Photo By Amy Gregorski | USMEPCOM has gone from manual, paper-processing to all-digital systems in order to...... read more read more
For the past 30 years, the command has been accomplishing its daily mission on an information technology system of systems made up of 10-12 applications. Primarily built in the 1990s, these applications became outdated and difficult to maintain or modify. The race to complete an end-to-end replacement of these systems began in 2017 and December 12, 2024, marks the finish line.
In running, a “split” is the time it takes to complete a specific distance. There are three types of splits – start out fast and slow down toward the end, maintain the same pace throughout, and start out slow and increase speed toward the end.
This last leg of the modernization that began in 2017 was the third type of split – it started out slow and increased speed toward the end, primarily from 2021 to 2024. Some say the third type of split is often preferred because it allows the body to warm up before increasing the pace.
The starter pistol for the race occurred in 2017 when the Office of the Secretary of Defense requested the Defense Digital Service (DDS) to review the USMEPCOM Integrated Resource System, USMIRS 1.0 and create an action plan for its end-to-end replacement.
Late that year, DDS set up extensive research on enlistment processes, which included observation of processing at 11 MEPS, two military basic training facilities, four service recruiting command headquarters, and several recruiting centers and personnel commands.
In 2018, USMEPCOM launched a prototype of an automated product that improved data storage and security and would eventually lead to paperless processing. The combined USMEPCOM-DDS-contractor team won a second place Design Management Institute Design Value Award for USMIRS 1.1 development. In 2019, USMEPCOM stood up a dedicated agile IT modernization team – the Rapid Delivery Team – and empowered and resourced that team to deliver a production system.
Development efforts continued over the next two years and then, in February 2021, the command was well warmed up when it replaced the largest piece of its system of systems, USMIRS 1.0 with USMIRS 1.1. When congressional legislation required interoperability of medical records with the larger DoD environment, the command quickly passed the baton and started running with the deployment of MHS GENESIS in March 2022.
Matt Lince, USMEPCOM’s Director of IT, explained that, following deployment of USMIRS 1.1 and MHS GENESIS, “We’ve been in both worlds, which has been difficult because it’s like having a new car and trying to incorporate parts from decades ago. They don’t work well together.” The old parts he refers to were other outdated legacy systems, some on premises at Headquarters and/or on old servers.
Although USMIRS 1.1 and MHS GENESIS substantially improved the way the command accomplishes its mission, the adaption process was challenging and took its fair share of time. So, after a quick cool down and water break after the two primary system adjustments, USMEPCOM continued to replace applications and has now replaced all its legacy systems.
As of December 12, “If you work on any part of the USMIRS system of systems, it’s going to look and feel the same,” Lince said. “Because it’s all based on the same technologies. This makes it easier for our users and our technology support personnel.”
This consistency is not only in the front-page templates but the back end – the way it works – as well. If someone is comfortable and familiar with USMIRS 1.1, they will quickly become familiar with any of these new applications.
These efforts, together as one run, resulted in a completely modern, standardized system of systems that supports the three main areas of military processing: testing, medical and enlistment processing.
In the testing arena, in 2022, ConCEP – Communication, Organization and Networking Career Exploration Program – replaced Schools 2001. MEPS staff use ConCEP to manage data related to the scheduling and participation in ASVAB CEP events, including student ASVAB testing at thousands of high schools around the country. ConCEP includes school and event listings, calendars, contacts, reports and forms.
In June 2024, the command transitioned CEP-related data in USMIRS to the cloud and integrated it with ConCEP data in the CEP-MIRS 1.1 minimum viable product (MVP). CEP-MIRS 1.1 includes everything related to student ASVAB testing used for enlistment. For example, if a student takes the ASVAB now in their hometown high school and months later goes to a MEPS, the school score is available for enlistment purposes in CEP-MIRS.
“CEP-MIRS 1.1 is the intermediary,” Lince said. “It locates that student test, sends it to USMIRS 1.1 and now that applicant has an official score for enlistment. A modernized CEP-MIRS allows us to bring more capabilities to the user in the future and continue to adapt to a changing recruiting environment.”
In the medical area, the command made progress through Natural Language Processing (NLP) and modernized the process for obtaining fee-basis providers (FBP) – contract medical providers.
In December 2023, USMEPCOM began using a NLP capability within the Joint Longitudinal Viewer to streamline applicant prescreens while developing a more robust Artificial Intelligence capability. The use of NLP highlights potentially disqualifying conditions within an applicant’s health history while also filtering out information unrelated to an applicant’s ability to serve in the military.
In November 2024, USMEPCOM replaced its FBP application as well. This application will improve the technical process of MEPS requesting a contracted FBP and allow for future improvements once the new FBP contract is engaged in 2025.
In the enlistment processing area, four improvements include debit cards, applicant tracking, improvements in overall travel applications and a new Inspector General application (see pages 17 and 27).
Since the 1980s, the command had an application that allowed MEPS to provide applicants with a one-time use paper check to obtain meals during their travel to initial entry training (IET). On June 20, 2024, USMEPCOM issued the first debit card to an enlistee at the Syracuse MEPS. All MEPS followed suit by replacing meals checks with debit cards, providing a modern, familiar method of payment for applicants traveling to training.
Also in the summer months of 2024, USMEPCOM introduced the Applicant Journey Tracker, or AJT, the first-ever MEPS tool to track applicants’ paths throughout their processing journey laid out on one page. The AJT starts when a recruiter uploads an applicant’s prescreen form and then provides an easy-to-read report for MEPS personnel, service liaisons and guidance counselors.
The printing of labels is an important process in a command that manages the movement of hundreds of thousands of applicants and their blood and urine samples. After building substantial new networking architecture, USMEPCOM began printing labels through MIRS 1.1 in November 2024.
In December, the command introduced “Recruit Travel,” which replaces legacy e-Orders, the Onward Report and Expect Report.
In the military, orders define the details of a military member getting to the next duty station. Until now, e-Orders provided orders for applicants en route to Initial Entry Training (IET) and managed their transportation tickets and other necessary travel information. The Onward Report enabled MEPS to communicate the details of their shipper travel needs to local carriers who would take shippers to other transportation or IET. For example, the Onward Report spelled out how many shippers needed to be picked up at each MEPS, and where they were going. The Expect Report communicated the number of shippers to IET sites.
Recruit Travel brings e-Orders, the Onward Report, and the Expect Report together in one new modern application.
To improve work processes related to MEPS inspections, the Inspector General’s Office now has a new application that automates what was once a manual, paper-based process. This application, within ServiceNow, allows the IG staff to input and archive inspection reports. It will save time and accelerate the identification and analysis of trends in order better align the IG’s support efforts.
For all the areas of military processing, business intelligence (BI) is critical. For decades, USMEPCOM has provided measures on important aspects of its mission, such as numbers of applicants processed, tests administered, physical exams conducted, recruits shipped, etc. It has managed its BI – data analytics that involves gathering, analyzing, and presenting data visually – on aging legacy systems. There have been numerous challenges in providing BI since the introduction of USMIRS 1.1.
Lince said the command has been using BI tools and trying to make them work in an antiquated data environment. “It’s like taking a VHS and playing it on your ultra-high-definition TV…it just doesn’t go well,” he said.
Soon the command will migrate its BI data to a “data lake,” a shift to cloud storage that will bring much better BI collection, analysis and reporting to USMEPCOM leaders. This improvement will better inform and improve business decisions.
“These advancements are a significant win for the accession community of interest; service partners and MEPS alike,” said Tom Li, J-3 Production Management Branch chief, and a former Navy Recruiter in New York City.
“Recruiting has always presented challenges, and any improvement we can implement at USMEPCOM to streamline the process is immensely valuable. While our legacy systems were effective and got the job done for many years, the new modern systems outperform them by being faster, more robust, and user-friendly,” Li said.
The December 2024-January 2025 timeframe is a runner’s high for the command, in that a seven-year run is finished. However, for most runners, after the medal is hung on a wall or placed in a drawer, they move on to planning for the next race.
According to Lince, USMEPCOM will never stop running this race. “We should never again have to shut down or sunset any of these applications or replace them wholesale – we should be doing it little by little, bit by bit, all the time. Modernization is never done.”
“The culture of IT should always be how can we deliver better, improved software tools for our users.” He continued, “We must ask if we are challenging ourselves to bring cutting edge technology – the best that’s available in the private sector – to our customers and to our users.”
| Date Taken: | 01.10.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 01.16.2025 17:39 |
| Story ID: | 489237 |
| Location: | NORTH CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 50 |
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