Advise for teenage daughter

[Tortdefender]

I'm new to the forum and I joined because my teenage daughter, Elise, is very interested in becoming a Marine. She will be 16 next month and is eager to join as an enlisted when she graduates from high school. She certainly has the grades and the intellect to become an officer but she has expressed a desire to stay with the troops. That comes from experience as she has been in the Civil Air Patrol for three years and was very reluctant to promote from Cadet/Chief Master Sergeant to Cadet/Lieutenant.

Her older sister has received a full ride Army ROTC scholarship to Gonzaga University starting next year and I am somewhat concerned that she is trying not to be a copycat of her older sister.

Both girls have studied karate for over ten years so they know the meaning of dedication to something, and they are both eager to serve their country. What is needed from those of you in the forum is a realistic idea of what Elise would be doing either as an enlisted female Marine or an officer.

Thanks for your feedback.

[Gator347]

Let her work with a recruiter and the Pool of DEP. She should work on her ASVAB scores, her IST, and keep her grades up. She is still very young & her options are endless.

[Artemis]

If you would like to PM me and your daughter and I can chat. I can answer many of her questions and hope to be able to help.

[Old Marine]

Tell her to join the Air Force.

Same pay and better living conditions.

[Crusader20]

Tell her to join the Air Force.

Same pay and better living conditions.

Ditto
and better choices of Jobs that can translate into the civilian world.

[Gator347]

Seriously:
If you were in a hiring position, who would you choose? An Ex- Air Force Vet or a Former Marine?
My father was in the Corps for 7 years (Enlisted) and an Air Force Officer for another 15 years. His car always had a USMC bumper sticker (Never an Air Force sticker) He was buried in Pensacola by the Marine Corps. He was the reason my son joined the Corps.
The Corps instills things you can’t buy or learn in a manual.

[Old Marine]

Seriously:
If you were in a hiring position, who would you choose? An Ex- Air Force Vet or a Former Marine?
My father was in the Corps for 7 years (Enlisted) and an Air Force Officer for another 15 years. His car always had a USMC bumper sticker (Never an Air Force sticker) He was buried in Pensacola by the Marine Corps. He was the reason my son joined the Corps.
The Corps instills things you can’t buy or learn in a manual.

Depends on if I were hiring a "Hit Man" or an "Air Controller", a "Policeman" or a "Computer Programer", a "Warehouse Supervisor" or a "Pilot".

[Gator347]

My son already has job offers and he just got out of school!!!!

MOS 1142

[yanacek]

Tell her to join the Air Force. Same pay and better living conditions.
That's the same advice I received from my father, a WW-II Marine, when I told him I was going to enlist. I did not take his advice, although I can appreciate where he was coming from. I think in the final analysis our shared experiences of Marine Corps service made us closer.

As far as who would you hire--without a doubt a Marine in all cases. The Marine Corps demands much more than technical proficiency. Things like responsibility, work-ethic, leadership, etc... Few in the Air Force will ever have the opportunity (or the desire) to develop those attributes. These attributes are what makes a good employee.

[Gator347]

The Marine Corps demands much more than technical proficiency. Things like responsibility, work-ethic, leadership, etc...

This is my point. You can teach the other stuff but these are rare in the workforce today.

[sgtwagner]

I would like to add my 2 cents. I was so gung ho to join the Corps @ 16. there was nothing or no one that could change my mind. I wanted to be an 0311, no ifs ands or buts. At 17, I got my mother to sign the papers and the day after Graduation I was off to PI. I spent the next 7 active duty years on various assignments but none of them were conducive to a college education. I have no regrets about the times I had while in the Corps, but I wish there would have been a genie around to tell me how my life later down the road would be affected by my decisions.

Now at 39, I am a Software Engineer for a Defense Contractor. I received my degree in IT from a Top 20 University in 2004. The corporate world only sees your professional work experience from the date of graduation on your degree. Therefore, I have 4 years of professional experience. My point to this is, try to persuade your daughter to get the sheep skin first, then she can make her choice of Officer or Enlisted. At least later down the road she will have step up the corporate ladder when she enters that world.

Sorry for rambling. It took me 2 days to find my password to respond! That is how strongly I feel.

[yanacek]

You said it Gator347! My boss can't even get employees to show up for work in some cases. His Marine employees though don't give him any problem, excuses, etcetra. Marines are trained to be mission-oriented and therefore always get the job done--regardless of the task. I'll take a Marine any day to do any job.

[Apache]

When promoting within my civillian employer my first consideration is Marine,then military ,then other experiance
The grunts accomplish the mission !

[yanacek]

Getting the sheepskin first has merit, but how many young folks out of high school are ready to decide what they want to do in life? My experience is very few.

The Marine Corps is an organization that causes its members to set priorities and goals in life, and more importantly it provides them with the drive and determination to accomplish those goals.

It is true that in corporate America that your experience begins once you graduate from post-secondary school. However, that thinking is flawed and has been proven by history. I know many Marines who had service in the Second World War who worked in professions without the benefit of a college education. Many of these jobs are now held by college graduates. My father for one, was a production engineer for aircraft engine blades with 12 years of Marine Corps service and a high school diploma. Of course that was a different time--a time when America was at its best.

Given the choice of a Marine or a non-Marine college graduate, I'll take the Marine, provided they can demonstrate that aptitude for the specific job.

[Tortdefender]

I appreciate all the feedback. At 16 my daughter isn't looking far enough down the road to consider what she will do after the Marine Corp. She has a hard enough time contemplating two more years of high school.

What is the situation with regards to how the Marines treat females, enlisted or officers vs. the other branches? Also, my daughter wouldn't be happy if she is stuck in an office type job and I'm wondering what is open to females in the Marines.

My oldest daughter picked Army ROTC simply because there are more schools that offer it, and the Army being larger offers more career possibilities. She also likes the fact that she doesn't have to have a lifetime career figured out before graduating from college. The Army will give her something to to while she takes the time decide on a career.

I would personally prefer that my youngest get her college degree and I just as soon see her also do ROTC. If she does that route do you folks have any advise on schools?

Thanks

[Artemis]

She has tons of possabilities that don't involve sitting behind a desk. She can be a mechanic on truck, planes or helos if she wants. It is just a matter of her at her young age trying to chose what she wants to do out of a lot of possabilities.

[jetdoc]

I love the Marine Corps and wouldn't trade my experiences for the world. I was advised to go USAF from the family.

Well I took the best of both worlds, I joined the best branch and worked on jets still, so it all worked out.

That said, if I were giving advise to a young person I would go Officer if I could. I would go USMC Officer. You're the best of the best.

That thing about her not copying her sister is real in her young mind but as you know its not what a rational adult would think....but she isn't of course. Have your daughter come here and read some posts.

Officers make more money and have the best quarters, the best everything when compared to the enlisted side. Her coming in as a fresh Butter Bar she would outrank a 30 year Marine SgtMaj, but of course she wouldn't dare to not respect the SgtMaj, but she still out ranks him right out of the box.

If she doesn't want to be an officer, in any branch actually, I would have to agree with some here, go USAF. Its almost like a regualr job, they have the best chow, the best barracks, the list goes on.

I'm like what someone here posted last page, I was in the Marines for almost 8 years, then went into the Air National Guard and retired. Even though it was a regular job, great chow, great barracks, etc, when I look back on my military career I never think of the ANG, I only remember the USMC. I have many tattoos, none are USAF, (of course), and I have many car decals, all USMC, no USAF and even my car license plates are organizational, the Marine Corps League.

So while I may advise some young people to go USAF in some situations and I served in both the USAF and USMC I am a Marine, not an Airman.

Clear as mud? lol

[TyCaldwell]

Depends on if I were hiring a "Hit Man" or an "Air Controller", a "Policeman" or a "Computer Programer", a "Warehouse Supervisor" or a "Pilot".

Interesting. I'm a computer programmer. Doing very well, actually.

[TyCaldwell]

nevermind

[Sunshine1331]

This is the same advice I received when I told a family friend (Marine) that I was looking into enlisting in the USMC. He told me to go to the Air Force because there are more opportunities for woman. He said that the Marine Corps is like one big fraternity and although this is a good thing when you are a young male looking to join, it is a negative when you are a young woman looking to join. His exact words were "It's like invading the boys club. They will make it very obvious that you are not wanted, but they tolerate you because they have too". I was discouraged to say the least. I was hoping things had changed since his time in......

-Sunshine

[Zulu 36]

This is the same advice I received when I told a family friend (Marine) that I was looking into enlisting in the USMC. He told me to go to the Air Force because there are more opportunities for woman. He said that the Marine Corps is like one big fraternity and although this is a good thing when you are a young male looking to join, it is a negative when you are a young woman looking to join. His exact words were "It's like invading the boys club. They will make it very obvious that you are not wanted, but they tolerate you because they have too". I was discouraged to say the least. I was hoping things had changed since his time in......

-Sunshine

Things have changed a bit for the better.

Whether you go in the Corps or Air Force, you have to consider the same thing my oldest daughter did: Do you mind pooping in a hole in woods?

She minded, so went in the Air Force. Good pick in her case. My youngest daughter doesn't mind, so she might end up in the Corps. Who knows.

[TyCaldwell]

PS original poster, if you really want to nudge her in the right direction, do some research on the US Naval Academy and share it with her. She's at an age where if she is serious about military ambition, she still has time to do the things she needs to do to get accepted. She could end up with her military goals AND one of the most prestigious educations attainable.

[egbutler1]

I wouldn't trade the Marine Corps experince for anything in the world. I served for 4 years in the infantry (GREAT TIMES) but if i wanted to go to the TEC side of things and not the Combat side (which women are not allowed to be in) i would have to say hit up the AF! I been on their bases and lived in the barracks before and DANG its 1 million times better than my roach infested barracks i lived in while in the Marines for 4 years. But the Marines can give you things no other service can give you a brotherhood forever!

[CplSB]

Yes I do. Parents worried about a child becoming, 'Enlisted.' First off the enlisted are the backbone of any branch. Being a Marine goes beyond that. Please stop thinking in the terms of rank. Think in terms of childs heart. Honor, courage and commitment. Is this her? I have yet to talk to a girl wanting to join the Corps that these three words were not at the very center of. They think not in terms of rank, they think in terms of what the Marine Corps call their Corps Values.

In addition, she will be earing a title that is not handed to her. She will be for herself becoming a part of a small group of people. People who have had the sheer courage to step on those yellow foot steps and say, Give Me What Youve Got. She will be taking away with her a title that no man nor woman can ever take from her.

In the words of President Ronald Regan.

"Some people spend an entire life time wondering if they have made a difference in this world.

The Marines don't have that problem."

Perhaps for her, this is her reason.

[Marine84]

(Clearing my throat and stepping up) <br />
<br />
Take it from the females here - your daughter will have waaaaaay more choices than we did. When I went through in 84, women couldn't fly nothing but transport...

[Gator347]

Originally Posted by marinemom
Just remember that you brought him up gave him the ability to make a decision that will bring him to a plateau of exellence beyond all - or abut 95% - of the kids with whom he attended school.

He may have been fastidious about his appearance at home - he will become a raving fanatic about it by the time he crosses the Parade Deck - not to mention "policing the area" - barracks in boot and the fleet, and also at home.

One funny story to tell his mother - when my son "tigger" got home, I left a sleeping, skinny Marine when I went to work on the Monday morning after graduation. I opened the door when I got home and the combined smells of lemon oil, ammonia, Windex and Lysol hit me full on. I mean I had tears in my eyes.

Walked in to find the kid in the recliner chair watching baseball on a TV screen that glowed, with a beer on a coaster (he never knew what a coaster was before!) on a coffeee table that was so shiny, the sun coming through the so-clean-they-are-invisible windows bounced off it. OK, this is a bit strange, but....went into the kitchen - all wood cabinnets polished, floor sparkling and waxed, all appliances totally washed and shined - and the bathrooms - well, let's just say his Senior would have liked them.

Asked him why he went berserk on the cleaning - his reply was that he did not go berserk, he was simply policing the area.....

Yes, the transformation is a total one.................


Can the Air Force do this?:scared: