Going to MEPS

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I am scheduled to go to MEPS this Friday. Looking for any info about what this day is going to entail. How long is the day? I've read they can be stingy with your height, is this the norm? How soon after MEPS will I get to schedule the interview? Should I bring anything? What should I wear? Sports bra and boy cut underwear? Thanks for any answers!!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, APU/PACU, Peds, Flight.

The day for me started early getting picked up by my recruiter at 5 AM and then going to the MEPS center and lasted until roughly 3 PM. You will be with a lot of recent high school graduates so be ready to listen to them all day long. The staff at MEPS will most likely holler at you and possibly try to get you to check something on the health sheet that you hadn't previously checked. Don't change your previous answers, stick with what you know you put. I only changed one thing I believe, but that was after knowing 100% that it wouldn't change anything.

My height is 5'8.5" and they pumped me up to 5' 9" so I don't know about being stingy with the height.

As for the interview, I actually had my interview the day before I went to MEPS. It's just how it ended up working out for my schedule and the AF's schedule.

Bring the paperwork that you need (I am pretty sure that there was paperwork involved) and identification if I remember correctly.

DON'T wear a sports bra or boycut underwear. Every girl that wore that when I went to MEPS got hollered at and were threatened to have to come back and repeat the day. Just wear a regular bra and reuglar underwear that covers both cheeks ; ) You don't want to be too risque but you can't cover up too much either. It's a nice little balance that you have to find.

Good Luck! If you have any more questions ask away.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

At my physical exam, the Army LPN rounded my height from 59"-and-a-little-bit up to 60" -- and I stood up very, very straight. LOL! I said, "I like the way you measure!" :D

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Specializes in ER, NICU.

I cannot stress enough to plain jane bra and panties. I went and had on a bra from Target, just the normal every day bra. I was told that I had to put tissue paper in my bra as my nipples were visible through the fabric and might make the MD uncomfortable. I responded, he's a doctor, I'm sure he's seen a nipple or two in his day. At this point the angry GS-whatever got even angrier and told me to go home and reschedule. Thankfully the doc walked in during the whole thing and intervened on my behalf.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
I was told that I had to put tissue paper in my bra as my nipples were visible through the fabric and might make the MD uncomfortable. I responded, he's a doctor, I'm sure he's seen a nipple or two in his day.

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BWA HA HA HA!! Ridiculous!!

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Specializes in ER, NICU.

All I could think of was the nip slip episode of Seinfeld.

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Specializes in all.

the young ones there are something else. My second trip I had to sit and wait for about 4-5 hours and the conversations I overheard was too much. I cannot believe I was ever that young...

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I'm glad I did my physical exam at Walter Reed -- there was none of this parading-about-in-mah-drawers business. I had a one-to-one exam with an internal med doctor, who was very nice and had to count my tattoos, poor thing. :D Also hearing and vision tests, height and weight, lab draws/UA, etc. -- the usual. I was there with a younger girl who is finishing an accelerated BSN in December, and she showed up in flip-flops and a tank top ... I was told business casual, so I wore a nice blouse and pants. Felt overdressed! LOL.

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Thanks for all the info! What labs do they draw?

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Mine was for Army, but I imagine it's pretty standard stuff. They printed out the labels for the labs and UA and gave them to us, so I (being a nosy nurse) pulled them out and looked at them. I think it was a CBC, ETOH (I know, right? Who on earth would come to their physical DRUNK? But my recruiter said, "You'd be surprised"), BMP/Chem 7/whatever you want to call it, and HIV. Also the UA for a beta and tox screen.

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Thanks LunahRN!

I will be going to the Nashville MEPS. Anyone ever experience this one?

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I went to MEPS in Atlanta (where I currently live) lets just say be prepared to get yelled at. I got so much crap when I tried to leave ( i drove myself there) because they didn't realize i was there for an officer physical only. None of the other crap the people shipping out had to do on top of the physical. The officers back in the Navy office told me to mention that I was just there for an officer physical and that should solve the problem...even though it was designated on my form that was why I was there. So I did as told and boy did their attitudes change real quick. I was promptly able to leave after that.

Things I learned related to the process: Leave pepper spray/pocket knives/etc AT HOME OR IN YOUR CAR. They took my pepper spray from my keys and threw it away. THey also took the bag with my school books in it I had brought to keep myself entertained and locked it up with other bags. So I wouldn't promise doing much but sitting when you're not getting things done to yourself.

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