Officer or Enlisted

[megadeth701]

I need some advice. Currently I am a sophmore at Florida State University and since I can remember I have always wanted to be a Marine. Basically the only reason I am in college is because my father has served 30 years enlisted in the Navy and was hellbent that I was going to college unlike him. This past summer I went to OCS and I broke my foot on a 9 mi hump with two weeks till grad. but have no idea how as I was in good shape. I developed a stress fracture on the sixth mile around 0300 but didn't let anyone examine it until 1800 medical call. I kept going finishing the hump, Fireteam in the O, and Leadership Reaction Course. Currently I am getting my package ready to go back this summer but in the back of my mind I keep asking myself if I should go officer or enlisted. For some reason I have this preconcieved notion that officers at some point in their career become desk jockeys. I would like to put in at least 20 years but i am not the person you can shackle to a desk all day. I like to be a part of the action. I like to do whatever it is that needs to be done instead of telling people to do it for me. I fear that at some time, if I was to go officer, I would become to "important" and not be allowed to see action. I would really like to hear back from some Marines in the higher enlisted ranks and officers. Sorry this is so long and thanks for reading.

[bigalholmes165]

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megadeth701, check around this forum. There are some interesting threads AND answers to the question you just posed.

FYI - Let me be the 1st to say that I, and I believe there are some other older pharts, that appreciate your proper spelling and punctuation.

FYI-2, I reside in a little town just up the road from you on Hwy 27 North in Georgia.

Anyhoo, my take on your question - Go with your heart, you won't become a 'desk jockey', just because you go into the officer ranks. From E-5 and above, you WILL be expected to do some 'office stuff', even more so the higher in the snuffy ranks you go.


AND, welcome aboard!!

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[dscusmc]

I agree with bigalholmes, your career is going to be what you make of it. The needs of the Marine Corps will always dicate where you go, but there are going to be opportunities for you to stay away from purely office work no matter which career track you choose (enlisted or officer). Regardless of which one you choose, eventually you are going to find yourself in a "B-billet" temporarily doing something you may or may not enjoy doing (but you'll do it well).

Too many younger candidates, poolees, and even Marines seem convinced that senior enlisted Marines and officers are inevitably destined for a career of pushing papers and flying desks. My advice is to get over that idea. You'll have your share of office stuff, but in the Marine Corps, if you aren't "seeing action" or deploying, its your own fault. You'll have opportunities to deploy in almost EVERY fleet MOS, with a few rare exceptions.

On the same token, you mentioned that you like getting things done instead of telling people to do it for you. You've been to OCS, so you know the importance of delegating tasks. The best officers and senior enlisted Marines I worked for earned my respect because they had 100% confidence in me to get stuff done. Nevertheless, when they saw their Marines working hard, they were the first ones to take their blouse off and pitch in and help. I don't know many officers and enlisted Marines that were ever forced to be shackled to a desk. They got their administrative work done efficiently. I'll keep saying it, if you are shackled to a desk at any point in your Marine Corps career, its because that's where you want to be, OR, because you are currently holding a billet that necessitates desk work while you are waiting to get back out to the fleet or a command billet.

My degree was in history with a concentration in Colonial American history. So I'll point out that George Washington said that "its the actions, and not the commission, that make the Officer [or NCO]- and that there is more expected from him than the Title."

You also said that you don't want to become "too imporant." I understand what you are saying, but remember, ALL Marines and ALL MOS's are important. One of my favorite books is "Once a Marine: The Memoirs of General Vandegrift." His memoirs start off with him standing on the deck of the USS McCawley in the pitch black the night before the Battle of Guadalcanal. A sergeant asked him what he was doing out there and the General replied, "I am just egotistical enough to believe that the Landing Force would be better off with than without me." Get over the notion of becoming "too important."

When I was enlisted, I knew plenty of enlisted Marines that had college degrees and EASILY could have gone officer, or done whatever they wanted. They chose the enlisted path for various reasons: they enjoined small-unit leadership, working with junior Marines, family tradition, and various other personal reasons. (Plus, personally, I think the enlisted dress blues look better.) Three of the smartest people I ever met in the Marine Corps were corporals. All three had college degrees.

Similarly, if you choose the officer career path, you'll have the same opportunities to deploy and "see action." If you don't, its not the Marine Corps' fault. There's also no reason why you can't do both and go the Mustang route.

Anyways, I wrote entirely too much, so that's my $0.02, I better get off the soapbox. Good luck! PM if you have any questions.

[LittleDevilDog]

Very good questions, and VERY good answers so far. I'll be watching this thread close.

Thanks.

[yellowwing]

dscusmc:
Good luck! PM if you have any questions.
Take the LT upon his offer. Get back to the essence of becoming and Officer.

[megadeth701]

Thanks sir. I too am a history major but I am also thinking about double majoring in criminal justice. I really appreciate your insight and at least with a college degree I'll be able to choose.

[dscusmc]

No problem, you've got the same concerns that many motivated candiates have.

I had some of the best times of my life when I was enlisted. There's going to enlisted Marines that have a bad attitude about their experiences in the Marine Corps b/c they think they are smarter than everyone else. They don't go far in the Marines.

You sound like you've got the right attitude. I wanted to suggest making the decision to go enlisted for the right reasons. Some good reasons to prefer the enlisted route over the officer route might include:

-Enjoyment of small-unit leadership. (Eventually officers are going to advance beyond small-unit leadership.)

-The experience and perspective of being enlisted. (I know one Marine that had the option of receiving his commission before he went to Iraq with his unit. Instead, last I heard, he chose to go to Iraq as a Lance Corporal (machine gunner). He believed that his unit needed him as a machine gunner and it would be a good experience for him as an officer to have that combat experience as a lance corporal. That Marine is good-to-go in my book.

-You want to go the mustang route. You have a plan for your career. I don't know many enlisted Marines that were thinking that far ahead. But, there were a few.

-Family tradition, or in your case, respect for your father is a great reason to seriously weigh your options and get that degree.

-I might even suggest MOS guarantee. (That might sound sacriligous, b/c we all agree that the needs of the Marine Corps are most important, but if you REALLY want a certain MOS, then you MIGHT go enlisted.)

Worrying about not seeing any action or driving a desk shouldn't be a show-stopper in the Marine Corps. Semper Fi, keep us posted on what you decide.

[Shadowman777]

I need some advice. Currently I am getting my package ready to go back this summer but in the back of my mind I keep asking myself if I should go officer or enlisted.

Let's see - your choices are 1) enlisted, or 2) officer (God status).

Call me silly, but go with the God-thing!

Steve