Military Entrance Processing Station

The Minneapolis MEPS is located at 212 3rd Avenue South, Minneapolis. The MEPS is temporarily located in this facility while the primary facility undergoes a major renovation.

Prior to moving, the Minneapolis MEPS was located on the 3rd floor of the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building at One Federal Drive, near historic Fort Snelling. Over the years, this building has housed several key federal agencies including the Air Force, Army and Marine recruiting area headquarters.

The MEPS relocated to Fort Snelling in 2001 after operating for 51 years in the United States Federal Office Building, 212 Third Avenue South, in the heart of downtown Minneapolis.

The Fort Snelling building was erected under the auspices of the General Services Administration at a total cost of $14,054,807. It's architectural lines convey the impression of strength, permanence and dependability, qualities that were so highly prized by the strong and courageous pioneers who founded the original Fort Snelling. The ground floor and first floor lobbies have terrazzo floors and travertine marble walls. Upper floor lobbies have travertine marble tiled floors and plastered walls.

The Minneapolis MEPS is one of a network of 65 MEPS located nationwide and in Puerto Rico.

A separate Department of Defense (DoD) agency, USMEPCOM is comprised of two geographical sectors and staffed with personnel from all military services.

The mission of USMEPCOM and the Minneapolis MEPS is to process individuals for enlistment or induction into the armed services, based on DoD-approved peacetime and mobilization standards.

Three primary areas are considered in determining an applicant's qualifications for enlistment:

• aptitude for military service
• physical qualification
• background evaluation screening