Helton 1

Dylan Helton
MEPS

The hotel alarm clock rung out and woke me up as if a shock went through
my body; mostly due to me going to sleep at midnight and it was 5:30 in the
morning. I laid there for an extra few seconds. The side of my head was set inches
into the fluffy pillow. Without motivation, I slid my legs off the side of the bed and
sat up. My roommate was already in the shower.
I sat there for some time that I do not recall, I may had fallen back to sleep
sitting up, but the phone rang and woke me up. I reached over and picked it up.
Hello? I answered, trying to sound more awake.
Is anyone dead? a males voice called through the phone.
Umm, no, I answered with slight confusion.
Meet in the main lobby; fifteen minutes, the voice abruptly ended then
hung up.
I stood up and stumbled over to my backpack and grabbed my change of
clothes and waited till the shower opened up. I started to get nervous and thinking
to myself; will I fail the medical, will I fail the physical, will I fail any of it?
About ten minutes passed till my roommate came out. With about five
minutes to get to the lobby, I rushed my shower, taking only a minute or so. With
the remaining time, I put on clothes, grabbed my backpack and speed down stairs
to the lobby.

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There, the man who called us waited with his clipboard.
Mcferme and Helton? he asked, reading from the clipboard. We responded
with yes then sat at a blue, uncomfortable chair. We were served breakfast and told
to wait till 6:15.
At 6:15 on the dot, we were told to stand and circle around a Marine
lieutenant as he called off Everyones last names. He shouted the names, leaving an
echo that traveled the halls of the hotel.
The names went for about ten minutes or so because there were sixty-eight
of us; most here for the first time, some here to take their ASVAB, two here to take
the DLAB, six were going off to basic training, and about twenty here for the second
or third time. After the names were called, the lieutenant said a prayer and directed
all of us to an awaiting bus outside.
It rained the day before and the air smelled of moisture and fresh, wet grass.
The towering buildings of Columbus were just starting to show in the coming up sun.
On the ground, crickets were hopping to their homes and puddles were scattered all
across the hotel parking lot. The air was cool and a slight breeze was present; it was
a nice bit of relaxation from the nervousness and fear that was engulfing me for the
past few days.
I climbed onto the bus and took my seat in the back with my roommate, my
only friend out of the sixty-eight of us, taking the seat adjacent to mine. Soon
after, the buss door shut and we started along. For the fifteen minutes it took to
arrive at MEPS Station Columbus, I was thinking of what the day will be like, I was
thinking of the scene in the movie Pearl Harbor where all the men were in

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underwear and white t-shirts, getting shots and such. I knew it was not going to be
like that, but it still popped into my mind.
We pulled into a parking lot to a building made of brick. There was a sign that
read MEPS Station Columbus. Looking out the bus window, I saw two men, one in a
Navy uniform and the other; a doctor. Once we stopped, the door opened and the
Sailor marched on.
Welcome to MEPS or the Military Entrance Processing Station, he started
explaining, My job here is to help you into the military. So get up, get off the bus,
line up outside, and head inside.
I, along with the others on the bus, followed his orders. Once lined up, the
doctor started talking. I did not hear most of what he said, but I did hear him say
that his job is to keep you from getting into the military. He words scared me a
little more.
Inside, I went through a metal detector and received my red personal medical
file. There were many papers crammed in it with my information and a schedule on
the folders outside; I was going to the sight testing.
I walked into a dark room with six tubes lined up on a counter. A navy doctor,
or corpsman, came up to me and took my folder. I was then told to step up to tube
three and look in it. There were twenty-five numbers and letters at different
distances. I had to read them aloud; with and without my glasses. I passed the
test without much issue.
I was next directed to the sound lab, or hearing testing. Into the lab, there
was a sound proof room with six stools and six uncomfortable headsets. I sat on my

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stool as five others came in. After the last person, the thick door shut and
instructions came on over the loudspeaker. Once my headset was on, beeps of
many different pitches sounded. In response, I had to press a button on a remote.
Long story short, all six of us passed the test.
Across the hall was the urine testing lab, I was supposed to head there, but as
I was opening the door, and Army officer came and asked if I had already been to
the blood lab; needless to say, I was taken to the blood lab.
There, I laid on a bed like thing, a needle was stuck into my arm, then within
seconds, taken out. The blood was then put into a vile and stored. It was one of the
simpler test of the day.
Going back on track, I made my way back to the urine testing, but there was
a slight issue; I did not have to go. So two others and I were taken to a water
fountain by an Air Force officer. He put us into a circle then started to talk.
There are only three rules, keep the water running, keep moving in a circle,
and keep drinking. He then walked away, leaving us to drink up.
After about thirty minutes, I finally had to go, so I found the officer, he gave
me a clear cup, and told me to go; with him having to watch. I personally did not
enjoy that.
With all of initial-medical completed and passed, there were only two test left;
physical-medical and administration.
I found myself walking to the other side of the building to a large, rectangular
room with benches lining the back wall. In total, thirty of us sat on the bench till an

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old doctor and a Marine officer walked in. They told us to get tear down into only
our underwear and stand five meters from each other, in a block.
We then were given instructions to do various different, and weird, bends and
crawls to inspect out joints. Afterwards, we lined up to have our weight recorded. I
was 189lbs; my maximum weight was 195lbs. If you broke your maximum weight,
you failed.
Lastly, for physical, we were one at a time taken to the doctors office where
he made sure every inch of your body was inspected. I did not find that part to be
comfortable.
Leaving that part of the building, I made my way to the administrations area.
There, 158 different papers and forty-one electronic papers were signed by me,
thirty different times I had to give my finger print, and six surveys I filled out. All of
which were Navy, FBI, Federal, or State documents.
Also in between all of that chaos, I picked my job, got my July 15, 2015 ship
out date, and signed my final contract.
This was completing a life dream. A dream since I was six years of age. I
worked to this moment since then. I, with three others, was directed to the
ceremony room.
A room with brown, wooden walls, bright red carpet, and Ohio, USA, Army,
Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force flags.
I stood in a line with the other three. And the officer walked in and asked us
to raise our right hand and repeat after him.

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I, Dylan Marino Helton, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the
Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I
will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the
President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me,
according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.
He had us drop our hands and he started to speak.
I am now pleased to welcome you into the worlds most powerful military.
Congratulations.