Is MEPS too lazy when it comes to letting future soldiers in?

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 07:57:27 -0400

I need your opinion on this. Maybe it is just me, but I have been seeing a lot of new soldiers that have issues. For instance two new soldiers in my unit, one talks to himself loudly and says things that can be deemed as creepy and odd. Like Gomer Pile. The other soldier has severe anxiety to the point where he cannot even answer an NCO when spoken to, in or out of a formation. He does not talk to anyone actually, and if he does he says yes or no and looks down and looks around.

Are these issues skipped by MEPS? How would these soldiers react to combat situations? Are they really fit to be in our military? Or is this just me getting a couple soldiers in my unit that I think are weird?

Opinions and comments are appreciated.

Thanks

Response by SSG Jessica Bautista made Oct 27 at 2016 8:18 AM

SSG Jessica Bautista — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 08:18:25 -0400

Maybe these things started in Basic. Or after. Or maybe it's just their personalities. I can attest that anxiety isn't a career killer unless you don't get the tools to help you cope. The weird kid is probably just socially awkward. They don't last long if they don't adapt.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2016 8:25 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 08:25:19 -0400

I talk to myself all the time. But seriously, yes there are some MEPS that can be lazy in their screening process. But also, there are Recruiters that tell their Recruits to keep their mouth shut when getting asked questions at MEPS. Did your Recruiter tell you NOT to mention something? Or maybe, joining the Army was a way to help these Soldiers overcome their issues.

Or maybe you are just overthinking the situation and you think they are weird.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2016 8:30 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 08:30:57 -0400

Very good responses. Thanks so much.

Response by Cpl Rebecca Burgess made Oct 27 at 2016 8:58 AM

Cpl Rebecca Burgess — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 08:58:37 -0400

I worked in the brig so I definitely saw a lot of people like that - (and some asvab waivers as we'd like to say) but it definitely seems like most recruiters are more interested in their quotas than getting the best people.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2016 9:07 AM

Capt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 09:07:16 -0400

One needs to remember that some new recruits are just kids out in the world on their own for the first time. Life can be scary.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2016 9:13 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 09:13:33 -0400

I don't think its MEPS , it starts with a recruiter , what are they thinking when selecting individuals with disabilities? In my 19yrs of service I've seen some people that should of never been allowed to join and yet they somehow passed BCT ? I don't get it.

Response by SFC Wayne Theilen made Oct 27 at 2016 9:19 AM

SFC Wayne Theilen — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 09:19:48 -0400

Maybe that troop just needs a mentor. Instead of a judge.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Oct 27 at 2016 9:37 AM

SGT Dave Tracy — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 09:37:11 -0400

Hard to say in general about the quality of work done by MEPS these days, but I think it’s more the quality of recruit than the filter they pass through that we call MEPS. I can say they were very thorough when I went through. In fact this weekend I was talking to a buddy who when through the same MEPS station about a year & a half after I did, and the most memorable experience each of us had from MEPS turned out to involve the same Naval Officer at that MEPS station.

This man took his “meat gazer” duty when administering the urinalysis too seriously. He bent down to business level and got so close that had the guy at the end of our row of about 6 guys happened to sneeze, this Sailor would have gotten his face power washed. Last Man could probably feel this Officer’s breath!

My buddy and I surmised that this Naval Officer wanted some coveted slot somewhere so badly he would do anything for it or conversely, that he must have pissed someone off so badly (pun intended) that he had been stuck on “pee-pee overwatch” at MEPS for AT LEAST a year & a half.

Response by SFC Adam Potter made Oct 27 at 2016 10:25 AM

SFC Adam Potter — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 10:25:53 -0400

If the applicant does not divulge, and perhaps maybe they were never diagnosed with any issues, I could easily see them making it through the MEPS process. Applicant physicals when I worked at a MEPS typically ran from 0600 and they would be finished up around 1000-1100. You had one Doctor, and with all branches sending kids through, he is a busy guy and maybe gets 5 minutes one on one with an applicant? Second time the applicant is going to see that doctor is when he ships out. Then it's pretty much has anything changed since your last physical.

Even if the applicant states they had an issue in the past, they may have the opportunity to be evaluated through a consult, and have a medical waiver to enlist.

I think your expectation of MEPS being the gatekeeper is a bit broad. MEPS would receive monthly reports of "wash out" rates from basic due to medical issues etc. And the Doc can be held accountable for letting someone with issues enlist. It's not a perfect system, but it is complex and I could talk all day about the MEPS system.

Response by PO2 Robert Aitchison made Oct 27 at 2016 10:47 AM

PO2 Robert Aitchison — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 10:47:14 -0400

Has psychological evaluation ever been a part of what MEPS does? It wasn't when I signed up.

If anything I think MEPS is too picky now, willing to say no for practically anything puts future service members in a position of having to be less than truthful right out of the gate because if they admit to having had an ear infection as a baby they are denied enlistment. (only a slight exaggeration)

Response by CPO Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2016 10:58 AM

CPO Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 10:58:40 -0400

Welcome to the Millennial population, Kids who's parents have told them they were special, perfect, snowflakes and never let them be affected by anything even remotely traumatic....
They hit boot camp and their whole world implodes, if they make it through that then we in the fleet get them and they have a chance.

Now its our turn to undo all the damage done by the PC society and TEACH them to be Men and Women. Train them to be the best in their / our fields. Mold them into Americas Future. This is why we advance in rank, why we are the Deck Plate Leadership. It is our Duty to help them grow beyond this naivety and childhood. While it can be stressful on us think back to your youth and of the people who helped you grow to be the Leader you are now.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2016 11:07 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 11:07:57 -0400

Tons of awesome responses. Please do not mistake me for being disrespectful or jusgmental towards these soldiers, I am only looking for opinions on why or how these soldiers are able to come through and join our ranks. I sometimes worry for them when they might see combat, or perhaps their squad when they have too much anxiety to speak and perform, or are off in wonderland when something goes down. You can mentor a person but you cannot change who they are as a human, or their traits or personality.

Thanks for all the great responses.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Oct 27 at 2016 12:27 PM

MSG Brad Sand — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 12:27:25 -0400

I think you are implying that somehow the MEPS staff can diagnose these issues in the few minutes they are with those future soldiers? They cannot and can only go by what they have in front of them at the time. IF the two soldiers you mentioned were from the same MEPS maybe you have identified a training issue, but it is just as likely you are magnet for crazies?

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2016 1:01 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 13:01:45 -0400

Both soldiers need to be evaluated I mean they won't let soldiers in with plates and screws who were physically fit and mentally capable of almost anything except for an Airborne jump yep they won't let soldiers in who have asthma.

20 years ago I had an NCO grab me and tell me to tell this Soldier to take off his Sergeant rank. I gave the soldiers a lawful order to take off his Sergeant rank. He was a specialist e-4 but he was delusional his ID card said before he claimed that he had been promoted and that the orders that come in the mail. The soldier would often talk to himself and laughs he was his own company he was a good soldier overall prior to this but something happened to him. maybe maybe that's the kind of soldiers you run into but just think if they got access arms and ammunition at the range what would they do if they snapped and who would be to blame for letting them in the service to begin with?

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2016 1:03 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 13:03:10 -0400

By the way that Soldier refused to take off his Sergeant rank he was written up and we sent him to the VA hospital for evaluation I don't think he stayed in the unit. I had to do a sworn statement on this Soldier with mental issues and delusions of grandeur.

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Oct 27 at 2016 1:19 PM

SPC Erich Guenther — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 13:19:12 -0400

You are confused about the role of MEPS. MEPS and the MEPCOM mission is just an branch of the DoD to ensure or validate the recruit meets enlistment standards as set out in the regulations of each branch of service. They have zero to do with judging a recruits ability to make it through BCT or Character or quirkiness or any of that other stuff. That other stuff is really the role and judgement of the Recruiter that brought the Recruit to the MEPS. Right of first refusal for service always lies with the Recruiter.

However, if you ever worked in Recruiting or in support of Recruiters (I did in 94-95 at Ft. Knox USAREC HQ as a IT subcontractor in support of the Army Accessions Software). They get slammed repeatedly on these Internet Forums for attempting to meet a quota and looking the other way. It is not that in most of the cases. In most of the cases it is the Recruit lying or scamming a trusting NCO that really wants to help.

In a lot of cases I have seen fraudulent SSN validations some they go to professional forgers in NYC to obtain. It is not always amatuer stuff that a SSG or SFC can detect. Some of it is Organized Crime level of professional forgery. They do the same with Doctors write-ups, Birth Certificate forgeries and the like. I was only at USAREC HQ for two years but I think I had to have spent a full month on the phone calling the SS Administration, Calling County Vital Records, etc to validate some of the BS that Recruits pass onto Recruiters. Some of it is really good, some of it is laughable. However, folks need to realize the position that a Recruiter is in. They are there to do their best to see that someone is qualified and that APPEARS TO BE HONEST gets into the Armed Forces. They are not trained in organized crime, forgery, medical opinion reading, or that other stuff.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2016 1:20 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 13:20:37 -0400

I don't think it's a MEPS issue. It's life. When I enlisted I was told I would never again be in the same room with so many of the smartest and dumbest people I would ever meet. That was in 1994. I'm sure it's still true today.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2016 1:33 PM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 13:33:31 -0400

We had a guy who did the same thing as the first and clearly has mental/ social problems but it was interesting to get him talking after he read something because he could scan a page by looking at it and know all of the information.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2016 4:13 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 16:13:40 -0400

had spc come into my unit, reserves from active, all sorts of red flags popping, especially with female leaders, after reviewing med records active not only should this sm not gotten into the military, but the active dropped the ball too, this sm should have been flagged from any military service after he ets'd, once these sm's get in they should be dealt with and not passed on

Response by SFC George Smith made Oct 27 at 2016 7:00 PM

SFC George Smith — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 19:00:02 -0400

interesting ...

Response by PO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 28 at 2016 1:29 PM

PO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 13:29:04 -0400

Possibly the issues may have stemmed from being in Basic if MEPS did not see an issue with their mental health. If it really concerns you, bring it up to your NCO and see if they can help with them seeing Chaps, or getting some help for them.
It maybe creepy or intense to talk to them, but see what's going on with them. You're their battle buddy and when things get rough you have to rely on each other to carry you, your company and mission to completion. If you can't get a reasonable answer, then bring it up to your CoC; their mental health is a staple to get the mission or task completed.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Jul 25 at 2017 5:44 PM

MSG Brad Sand — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 17:44:45 -0400

NO, Has nothing to do with MEPS. MEPS only does what the services and the regulations say they should do. AR 40-501 Chapter 2 says he qualified, he/she is qualified, and if it says they are disqualified...you get the idea...the service can add to the regulation as far as additional standards and exceptions and the services can waive anything they don't like but that does not change anything on the MEPCOM side of the house.

Response by SPC Sheila Lewis made Jul 19 at 2018 10:54 AM

SPC Sheila Lewis — Thu, 19 Jul 2018 10:54:06 -0400

MEPS has never been Service Member friendly.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 27 at 2020 5:36 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 17:36:04 -0400

From a current recruiters point of view I will tell you that MEPS does in fact turn away plenty of people on a daily basis. And from my/the recruiters point of view it is not our job to disqualify an applicant. If they meet the standards and the are processed to join, that is not our call to deny them. I am not a medical professional and I would actually be doing our society, our nation and our Army a disservice if I began to disqualify our future soldiers/applicants. So if anyone here says that it starts with the recruiters, you were clearly never a recruiter.

Response by SSG Eric Blue made Jul 27 at 2020 9:58 PM

SSG Eric Blue — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 21:58:23 -0400

Given the "quality" of people having been let into the service from a little after the time I came in, I'd say yes. I personally know and have met 1,000+ service members with waivers for felony charges, mental instability, and a number of other issues simply because they were a warm body with a high enough ASVAB score and GT score to be allowed into service.

Response by SSG Roger Ayscue made Jul 27 at 2020 10:53 PM

SSG Roger Ayscue — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 22:53:13 -0400

When I was a Squad Leader at Fort Bragg, I got in a trooper that had a "Stress Card". It was a thing the army did years ago to...Well, To I don't know what, but that is a different story. Anyway, this kid had a stress card and he pulled it out one morning while I was in best Squad Leader Form. I walked over calmly, asked if I could see it and he handed me a thin plastic card about the size of a CAC Card. I called his team leader up and he and I cut the card up and ate it in front of him. Sometimes you just have to take your crazies in hand and make them think you are crazier than they are.
Document everything and learn how to do the "Magic Bullet Counseling" build a packet, and at the right time, send him on a ride on the Crazy Train...
or
Work hard on him and make him the Soldier of the Month. It is called a Leadership Challenge for a reason.