After you finish your MEPS visit, you can usually expect one of three outcomes: you’re qualified and move on to choosing a job and signing, you’re temporarily delayed while paperwork or waivers are reviewed, or you’re disqualified and won’t continue processing for that branch.

Immediate after MEPS

Right after your processing day, you’ll typically be told whether you are “qualified,” “qualified with waiver,” or “disqualified” based on your medical exam, tests, and paperwork. If qualified, you may meet with a counselor the same day (or on a follow‑up visit) to discuss jobs, bonuses, and your contract options.

If you took the ASVAB at MEPS and it was your first time, your scores will be used to determine which jobs you’re eligible for, so a good score can open more doors when you sit down with the job counselor. Some people do their full contract and swear‑in the same trip; others return later for a “final MEPS” day before shipping out.

If you’re fully qualified

When everything checks out and you’re fully qualified, the next steps are usually:

  • Meeting a counselor to review MOS/AFSC/Rating or job options that match your ASVAB scores and branch needs.
  • Reviewing and signing your enlistment contract , which includes enlistment length, job, bonuses (if any), and ship date to basic training.
  • Completing fingerprinting and final admin paperwork to lock in your records in the system.
  • Taking the Oath of Enlistment , often in a small ceremony with other applicants, sometimes in front of a U.S. flag and official photos.

After that, you usually go home and stay in delayed entry until your ship date, checking in with your recruiter and getting ready for basic training.

If more review or waivers are needed

Many applicants fall into a gray area where MEPS needs more documentation or a waiver, so don’t panic if you don’t get an instant “all clear.”

Common scenarios:

  • MEPS or the reviewing doctor requests additional medical records (old surgeries, asthma past age 13, mental health history, significant injuries, etc.).
  • Your case is marked “medical waiver pending ,” which means your branch’s higher medical authority must decide if you can enter with that condition.
  • You may be told to follow up with a specialist or provide civilian doctor notes before a final decision.

In some cases, the doctor has around 10 days to send results back to MEPS, and MEPS can take another period (often up to about 10 days) to review, so it’s normal to wait a few weeks for a final answer.

If you’re disqualified

A disqualification (DQ) can be either temporary or permanent, and what happens next depends on which one you get.

  • Temporary DQ (TDQ):
    • You’re disqualified for now, usually for something that can change (weight, short‑term medical issue, healing injury).
* Once the issue is resolved and documented, your recruiter can try to send you back to MEPS or request reconsideration.
  • Permanent DQ (PDQ):
    • MEPS decides a medical condition, drug history, or other factor permanently disqualifies you from that branch under current rules.
* In some cases, your recruiter may still try to pursue a waiver, but not all PDQs are waiverable.

If you’re disqualified and no waiver is possible, your enlistment process for that branch ends there, though policies can change over time and differ between services.

What your next few weeks look like

Once your MEPS visit is complete and your status is clear, life usually shifts into a “waiting and preparing” phase.

For someone who qualified and swore in, the next few weeks often involve:

  • Staying in the Delayed Entry Program (DEP) , checking in and occasionally doing meetings or workouts with your recruiter.
  • Getting ready for basic: improving fitness, practicing early wake‑ups, and tying up personal obligations like work, school, and finances.
  • Watching for any calls from your recruiter about ship date changes or new job options if the needs of the service shift.

If you’re waiting on waivers or records, expect more communication with your recruiter while paperwork moves between doctors, MEPS, and your chosen branch.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.