Underweight, officer/enlistee, bootcamp questions

[antoinette123]

I'm a little confused with the weight requirements to enlist and during boot camp. I'm 5 foot 5 and 98 lbs. The weight requirement is 114 lbs to enlist. During boot camp if you are underweight you are put under double rations. Do I have to be 114 lbs to enlist or by the end of bootcamp? If I have to be 114 lbs atleast to sign up then what is the proper weight needed for bootcamp not to be underweight? I'm 98 lbs and have a difficult time gaining weight and want to make sure I can make the weight requirements. Any tips on gaining weight would be appreciated. I work at Dunkin Donuts and eat that food all the time and still don't gain weight so please don't tell me to just eat alot. I know there are certain drinks that are suppose to help one gain weight but I don't remember what they are.

I am college and have college credit but can I still go under enlistee and not officer? The job I'll probably try to get is legal service. I would go on the field to fight as infinitry and such but as a female those jobs are prohibited. Is there a job I might have overlooked that lets me be more hands on in the field instead of doing paperwork? I'm not really interested in nurse or fixing technological things. Engineering and repairing are defiantly not my strong point.

I know I have to know how to swim...but exactly how well should I know how to swim before bootcamp? Is there a way to practice aim for the rifles? I never shot a rifle and I'm scared I won't qaulify leading me to have to stay an extra two weeks of boot camp.

I haven't gone to talk to a recruiter yet I'm going to Monday. Should I walk in or make an appointment?

Any Marine want to talk on aim? I would just love to get to know you and your experiances.

Thank you

[Marine84]

Welcome Aboard Antoinette. Your Recruiter will be better able to tell you all of this.

I have a couple of questions for you though. Why do you want to join the Corps and what makes you think you got it in you to make it?

[SGT7477]

Man my grandson weighs more than that and he is 13,lmfao.

[antoinette123]

Most do weigh more lol. I really have no idea why it is so hard for me to gain weight.

Thank you I'll make sure to bring all those questions to their office.

Why do I want to join? I'm a somewhat smart girl but regular college does not work for me. It's boring and I'm not motivated. My life is not horrible but it isn't where I want to be. I want to see the world. I'm not saying the best parts of the world. I just want to see the world and not be sheltered. I want to make some kind of difference. I don't see how staying home and becoming just another lawyer does that. I want a challenge and something that I have to be passionate about to be able to push myself through. I want something I know I'll have great pride and respect for. Something that will change me for the better. I guess my main reasons are I want change, pride, and something I can be truly determined about. Please don't suggest another branch of military, I won't settle for anything less than Marines. I don't need fancy benefits or comfortable living conditions. I am not signing up for a perfect life.

Doesn't matter why I think I can make it. How about I actually sign up and go to boot camp and just show I can handle being made into a Marine? I know it will be far from easy mentally and physically for me. I wouldn't be joining the Marines if I wanted it easy.

*Just a note: I know I read in one forum thread how picky Marines are with the words signing up, enlisting, joining, and actually being a Marine. I tried very hard not to confuse joining and signing up and if I did mix them up I apologize. I do not mean any disrespect.

[CplKJSpevak]

Do I have to be 114 lbs to enlist or by the end of bootcamp? Depends on how close you are and what kind of shape your in, They can always give you a Waiver


. I work at Dunkin Donuts and eat that food all the time and still don't gain weight. DAMN Must be nice!!:marine:
I know I have to know how to swim...but exactly how well should I know how to swim before bootcamp? Leave that to them to train you, It's not really swimming as you know it.....Is there a way to practice aim for the rifles? Leave the rifle training to the Marines.... I never shot a rifle and I'm scared I won't qaulify leading me to have to stay an extra two weeks of boot camp. Don't worry about it, They will show you how to aim, shoot,take apart and clean your M16 better than any advice you will get on here.

I haven't gone to talk to a recruiter yet I'm going to Monday. Should I walk in or make an appointment? Walk in!!

Any Marine want to talk on aim? I would just love to get to know you and your experiances. PM for any specific questions, also....Marine84 is a WM (Woman Marine) so she might have some better 4th Bn. (Woman Bootcamp) questions you may have!

Thank you

Don't sweat the rifle thing. If you can listen to instructions and focus, You'll be shooting expert 1st day!:usmc:

[Quinbo]

20 years from now you'll be on this same forum asking why your legs look like two trash bags full of door knobs and your boobs are rubbing your belly button.

Be lean be mean and be green. Uncle Sams Misguided Children will make sure you are well fed and ready for combat.

[CplKJSpevak]

20 years from now you'll be on this same forum asking why your legs look like two trash bags full of door knobs .

Hehehee........LOL your crazy man!

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Wife went thru Recruit Trng at barely 5'0 and 110, graduated about 100 lbs if that. Did six years plus with no issues because of size or weight.

However, you gotta 'wanna'.

Bulkyker, you nailed it tho LOL It's wrong but it's so right.

[Phantom Blooper]

Are you a picky eater?

Are you anorexic?

Are you bulimic?

Do you go out to eat or at home and say I can't eat that...it will make me fat?

Is your family or siblings thin?

Just asking....I experienced the college thing from family experiences and once they got over that they gained the proper weight with PT/diet.Unless there is an underlying medical cause.:evilgrin:

[SlingerDun]

20 years from now you'll be on this same forum asking why your legs look like two trash bags full of door knobs hehehehe ahhh sh*thttp://www.leatherneck.com/forums/images/icons/icon10.gif they's hematoma's from gettin corked by green by mules and shopping carts on black friday

[antoinette123]

Haha great now I'm going to have nightmares about how I'll look twenty years from now. I appreciate it :-P I'm not bulimic or anorexic. Just some of my family grew up being very skinny. My dad was skinny as hell when he was younger. I'm going to go with the genes being the reason I am skinny.

Thanks for all the help and answering my questions!

[Phantom Blooper]

Well then you work at Dunkin' Donuts....eat the mistakes!:evilgrin:

[antoinette123]

Oh I don't just eat the mistakes. I always make myself food while there. I just don't eat the donuts because just looking at them makes me sick now.

[yellowwing]

There's all kinds of over the counter Weight Gain drink mixes. And there is always bananas on sale somewhere.

Cramming calories down is the easy part. How is your PT, do you run or swim regularly?

[antoinette123]

Swimming will be difficult for me. I'm working on pushups. Running shouldn't be too bad for me as long as we don't have to run fast the whole time. Basically I need to improve a lot before going to boot camp. I'm trying to find the different things I need to memorize before going there because it sometimes takes me a little longer to memorize a million things.

[yellowwing]

Peruse the Poolee Hall thoroughly. For years we've had folks ask questions. And if we didn't know the direct answer, we knew Marines that did. It is a cumulative knowledge base spanning decades.

I'm a big fan of swimming. Its great for PT and a requirement. If you have to spend a few bucks at the YMCA for instruction it's worth it. The classes are small and they are pros.

[Zulu 36]

All good suggestions. I recommend this first: Go to your family doctor and get a top-to-bottom physical. Then ask for a referral to a dietitian for a safe weight gain diet (combined with exercise).

Women especially don't want to rush past their "desired" weight while stuffing down dunkers by the gross. Not to sound sexist, but it is harder for women to gain weight carefully, more so than men. It just is.

Once OK by physical exam, and on a well-designed diet, add weight-lifting to your PT regime to build a little muscle bulk. Muscle weighs more than fat and it adds to the strength you'll need too. If you are going to lift, make sure you tell the dietitian that as it may cause a difference in the recommended diet.

Take your time and do it right and perhaps you'll avoid the bag of door knobs curse :D

[Chumley]

Muscle is heavier than fat. You have no fat, so build muscle. It takes a LOT of time and perserverence. Cardio is essential to Marines so I won't tell you not to focus on aerobic type exercises, but also spend a lot of time on strength training and eat, eat, eat healthy good food. Check into a gym and see if you can get started with a strength trainer. You'll grow into it.
Good luck!
C

Just read Zulu's post - ditto!

[Marine1955]

F.Y.I. i went in as a skinny body and boy did they double up on portion on me. threw the chow line i was first and had to yell skinny body at each staytion i was 5' 8" tall and 110 pounds i left at 125 now i'm a fat body. LOL you do just fine