Why did you join the Marines?

[SuNmAN]

Just would like to see why everyone joined. If the moderators allow it, I wouldn't mind to see a poolee post in this thread either.

I joined the Marines because I believed in America. I believed greatly that most of our military interventions, though self-serving to a certain degree, were also righteous, just and for the greater good of mankind.

I joined because I believed it would afford me an opportunity to make a difference and improve someone's life in the event that I was deployed.

I believe the character of "Sergeant Eversmann" in the movie "Black Hawk Down" is very similar to me.

What about you guys?

[Roogger]

I joined the Marines because I believed in America. I believed greatly that most of our military interventions, though self-serving to a certain degree, were also righteous, just and for the greater good of mankind.

I joined because I believed it would afford me an opportunity to make a difference and improve someone's life in the event that I was deployed.

What about you guys?

-In addition to that, because I believe every person is entitled to serve their country both in and out of its time of war.

-Because the Marines, fight first, fight hardest.

-Because the Marines do more for the country out of war, with relief aid and services like Toys for Tots.

-The Marines ARE what everyone should want to be like.

-Every generation from my great great grandfather to myself has had their father take them to the recruiting strip with the Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marines, and Navy recruiting offices, where they got told.. " Pick one", everyone picked Marines.

- And because after I made my choice, someone told me I couldn't make it.

[RLeon]

I don't know why, just did.
But I do remember the final time I took the ASVAB in high school.
All the branches' recruiters were there and the Marine stood out.
It was more than just the dress blues he was wearing wearing.
It was his bearing and professionalism. He had an air of superiority, and made the other recruiters look like slobs.
That stayed in my mind so when the recruiter made their rounds and got to me, it was the Marine that I identified with.
Dang, I just now realized I fell for the good 'ol Marine Corps marketing.
Man, I'm a sucker.
.
.
.
:D :marine:

[SuNmAN]

I remember when I was a Junior in High School...it was 2002

This gorgeous girl came to my locker and said: "wanna come take the ASVAB with me? We can skip Physics together !"

At the time the military was completely out of my mind...I only thought of college

and plus we kinda had a thing for eachother

so I went along

I score a 96

She scored a 74

lol

then 2 years later she went to the University of Illinois and I went to boot camp...and a year after that I joined her at the University of Illinois

[10thzodiac]

Seeing too many war movies, dress blues, teenage crush gone bust, father died when I was fourteen, to much testosterone, bad grades and plain ****** stupid. http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/tsmileys2/27.gif

SF
10thzhttp://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/tsmileys2/29.gif<O:p

[jinelson]

by 10thzodiac - to much testosterone, bad grades and plain ****** stupid.

Congratulations brother after all these years nothings changed.

Jim :D

[FistFu68]

:evilgrin: I LOVE TOO **** ALOT;AND THE MARINES WERE GETTING ALL THE PUSS!!!SEMPER~FIDELIS:usmc:

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

It is hard for me to pin down. I know that when I saw Full Metal Jacket with my dad (on opening day no less) that it had an impact on me. My mom said she always knew I would end up enlisting in the Marines. I was fiercely patriotic and always had to be the best and win at everything. When I was 11 or 12 I guess I got into an argument with my dad and told him that he was too chicken to serve his country so his opinion didn't matter to me. (Note, my parents were divorced and I only saw my dad two or three times a year.) I guess I was just born wanting to be a Marine.

[SuNmAN]

:evilgrin: I LOVE TOO **** ALOT;AND THE MARINES WERE GETTING ALL THE PUSS!!!SEMPER~FIDELIS:usmc:


I know some UGLY ass Marines who couldn't get any puss if it slapped them in the face

girls don't really care. It's a conversation starter and nothing more.

Girls won't even care if you're a Navy SEAL

[FistFu68]

:evilgrin: SONNY~BOY,THAT WOULDN'T BE THAT UGLY LITTLE GUY;YOU WERE KISSING IN THAT PIX? I KNOW HE AIN'T A (SEAL)!!!:D HAPPY~NEW YEAR!

[10thzodiac]

Congratulations brother after all these years nothings changed.

Jim :D

Like Schickelgruber, attacking Russia was a good idea at the time toohttp://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/tsmileys2/34.gif

SF
10thz http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/tsmileys2/22.gif

[The1stSgt]

I was born in 1946, the sixth of six kids, and there is an eleven year gap between #5 &amp; 6. So, technically speaking, &quot;I'm an accidental discharge&quot;. <br />
<br />
Two of my three older brothers are Marines. One...

[Zulu 36]

Why join the Marines? I'd guess family tradition would be the best lame excuse I have.

My father was a Marine (6th Marines Scout/Sniper @ Saipan/Tinian), his maternal uncle was a Marine (Captain, dive bomber pilot, KIA, Guadalcanal), paternal Grandfather (WWI, no combat).

Besides me (Vietnam) one of my younger brothers also served in the Corps (post-Vietnam) at MCLB Barstow and played softball for the West Coast team.


I have no regrets, glad I did it. Earned the t-shirt and got bragging rights.

[SuNmAN]

:evilgrin: SONNY~BOY,THAT WOULDN'T BE THAT UGLY LITTLE GUY;YOU WERE KISSING IN THAT PIX? I KNOW HE AIN'T A (SEAL)!!!:D HAPPY~NEW YEAR!


lol thats one of my buddies on the golf team here at the university of Illinois

don't worry I only like women lol

[DWG]

Eight years between my next sibling and myself-once remarked to my mother about being an &quot;unplanned&quot; dividend. She replied &quot;what makes you think we planned ANY of them?&quot;:banana:

[DWG]

lol thats one of my buddies on the golf team here at the university of Illinois

don't worry I only like women lol
I wondered the same thing on a different thread. At least it's golf and not lacrosse!;) Still; hmmmmm?

[SuNmAN]

I wondered the same thing on a different thread. At least it's golf and not lacrosse!;) Still; hmmmmm?

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a271/sunman01/bbhw7.jpg


Halloween 2006 lol

[10thzodiac]

I wondered the same thing on a different thread. At least it's golf and not lacrosse! Still; hmmmmm?

Tennis is where the women are, good-looking, horny and usually rich. My daughter works at a tennis club. She tells me those 'tennis pros' get more on accident than Marines get on purpose http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/tsmileys2/12.gif, plus they make like $60 bucks an hour when not providing stud service. The girls actually are jealous who gets to screw these guys.

Who said, tennis is for sissy's http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/tsmileys2/11.gif

SF
10thz http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mesg/tsmileys2/22.gif

[thrid generatio]

Why?? Great question. It all started on the 10 of November 1945 when the CO of USMCAF in Newport Ark had a son. His wife who was born at Quantico had to tell her father, Gen Hill USMC of the great news.
Needless to say over the different station in Guma, Japan, El Torro, and that funny shaped building-The Pentagon. The Corps is and was my home.
1963 I tryed to tell my family the coast guard looked good (Just Kidding).
The statement ...Once a Marine.ALWAYS A MARINE. So ture
Semper Fi
Thrid Generation

[DWG]

[quote=SuNmAN]http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a271/sunman01/bbhw7.jpg


Halloween 2006 lol[/quote
Now it's really; hmmmmmm?:scared:

[TazMatt]

I have no idea why I joined the Marine Corp.When I was in high school we had R.O.T.C. and was required to take it as one of my classes,I did I hated it and then one day I was downtown in Atl. with my mom and I told her I would be back in a few minutes and I walked in to the Navy-Marine recruiting office on Spring Street in August1969 and signed up for four years.As I was going in to the recruiters office another Marine asked what I was going for and I told him I didn't know I just wanted to join.He told me to ask for aviation guaruntee but I told him I just wanted to go in it didn't matter what I ended up in.As I found out I could count good so I ended up in supply. So to end this I guess you could say that I was crazy as hell and if you ask people who know me they say I still am.:banana: :yes: :usmc:

[SuNmAN]

I have no idea why I joined the Marine Corp.When I was in high school we had R.O.T.C. and was required to take it as one of my classes,I did I hated it and then one day I was downtown in Atl. with my mom and I told her I would be back in a few minutes and I walked in to the Navy-Marine recruiting office on Spring Street in August1969 and signed up for four years.As I was going in to the recruiters office another Marine asked what I was going for and I told him I didn't know I just wanted to join.He told me to ask for aviation guaruntee but I told him I just wanted to go in it didn't matter what I ended up in.As I found out I could count good so I ended up in supply. So to end this I guess you could say that I was crazy as hell and if you ask people who know me they say I still am.:banana: :yes: :usmc:


should've taken the aviation instead of boring supply lol

[iamcloudlander]

Two weeks out of high school I received my draft notice,
not wanting to be in the military at all I tried to get out of it but draft board said NO. So I hot footed to the USAF recruiters and spent a week taking the IQ tests and filling out forms. I was given a four year intinerary and I accepted it gladly----BUT--- was told there was an eight month waiting list and I would have to wait. Thinking this was good enough to get me out of the draft I returned to the draft board and was again told NO. Returning once again to the USAF recruiter he said he could not help me and suggested I talk to the Marine recruiter as they offered the aviation quarantee program to which I promptly answered "I don't think I would make it in the Marines as they are to tough", but he assured me I could. So I did in fact go see the Marine recruiter who was a Master Gunnery Sgt, he was huge and towered over me and I was just a little nervous but he was the nicest man I had ever met.
That afternoon he put me on a bus to LA to go to the AFEES center. I passed all the physical and mental tests and was sworn in the next afternoon. I had to return home to finish the paperwork and a week later returned to the
AFEES center and given my orders to MCRD SD where I arrived July 2,1965 and started my life as a Marine.
I didn't think I could do it but with the outstanding help from my Drill Instructors I did and have never regreted the decision to be a Marine.

[recon532002]

To get away from My Old Man who was telling me I was a loser. I met 3 Drill Instructors Just Like Him. Guess My Thought Process was all screwed up. The only differance was they made me a Winner. Semper Fi
RECON:marine:

[Sgt Leprechaun]

God, that is one GAY picture LOL.

I was originally on DEP for Airborne/Ranger option back in 82. Yeah, yeah, was gonna be a doggie and all that. Beret and everything.

Then one day, the USMC recruiter sees me at the RS, asks "Why in the world are YOU going in the Army?"
My response:
"Cause I wanna be part of an elite unit!"

His response:

"Son, ALL of the Marine Corps is an elite unit!!!"


I went USMC DEP 0311 on 8 Jan 1982 LOL. Boy, was that Army recruiter ****ed!!!!!

[SuNmAN]

God, that is one GAY picture LOL.

I was originally on DEP for Airborne/Ranger option back in 82. Yeah, yeah, was gonna be a doggie and all that. Beret and everything.

Then one day, the USMC recruiter sees me at the RS, asks "Why in the world are YOU going in the Army?"
My response:
"Cause I wanna be part of an elite unit!"

His response:

"Son, ALL of the Marine Corps is an elite unit!!!"


I went USMC DEP 0311 on 8 Jan 1982 LOL. Boy, was that Army recruiter ****ed!!!!!

lol I kinda want the Ranger tab

how cool is that

maybe its part of Black Hawk Down being an awesome movie

lol trust me I've got waaaaay gayer pictures than that

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Ya can't wear the Ranger tab on USMC uniform.....which is also why when I had the choice of Ranger school or Airborne, I took Airborne! LOL

[Sgt Leprechaun]

lol trust me I've got waaaaay gayer pictures than that

Lets..........not..................go............. ....there.:scared:

[davecerami275]

i had an appointment with the navy recruiter, my father and brother were navy. showed up on time for my appointment with the navy recruiter and he was a no- show. while waiting for him to show up Gunnery Sergeant Harn talks me into his office, does his job and signs me up. the navy dropped the ball on this one. no regrets ever since.

[KawiGunny]

Seems like a lot of people joined our Corps for the same reason. You hear a lot of people say they joined because they wanted to serve their country, they joined because they wanted to go to war..... all sorts of reasons. Well I joined because I grew up a country boy in Arkansas and I loved to shoot guns. Used to go out in the yard and shot any gun I wanted and didn't have to worry about hitting any other houses. I grew up hunting and being in the outdoors. My hobbie of shooting kept getting bigger and bigger, which cost more and more. So, one day I decided that if I wanted to keep shooting as much as I wanted then I needed to do something about it. So I joined the Corps and went into the infantry. I figured I could get paid to shoot someone else's weapons and ammo. After almost 21 years of shooting someone else's weapons and ammo, I still feel the same. I love being in the infantry and with todays OpTempo..... get plenty of oppertunities to shoot. Added bonus of being in the infantry was getting to travel around the world and see things that people back home only get to see in a book or on TV.

Reguardless of why you joined the Corps, I hope you all have enjoyed your time in as much as I have. I love the Corps, not necessarily everyone in it, but the Corps has been good to me and I feel I have been good for it. My last PltCmdr I had in Iraq said I was like Gunny Highway.....should be kept in a glass case with a sign saying "break in case of war". Semper Fidelis Marines.

[davy42055]

Since my dad was in the Corp in WWII and i was going to get drafted (Summer of '65) thought what the heck..besides one of my best friends who had already descided to join bet me $5 bucks i wouldent...well you know....I lost. Went for 4 years to try to get some trade which I did..went to Hydrulics school in tenn and worked on F4 Phantoms for almost 4 years.

[jinelson]

by davy42055 - went to Hydrulics school in tenn and worked on F4 Phantoms for almost 4 years.

Dang Davy that would'nt been at NAS Millington would it? Man Memphis was good duty and libo, sheesh not to far from MS and I was old enough to drink. Geez lockers in Memphis to stuff our UD's in and stash our civies, vampire libo and those southern chicks good times OORAH!!!

Jim

[greensideout]

Dang Davy that would'nt been at NAS Millington would it? Man Memphis was good duty and libo, sheesh not to far from MS and I was old enough to drink. Geez lockers in Memphis to stuff our UD's in and stash our civies, vampire libo and those southern chicks good times OORAH!!!

Jim


The lockers in Memphis---lol. How well we remember! No civies on board a Naval Base at that time, same as a ship. The USO there was Great! Southern Belles to dance with. "Ya all come back now". Those were the days! :marine:

[Since1775]

I joined the Corps to be a Marine.
And I earned the title.

http://www.since1775.com/images/sinceprofile.jpg

[iamcloudlander]

I don't understand the off base lockers you are talking about. I was in Memphis (NAS Millington)and was in barracks (after receiving) S-20 and we had civvies in our wall lockers and wore them after class to the Four Seasons Club on base and on liberty off base. The only time we had to wear our dress uniforms was for evening chow and chow on the weekends.
I arrived Thanksgiving Day 1965 and had to wait until the following Monday to check in. We had to wear Class A Greens with overcoat,green scarf,and gloves (required) because it was freezing that day ice everwhere.
The ones in recieving barracks had to build many many of the gray wall lockers and put them in empty barracks as more troops were expected very shortly we were told. We also got the honor of building a the stables and exercise place for the officers kids to ride their horses of course we could not utilize these facitilies.
Davy 42055 you were right behind me in hyd school,which squadron did you go to to work on phantoms? I to am a phantom mech.

[davy42055]

Dang Davy that would'nt been at NAS Millington would it? Man Memphis was good duty and libo, sheesh not to far from MS and I was old enough to drink. Geez lockers in Memphis to stuff our UD's in and stash our civies, vampire libo and those southern chicks good times OORAH!!!

Jim

Yes sir it would be. had a great time while i was there.

[davy42055]

I don't understand the off base lockers you are talking about. I was in Memphis (NAS Millington)and was in barracks (after receiving) S-20 and we had civvies in our wall lockers and wore them after class to the Four Seasons Club on base and on liberty off base. The only time we had to wear our dress uniforms was for evening chow and chow on the weekends.
I arrived Thanksgiving Day 1965 and had to wait until the following Monday to check in. We had to wear Class A Greens with overcoat,green scarf,and gloves (required) because it was freezing that day ice everwhere.
The ones in recieving barracks had to build many many of the gray wall lockers and put them in empty barracks as more troops were expected very shortly we were told. We also got the honor of building a the stables and exercise place for the officers kids to ride their horses of course we could not utilize these facitilies.
Davy 42055 you were right behind me in hyd school,which squadron did you go to to work on phantoms? I to am a phantom mech.

I went to ElToro CA to VMFA-122 Was with 122 from about aug'66 to aug'68. Went over seas with them in Sept'67.

[The1stSgt]

davy42055,

I was stationed at MCAS, El Toro, CA, with VMFA-334, from OCT 66 to OCT 67. I remember when 122 left for the RVN. 334 transitioned from old F8-D Crusaders to brand new F4-J's, flown directly from the factory at St. Louis, MO. I was a power plants and fuel systems mech (6024) from then on.

I joined 122 in Iwakuni in late '68 and went back in country with them (Chu Lai) in '69.

[dubltrbl]

I joined as a junior in high school in 1973. My father gave me a choice; Army, Navy or Marines. I was sort of a bad kid at the time; did not want to go to school and did not want to work. I regret...

[davy42055]

davy42055,

I was stationed at MCAS, El Toro, CA, with VMFA-334, from OCT 66 to OCT 67. I remember when 122 left for the RVN. 334 transitioned from old F8-D Crusaders to brand new F4-J's, flown directly from the factory at St. Louis, MO. I was a power plants and fuel systems mech (6024) from then on.

I joined 122 in Iwakuni in late '68 and went back in country with them (Chu Lai) in '69.

Hey..i transfered out of 122 awhile before they left for Japan. Was saving all my BIG..HAHAHA bucks for a car so didnt want to loose the bucks. Myself and others like electricians other hyd mech and a couple engine mech from the local motor pool formed new unit to work on the tow motors for moving the A/C around the flight line. It was getting hard to move A/C with jeeps ..sats loader and the likes.

[aang]

Why I joined the marines huh?.... well funny thing My grandfather was a Marine Corps cook 1st Mar Div WW2 and my father was combat intelligence 6th Marines Vietnam Era. Who was I to stop the streak? Best decision I ever made. It made me closer to my father than I had ever been before. Here's to you old man! You may be 63 but your still a Sgt. of Marines class of 66'

[drumcorpssnare]

aang- My reason was similar to yours...only add on two more generations of US Marines! My great-great grandfather tried to join the Army at the outbreak of the Civil War. They turned him down. (Don't know why) He walked 35 miles to the nearest Marine recruiter and enlisted.
His son served with the Corps during the Phillipine Insurrection ?1899?
His son, was a field music bugler in 1918. (My grandfather)
His son, my dad, joined in 1948. He retired a 1st Sgt.
His son, me, was a field music snare drummer 1972-'75.

drumcorpssnare:usmc:

[konman1]

I joined because I come from a Military family and I personally belive every able bodied male should, and if I was going to join, I was gonig to join up with the best in the world.

[Rowdy1948]

I joined because i wanted too be a Marine, I was a little Person, 5 ft 5 weighed 125 lbs, It was a challenge,And if your going to join why not the best Semper Fi

[SSGT DILL]

:flag: I CAN'T SAY THAT ONE THING MADE ME WANT TO BE A MARINE, IT WAS A COUPLE OF THINGS. ONE WAS THE CHALLENGE, I KNEW THEY WERE THE HARDEST. I FELT THAT I OWED IT TO MY COUNTRY TO HELP PRESERVE THE FREEDOM THAT I ENJOYED. I KNEW THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE A FAMILY AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ENJOYED THE SAME FREDOM. AND IN A WAY IT WAS A WAY TO PAY RESPECT TO THE ONES WHO DIED TO GIVE ME THAT SAME FREEDOM. I KNEW THAT I WANTED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, SO IN THE WORDS OF PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN
" SOME PEOPLE SPENT AN ENTIRE LIFETIME WONDERING IF THEY'VE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD, THE MARINES DON'T HAVE THAT PROBLEM."

[crate78]

I admit it! I joined the Air Force first--and was promptly rejected because a childhood accident left me with my left index finger missing to the second joint.

Then a couple of months later, a buddy of mine came home on boot leave from the Corps and told me how rough boot camp was. I never was one to back down from a challenge, so I tried the Corps. The Corps took me in spite of my missing finger. It worked out for the best. I became a winger in the Corps anyway, plus I had the added benefit of telling the chicks I got my finger shot off at _____________ (fill in the blank).

The missing finger did keep me out of several officer programs, though, including flight school.

And I enjoyed the heck out of myself at NAS, Memphis, going to both AT"A" school and AQ"B" school.

crate

[MrsCodyMC]

You Guys are too much... Oh Marines! God's gift to women lol Anyway I joined because I got in trouble for being a smart*ss in the 6th grade and was assigned to do a report on a POW/MIA from the Vietnam era. Some website gave me a random POW that just happened to be a Jarhead. By time I was done I was hooked. 6 years later, here I sit. Still kind of a smart*ss I might add, but better at controlling it.
I guess I can't say too much about women and Marines, because I got snatched up by the Marine next door as soon as I hit the fleet. Figures though -- how many female Marines do you know that didn't end up marrying a Marine? I don't know a single one. I guess ya'll are right :)

[taman8tor]

Coming from a military family (Army, Navy, Airforce) I had the insight at 17 to help fulfill the circle of military services within our family. Not!!! Bored with high school, took a GED (and passed) right after I turned 17. After a few weeks of going to the beach and partying, my parents strongly suggested community college or a job/job training.

Talked to the recruiters for the Air Force, Navy, Army, and then the Marines. At the time in Santa Barbara (1974), the recruiting stations were all next to each other. These branches (excluding the Marines) were promoting four year obligations. To be honest, I did not have a clue as to what I wanted to do. I just knew I did not want the high school theatrics anymore.

I know the other branches had 2,3,4,and 6 year obligations but none of the spiels stuck over the couple of weeks of meetings. In a nutshell, I come walking out of the Army office and there's the Marine recruiter with a "hey, let's talk."

I guess the MC was transitioning to the "Few Good Men" but I'll be damned if I don't recall a poster saying something like "I Never Promised You A Rose Garden" after some soft pop song. Being a hard rock fan, it kind of made me laugh. I was a bit concerned about what I was getting into but my recruiter told me, "Anybody can be a civilian but if you can do three weeks, you can do three years." He was right.

Long story short, I enlisted for three years as an 03. Ended up an 0341. At EAS, I did not know what I wanted to do, but I knew I did not want to do the MC anymore. No offense to you career marines, eh?

I learned more in those three years about how to use teamwork, compromise, diversity, ethics, and trust for a common goal. MC, thank you. You have made me a better man. Semper Fi.

[Seeley]

I wanted to help defend a country I believed in and help people who needed help. I wanted to belong and I wanted to be the best. I needed to prove myself to myself. That, and I wanted to kill some terrorists.

[josecruz89]

I'm joining because I saw my country needed me.