Looking for some advice on joining the marine corps.

Tiewas

Tiewas

Joined
Jan 12, 2005
Messages
1,130
So im thinking of joining the marines. Should I? Should I not?

I talked to a former marine ive known for a while, he said he didnt recommend it. He said you have to fight for everything, to move up or get placed in a good MOS. I dont expect it to be easy but if they fight you on everything I dont really want to be there.

I expect boot camp to be hard for me as im in crappy physical shape. I dont suspect that all the other stuff they do (breaking you down/mind games whatever) will be much of a problem. I dont really know though.

Ive always wanted to be in the military, ever since I was a kid. But I never really looked into it until now. Ive pretty much skated through life not really paying attention to anything. But Id like that to change and I think the marines would be able to do that for me.

So does anyone have any advice for me?
 
As is generally the rule in life, you don't get anything more out of an experience than you're willing to put into it. At an absolute minimum, I would strongly advise against showing up at MCRD (boot camp) in "crappy physical shape". That would be the worst possible way to begin your career. If you're really serious about this, before you even talk to your first recruiter, I would recommend that you begin your own physical conditioning regimen. Get yourself to the point where you can run three miles in no more than 23 minutes. If you find yourself unable to make that level of commitment (which is pretty minimal compared to all the other things you'll be required to do as a recruit), then I would say that another career path - or at the very least, another branch of the service - is probably best for you. If you are able to reach that goal, then go talk to a recruiter, take the requisite tests, run everything the recruiter promises you by your friend who's a Marine (so he can filter out the BS for you), and then, if you decide to go for it, get that run time down to 21 minutes before your report date. Good luck. :)
 
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Just remember one other thing, a recruiter can make all the promises in the world but if it isn't written down, signed , and notarized it is just pipe dreams. By joining any branch of the military you and the government are entering into legal contract. You have the right to choose the MOS you want but if it isn't spelled out in the contract I can guarantee you will be a rifleman. If you want a specific MOS and they tell you there are no slots available get up and walk, most likely they will call you back. They have quotas to fill in each MOS and will try to steer you into the ones they need to fill. But always get it in writing before you sign anything.

If you do plan on doing this please do yourself a favor and get into shape prior to enlisting. Have your Marine buddy teach you some of the basics as far as close order drill, uniform maintenance (shining boots for example...a boot brush will not do), basic manual of arms, basic military customs, etc. Your performance in boot will be noted by your drills and will affect the rest of your military career. In todays volunteer military if you plan to do anything more than just do four years and get out an E-3 you will need to make the higher ranks notice you.

As others have said before, you will get out of the military what you put into it.
 
Well for starters I would look for a forum that dealt with Marine recruits. I have not met many Marines that would not recommend joining so I am sure you buddy probably has some other things he is not mentioning. This site http://www.armyranger.com/bb/ has some sections just for delayed enlistment guys and has helped out a lot of young soldiers. Also there are other options out there other than the Marines, but then I am biased. :)
 
Go Army better bonus's and better promotion chances, especially with todays turnover secondary to war on terror. If your not looking for adventure and better living conditions try the Air Force, less physically intense also. Their institutional mentality does not seem as head up thier butt as the Army's either. If your interested in the Army feel free to mail me, National Guard here and I just came off a one year deployment and was attached to two of the higher speed divisions in the Army. It wasn't all good or all bad, just happy to be home, and not averse to sharing some of my Army experience.
 
Yeah, thanks for the advice. I've already went to see a recruiter. That was on friday of last week. He asked me if I wanted to be a marine, I told him Id give him an answer in a week.

I would be doing the delayed entry program which gives me three or so months to get into some semblance of shape. Of course i know I need to be in great shape before I go so Im thinking of waiting until I am in great shape before actually signing any papers, as I dont want to go before Im ready.

The advice from my marine buddy has really dampened my enthusiasm on this, as I trust him implicitly.

Anything from anyone who was or is in the marines?
 
I was in '90 and got injured. As far as the physical stuff, as mentioned before
get working on your running times and overall PT. It will only help you when
you reach boot camp. If you can get your Marine buddy to run with you or
wait untill your poolee meetings and PT your heart out. You might also check
Leatherneck.com, great Marine Corps site with great people and lots of info.
Also, don't let your Marine buddy influence YOU. Just because he felt he got
shafted by the Marine Corps. Everyone has a different experience within the
military
 
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Tiewas said:
Anything from anyone who was or is in the marines?
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One last bit of advice :) - go buy a little book about the basic history of the Marine Corps. It will be good info for you to have prior to enlisting, it's an interesting read in its own right, and it will save you the embarrassment in the future of requesting additional advice from forum members who actual served in the Marines, when you've already been receiving input from guys who have the phrase "Semper Fi" permanently embedded in their sig line. ;)
 
Tiewas said:
Yeah, thanks for the advice. I've already went to see a recruiter. That was on friday of last week. He asked me if I wanted to be a marine, I told him Id give him an answer in a week.
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No offense, but if you need a week to decide then maybe the Corps isn't for you. It might be wise to talk to recruiters from other branches as well.


If you do decide you want to go, run.....run.....run.....then run some more. Do pushups and situps when you're not running. You need to be in decent shape when you hit those yellow footprints or you're going to be in a world of hurt.

As for your buddy....I tend to agree with Jarhead, there may be more to the story than he's telling you. Certainly the Corps isn't for everyone, but I've seldom met a Marine that will tell you he regrets joining.
 
If you think the Corps is for you, then you must be willing to make the requisite commitment to do whatever task is put before you and do it well. That is entirely up to you. If you can't hack it, you will live with that forever. When I went in in '67, I was overweight but in good shape. I lost the weight.

When they say "The Few, The Proud..." they really mean it. You'll either cut it or get cut out and live a life of embarrassment. This is not an "I'll try it" proposition." It is do or do not, try not (Yoda)

Go rent Full Metal Jacket this week. Meet Gunny Ermy.

Good luck on your decision. Consider it very carefully.

Gene

Semper Fi
 
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The equivalent here would be the Royal Marine Commandos, and the training required there is excruciating; your expected to have superb upper body strength to accompany long distance running ability's and that's certainly before you join.

I wouldn't consider many types of service without a high level of strength and general fitness, it just isn't feasible in some scenarios.

Best of luck, and there's no reason not to succeed in the training if properly prepared.
 
sorry bronco didnt mean to offend I just didnt read your sig line.

I dont see why taking a week to make a decision that could permanently affect my life would make me unfit to for the corps.

Still on the fence...but leaning toward the Corps.

Perhaps someone could relate to me their own experiences? MOS's, daily life, anything you think I should be aware of.

Sorry to come off as being indecisive but ive really never made such a big decision before.
 
Tiewas-

What do you want out of a career with the Corps? Trust your gut. If you're not certain you know, maybe the Marines isn't for you. . .(One thing a jarhead ain't, and that's indecisive.) Not meant as a slam, brother, just an insight into the mindset/mentality it takes to be one. Of course, I'm going by an observation i've made, not ones i've experienced. . .(as a former paratrooper). My brother, FWIW, was a navy corpsman who pulled a tour in Iraq, along with some horror stories to make anyone think twice about joining the Corps. Why do I mention him? After his enlistment was up, he turned around and joined the Marines! Good bless him, and you.
 
Was in the Corps for 11 years and did most every thing that a Marine could do. Dont plan on being home much, deployment can last up to a year or more. What MOS are you thinking about?
3534
6162
6322
8532
0341
some of mine.
 
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Tiewas said:
I dont see why taking a week to make a decision that could permanently affect my life would make me unfit to for the corps.
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I'm not saying you have to decide to sign on the line today....but I'd think you'd at least know if you want to be a Marine, and that was the question he asked. There has to be something inside you that makes you want to wear the Eagle, Globe and Anchor....and if you need a week to think about it then maybe that desire isn't as strong as you think it is. I understand it's a big decision and that you have to look at all the options. Remember that this is a commitment you can't just walk away from....it's not like going to college or taking a job where if you don't like it you can quit. I doubt I'm explaining it well and maybe it's just that you don't see it the way I do.

If you really want to learn about the Corps, one idea is to go to the local VFW and American Legion and talk to some people there. You'd probably get better answers there than you can get on a forum since you're asking for generalities rather than specific questions. It's a lot easier to do that face to face than online.

As for MOSs, mine were 0331 and 8151. If you have any specific questions I'd be happy to answer them, just shoot me an email.
 
If you don't want to really be a Marine, then don't join. There's no place for half stepping. You either give it your all or you'll find out real quick it's not a fun place to be. If you don't feel the overwhelming desire to be a Marine, then don't join it.

Recruitment is at 142% of people who WANT to be there.

The army needs some help.

Semper Fi.
 
Have to agree with these guys on the one week thing, it took me the better part of a year to decide. Then when I got there I didnt know what the Hell I had gotten my self into. My step dad was a CmdSgtMaj in the Army and wanted me to go that route, some of the days in boot camp I wish I had. But in Hind Sight I wouldnt have changed a Thing. If your having second thoughts, Just Keep thinking about it. I had several Marines that joined with out thinking it through in my plt. and they didnt last long.
 
Tiewas - Good luck. Stay in touch here, and let us know how you progress. I didn't have time to respond because of our move here, so I'm coming into this kind of late. As the folks above said, "you get out of it what you put into it." Mindset is everything.

thx - cpr
 
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