Part of the military recruitment process is to have drug and blood tests conducted at the MEPS, or the Military Entrance Processing Station. Applicants go through questioning phases with their recruiter to discuss personal options and then have a MEPS blood test conducted. The purpose is to determine if individuals are qualified to serve in the military.
Having a blood test can cause a lot of nervousness and stress. Most people never have someone call them back about their MEPS blood test results. For those who do have a folder returned or are recommended to make a medical appointment, there are 3 basic outcomes that must generally be examined.
1. There are indications that you may be HIV positive.
2. There are current or past indications than an STD/STI has occurred.
3. There is evidence of illicit drug use.
Women who have applied for military service will also be tested to determine if they are pregnant. This is in addition to other testing that occurs, including drug and alcohol tests, as well as an overall determination of physical abilities.
Only one small vial of blood is taken for the MEPS blood test. Many recruiters recommend eating a good breakfast before arriving for the MEPS and have plenty of fluids. The entire blood draw takes just a couple of minutes.
My MEPS Blood Test Came Back Positive…
Many people have what is known as a “False MEPS Positive” blood test result from their day of testing. This is a notorious issue that occurs throughout the US and is a known issue to the military. Those who conduct the MEPS blood test use an abundance of caution when it comes to interpreting results. If there is any possibility that even the slightest part of the test could be abnormal, then the test is kicked back for another review.
How Long Does It Take To Get Results?
Preliminary results from the MEPS blood test are generally available within 72 hours. Sometimes results are ready in as little as 24 hours. If anything is discovered in the test results, then the system flags it for further review by command officials. Because the MEPS is a one day event, this often means recruits will be taking their oath of enlistment at the end of the day without having their blood test results come back in.
What Happens If the Tests Come Back As Positive?
The primary concern for candidates with the MEPS blood test is if the results show that there is evidence of drug use. Illegal drugs or even alcohol use can eliminate recruits from the candidate pool on a permanent basis. Policies are always open for change and waivers may be available for certain individuals. If positive for marijuana or alcohol, the recruits must wait a minimum of 6 months for a retest. In certain branches of the military, approval for the retest must be given.
If a second test is positive for alcohol or marijuana, then a 24 month waiting period is mandatory for a third test to be approved. A battalion commander is required to provide authority for the second retest. If failure occurs after the third test, then an applicant is permanently disqualified.
Any other drugs require a minimum 1 year waiting period and command authority must give approval for a retest. If the retest results in a second failure, then a candidate is permanently disqualified.
Remember To Pick a Job You’ll Love
The last component of the MEPS before taking the oath of enlistment is to pick out the job or jobs that you’re interested in doing. The Navy will finalize the job selection during the MEPS, while the Air Force will let recruits pick from a pool of jobs and then inform them of which job out of those 7 they were given. Marines do not allow for a guaranteed job.
Because this is for the military, it is also important to remember that no job is 100% guaranteed. If war breaks out and your specific skills are needed in a combat zone, then that’s where you’re going to be heading. Even the Marine Band members have been known to perform combat patrols from time to time.
The MEPS blood test results will let you know if you are eligible for military service in the US. As long as you haven’t taken drugs or had alcohol recently, then you should be cleared for service. If there are health needs that must be addressed, you will be directly notified to follow up with your local physician. If you suspect the test might be positive, then inform your recruiter immediately so that all options may be considered.