Infantry Slots not available?

[NickPowell52]

I enlisted into the Marine Corps about two months ago, and ship out 20080707 to Parris Island. The MOS i really wanted was infantry but my recruiter told me there are not slots available, i got a decent score on my ASVAB and would of been able to pick any MOS i desires, but i want to go infantry, is it possible that my recruiter may be trying to shelter me from infantry? He said something about Security Forces which is a 2 year term in Security Forces then you go to Infantry, is there any way i can switch it around and go Infantry for 2 years then Security Forces? I just really dont want to be stuck as a pencil pusher

Any Advice?

Nick

[hump_drop]

No, I am talking to a recruiter right now about PSEP'ing back to active duty from the Reserves. My MOS is 0311 and he told me that the grunts are full right now.

[hump_drop]

Also, I would take the Security Force option. Let me clear that up a bit. I DID take the Sec. Force option when I was a boot. I spent two years in Naples, Italy and loved it. The duty was easy to complain about, basically firewatch with some emergency response type drills.

I would jump on that option, if you seriously want to be in the Infantry later, getting 2 years in the Security Force battalion isn't bad, and you may get to see places that normal Infantry Marines only get a few days to see while in port on float or something.

[ZSKI]

Well son define decent because you must be ****ing retarded. He is saying there is no straight to infantry contract avalible Security Forces is an infantry billet. You go to SOI ITB train as infantry and security forces. then for 2 years depending how good you are, you will gaurd high value instilations or be part of a FAST team. Read about them. And someone who is not a Marine you have no right to insult them because right now they are better then you. To answer your question as far as i know, no you cannot do 2 years FMF then SF

[Marine84]

Yawn..................

[Danger Kane]

I enlisted into the Marine Corps about two months ago, and ship out 20080707 to Parris Island. The MOS i really wanted was infantry but my recruiter told me there are not slots available, i got a decent score on my ASVAB and would of been able to pick any MOS i desires, but i want to go infantry, is it possible that my recruiter may be trying to shelter me from infantry? He said something about Security Forces which is a 2 year term in Security Forces then you go to Infantry, is there any way i can switch it around and go Infantry for 2 years then Security Forces? I just really dont want to be stuck as a pencil pusher

Any Advice?

Nick

My recruiter tried to pull the same shenanigans on me when I enlisted. They said that 0311 was completely full, but they could enlist me as an LAV mechanic and switch me to 0311 when it opened up later. I told them I wasn't going to enlist without an infantry slot. Lo and behold, five minutes later it just so happened that an 0311 slot had opened up. It happens all the time. If you tell your recruiter that you won't enlist unless it's with an infantry slot, I guarantee you one will magically appear.

Unless we really have no more use for trigger pullers. I mean, it's not like we're at war or anything.

[Miller816]

It is the opposite for me. I signed up in October of 2007 and I ship to Parris Island in August. I was told by my recruiter I was guaranteed infantry. Another poolee from my station wanted Security Forces but was told that was full. He is now going infantry as well.

[hump_drop]

If you are a new recruit, you MUST be Infantry to go to the Security Force battalion. You go through SOI and then to the MCSF Training Company, then to a company or detachment. After your 18 months there, you return to the FMF to an infantry regiment or LAR Battalion.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Infantry does fill up. When people think Marine that is what they think of, so it is what many people want to do. You can wait until a slot opens, guaranteed it will in October.

Miller if you enlisted in October everything should have been open. That is the start of the fiscal year and all the quotas for schools start again.

[KevinR90]

And someone who is not a Marine you have no right to insult them because right now they are better then you.

Sir, I don't think he was specifically insulting Marines. He was just stating he doesn't want to be stuck as a paper pusher- he wants a hands on job.

[Marine84]

Sir, I don't think he was specifically insulting Marines. He was just stating he doesn't want to be stuck as a paper pusher- he wants a hands on job.

Another thing you must learn is you don't say anything until ASKED something. It's nice you want to help him out but unless someone is getting ready to kill him, there's no need to jump in.

Understood? (HERE is where an answer would be required by you and your answer should be worded something to the effect of: "UNDERSTOOD! AYE AYE MA'AM!")

Some of you kids think we're just cranky old a$$e$. Believe it or not (and like it or not) this IS how you get talked to. Once you go through it, you'll understand. And, for the record, it IS being disrespectful for someone to say they don't want to end up pushing pencils. Ain't nothing wrong with pushing them pencils - SOMEBODY has to keep the paper trail updated on your butt, SOMEBODY has to make sure you get your pay even if you're in the sandbox, SOMEBODY has to keep track of your awards and ribbons, SOMEBODY has to keep track of how long you been in a certain paygrade to move you to the next rank rung AND WE look pretty damn good in that MARINE CORPS uniform doing it.

Even though I was in Ordnance, I STILL had to push pencils a couple of times but, it was doing something that REALLY mattered. SOMEBODY had to do it, might as well have been me. Doesn't really matter what you end up doing, you'll make a difference.

[hump_drop]

:no:

[NickPowell52]

I didn't mean to insult any Marine by saying i didnt want to be stuck in a pencil pusher position, what i meant was i dont want my recruiter to try and direct me to such a position involving that task just because of my ASVAB scores, it just seemed odd that there were no slots available. My apologies

[Petz]

there will always be slots open for Grunts... just ask at MCT when you get there, they'll send you... I promise! I'd swear they get bonuses for every Marine they get into the infantry.

as for the insult... I don't like those pencil pushers myself unless I need something.... don't bite the hand that feeds you my young pup... remember that when you get in, you're always networking... it's a small Corps.

[ttracker65]

son what you chose to do is up to you. Not myself or any other Marine,Poolee or any one else can guarentee you any thing. The only one that can do that is your recruiter. That is why he is there if he say's no slots then no slot's. It is simple and cut and dried. The choices realy are yours. Good luck on your carrier.

[JordanB]

yeah man hes definately ****ing with you, tried that bull**** with me at meps too. DONT SIGN A 4 YEAR CONTRACT UNLESS IT HAS WHAT YOU WANT ON IT. If it aint available, wait they will work for you but once you sign your name on that dotted line they own your ass for 4 years, and OPEN CONTRACT almost never ends well, I.E. how do you honustly think they get blue water specialists?

[Marine84]

and OPEN CONTRACT almost never ends well, I.E. how do you honustly think they get blue water specialists?

Not always with an open contract! :mad:

Why is everybody so ape $h!t over open contract? I went in open contract and I got LUCKY, I guess. There are a lot of us that went in on open contract because we were more interested in the Title than what we were going to be doing.

And, don't nobody try to give me no crap about doing something in the Corps that you can take back to the civilian world with you. If that was the case, what you Grunts gonna take? Same thing everybody else is taking/has taken...............the pride that you wore the uniform, got trained by the best, and got more discipline in your body than you ever had.

Doesn't really matter what's on your contract anyway, if the Corps needs you to fill another spot, they'll move you once you're in and you damned sure won't have a say about it then so.......................

[davblay]

I enlisted into the Marine Corps about two months ago, and ship out 20080707 to Parris Island. The MOS i really wanted was infantry but my recruiter told me there are not slots available, i got a decent score on my ASVAB and would of been able to pick any MOS i desires, but i want to go infantry, is it possible that my recruiter may be trying to shelter me from infantry? He said something about Security Forces which is a 2 year term in Security Forces then you go to Infantry, is there any way i can switch it around and go Infantry for 2 years then Security Forces? I just really dont want to be stuck as a pencil pusher

Any Advice?

Nick

Well Poolee you have two choices here it seems to me. 1) take the advice of all the expert poolees that know no more than you do about it or 2) take the advice of the Marines that have BTDT!

Just a few questions for you now.......what do you want from the Corps? Are you one of those poolees that think the Marines are 03s only? Why do you suppose they have all those other MOSs? What do you expect to bring home from the Corps with 4 years experience as a grunt?

Evidently you don't understand the meaning of CONTRACT, do you? If you meet all the prerequsites and pass all the training for that MOS then you will get it, if not you will go where the Corps needs you at the time!

As an old recruiter myself, why not trust your recruiter to help you select a job that you have the apptitude for and will most likely be happy with and good at! He has nothing to gain by lying to you, so why would he do that? The Corps is nation wide and there is chance that someone with a 03XX contract may have decided not to ship or can not ship, for whatever reason, then that slot opens up, but to the Corps, not just to your RSS. If he asks you if you want it, he needs to know NOW or you may miss the chance to get it. They will not hold the slot for a few days for you to think about it!

Well you asked for any advice...that's mine!

Dave

[bgsuwoody]

Not to diss any of my two favorite people in the world. But 03 is the ONLY job for me and for some people. Sure they have other jobs, but their entire funtion is to support the job known as INFANTRY.

I will highly agree that it doesn't matter what you bring back from any of these jobs however. You will have pride, discipline, a sense of accomplishment, a never quit attitude, hardworking sense of things, and an understanding of the meaning of a days work. With that you can do anything in this world.

I'LL SAY IT AGAIN. YOU ARE SIGNING A CONTRACT. THE JOB IS ALREADY HARD ENOUGH TO NOT BE ABLE TO SAY IT IS SOMETHING YOU LOVE OR AT LEAST TO SAY WELL AT LEAST I CHOSE IT WHAT CAN I ***** ABOUT. GET WHAT YOU WANT, OR WAIT TO GET WHAT YOU WANT...YOU WILL GET IT, BUT MAYBE NOT WITHOUT PATIENCE....ANOTHER KEY THING YOU'LL TAKE WITH YOU AFTER THE MARINE CORPS

[bgsuwoody]

ALSO IF I HEAR ANOTHER EXCUSE OR EXPLANATION, YOU WILL PUSH ALL DAY...WELCOME TO MY LIFE...THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN EXPLAINATION OR EXCUSE. IT IS BLANTANT DISRESPECT PERIOD...YOU WILL GET KILLED FOR THAT ****.

It's yes, no, or aye aye...period. Learn to keep your mouth shut and you will go further in this gun club.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

I don't know why this has turned into such a heated conversation. Everybody needs to take a couple of deep breaths and calm the heck down.

Pretty simple really, he can either suck it up and get his second choice job- which isn't such a bad thing or he can wait and try to get his first pick job. It isn't that big of a deal.

If you go to MEPS and don't get your MOS in your contract that day, it isn't a big deal. It doesn't matter until you ship. Once you do that the only promises that stand are those that are in your contract. If your recruiter told you that you were going to be guide in boot camp, graduate as a corporal, skip SOI and go directly to BRC and the MARSOC, that's tough. You get what the contract says. And to be blunt, I don't care what your contract says. You will be a Marine if you make it through boot camp, everything else is secondary.

The MOS I ended up with would probably be about number 238 on my list of jobs I'd want. But I ended up where I ended up, did the best job I could do, and was actually pretty danged happy most of the time. Why? Because I got to wake up in the morning, put on the uniform of a by God United States Marine and do my small part in the greater mission. If you want to do anything other than that you will be disappointed, no matter what MOS you do or do not get.

[bgsuwoody]

Where has the voice of reason been lately lol. Haven't seen you in a while E4B how are ya.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

I am spectacular Woody. I pop in from time to time, but work has me pretty busy this time of year.

You been to Greenville yet? I'm wondering if the Attic (my favorite spot in town) is still worth going to.