What do you think about the Marines? Any fmr ones here?

[E1am]

You're right, I didn't take a scientific survery. But I can say that I've never met a group of Marines that I liked. Individually they're usually fine.

[YeLLa-TiGeR]

LOL at E1am's tact. No way in hell would I enlist b4 I finish my college education, I want to get my Masters in political science first...joining the ROTC program or reserves WHILE I am in college or university would be a good alternative to cover some school expenses THEN after I finish I guess I can be an officer in the Marines. I guess I can arrange it by talking to the recruiter in Sept.

[aseepish]

Yella-Tiger: Where are you thinking of going for Poli Sci? American or Canadian university? I got my BA in Poli Sci from the University of Manitoba (avoid this place), and my MA in the same field from Simon Fraser University (decent program). I`ve got many friends who attended various poli sci programs all over North America (although mostly in Canada). If you`ve got any questions about any specific schools I`ll tell you what I know.

E1am: Japan is really cool, but everywhere I go there are all these young ladies in tears. They all seem to be saying the same thing: "Eeeraiijaaa!"

I`ve got my date with Canada Customs later this week. . .

-Tony

[YeLLa-TiGeR]

Poli Science? I really, really want to go to UCLA or UCSD. University of Mass. in Boston is a the one school I really want to go to on the East Coast. As a last resort, I am apply to University of Toronto and Queens.
Deeter, the officer program looks like exactly what I would like out of the marines.

Oldskulbus, are the marines paying for any of your expenses right now?

[Oldskulbus]

No the Marines aren't paying for anything right now. My school is only $1000 a semester so I am paying for it myself. I didn't want them to have me by the balls. I friends' father used to do technical work for the marines and apparently if they pay for your school and you screw up and don't graduate on time you still served the time but now you do it as an enlisted.
Now they do have some great programs to give you money for school but I would just prefer to do it on my own.

[Atomic]

I can agree with E on this subject. All the marines I met in Japan were straight pricks. I don't know why this was, but that's how it happened to be. Now, marines I know that are now out, that's a different story. Some of the coolest people I know and none of them seemed "hollow," as people described.

[MEB Boy]

Hey Yellow Tiger,
Nice thread. I'll try not to be too long winded as I mostly agree with what others have said already.

Don't be suprised that a recruiter contacted you. If you put your name on any Info packet requesting info from any branch of service you will be contacted one way or another. Don't feel special if you get a free cheap, gym bag (w/ military logo) or if a Recruiter takes you and other potential recruits out for a pizza lunch. It's all part of the recruitng process and it's all about numbers and filling quotas. Their budget ($$$) is used in part to wine & dine potential recuits so they'll sign the dotted line.

If you go to college and get your undergrad degree, and if you still want to join the military then go in as an officer. Of course being prior enlisted has it's perks as the soldeirs you later command (as an officer) know you've been through the same training (or crap----you make the distinction) that they've been through. A general consensus from enlisted troops is that the best officers were prior enlisted. But, of course there are still some damn fine officers w/ no prior enlisted service.

But please do not go enlisted just so you can have this background as an officer down the road. You'll be enlisted for years and that will set your college plans back those many years.
Of course officer pay is much more than enlisted pay, but the responsibility is far greater as an officer.

I believe any enlisted service will make you a better person as it brings together all types of people from all walks of life from all over the US and it teaches them to work together as a team. It builds confidence and mental and physical strength and endurance. So this is a pro vs the con of low pay and years of enlisted service.

Anyone who goes enlisted needs to have their planned military job in writing in the contract. DO NOT accept the recruiters word that you just finish your basic enlisted training and you'll be able to pick any job down the road.....hehehe

I do agree that if you chose any path in the military sign up for the shortest term possible. Of course it's less reup money, etc but if you decide it's not for you then you can always get out much quicker in a 2-3 yr contract vs a 6 yr contract, and follow another path.

Overall, if you join the military use it to further your education, skills and career options so you can make something of yourself and be successful. Don't use it b/c you had no other options, had no job and you sign up b/c you had nothing better to do. You'll end up doing 20 yrs in the military and leave w/ the lowest rank possible w/ no useful civilian skills. These are the guys you see who were all Huuah, Huuah in the military and at age 40 they retire w/ a yearly pension of 15k only, and they have a fat wife and 3 kids and no idea of any possible job to make ends meet. They end up working at Pizza Hut or as a security guard for minimum wage.

Remember, the military can be your friend as it develops you as a person and you gain valuable training/skills, empower yourself, network, set yourself up for a good retirement pension, travel the world, etc........but it's all in being smart about your choices and always striving to best yourself.

By the way, the only groups of marines I ever encountered were the many, large groups of obnoxious, intoxicated marines walking around Honolulu on a weekend. They were the ones who were busted for alcohol related incidents, busted in rank w/ their pay taken, etc. The other group of marines I met were the intoxicated, obnoxious ones in the hospital ER on a weekend when I had to suture them up after they got their head beat in w/ a bat.

Yellow Tiger, the above example again shows you about the choices people make in their lives while in the military. Would you rather be the the intoxicated miltary service member w/ his head bashed in who'll likely have more UCMJ charges again and he ends up having done 6 yrs of service and but he gained no useful skills and has nothing to show for his time in service after it's over, or would you like to be the doctor who sutured him up, or some other military professional w/ skills that readily transfer into the civilian sector? All I'm saying is if you join, get everything in writing, go in as an officer, and use the military to further you education for a civilain job when you get out.

I know you said you'd like to go in after your Master's, so check up on this b/c if you go ROTC during your undergrad degree, there's no guarantee they'll give you an Educational Delay to get your Master's degree. It's all about the needs of the military, and if you get commisioned after your BA/BS the military may say No to the Ed Delay and take you then. Don't plan on getting a degree while in the military as FTX's, deployments, etc will put a stop to that.

Please take my above comments w/ a grain of salt. I only speak from my experience which started as an enlisted Army private who was trained as a medic but basically cleaned toilets and buffed floors for a year. I later got my ROTC commision, and the Army later paid for my Medical School. I finished my Residency last year and am debt-free and the miltiary sent me to Hawaii for a few yrs (hehehe) where I got to train at Relson's.
So if you go, use the system as a stepping stone to greater things. Peace

MEB Boy

[Yogurt]

how's it going everyone?
i'm currently an active duty 0321 (recon marine) stationed at kaneohe bay, HI. i've only been in the marine corps for about 3 years out of my 5 year enlistment.
most of what i was going to say seems to have been covered by the other members of this forum. i would just like to add that i think joining the marines would be a good idea for someone who wasn't exactly sure what they were going to do with themselves after high school and just wanted to try something different.
the only strong advice i would give you before you sign anything would be to be sure you aren't getting pushed into a job or billet that you wouldn't want. if there is a certain job you want be sure to demand it IN WRITING. the recruiters are good people, but it is there job to get you on that bus.
if anyone has any questions feel free to write or post back.
take it easy.

-yogurt

[GinSueDog]

My father was an fighter pilot in the Marine Corp and pretty much loved his job until his death in late 89. Understand that there are dangers being in the military even during peace time and it requires a lot of hard work even for the officers if you want to succeed. If you go in and have the grades for it, try getting in through the ROTC program. ROTC pretty much paid for all of my father's schooling at Cornell. Also think carefully about which branch you want to be a part of, they all have there upsides and down sides. Good luck.-ED

[sccr06]

Yella:
I just got off active duty as an Army officer. If you want to get your degree ROTC is probably the best option. You won't need to obligate yourself until your junior year (unless you accept a scholarship) and officer life is generally better than enlisted life.

Of course you have to be ready to accept all the responsibility that comes with it. No matter what MOS you opt for, always remember that an officer's job is to lead men into combat and even a non-combat arms officer may be forced to do that someday. But some MOS's lend themselves better to life out side the military: aviation, intelligence, JAG, medical, signal, etc. I was a poly sci major too and I went intel. I haven't regretted it.

If you want to serve your country, by all means do it. Too many people go into the army just for college money. Go in because you want to serve and you will be happier.

It is also a great way to further your education. I had the opportunity to get my MA while on active duty and I still have my GI Bill to pay for extra schooling now that I am out.

Good luck to you.

[Yogurt]

just going to add one thing since i'm seeing a lot of officer representation and not too much on the enlisted side.
one big up to being enlisted is that you get much more "hands on" experience than officers in your unit. officers, for the most part are there to make sure the job is getting done, it is the enlisted mans job to find out, and actually perform that task.
i think you just need to ask yourself why you want to join the marines. most arguments i'm seeing in this thread for it, are for the perks of getting college paid for. if that's the main thing you're looking at, i'd follow their advise and try out ROTC or something of the sort.
but if your goal is to really get down in the dirt and do that sort of thing, then you may want to think about the enlisted route.
speaking for my job alone, i've never seen any officers (they're a great bunch of guys) log as many hours in MOS schools or training than the enlisted.
just something to think about

[Szczepankiewicz]

First of all I want to thank you for enlisting and putting your ASS on the line so that the rest of us have the freedom to theorize about this stuff...

Second, you definately get more "hands on" as enlisted.... hands on the mop bucket, the lawn mower, etc, etc.

I don't regret going in, I got to fire every small arm made, climb on glaciers, rappel out of kelihopters and lot's of cool sheet like that.

I went in with the patriotic attidude, I came out releived that I didn't have to deal with the sorry bastages anymore. But that was in my youth when I thought there was a higher purpose and less BS.


Any way, thanks again. And good luck to all who serve.

SZ