View Full Version : Questions about the Corps
Hello guys/gals
I'm going to be joining the Marines in february. I have a couple of questions.
First is: can you just quit in boot camp? This is the way it seems, reading some literature.
Second is: Is the Corps having a hard time recruiting? Any enlistment bonus (like the Army)
Third is: How hard is it to become an MP?
Forth: How are the living quarters (after boot).
The reason I ask these questions is because I'm kind of in the dark about the Corps, but all I do know is I will do ANYTHING to get that Eagle, Globe, and Anchor and the title of U.S. Marine!!!!!!:usmc:
I'm sure you could quit boot camp if you wanted too, or if you got hurt or something of that nature...BUT, then again you would have to live with that decision for the rest of your Life (that's long time)
I remember when I stepped on those yellow footprints and had a bunch Bulldogs yelling at me and belittling me and telling me things that I wasn't particularly found of at the time (lol). I was thinking so many Men and Women have done this before myself (why wouldn't I be able too do this). Personally, I think that all your questions are relevent to your decision in joining the Corps, but your first question is probably the most important!
Get that crap out of your head NO... you cannot just quit it's not an option...
Geez...
There is no better friend...
and No worse enemy than a United States Marine.
STA0311
09-01-06, 11:13 PM
I think that if you have the idea that you may be interested in quitting in Boot Camp, then you might want to not waste yours or the Corps' time and go ahead and look into those Army bonuses.
MP means that you have to be a certain age if I recall...and I think that it is 19 years old. And no as an MP you wont be driving a patrol car around kicking doors and making arrests...you will likely be a Field MP. And you can guess what your "living conditions" will be like in the field!
JNB,
You have asked some pretty important questions, some of which many people have wanted answers to before they committed to joining the Corps. My advice to you would be to talk to a Marine Corps Recruiter and pose your questions to him/her. They will have all of the current information available to them to try and answer them for you.
Old Marine
09-02-06, 09:14 AM
There is not a word such as QUIT in the Marine Corps vocabulary.
jinelson
09-02-06, 09:39 AM
Welcome aboard Leatherneck Wannabe the answers to your questions may be found here.
JIm
His_angel
09-02-06, 12:46 PM
Quit boot? The thought never occurred to me. I think there is something called "failure to adapt" that you can be discharged for. Though that would certainly follow you around the rest of your...
Marine84
09-02-06, 04:53 PM
AMEN SISTA!
If you ain't got the Honor and the Courage to make the Commitment ................
Redfern334
09-02-06, 07:42 PM
Quit boot camp????? you think this is the army?..No you cannot quit boot camp unless you get a less then honorable discharge. that WILL follow you for the rest of your life son.You apply for a job...
I would not think about quiting boot camp, like I said it seemed like you could because of phrases like these "those who remain" , "you won't make it off this island a marine". I think my questions where taken a little out of context.
Let me be more clear,
I asked about quitting because of the phrases I keep hearing, and to me quitting after you make a commitment is unheard of.
As far as living "quarters" I ask simply because I don't know. I meant do you live in dorms or more like a barracks setting, and will my wife be able to join me.
I asked about recruiting because of the bull**** I keep hearing from the news and other people who know nothing about it. So I figured I would ask MARINES!
and finally the MP question. I ask this question because I don't really know what I could do in the Corp, so Im trying to gain some insight.
Boy all you have to do in mention quit on leatherneck.com and you get yelled at:evilgrin: . Hot damn I love those MARINES.
I hope I have made myself more clear and will try to be more clear in all of my future post!
Your right, it's a commitment.
and your doing what your supposed to be doing before you make that commitment, researching. I don't think your wife can join you in the barracks and she may not want too, but if your married just look into everything the recruiters tell you.
The MP question, I think you should be able to get that M.O.S. depending on your score in the ASVAB, definetly check that out I'm pretty sure you'll be able to designate your self as an MP.
Good luck buddy
their is No Better Friend...
and No worse enemy than a United States Marine.
Marine84
09-03-06, 01:19 PM
You have learned your first lesson Grasshopper - be specific. A lot of us can't read between the lines (because of our vision) and we can't read minds anymore because it's too much work for what brains we do have left to do it. Be specific.
And lesson #2 - since we know very little about you just yet, you will be questioned................don't take anything personally and you better not bow up at anybody that doesn't tell you what you want to hear. I suggest you take a minute (if you haven't already) and read the first 2 or 3 threads in this forum - follow the rules, nobody gets their feelings hurt.
A few to start you off with.....................why the Corps for you? Why a wife? What is your vision of what an MP does in the Corps? What makes you think you can do it?
(Where did I set my beer?)
You have learned your first lesson Grasshopper - be specific. A lot of us can't read between the lines (because of our vision) and we can't read minds anymore because it's too much work for what brains we do have left to do it. Be specific.
And lesson #2 - since we know very little about you just yet, you will be questioned................don't take anything personally and you better not bow up at anybody that doesn't tell you what you want to hear. I suggest you take a minute (if you haven't already) and read the first 2 or 3 threads in this forum - follow the rules, nobody gets their feelings hurt.
A few to start you off with.....................why the Corps for you? Why a wife? What is your vision of what an MP does in the Corps? What makes you think you can do it?
(Where did I set my beer?)
Well I like that you will question me.
So, to answer your questions.
Why the Corps for me. simply put, because I want to be on of the best. I want to be among kindred spirits. My grandfather was a Marine and he was GOD in my eyes because of that.
Why a Wife? Because I'm already married with a child. I'm 21 years old and I was lucky enough to find a wonderful woman, and a great mother.
My vision of MPs? This I'm not to sure about, but I'm pretty sure it isn't what recruiters make it sound like.
What makes me think I can do it? I don't THINK I can do it, I KNOW I can do it. I am a very dedicated, and motivated person. I will NOT give up no matter what the sacrifice.
Where is your beer? I think you sat it on the table!:D
I hope I have answered all your questions and you have a better idea of where I'm coming from, as I see where all of you are coming from.
Echo_Four_Bravo
09-03-06, 11:31 PM
OK, time to get down to business.
The reason many people show up at boot camp and don't become Marines isn't because they quit, it is because the Marine Corps decided they don't have what it takes or they got hurt. People can, and do, "quit" but it isn't like quitting a normal job. It involves MPs coming and taking you away in handcuffs and then you waiting around in a seperation platoon for a while before they decide to let you go home.
Living conditions on a typical base are two people to a room, sometimes you share the head (bath room) with those in the room next to you. The newer the barracks, the more like an apartment it will be. They are always making things better, but it takes a long time to replace a barracks that is already in place.
The MPs I knew usually didn't like their job too much. There was the patrol aspect that was much like a regular police officer. But, they also spent a great deal of time at the gate letting people on base... and they never seemed to like that too much. As for the qualifications, it is about the same as being a regular police officer, except you can be younger. You'll have to pass the background/credit check and then make it through the MOS school... assuming you get the MP MOS. You could be a correctional person just as easily, and that is something else totally.
As for the bonuses, I am sure you can get one... if you're willing to take a job where there is a need. My recruiter set me up on a bonus plan, even though it isn't what I wanted. (Hey, it all worked out in the end.) The jobs that people usually want (MP, infantry, etc) probably won't have an MOS because they don't have to do anything to attract people to those jobs. Regardless, the money will be long gone before your enlistment is over, so you need to pick what will make you happy, not what will get you a few more dollars.
Marine84
09-04-06, 11:07 AM
Do you think your wife will be able to handle this life style? It takes A LOT to be able to do it without screwin' it up. You'll be gone a lot, you'll miss out on a lot of things that will happen in your child's life - can YOU handle that?, it will surely strain a marriage - some make it, some don't - either way, it takes a lot of attention away from what you need to concentrate on as a Marine especially these days, if you were to get sent to Iraq (or anywhere else) you would end up dead or being the cause of somebody's death if you couldn't keep your mind on what you were doing. Can the both of you handle it?
If so, great, by all means, go for it. If you hesitate in the least little bit, stay at home, be a husband and a father, join your local Police Department and call it a day. There's nothing wrong with that.
What does she think about your wanting to do this?
His_angel
09-04-06, 01:40 PM
From what I remember ...
No. Wives do not live in barracks. Married Marines usually got paid to live off base. Or if there was availability then they would live in base housing with spouse.
Spouses do not get to go on deployments. Our deployments were usually 6 months at a time. Though I think I heard dep times have been extended due to the conflicts and actions that everyone is currently involved in. I remember when I was in Bahrain that some of the MP's I had met in Yuma were guarding the gate to the air base in Bahrain.
Marines can be sent for a year of duty oversea's unaccompanied. {Meaning spouse and kids stay stateside.} Or they can go oversea's for 3 years taking family in tow. That does not include duties like going to Iraq or another hot area for deployment. Are you and your wife prepared for the reality of being seperated for a year or more at a time?
Marines do manage to do it. Many are Marines first then get married and already have this knowledge. It can be a strain on a marriage. One spouse gets use to running the house, taking care of the kids, and doing everything while the Marine is deployed or away. Then there's an adjustment period when the Marine returns. It is possible as some do manage to keep marriages in tact.
We usually had 2 - 3 to a room in our barracks. Sometimes when on deployments we'd have as many as 4. If I remember correctly we had 16 women in one tent in Bahrain. Most of us working different schedules. Your tent mates or roommates may have a different schedule{s} than yourself. So there's the possibility that when you're off and just want to watch some tv that your roommate is sleeping and you can't make much noise. You may or may not get to pick your roommate. If it's someone you don't like you still have to get along with them.
Bottom line is this: No one can tell you what it will be like. There are too many variations and possibilities. And how one person percieves or remembers something can be entirely different than what another person experiences. Best of luck to you in making your decision.
Echo_Four_Bravo
09-04-06, 04:28 PM
I missed the part where he said he was married, so ignore what I said about living conditions. You may be able to get base housing, that is a basic place to live with your wife and kids if you have them, or you can choose to get a little more money and live off base. Either way, you have one less headache to deal with.
To answer the question can my marrage handle the stress that being a Marine can bring.
Yes I belive my marrage can handle it. My wife is very supportive of my decision to be a Marine, and we have spent long times away from each other. I also know where my head needs to be at and have spent many many hours getting ready for this commintment.
Marine84
09-04-06, 08:57 PM
And how long a period of time have you spent away from her? A week or 2? Try a year and get back with us - a LOT can happen in that year.
But why the Corps? Other than you want to be one of the best? Do you think it's going to solve financial problems? What do you hope to gain from joining?
And how long a period of time have you spent away from her? A week or 2? Try a year and get back with us - a LOT can happen in that year.
But why the Corps? Other than you want to be one of the best? Do you think it's going to solve financial problems? What do you hope to gain from joining?
I work for telephone companies doing disaster repair. I spent 10 months away from my family missing christmas, b-days so I know what time away feels like. After Katrina distroyed the south I spent ALOT of time away from home.
As far as why I want to join the Marines;
I would not gain anything financial from joining, I make more money now. I would like to gain some experiance, self-disipline. I also want to do my part to earn my freedom and my familys freedom. Like they say freedom is not free, so I want to earn it like thousands did before me. I am proud to be an American and I will fight to keep America safe.
Marine84
09-06-06, 06:06 PM
Correct answer Grasshopper - THAT is what I was pushing for. It will be hard since you're married but, if the 2 of you think you can handle it - go for it! THRIVE!
Correct answer Grasshopper - THAT is what I was pushing for. It will be hard since you're married but, if the 2 of you think you can handle it - go for it! THRIVE!
:D