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Hockeyrebel7
12-04-16, 10:37 PM
Hello,
I was just curious. I originally joined this site back when I was in high school. I talked to my parents about joining then, but stayed in college in finished. I am now 24 and I have been teaching for 2 years now and I hate what I'm doing. I still have the desire to serve, and I started talking to my recruiter. I ended up deciding that this is what I want to do, and I have started the process for my first MEPS visit and to take the ASVAB. I'm just having some second thoughts and wondering if this is what I really want to do. I understand this is a big change, and the unknown is probably what's really got me thinking. I'm just wondering is this normal for everyone? Please any help or words of encouragement would be welcome. Thank you.

Tennessee Top
12-04-16, 11:08 PM
No. Not normal for everyone. I joined right out of highschool, and knew this was exactly what I wanted to do (couldn't know I would stay in for 22.6 years and make a career out of it). Was nervous...

Tennessee Top
12-04-16, 11:18 PM
The average age of a DI is 26 years-old. You WILL be treated just like this:http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/rvanclea/USMC/c8dc44d8-8e2f-46c3-ba31-fd4e118e35ce.jpg (http://s238.photobucket.com/user/rvanclea/media/USMC/c8dc44d8-8e2f-46c3-ba31-fd4e118e35ce.jpg.html)

Tennessee Top
12-04-16, 11:28 PM
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/rvanclea/USMC/images_10.jpeg (http://s238.photobucket.com/user/rvanclea/media/USMC/images_10.jpeg.html)

Tennessee Top
12-04-16, 11:33 PM
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff166/rvanclea/USMC/460f08a0-5a2f-4f63-8754-aefb49be2348.jpg (http://s238.photobucket.com/user/rvanclea/media/USMC/460f08a0-5a2f-4f63-8754-aefb49be2348.jpg.html)

madinfidel
12-05-16, 06:30 AM
You are going to have to want this more than anything in the World if you even hope to succeed. IF you don't, you are in for a very rude awakening.

Hockeyrebel7
12-05-16, 09:29 AM
It's not that I don't want it. I was just saying I mean I do have thoughts of is this the right decision, and I'm still committed. I was just wondering if anyone else all these thoughts before too?

03GyRene
12-07-16, 02:44 PM
Ok, so I am curious too. What is it about the Marine Corps that interests you? Assuming you want to earn the title, WHY do you want to be a Marine?

Hockeyrebel7
12-07-16, 06:59 PM
I want to join the Marines because growing up I always thought about joining the military and when I did, it was always the Marines. The Marines are just the one that I'm always drawn too. I know studying history and loving World War 2, I was always drawn to what the Marines did in the Pacific Theater. I also want to be try and go for embassy guard and I know that's Marines. However that thought was after I was looking into the military, and more specifically the Marines.

Kegler300
12-07-16, 07:23 PM
No second thoughts here ... I wanted to move out of my parent's house and be my own boss. 31051

Served 30 years ...

Hockeyrebel7
12-07-16, 08:56 PM
I went and took the Picat today. Nerves are going away. I think it was just the shock at first of leaving my career and joining.

Tennessee Top
12-08-16, 01:39 PM
Picat?

Hammer
12-08-16, 02:46 PM
I knew from childhood that I would be a Marine. Never a thought of going into another branch of service. I wanted to be part of the best. I wanted to prove that I was man enough to part of the best military force in the world.

I new that the price for entrance into the Corps was high, and could cost me my life, but that the rewards was worth it. Several times in boot camp, I though that I didn't belong in the Marine Corps; that I belonged in a insane ward for joining the Marines.

It was the best thing that I ever did, and has remained so for fifty three(53) years. My only regret is that I got out before I retired.

I've been successful in my civilian life; but I've never been as happy and content as I was in he Mine Corps!

Hammer
12-08-16, 05:19 PM
So what is your doubts about the Marine Corps?

Erich08
12-08-16, 05:39 PM
I enlisted at 24, turned 25 a month later and then shipped to boot camp 5 months after that. I was in a similar situation to you. Becoming a Marine was something that was always in the back of my mind. So I took my ass down to the recruiters office and started the process. Now keep in mind that I wasn't a high school graduate at the time. Luckily I was able to go back and finish up my diploma. I was also over weight. At my heaviest I weighed in at 258 pounds. When I started talking to the recruiter I was around 225. I went to the poolee PT's twice a week and got in shape and eventually shipped at 185 if I remember correctly.

So I say all that to say this. I knew that I wanted to be a Marine and I busted my ass to even be able to go to boot camp. I knew for a fact that if I didn't join the Marine Corps that I was going to regret it for the rest of my life. I am not sure if I am going to re-enlist or not at this point, but at least I can look back some day and say that I did it and have no regrets. That is the question that YOU have to ask yourself. Don't look back one day and ask yourself "what if." I can't tell you how many stories I have heard from people who say they wish they would have done it when they had the chance. Don't be one of those people. And as Top stated earlier, most of your drill instructors will be around your age. Some of mine were. So if you do end up enlisting don't go to boot camp with a chip on your shoulder because you're roughly the same age. And when you hit the fleet and you have a 20 year old Corporal telling you what to do remember that you may have more experience outside of the Corps than they do, but they have more Marine Corps experience than you do.

Being nervous is normal. Honestly after the first 2-3 weeks at boot camp you just accept it and realize the fastest way out of it is to graduate. At least that's the way it was for me. Good luck.

Cpl Keller
12-09-16, 10:46 AM
Nobody else can decide if this is right for you or not. I knew at 17 i wanted to be a Marine, and shipped to boot camp 2 months after graduating high school. Yes, there was nervousness due to being away from home and "on my own" for the first time, but once we stepped off the bus at PI, there was no more time to worry about anything except following orders.

Best of luck whatever you decide.

crazymjb
12-11-16, 10:00 AM
Long time no post, but I'll pop in from time to time, especially when procrastinating on finals.

First of all, if you think you will regret it for the rest of your life, do it. If you hate your career, definitely go active duty, because the reserves won't be all that satisfying unless you are able to get a deployment in, which isn't the sure thing it once was. Finally, given your age and background, it's a tougher road but go officer. I used to be all about telling people to enlist first... and I think if you were 18 and were contemplating 4 years of college and OCS or enlisting, I'd say enlist, at least in the reserves, and then do OCS if you still want to down the road. At your age, with the degree, make OCS happen.

My background was a little over 6 years in the reserves and 1 pump to Afghanistan (you can probably still dig up my poolee posts from 2006ish around here) while I completed my degree in Biology. I got out before starting law school, and I'm now half way to becoming a lawyer. I'm planning on going back in at this point, but probably not USMC.

If you don't go officer and go the enlisted route, which I think will be a crappier path given your experience as an adult, I would say make sure you get the MOS you want. There is an attitude by some on this forum that you should just be happy to serve... that's true to an extent, but you can have it your way as well, and it's your life. As an officer your MOS selection would be based on merit... Plenty of my "selfish" friends and I selected the combat arms MOS's we wanted and did in my case one, in some of their cases 5-6-7 combat deployments.

best of luck, and feel free to PM me with any questions as I just stop by time to time. I'll try to check back between studying.

ETA: No idea how to change my Avatar, but I picked up Sergeant a few years back. Any mods who can fix that, would be much appreciated.

Mike

LordViper
12-25-16, 02:39 AM
When I joined the Marines, I was practically jumping on the recruiters desk, "make me a Marine!". "I want guarantee infantry!". "Do it Now!" I then joined the poolee club and was training every day. I would visit the recruiters office everyday after school just to look at his uniform, watch the videos and become immersed. I had zero hesitation! I fact I was so determined I could not hardly sleep for the nine months that I had to wait for boot camp. And when it came time to ship out, I was on the surf of a dream. There is only one reason for joining the Marines, you join because you cannot stay away. If you do not have those feeling, then I suggest trying something else.