What Is... Meps Military Entry Processing Station

[Albus Dumbledore 0]

So on September 6th, 2008 i decided that i was going to join the Army. I had filled out all of the necessary paperwork to get me there and all that good stuff. I was then told that i was going to have to go to MEPs, now at the time i had no idea what that was, and i kind of wish that i had. MEPS, is short for Military Entry Processing Station.At a MEPS location, you are processed into the military, no matter what branch. They administer the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) test, which determines where you skills are, they swear people into the military, they have counselors/representatives from each of the military branches that help you and advise you on your entry into the military, they have doctors that test your hearing, your eye site, your blood, and give you a FULL physical. Before i went to my designated MEPS center, I really wish i knew what i was getting myself into. To give you an idea, this is what my day composed of.Waking up at 3:30amOut of the hotel room (they give you a hotel room to stay in), had your meal and ready to hit the bus stop by 4:30amYou get on the bus and are driven to the MEPS location, once you get they, the commander comes on the bus tells you to get off in less than 30 seconds and form up at the entranceYour things are searched (don't bring anything too personal lol) and you are searched.You talk to your counselorGet your Medical filesGo to the processing center and get divided boys from girls.Strip down to your skivviesHave a series of tests run (keep in mind, there are lines for this, you're standing around in your skivies in a nice cold room waiting with 70 other people)VisionHearingBloodTalked to by the MEPS commander (still in your skivvies)Urine sample.... (you go into a bathroom with 10 other guys, drop the trousers, are given a cup, watched individual while you fill it)Now for the physical, you go into an individual room, and get your height/weightDepending on how generous your MEPS is will depend on how many benches they give you to sit on, and if you have allot of people in the room with 3 benches to sit on, they squeeze all of the people on those three benches, you get to know people very well...Physical timefor this part, it's a little more personal with the doctor, you get your own room with him/her. They do the routine checkup, and no matter the age you get your prostate checked.After the physical, it's pretty much all over, you go back and talk to your counselor and get your job in black and white and you're out of there once you swear in. Now it may not seem that bad, and it's really not. But just the shock on my face when we were standing around casually talking and the doctors came in and told us all to strip down and that we'd be staying that way for the remainder of our stay. It's just something that i wish i knew about before going there. Along with the meeting with the doctor part.

[kailoki 0]

Wow, I didn't know that you'd have to stay naked through all of it. I didn't know you'd have to go through it either. Is there a particular reason they keep everyone like that? Or is it just that so many people are going through the process that it would be too time consuming to let everyone change back into clothing?