Stahlke Adoption

Paul and MEPS

I browsed the website for MEPS to find out what Paul is likely to do there.  According to the website:

Paul will check into a hotel tonight in Rosemont, near O'Hare airport in Chicago, along with other recruits.  After arising early on Monday morning, he will go through the following steps of enlistment processing during a two-day program:

…and the oath of enlistment

Paul already took the aptitude test (ASVAB, which means Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery), so he can move directly to the other steps.  The medical screening, like the aptitude test, can determine the type of jobs for which a soldier is qualified.  (For example, I learned that my colorblindness would disqualify me from the infantry!)

The job search step involves looking at possible positions in the army, for which Paul qualifies for several hundred based on his ASVAB score.  With the help of his recruiter, Paul has already chosen a position in the infantry, but I'm sure the MEPS staff will talk with him at length about his choice.

The background screening makes sure "you understand the conditions of your enlistment; this step also ensures you understand what you're signed up to do!"

Assuming all goes well, the MEPS program will finish by noon on Tuesday, and Paul will sign papers and take his oath at that time.  I'm looking forward very much to attending this concluding step.  Will keep you updated as I hear how things are going.

posted by Stahlkes @ 5:33 PM