Age at boot camp

[mississippiboy]

How old is everyone going through boot and how old were some of you that have already been there. I am just interested in how many of you joined at an older age rather than out of high school. I am 25 now. Have tried to get in for 8 years, but knee surgery caused me a lot of headache going through MEPS. 5 trips and a few waivers later and now I leave October 18.

[Super Dave]

I hit MCRD 20 days after I turned 18.

[DSchmitke]

Was 19 yrs old.

[Eric Robinson]

I turn 18 tomorrow June 16th and i am supposed to leave for boot camp June 21st.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Turned 20 less than a month before I shipped. Oldest in my platoon was 29 (former Army NCO) and the youngest was 17.

[mississippiboy]

I kind of figure I will be one of the older recruits to go into boot camp. I will most definately be more motivated than I would have at 18 because of leaving a good job for something that I feel has a greater purpose and because I have a family to support. I look at it as taking a great new job and boot camp is just the training I have to go through to earn this job.

[HardJedi]

I had been 18 for two months. oldest in my platoon was 32 at boot camp. ( former navy)


You get mostly kids during the summer months, and older guy's in the winter

[Sgted]

I stepped on the yellow footprints 5 months after my 18th.
Best move in my life.

[devildog21345]

1962 I was 17 turned 18 in sept.

[Toby M]

18 in bootcamp, 19 in 'Nam and had long been out by 25...

[david43844]

April 1966 I was 17

[marinemom]

Missisippiboy - do not sweat the age - my son was 24 when he hit the Island - he make all the physical requirements, helped the younger guys with the history and only had one problem - the kids nicknamed him "Pappy" and he was not pleased at having that yelled at him at the range while at Fuji.

Only difference your age will make is in your head - and if your head says "Marine", the rest will follow.

[2091351]

21 years and 8 days.

[mississippiboy]

I am not too concerned by my age just wanted to get a generalization of the different ages of the guys that may be in my platoon. Looking forward to getting to PI and earning the title. I was told by my brother, who went through boot in 86' sadly to the Army, that I would probably be considered an "old man" by the younger guys there. I just consider that a challenge to me to put forth that extra 10% and we will see if they can keep up with me then. I may not be 18 any more, but I feel I can still put out as much will and desire as anybody out there. We will know soon enough.

[WillManning]

Graduated with a 30 year old in 95...

[snipowsky]

I was 18...but turned 19 five days before I graduated! And what a memorable day that was! Nothing like being thrashed on the quarterdeck for hours on end for your birthday! And while I was being thrashed by my SDI on the quarterdeck, my whole platoon was singing me happy birthday over and over again while playing all kinds of DI games! Scuzbrush the bulkhead anyone? lol

SEMPER FI

[cjwright90]

Only difference your age will make is in your head - and if your head says "Marine", the rest will follow.

Well said, Mom.

I turned 18, June 18, and December 17th, I went to the Island.

[ftrmarinemp]

im 18 now, ship to PI Sept 6 and its a good thing too, i got the MP field and you have to be 19 before the completion of your mos school at Ft Leonard Wood

[HardJedi]

Ft Leonard Wood? what a crap hole that place is. you're gonna really like THAT place! LOL

[radio relay]

We had a 23 year old "Old Man", in our platoon, in '68. He was a Canadian, too, which was strange to me, because Canada had the rep for sucking scum bag draft dodgers in, and welcoming them with open arms.

BTW, I was 19. Had many 17 year olds in Pltn 2006, too.

SF:marine:

[Seeley]

I'm going to turn 18 on 070804 which should be during grass week for me!

[LcplStud]

anybody goin to Ft. Leonardwood, haha, be sure to say hi for me at Big Daddy's, Big Louis, oh yah not to mention Daisies "health spa"! Good times there with the Army pukes gettin in fights with them. gotta love leonardwood

[MillRatUSMC]

I was 17 years and 5 months old when I hit the yellow footprints in MCRD SD.
The year was 1957...I could run like a deer than, now I more like fast moving turtle after three knee surgeries.
That was than,
Old Man is now...but isn't age more in the mind?
Physical aging compared to mental aging...
It's all a mind thing...

Semper Fidelis/Semper Fi
Ricardo

[AlexFowler]

Haven't signed on the dotted line yet, but I'll most likely be heading to PI on 21 May 05...2 months, 13 days after my 21st (the hangover should wear off by then ;))

[ImAPuke]

I was 20 when I arrived on Parris Island

[stemperfi]

Enlisted on my 17th birthday, and shipped 29 days later. OOHRAH!!

[LivinSoFree]

I was 19, my rackmate was 28, and the oldest guy was 30, the youngest was 17. Of those, not a single one of the guides or squad leaders we had since forming day 1 were over the age of 19... says something about maturity vs. age, doesn't it?

[hrscowboy]

17 1/2 in bootcamp in 1969 and was 18 in November in vietnam

[jinelson]

I was 18 and and 11 days when I stood on the yellow footsteps at MCRDSD on 27 NOV 1967

[quakerboy74]

Arrived at P.I. as a 19 year old boy in December '93 and graduated a Marine on 04 March '94.

Semper Fi.

[rsta]

I'm a little curious, what MOS school is located at Ft. Leonardwood?

[cjdoyle]

Motor Transport,Military Police, NBC, Heavy Equipment Opporators
not sure about any others
Sgt D
:banana:

[Echo5]

19 1/2. The oldest in the PLT was 24. We had a sister platoon w/ a 30yo, but he "refused to train" after a couple of weeks. He sat on his footlocker polishing his boots while all the DI's took turns yelling at him. He didn't move until they told him to pack.

[HardJedi]

Originally posted by rsta
I'm a little curious, what MOS school is located at Ft. Leonardwood?


combat engineers do alot of training there also

[boodrowusmc]

I just graduated Sept 10th, I'm 28, and I can say that there are things that are alot tougher for the older recruits and some things that are easier. I just earned the title and I can tell you that all throughout boot camp, this 28 year old had to put up with ALOT more crap from the DI's than most of the younger recruits. I pushed through it all, I was a scribe, shot 1 point below the company shooter, and made meritorious PFC for "Most Improved". Not too shabby for the "Old Man". :cool:

[mucho]

i graduated boot camp before my 18th birthday... turned 18 at my mos school

[GySgtRet]

I was 21 when I arrived at Parris Island in 1973.