asap..

 

[m3urthy]

I'm going to MEPS in San Diego, CA on Friday; I've done a search for past posts, but have 3 questions regarding MEPS.

So far according to old threads, it's recommended for those going to MEPS to: bring a book/mp3 player, wear conservative underwear, drink a lot of water/get adequate rest, and have some/all of the paperwork filled out.

1. In your experience, how long does MEPS normally take, starting from 0500? I have work at 1500 and am unsure whether to take the day off or try to rush back (2 hour drive).

Be on top of your game (ie, front of the lines, follow directions, pee in your cup fast, not dropping your piss cup) and you'll be out by 1100. I was in exactly at 0500 with another officer candidate from my OSO office, and we didn't get any special treatment so don't expect any that might benefit the expeditiousness of your tenure at MEPS.


2. Should I bring a recent eye examination (contact lens/glasses perscription) with me? Birth certificate? Any other additional documents?

Bring yourself and whatever documents are provided to you. Birth cert/SS card


3. Any other general advice?

Learn the delicate art of thumb twirling. Oh, and your expectations of the kids who enlist will really drop when you get to MEPS. I think its great that these kids are going in from highschool, but wow, what a bunch of misfits and wierdos. The only normal ones I met were a the 2 enlisting in the Marines and a handful of future sailors. The rest, 100 or so, were all Army kids.

I'm not trying to badmouth any service, but I was really shocked by what I saw.


Thank you for your assistance in advance.

Good luck.

 

[skim]

Speaking of weirdos, the night before at the hotel, I got my ear talked off by some hotshot (complete with patched up leather bomber/flight jacket) storekeeper going into the reserves. He was talking 'big man' to two Army recruits and then lectured me on all sorts of things Navy for about an hour it seemed. I was respectful and let him talk, and I didn't bother telling him I was going Officer. I ended hanging out and playing cards with the Army guys.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Yes, the enlisted recruits generally look like turdbuckets at MEPS. That's what boot camp is for. Don't base any future opinions of your sailors/Marines on what you see at MEPS. It may not look like it, but after a little polishing in boot camp, most of those guys are some of the greatest kids you will meet. Truth be told, when I enlisted in the USMC and went to MEPS, I was wearing jeans & a untucked t-shirt with flip-flops.