Minneapolis, MN
Military Entrance Processing Station

The Minneapolis MEPS is located at 1 Federal Drive on the 3rd floor of the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, 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 returned to Fort Snelling in 2014 after operating in the United States Federal Office Building, 212 Third Avenue South, in downtown Minneapolis during a major renovation of the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building. Prior to 2001, the Minneapolis MEPS operated from the United States Federal Office Building for nearly 51 years.

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