question for the USMC vets here....

[rondog]

Our grandson is 17, a Junior this year. He'll turn 18 in December, in his Senior year. FWIW, he's lived with us his whole life.

He's been talking about joining The Marines, and has been doing workouts every week with them at the local recruiting office. Along with several other kids.

Now, the recruiter wants to discuss him signing up now, basically committing himself upon graduation. We don't know the details yet, something about doing this so he can select a job and get on the list?

Just thought I'd ask you USMC vets for thoughts, opinions, & experiences, if you don't mind! Any advice or guidance for a 17 y.o. boy? We're proud of him for wanting to do this, but we don't want him to make a mistake.

We want this to be a positive experience for him, and for him to enjoy it and be proud, maybe even make a career of it. We certainly don't want him to feel tricked or trapped, and end up angry and bitter about it.

Wife and I have zero experience with military life, but if he wants to do this we're behind him 100%. We sure as hell don't want him going down the same path as his parents.

Thanks! Any input appreciated!

[10mm-man]

My son wants to join when he grows up, this is what I tell him; join the Navy! lol... Why? Bigger budget, cooler toy's, lot's more options.

If I had to do it again, I would do college 1st, or at least study while I was in. As with anything you do though; you get out of it what you put into it! WORK HARD!! Bottom line, no free rides. Be the best you can, study, score high in all aspects; physical, mental, and appearance. Don't be a "Shit bird", be one of the most squared away Marines you can be! Start from the moment you go in; max out on your PFT, shoot the highest, and know everything you can about the Corps! As in; weapons systems, ranks, history, units, and any thing military related.

I graduated out of boot camp as the platoon honor man; I maxed my PFT score, shot expert, swam qualified WSQ and knew all I could about the Corps. I was meritoriously promoted out of boot camp, (and because I worked hard), it made my road a lot easier when I went to the fleet.

I wouldn't worry to much about being tied into any one particular MOS. If your smart, have a god work ethic, and shine, you can do almost anything you want. When I got out of the corps, I had 4 different MOS fields just after 4 years. Tell him to stay away from the ones who are there just, "to do their time". The ones who have no desire to exceed, and just do the minimum.

In all seriousness, if I had to do it again; I would join the Corps all over again! O, and your comment about wanting to make it a career. I would definitely had done 20, if I had the opportunity to do it again. I prob wouldn't have done it all in the Corps; maybe hit the Army, and the Navy too. Sky really is the limit, and it's all attitude. If he get's something (MOS) he doesn't like, he is young, and can always work into something else. Like I did 3 different times... lol

[DenverGP]

I was AF, so not sure if it's similar situation in the Marines. But for anyone going into the AF, the recruiters would always tell people "with your test scores, you'll be able to get any job you want", etc. That was total BS. Almost everyone who didn't get a guaranteed job when they enlisted got stuck with whatever job openings that have at the time. I had a guy I graduated high school with, was a genius with electronics and computers, and they made him an EMT. Not a bad job, he ended up liking it, but he really wanted electronics or computers, was told "with your scores, you'll be able to get any job you want". He got out of the AF 4 years later, and then went into electronics and computers.

I did delayed enlistment, where I was on a waiting list for about 9 months before heading off to basic, but I got my pick of job assignment before I ever left home. Sounds similar to what your grandson is looking at.

Best of luck to him. Military service builds character, and teaches integrity and commitment that'll be useful for the rest of his life, regardless of what job he goes into.

[10mm-man]

I was AF, so not sure if it's similar situation in the Marines. But for anyone going into the AF, the recruiters would always tell people "with your test scores, you'll be able to get any job you want", etc. That was total BS. Almost everyone who didn't get a guaranteed job when they enlisted got stuck with whatever job openings that have at the time. I had a guy I graduated high school with, was a genius with electronics and computers, and they made him an EMT. Not a bad job, he ended up liking it, but he really wanted electronics or computers, was told "with your scores, you'll be able to get any job you want". He got out of the AF 4 years later, and then went into electronics and computers.

I did delayed enlistment, where I was on a waiting list for about 9 months before heading off to basic, but I got my pick of job assignment before I ever left home. Sounds similar to what your grandson is looking at.

Best of luck to him. Military service builds character, and teaches integrity and commitment that'll be useful for the rest of his life, regardless of what job he goes into.

No "DEFINITELY" get the job you want locked in before you leave! Otherwise you can end up in a job you don't want, and you'll have to "work hard" to get into the position you do want.

[mikedubs]

Don't be first, don't be last, volunteer for nothing, and keep your mouth shut!

Seriously tho...it's much better to be in shape and squared away than not; he doesn't want to be labeled a shitbag or placed in a workout platoon. Focus on 6 minute miles and sets of 10-15 pullups and 100 crunches every other day.
Living at altitude helps a little when running in San Diego or Pendleton. Perhaps try doing some 24/48-hr sleepless periods to get used to the feeling of fatigue and to see how he will react to them.
Any leg up in this area will be very helpful near the end of boot, during the Crucible. Try some hikes in the hills with a pack, or better yet, try cross country running in boots.

If he is interested in college at all, I suggest looking into the Delayed Entry Program. Don't let the recruiter keep sweating him to commit to something; he has a quota to fill.
Based on ASVAB scores, he might get his pick of MOS, but FWIW, it might not translate to a civilian job later on. Be forward thinking on the matter, since infantry skills are not really a job qualification these days.

Also, "choice of MOS" might translate to "choice of MOS available at units that need that MOS filled"

Good luck!

[KestrelBike]

Has he thought about reserves? He gets to be a Marine, but after basic and job schools gets to go to College/Uni at the same time while he does his regular 1wkd/mo 2-week summers? He can theoretically "go full active" whenever he wants if he finds he's not interested in school just yet... Unless draw-down politics have changed this.

[Great-Kazoo]

1- DON'T SIGN ANYTHING till he's actually ready to enlist

2 - Been so long, not sure what they call it now. Have him take the test to see what he qualifies for

3 - COMMON SENSE ONE - BE IN SHAPE

4 The most important. What is the advancement rate for his MOS. Not sure about the Corp, however for the Navy Aviation field it was less than 1%, service wide.
We tried to get our kid to stay in. However her field was limiting advancement, after E5, so she left.

[tmleadr03]

What ever the recruiter says, get in writing. Lets be clear. GET IT IN WRITING!!!


And then I would say go infantry. It sucks. You are kept up long hours, worked like a dog, spend entire too much time being miserable in the dirt. But he is also getting paid to work out and shoot guns.

[Teufelhund]

If he signs a contract before he is 18, he is signing up for the Delayed Entry Program (DEP). It is a commitment, but it is not actual enlistment, so he can still get out of it before the enlistment papers are signed if he changes his mind (the recruiters will protest loudly). The day he leaves for bootcamp, he'll go to the local MEPS processing station for medical evaluation, sign the actual enlistment contract, and then stay there over night before leaving for bootcamp the next day.

If he wants a particular job in the Corps, he needs to make sure ALL FOUR numbers of the MOS designation are on his contract. I got a bit screwed on this point. My recruiter explained to me I was guaranteed LAN/WAN tech, but my contract only stated 28XX... which just guaranteed SOME job within the Communication/Electronics field. I ended up being a Ground Radio Repairman (2841), attached to an infantry battalion and humping a toolbox for my entire enlistment. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it and still cross-trained for the job I originally wanted, but it was a big let down when I found out what was happening, and way too late to do anything about it.

I'll disagree with one post above and say volunteer for everything, especially in bootcamp. He'll end up on a lot of shit details, but he'll also get to do a lot of cool stuff. My drill instructors got their squad leaders for the platoon by asking for volunteers without saying what it was for. The squad leaders got promoted right out of bootcamp. So volunteering sucks sometimes, but sometimes it pays off too.

I will agree that being an officer sucks a lot less than being enlisted. If you can talk him into it, get him to go to college first and join the Corps afterward as an officer if he still wants to do it. He'll make a lot more money, have better living conditions, do a lot less shit work, learn excellent management skills that translate better to civilian employment, and generally have a better time.

[tmleadr03]

If he signs a contract before he is 18, he is signing up for the Delayed Entry Program (DEP). It is a commitment, but it is not actual enlistment, so he can still get out of it before the enlistment papers are signed if he changes his mind (the recruiters will protest loudly). The day he leaves for bootcamp, he'll go to the local MEPS processing station for medical evaluation, sign the actual enlistment contract, and then stay there over night before leaving for bootcamp the next day.

If he wants a particular job in the Corps, he needs to make sure ALL FOUR numbers of the MOS designation are on his contract. I got a bit screwed on this point. My recruiter explained to me I was guaranteed LAN/WAN tech, but my contract only stated 28XX... which just guaranteed SOME job within the Communication/Electronics field. I ended up being a Ground Radio Repairman (2841), attached to an infantry battalion and humping a toolbox for my entire enlistment. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it and still cross-trained for the job I originally wanted, but it was a big let down when I found out what was happening, and way too late to do anything about it.

I'll disagree with one post above and say volunteer for everything, especially in bootcamp. He'll end up on a lot of shit details, but he'll also get to do a lot of cool stuff. My drill instructors got their squad leaders for the platoon by asking for volunteers without saying what it was for. The squad leaders got promoted right out of bootcamp. So volunteering sucks sometimes, but sometimes it pays off too.

I will agree that being an officer sucks a lot less than being enlisted. If you can talk him into it, get him to go to college first and join the Corps afterward as an officer if he still wants to do it. He'll make a lot more money, have better living conditions, do a lot less shit work, learn excellent management skills that translate better to civilian employment, and generally have a better time.

Include quarterdeck time in that. If one of his squad mates gets dropped, he better drop to. He will be squad leader by the end of the week. Dont fuck that up and you get promoted out of boot for it.