DECEMBER 16, 2024 – The U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command (USMEPCOM) is taking a significant step in modernizing its operations with the introduction of the Recruit Travel application.
This groundbreaking tool replaces three legacy systems— e-Orders, the Onward Report and the Expect Report— streamlining the process for managing shippers traveling to initial entry training (IET) sites. The transition to Recruit Travel represents the successful completion of a modernization sprint to be completely off legacy systems by the end of 2024.
“It’s very easy to use—anyone can come in and use it,” said Sara Lubeno, requirements owner for Recruit Travel. “The old system, e-Orders, was complicated and time-consuming. Recruit Travel changes all of that.”
The development of Recruit Travel has been a three-year endeavor involving multiple teams across USMEPCOM’s J-3 Processing and J-6 IT branches along with multiple Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS) across the country.
The team focused on addressing pain points in the field, making the system more user-friendly while automating tedious tasks. The process involved continuous collaboration with transportation assistants (TAs) from across MEPS, who provided critical feedback during development.
“We met bi-weekly with TAs for three years, incorporating their insights and allowing them to test the system,” said Lubeno.
Recruit Travel’s streamlined approach not only enhances operational efficiency but also reduces the workload for MEPS personnel. TAs, the primary users of the system, now have a triage board to monitor where shippers are in the travel process. The application also integrates data from MIRS (MEPCOM Integrated Resource System) and Citi-Travel, ensuring accuracy and reliability.
“Recruit Travel will make a huge impact with our daily functions by bringing much needed automation to the orders writing process,” said Anita Guevara, Montgomery MEPS transportation assistant. “Orders for active duty, non-prior service members can be created in seconds – huge time saver! No more address amendments will be done on ship day! We will receive an alert if a change is made to a shipper’s record in MIRS.”
With the launch of Recruit Travel, USMEPCOM has laid a solid foundation for future enhancements. Planned updates include incorporating meal card management and building more data points to improve decision-making across the organization. (Read more about meal card process here.)
“This is just the beginning,” said Lubeno. “The foundation is there, and we’re excited to continue evolving this application based on user feedback.”
As the December sunset of e-Orders, the Onward Report and the Expect Report approaches, Recruit Travel is poised to revolutionize how USMEPCOM processes shipper traveling, reflecting the command’s dedication to modernization and efficiency.
Story by Ashley Toomey
U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command