View Full Version : My dad says I made the wrong decision
CalahanD
09-15-08, 06:09 PM
Well my dad wanted me to go recon and helped me get the Recon contract, he has alot of friends he works with in blackwater that were Recon, and I don't want to anymore so I switched to Infantry and he says it is a horrible decision, that I will never make it anywhere. I was just wondering what yall had to say. Maybe some things I could tell him to support me going Infantry. He is ****ED that I decided it and he says grunt is the worst i could get. I just need some support here, I believe i made the right decision. He told me I should go to the Army because they would give me a bonus and I dont have a bonus with Marine infantry, but honestly I could give a $hit about money, I ain't doing it for that.
Thanks Marines
It's your life, not his. If you change your mind you can try out later in your career. A lot of grunts wind up in law enforcement.
I doubt you'd get recon straight out of ITB anyways...
sparkie
09-15-08, 06:41 PM
I guess it was a wrong decision for your dad,,,,,,, Tell him to get over it.....
chrisf9028
09-15-08, 07:02 PM
Your the first freakin poolee I've seen on this site that DOESN'T want recon haha....You should get a medal.
darkgreen0311
09-15-08, 07:24 PM
There's nothing wrong with being a grunt. Recon is just a step up from infantry their just super grunts, that's all.
:marine:SEMPER FI 4 LIFE!!!
CalahanD
09-15-08, 08:15 PM
Thanks yall. Oh and no I shouldn't get a medal lol, It is just i like the grunts better than Recon, Sorry Recon guys, just my own opinion. I saw what Recon does and I didn't like the mission that much. Anyways he just thanks that it is stupid me wanting to be a grunt. I could tell him atleast I am not going to the Navy:sick:, he was in the Navy, lol.
I could tell him atleast I am not going to the Navy:sick:, he was in the Navy, lol.
HAHAHAHAHA,HEHE, LOL!!
Thanks yall. Oh and no I shouldn't get a medal lol, It is just i like the grunts better than Recon, Sorry Recon guys, just my own opinion. I saw what Recon does and I didn't like the mission that much. Anyways he just thanks that it is stupid me wanting to be a grunt. I could tell him atleast I am not going to the Navy:sick:, he was in the Navy, lol.
GO AHEAD TELL HIM......:evilgrin:
Pete0331
09-15-08, 09:44 PM
Hell, going into the Infantry is not the be all and end all of your career.
If you find that you don't like it as a regular ground pounder you can go to recon.
My parents told me I was doing the wrong thing. They said the Marine Corps was a bad decision. I've told them its what I want and they have accepted it. They won't let me into DEP, but I've got something planned that might help them change their minds.
CalahanD- I find it interesting that your dad wants you to go into recon. Most parents get upset and try to convince their kids not to even go into the Marine Corps and go into another branch instead.
Like the many wise people have said on here, this is your career. Whether or not you've realized it or not yet, you've already chosen one of the harder roles in the Marines. If you succeed, you'll be one of the best infantrymen in the world, better than an Army infantryman or the infantry of any nation in the world. Just because you don't go Spec-ops (is Recon still counted as Spec-ops?) doesn't mean that you're not going to be in one of the hardest roles in the military, and one of the toughest warriors in history.
And like others have said, you can always try out for Recon later. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but your dad has not been in Recon himself. He just thinks what he hears from the other Recon guys is cool, and so wants you to do it. I'm not trying to tell you to be disrespectful to your dad, in fact I would encourage you to honor him. But you've gotta explain this to him. I hope you can get him to understand.
Thank you for volunteering to defend your country by putting your life on the line by being in the infantry in the United States Marine Corps! God bless yah.
AaronJM1984
09-16-08, 02:49 AM
I was under the impression that you had to be Infantry first, then you volunteer for Recon, and if they want you (and you meet the standards) then they give you a shot. Maybe I am wrong, but I remember being told that Recon is something you volunteer for, not really something you can just sign up for. Thanks for reading Marines, please correct me if I am wrong.
I have a couple of friends in Blackwater as well....according to everyone in Blackwater, they use to be recon or SpecOps....it's a bunch of BS.....Blackwater is not made up of all former SecOps or Recon....
Your Dad is wrong. In my opinion, everyone should go Grunt first, then take the indoc for Recon....
Gunz out ~
temarti
09-16-08, 08:18 AM
I have a couple of friends in Blackwater as well....according to everyone in Blackwater, they use to be recon or SpecOps....it's a bunch of BS.....Blackwater is not made up of all former SecOps or Recon....
CalahanD, SupChf is spot on, the majority of Blackwater is not made up of Recon SOps. Besides if your Dad was in the Navy why is he pushing Recon on you? He should be proud that you chose the Marines to begin with, no matter what your MOS will be.
Once you become a Marine you will hear the beginning of the following conversations many times from sister service members: "I was going to join the Marines, but . . . . "
Old Marine
09-16-08, 09:46 AM
Being a former Squid, you Dad knows little or nothing about the Marine Corps unless he was a Corpman. Go you own way and shoot for the stars.
CalahanD
09-16-08, 10:24 AM
I am sure he meant no disrespect towards yall but he told me that Infantry is just full of "druggies and Alcoholics". He was a ship driver in the Navy by the way, not a corpsman. Well he is mad and they don't understand why i am doing it, they keep on telling me to go to the Army so i can get more money. I am not doing this $hit for the money. If I wanted money i am going into the wrong career field. I want to be a Marine, the money is just a BONUS. Well they know it is my decision and I AM GOING infantry. Thinks for all the advice.
Thanks again Marines
CalahanD
09-16-08, 10:29 AM
Part of an email from my dad. My dad is in Iraq so we have to email argue
"Infantry is for people who have no drive or desire to
go into the specialized units. I have both types of Marines on my team
and there is a very big difference between the Marine grunt (infantry)
and the Recon Marines. It is just like the Army grunt (infantry) and
the Army Rangers. The Marine corp grunt has the druggies, and drunks
just like I told you the Army grunts do. I have one guy on my team,
Marine Corp F.A.S.T company and he is useless as tits on rooster."
I am not disrespecting my dad at all, I am just saying this is the impression he has on Marine grunts. Please tell me this ain't true.
Part of an email from my dad. My dad is in Iraq so we have to email argue
"Infantry is for people who have no drive or desire to
go into the specialized units. I have both types of Marines on my team
and there is a very big difference between the Marine grunt (infantry)
and the Recon Marines. It is just like the Army grunt (infantry) and
the Army Rangers. The Marine corp grunt has the druggies, and drunks
just like I told you the Army grunts do. I have one guy on my team,
Marine Corp F.A.S.T company and he is useless as tits on rooster."
I am not disrespecting my dad at all, I am just saying this is the impression he has on Marine grunts. Please tell me this ain't true.
No disrespect to your Dad,he is full of sh!t! True, Marines do like there drinks, drugs ,no. That is few and far between.
Marine grunts being stupid. He has no idea the amount of knowledge a " ordinary " grunt must know. Small unit tactics, weapons and there effective ranges and how to break them down, enemy equipment, comm gear, the list goes on. An ordinary idiot can't retain all this knowledge.
Did it ever occur to him that these guys may be lieing about being Marines? With the Army's history of Marine grunts having to bail them out, or fix what they screwed up, the Marine grunt is in a league above the Army's Rangers and Airborne.
temarti
09-16-08, 11:01 AM
He was a ship driver in the Navy by the way
No disrespect for the Navy, but your Dad drove a boat... The only experience he had with the Marines was in conversation in the galley or watching the Red Patchers conduct port ops. He may have his opinions by what he has heard from the ones that work for Blackwater, as for a direct working relationship with the 03's I doubt he has any.
Again if he steered ships and is employed by Blackwater, that answers the question that the corporation is not full of SOps and Recon.
CalahanD
09-16-08, 11:08 AM
The only way he got to blackwater was because he got out of the navy in 4 years. Went to SWAT, border patrol, vortac, and some other stuff in border patrol and then an air-marshall. Se he has alot of experience but not with any 03's. He just has the assumption and from the guys he works with. Anyway he thinks several different reasons why I changed to infantry he says because my brother is an army grunt, I dont want to leave my girlfriend, I am scared and that the gunny trcked me. By the way none of them are true. But I guess he just doesn't like the answer I gave him of why i changed. Oh well, I am going infantry whoever likes it or not, and that is no disrespect meant towards my dad. I respect him and everything he has done but this is my decision
AL49BGN
09-16-08, 11:18 AM
It is your life,you should pick which ever MOS you wish!
temarti
09-16-08, 11:19 AM
Ooh Rah!!
NaguYen
09-16-08, 05:06 PM
Look you can get guarunteed to go to Recon School, but if you don't make it you go into 03xx..or some other infantry job. I wanted Infantry, but all the jobs were gone so I chose Recon so if I don't make it I get what I wanted anyways. And not to be negative or anything but I probably won't make it even though I would love to. I'm a regular old poolee that wants to be Ricky Recon..Or a pilot. lol
mattlw201
09-16-08, 05:15 PM
I was under the impression that you had to be Infantry first, then you volunteer for Recon, and if they want you (and you meet the standards) then they give you a shot. Maybe I am wrong, but I remember being told that Recon is something you volunteer for, not really something you can just sign up for. Thanks for reading Marines, please correct me if I am wrong.
You can go to recon from any job.
Look you can get guarunteed to go to Recon School, but if you don't make it you go into 03xx..or some other infantry job. I wanted Infantry, but all the jobs were gone so I chose Recon so if I don't make it I get what I wanted anyways. And not to be negative or anything but I probably won't make it even though I would love to. I'm a regular old poolee that wants to be Ricky Recon..Or a pilot. lol
With that mindset you won't. Speak and think positive on yourself. Do what it takes to get into the kind of shape you need to be in.
Poolee Fraser
08-28-09, 10:43 PM
You might as well of Stuck with the Recon Contract its just pretty much being a hardcore grunt with some different skills added on top, and if you flunked out you would have just been sent to the grunts anyways
Yojimbo
08-30-09, 12:11 AM
With that mindset you won't. Speak and think positive on yourself. Do what it takes to get into the kind of shape you need to be in.
Amen to that. There is a world of difference between saying "It's going to be tough, I know the odds are stacked against me" and "I probably won't make it". Never set yourself up for defeat.
CalahanD How did things turn out? This thread is a little old.
MarinesFTW
08-30-09, 10:28 AM
Why in the world did you bump up a thread that is SO old??? He is now a Marine and can no longer post here, making this thread worthless, it deserves a lock.
Poolee Fraser
08-30-09, 11:24 AM
With that mindset you won't. Speak and think positive on yourself. Do what it takes to get into the kind of shape you need to be in.
Yeah well in reality if you can make it you will if you cant you wont, but if you want it and you have heart you will eventually get what you want, but going in there thinking that your going guaranteed to get into a Recon battalion is just ridiculous and you should definitely not think that, you should go in there saying I might not make it but eventually I will get into that unit, would you go into the Seals(BUDS) and not think that if I don't make it your going to be a sailor and need a job??? Its just being smart, you can have trained for it for 6 months it does not matter, HEART matters the most.
Poolee Fraser
08-30-09, 11:27 AM
Part of an email from my dad. My dad is in Iraq so we have to email argue
"Infantry is for people who have no drive or desire to
go into the specialized units. I have both types of Marines on my team
and there is a very big difference between the Marine grunt (infantry)
and the Recon Marines. It is just like the Army grunt (infantry) and
the Army Rangers. The Marine corp grunt has the druggies, and drunks
just like I told you the Army grunts do. I have one guy on my team,
Marine Corp F.A.S.T company and he is useless as tits on rooster."
I am not disrespecting my dad at all, I am just saying this is the impression he has on Marine grunts. Please tell me this ain't true.
What team are you in?
sbombard15
08-30-09, 10:01 PM
Stop. This thread is a year old.
atimmons
08-31-09, 01:16 AM
For everyone who's parents are telling them that they picked the wrong MOS/branch:
1. They're just being worried parents. Grunts are the ones that are in combat alot so it's natural for parents to be concerned.
2. This is YOUR career, not theirs. Don't get yourself forced into a job that you aren't going to be happy in. If you feel yourself drawn to something that you would excel in, do it.
3. Get some!