View Full Version : Gonna give it another try
josephd
08-03-15, 01:02 AM
So I am coming into my senior year in college and should be graduating next spring. I've come to realize that I am not ready to settle into a civilian job.
Going to get in contact with the OSO here in my area and see what my options are for commissioning. This time next year I could be a 2nd Lt....??....
If for whatever reason I am not able to get a commissioning package with the Corps, I may consider going to the Army if I can get guaranteed an infantry or special forces spot.
Thought I would share with you fine gentleman here
Most of us have remembered the 'ole- "Carefull what you
Wish For" quote.
You're young enough and smart enough to know the
difference between want and need to do.
SemperFi, with your decision -Good Luck Joe
Marine1955
08-03-15, 09:02 AM
Just remember O.C.S. isn't a cake walk. They still treat you like a maggot.. Good Luck and don't forget the Silver Dollars it's Officer tradition ,,,
advanced
08-03-15, 09:26 AM
They offered me ocs out of PI, no way I was going to do Quantico after PI
devilbones2
08-03-15, 09:31 AM
Good luck. Keep us posted, I know you will but come back and tell us.
USMC 2571
08-03-15, 11:17 AM
Joe, you're one of the most squared away, helpful, knowledgeable people here, so good luck to you and keep us posted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
josephd
08-03-15, 07:40 PM
Thanks....this will be my 4th attempt at commissioning and will be going on 32 years old so I am gonna need ALOT of help from the OSO to push a package through board
Kegler300
08-03-15, 07:48 PM
With your prior Marine experience, it should be a cakewalk. Be prepared to be called grandpa since you will be a relic in the eyes of the other candidates ....
josephd
08-03-15, 07:55 PM
With your prior Marine experience, it should be a cakewalk. Be prepared to be called grandpa since you will be a relic in the eyes of the other candidates ....
haha...thats what I was called at boot camp and on deployment(27 year old Lance Coolie)
Kegler300
08-03-15, 07:57 PM
Good luck gramps!
josephd
08-03-15, 07:58 PM
that's cool though....I don't look a day over 24 so....
I have been with talking with a few MECEP guys at school......30 year old SSgt, 31 year old SSgt, and a 28 year old Sgt.....I'll have some old timers with me(hopefully)
USMC 2571
08-03-15, 08:09 PM
I hate to see anyone making fun of Joe's age. When he gets to OCS, he'll find that they have a special area for the older folks to leave their canes while they do PT or the obstacle course.
josephd
08-03-15, 08:47 PM
I hate to see anyone making fun of Joe's age. When he gets to OCS, he'll find that they have a special area for the older folks to leave their canes while they do PT or the obstacle course.
hahahaha....I hope so
Fenwick
08-04-15, 01:00 AM
I don't know how things work today. I'm a firm believer in earning your strips. Work your way up the ranks for a while and you'll get a little more respect IMHO.
A O-1 making decisions that could affect my life, (I'm not active) kind of scares me.
Marine1011
08-04-15, 05:54 AM
Ridiculous. What about your decisions that affect an O-1's? You act like they have no training, have no idea what's going on. Come on, now :)
Marine1011
08-04-15, 05:57 AM
Joe has earned his strips/stripes, and don't think OCS and The Basic School is not "earning your strips". Where do people get these opinions??? hahahahaha
Fenwick
08-04-15, 10:37 AM
Ridiculous. What about your decisions that affect an O-1's? You act like they have no training, have no idea what's going on. Come on, now :)
If you say so. I don't know if you' tong in cheek or serious? The Gunny ran things back in my day. O-1's were put on point. Just kidding.
Marine1011
08-04-15, 11:57 AM
If you write to the Commandant, he may remove all O-1s and just have Gunnys running the entire show. And O-2s are not that far above O-1s so maybe have Master Sgts take their places, and so on and so forth, a Sgt Major could replace Majors and there you have it. No officers, just senior enlisted.
Fenwick
08-04-15, 04:16 PM
If you write to the Commandant, he may remove all O-1s and just have Gunnys running the entire show. And O-2s are not that far above O-1s so maybe have Master Sgts take their places, and so on and so forth, a Sgt Major could replace Majors and there you have it. No officers, just senior enlisted.
You fuggin wit me? I don't play fug fug cause you end up on the deck. Give me 200 pusie.
I came here to bond with a few of my brothers. I think I'm the wrong place.
advanced
08-04-15, 05:45 PM
Bye
Marine1011
08-04-15, 07:23 PM
Fen probably forgot about barracks life, where we all good naturedly ribbed one another. Sorry, Fen.
Fenwick
08-04-15, 08:39 PM
"Fen probably forgot about barracks life, where we all good naturedly ribbed one another. Sorry, Fen."
Taking a 24 hour time out! We didn't have barracks time outs! Just had a fellow fisherman beat, robed and car stolen. Wilding. I go packing. 2 .45's. No one came to his aid. I wasn't there on time.
I's FENWICK not Fen...........
advanced
08-04-15, 08:49 PM
My PM box is no longer full
josephd
08-04-15, 09:11 PM
I don't know how things work today. I'm a firm believer in earning your strips. Work your way up the ranks for a while and you'll get a little more respect IMHO.
A O-1 making decisions that could affect my life, (I'm not active) kind of scares me.
Are you saying I haven't earned my stripes??.....
8-years in, combat veteran, training NCO, MCMAP instructor, Plt. Sgt., and college education
I am also 30 years old, not some 22 year old kid
Most 0-1's(officers) in military history have all been young guys fresh out of college.....Never have Lt's ever came directly from the enlisted ranks regularly, especially senior enlisted.
you obviously have no real idea what you're talking about....but thanks for hijacking my thread
Fenwick
08-05-15, 12:41 AM
Are you saying I haven't earned my stripes??.....
8-years in, combat veteran, training NCO, MCMAP instructor, Plt. Sgt., and college education
I am also 30 years old, not some 22 year old kid
Most 0-1's(officers) in military history have all been young guys fresh out of college.....Never have Lt's ever came directly from the enlisted ranks regularly, especially senior enlisted.
you obviously have no real idea what you're talking about....but thanks for hijacking my thread
You didn't say any of that in your first post. Your right I had no idea you were a 8-years in, combat veteran, training NCO, MCMAP instructor, Plt. Sgt., and college education 30 years old.
"Fen probably forgot about barracks life,
where we all good naturedly ribbed one another. Sorry, Fen."
Taking a 24 hour time out!
We didn't have barracks time outs!
Just had a fellow fisherman beat, robed and car stolen.
Wilding. I go packing. 2 .45's.
No one came to his aid. I wasn't there on time.
I's FENWICK not Fen...........
he could have called you Sweetpea, or newbie, or
BOOT instead of FENWICK.......
are you related to the INSPECTOR, NELL,Doright, or his
horse ??
welcome aboard looking for brothers.
do yourself a favor MARINE-Fenwick
learn to read profiles or LEARN up on
who and what they're talking about...
PS. We're all boot to somebody
joseywales
08-05-15, 05:49 AM
Fen brought his issues to the site, then blames others for that. It's rather sad. Gotta learn to get along.
Tennessee Top
08-05-15, 08:49 AM
There is a reason we have profiles here. Always a good idea to read a Marine's profile before making assumptions about them.
josephd
08-05-15, 02:05 PM
You didn't say any of that in your first post. Your right I had no idea you were a 8-years in, combat veteran, training NCO, MCMAP instructor, Plt. Sgt., and college education 30 years old.
I shouldn't have to say all that in my first post(not my first post ever on the forum), especially considering a majority of the Marine/members here know who I am
And see those 3 stripes and crossed rifles under my name on the left side of the page??....yeah
USMC 2571
08-05-15, 02:30 PM
Joe, keep us posted please, re your progress with this.
josephd
08-05-15, 02:38 PM
Joe, keep us posted please, re your progress with this.
I will, I am at the end of my summer session class right now; I will be contacting the OSO here once fall semester starts in a few weeks to get things rolling for some waivers I'll need(age and tattoos).
USMC 2571
08-05-15, 02:40 PM
We'll give you those waivers right NOW, what else do you need, buddy?
USMC 2571
08-05-15, 02:43 PM
Look at our post count, Joe, only TWO posts apart.
josephd
08-05-15, 02:51 PM
We'll give you those waivers right NOW, what else do you need, buddy?
I wish it was that easy
Phantom Blooper
08-05-15, 03:51 PM
The old cliché of three times a charm is not always true......go for the fourth and you may get what you wish for!
As far as the army goes a Sgt friend of mine from 32 years ago couldn't get commissioned in the USMC got out....went in the army with a record like yours..became a WO....flew copters....full retired and loved it.....Good luck!
USMC 2571
08-05-15, 05:05 PM
Encouraging story, Chuck---and Joe said he may just have to look into the ARMY (Ain't Ready To Be A Marine Yet)---just kidding Joe. Good luck and keep us posted, as I know you will.
Kegler300
08-05-15, 05:20 PM
FENWICK is coming off as an old grouchpuss ... don't be hatin' FENWICK. We's all brothers here.
josephd
08-05-15, 06:40 PM
The old cliché of three times a charm is not always true......go for the fourth and you may get what you wish for!
As far as the army goes a Sgt friend of mine from 32 years ago couldn't get commissioned in the USMC got out....went in the army with a record like yours..became a WO....flew copters....full retired and loved it.....Good luck!
well I am lucky that 2 out of those 3 attempts prior, there is no record of it so the OSO won't be wondering what the hell happened and what I may have done wrong(nothing).
I have considered the WO thing in the Army...that's kind of a "Plan C"
JeffSKI
08-06-15, 05:51 PM
Good Luck!!! Please erase the Army WO out of your mind... Persevere and engage it! You will be fine!
MunkyVsRobot
08-09-15, 10:14 AM
Might as well give it one more go around eh well hopefully 4th time is a charm.
MunkyVsRobot
08-09-15, 10:18 AM
well I am lucky that 2 out of those 3 attempts prior, there is no record of it so the OSO won't be wondering what the hell happened and what I may have done wrong(nothing).
I have considered the WO thing in the Army...that's kind of a "Plan C"I didnt read through the entire thread. But one thing i can attest to is i hear in the Army their WO's are almost like non-rates you are basically a boot that gets paid more
josephd
08-09-15, 08:39 PM
I didnt read through the entire thread. But one thing i can attest to is i hear in the Army their WO's are almost like non-rates you are basically a boot that gets paid more
Yeah I have heard similar but I would only do it if I could potentially fly(Apache or Blackhawk). They are are super OFP....all they do is log hours, no other command billet or anything.
MunkyVsRobot
08-14-15, 05:28 PM
Dude not gonna lie, worked with the Coast Guard earlier this week greatest thing ever. lol it wasnt like a MArine Corps base everyone was happy and excited to go to work not all ****ed off and hating life. Pretty cool stuff.
Also wenty TAD to Stennis Mississippi got to see some of the SWCC operators made me jelly haha. I am scoping out new options if they dont allow me to re-enlist. Coast Guard is definitely high on said list now.
josephd
08-14-15, 08:31 PM
I know a few people in the Coast Guard, they love it
I have considered it, just gotta get over the mental block/self conscious part of being a "coastie"
MunkyVsRobot
08-15-15, 07:11 AM
I know a few people in the Coast Guard, they love it
I have considered it, just gotta get over the mental block/self conscious part of being a "coastie"
When I'm getting crab legs flown out to me aboard ship I think I could get over it.
Citadel0602
08-15-15, 08:59 AM
Best of luck to you. I graduated from The Citadel in 2008 and went directly to OCC-198 with Delta Company 1st platoon. OCS is a LOT different than boot camp. While Boot camp is based on making a Marine (and the easiest way to get out of boot camp is to graduate) , OCS is a vetting process and very little of it is actual "Marine" training.... you get weekends off (after the 3rd week) and its heavily a mind game and very physically demanding. My platoon (Delta 1) started with 62 Candidates and we graduated 27 (so the attrition rate is very high)... you wont actually learn Marine Officer tactics techniques and procedures until you actually hit The Basic School (TBS) and then your follow on MOS School... Best of luck to you, its the most fun you will never want to have again
josephd
08-24-15, 06:18 PM
Best of luck to you. I graduated from The Citadel in 2008 and went directly to OCC-198 with Delta Company 1st platoon. OCS is a LOT different than boot camp. While Boot camp is based on making a Marine (and the easiest way to get out of boot camp is to graduate) , OCS is a vetting process and very little of it is actual "Marine" training.... you get weekends off (after the 3rd week) and its heavily a mind game and very physically demanding. My platoon (Delta 1) started with 62 Candidates and we graduated 27 (so the attrition rate is very high)... you wont actually learn Marine Officer tactics techniques and procedures until you actually hit The Basic School (TBS) and then your follow on MOS School... Best of luck to you, its the most fun you will never want to have again
Hahaha yeah, thanks. I am fully aware and prepared for what is involved though, this is something I've wanted for almost 10 years now....it's my last chance to give it a shot
josephd
08-24-15, 06:19 PM
I have an interview with the OSO here tomorrow morning at 0800
josephd
08-24-15, 06:47 PM
Well, nevermind, the OSO/OSA just called me back.....it's a no go...between my tattoos, age, GPA, and ACT score they said it was gonna be almost impossible to get me multiple waivers at the MCRC(Marine Corps Recruiting Command, General) level
USMC 2571
08-24-15, 08:01 PM
That's too bad, Joe, you would've done well.
josephd
08-24-15, 10:28 PM
That's too bad, Joe, you would've done well.
thanks
I am gonna start looking into other branches...infantry/special forces in Army and combat rescue/TACP in Air Force
LCPL1341
08-26-15, 10:55 AM
Good luck with this. I don't think you'd have any issues getting selected or completing OCS honestly. Experienced NCO's are invaluable as junior officers (in my opinion). I've been thinking of becoming an officer as well lately, but I'm waiting until I have a year left on my contract to start into that. I'm looking at Air Force or Navy (specifically the aviation communities). My only issues.....age waivers. I'd need them (especially as a pilot/NFO) and standardized testing (ASTB). I suck at testing.
EDIT:Just read your latest post. Sorry man.
josephd
08-26-15, 05:31 PM
Good luck with this. I don't think you'd have any issues getting selected or completing OCS honestly. Experienced NCO's are invaluable as junior officers (in my opinion). I've been thinking of becoming an officer as well lately, but I'm waiting until I have a year left on my contract to start into that. I'm looking at Air Force or Navy (specifically the aviation communities). My only issues.....age waivers. I'd need them (especially as a pilot/NFO) and standardized testing (ASTB). I suck at testing.
EDIT:Just read your latest post. Sorry man.
Thanks....I know I could get through it and become an exceptional officer. The problem is getting an OSO to start a package for me with a 2.6GPA, 24 on ACTs, and also needing waivers for tattoos(5) and age(31).....even with the "prior service" and "already being a Marine" status, I would be going to board against 22-25 year olds with 3.5+ GPA's, 25+ ACTs, 290+ PFT, etc...