View Full Version : Is my recruiter lying to me?
Zoltta1
08-18-09, 07:30 PM
Im ready to go down to MEPS on thursday and i went in to the office today to do the initial paperwork and have a question about what i did today.
First thing is im enlisting as 0311. They said right now your chances of getting 0311 is slim and none if you go active. Only way to guarantee 0311 in black and white on paper is if you go reserve. No he said but there is a trick to it. You do all your training like normal and as soon as you get out you will go to your reserve station. When you get there you immediately request to volunteer for active duty and he said 100% chance they will accept since they are always looking for volunteers. Then you go down to the office and do the paper work and you are on your way from there.
But wait a second. If 0311 is almost impossible to get due to it being popular as active, how will i get it as a reserve requesting to be active? It doesnt make any sense. Is it just a wormhole in the system so that not everyone gets what they want due to overpopulating the MOS?
Another member on another forum told me this?
"Do not believe what the recruiter is telling you. Get everything in writing. They are trying to fill their reserve slots.
You should be able to get what you want if not tell him you will walk and he will change his mind.
The Corps is behind on filling Reserve slots so they will push it to make quota."
What should i do? I need an answer ASAP since im going to MEPS in 2 days
samthomas
08-18-09, 07:34 PM
Im ready to go down to MEPS on thursday and i went in to the office today to do the initial paperwork and have a question about what i did today.
First thing is im enlisting as 0311. They said right now your chances of getting 0311 is slim and none if you go active. Only way to guarantee 0311 in black and white on paper is if you go reserve. No he said but there is a trick to it. You do all your training like normal and as soon as you get out you will go to your reserve station. When you get there you immediately request to volunteer for active duty and he said 100% chance they will accept since they are always looking for volunteers. Then you go down to the office and do the paper work and you are on your way from there.
But wait a second. If 0311 is almost impossible to get due to it being popular as active, how will i get it as a reserve requesting to be active? It doesnt make any sense. Is it just a wormhole in the system so that not everyone gets what they want due to overpopulating the MOS?
Another member on another forum told me this?
What should i do? I need an answer ASAP since im going to MEPS in 2 days
No real advice to offer, other than that nothing is 100%. Getting to a reserve unit is months away, no telling what could happen in the interim.
Zoltta1
08-18-09, 07:52 PM
No real advice to offer, other than that nothing is 100%. Getting to a reserve unit is months away, no telling what could happen in the interim.
yeah i dont know, im just really paranoid about this whole thing. Can i really get the recruiter to put it in writing that i can switch to active with no trouble or denies? Or can i really get 03 as active with no problems?
earningthetitle
08-18-09, 08:28 PM
I'm not 100% sure on this, but I think what he means is he can't promise you the 11 part of 0311... The recruiter can give you the contract and you might end up as a 0331, but when you go reserve you get a specialty before you enlist, he can't promise you that you'll be able to go active immediately because he doesn't know the 'needs of the Marine Corps' 5 or 6 months down the road. You'd for sure be a rifleman if you made it through ITB and then you would just have to play the game to go active. Nothings for sure in the Marine Corps until 5 minutes after you've done it... except PT, thats a sure bet.
Zulu 36
08-18-09, 08:42 PM
yeah i dont know, im just really paranoid about this whole thing. Can i really get the recruiter to put it in writing that i can switch to active with no trouble or denies? Or can i really get 03 as active with no problems?
The last time I saw something on this topic on the threads, you cannot enlist on active duty as an 0311. The best you can get is the 03 field. Your actual 03 MOS will be determined at School of Infantry.
As far as 0311 in the reserves, you need to find a reserve infantry unit that has 0311 vacancies and enlist in the reserves to fill one of those vacancies. The USMCR grunt unit 10 miles away might be fully manned in 0311. The closest 0311 vacancy may be in a unit 250 miles away. Then what?
It is never a 100% guarantee that you would be allowed to transfer into active duty from the reserves. There are too many variables that can happen between now and then (assuming you make it through boot camp, SOI, and get a reserve 0311 slot). I doubt the Marine Corps would agree to any such guarantee.
My daughter is in the Air Force Reserves. Thanks to Obama and Congress, funding is getting really tight in the military. She told me just tonight that her unit is sucking wind finding the money to make it through this fiscal year. Normal ops, plus meeting their sandbox support missions, and getting through two major inspections. So if the Air Force is suffering, you can bet your left testicle that the Marine Corps is too.
I'm not 100% sure on this, but I think what he means is he can't promise you the 11 part of 0311... The recruiter can give you the contract and you might end up as a 0331, but when you go reserve you get a specialty before you enlist, he can't promise you that you'll be able to go active immediately because he doesn't know the 'needs of the Marine Corps' 5 or 6 months down the road. You'd for sure be a rifleman if you made it through ITB and then you would just have to play the game to go active. Nothings for sure in the Marine Corps until 5 minutes after you've done it... except PT, thats a sure bet.
This is a great answer... GTG Devil... I assume with little more than what you told us here, that the above answer is probably behind that... When you go Active, you are placed into a field.. If you go Infantry (UH), you are not guaranteed to be an 0311... As a Reservist you are guaranteed the specific MOS, 0311 in your case... As far as pushing Reserves, you can go Active from the Reserves, and the ELTA rep (Reserve head honcho) at Parris Island is briefing all Reservists that once you have completed 1 year with your Unit and are in good standing, you can apply to go Active... You would stay in your MOS provided ther are spots open in the Marine Corps... Good Luck! S/F
Zoltta1
08-18-09, 09:34 PM
so basically what you are saying is i cant apply for active until i served 1 year with my reserve unit after all my training is complete?
But what if i dont go reserve and try to go active, i get put into the 03 field and cant exactly pick and choose what 03 i want until SOI? If im correct on that, i can still choose general 03 at meps with no problems or what?
jprtech
08-18-09, 09:54 PM
Thanks to Obama and Congress, funding is getting really tight in the military. She told me just tonight that her unit is sucking wind finding the money to make it through this fiscal year. Normal ops, plus meeting their sandbox support missions, and getting through two major inspections. So if the Air Force is suffering, you can bet your left testicle that the Marine Corps is too.
That happened to me back in 96 when Clinton was in office. I tried to make Sgt, but there were too many Sgts in my MOS (1371) I couldn't get promoted even with good cutting/composite score and good pros and cons.
Tried to re-up in 96, but got seperated instead. High year tenure. Uncle Sam basically said, "Thank You for your service, here's your check, time to go."
and as a rule, for those wondering.... recruiters aren't going to lie to you as a poolee... they are turning people away because they can't get them in with-in the alloted year...
so they have no reason to lie to you...
Zoltta1
08-18-09, 10:30 PM
Ok so when i go down to MEPS how do i choose this? Just pick the 03 option and nothing specific? Can this be done regardless of current job availability? Im talking active too and not reserve.
you will be fine, your service rep can answer your questions. Just ask him when you get your name tag... which will be one of the first things you do after going through the metal detectors and such...
Zoltta1
08-18-09, 10:57 PM
Hmm ok i guess ill find out when i get there.
Another quick question. If my recruiter put down Reserve on my paperwork he faxed to MEPS, can that be changed? If so at MEPS or? I gotta go to the office tomorrow anyway to hand in some papers
ColdBlooded
08-19-09, 12:23 AM
yeah i dont know, im just really paranoid about this whole thing. Can i really get the recruiter to put it in writing that i can switch to active with no trouble or denies? Or can i really get 03 as active with no problems?
No.... Unless he wants to. But that sucker better be 100% positive. :banana:
avenger08
08-19-09, 12:36 AM
if the Air Force is suffering, you can bet your left testicle that the Marine Corps is too.
you know damn good in well that if the Air Force, or even the Air Force reserves are suffering that the Marine Corps Active and Reserve are going to be suffering even worse. on the deployment that i am on they had to cut manuvers off completely because the Marine Corps and Navy lost alot of money due to obama taking money from all active deployments period.
haha... you think the AF get's more funding for operations just 'cause they're the AF... how cute.
if obama cut funding for operations then everyone get's hit.... but those in a combat zone or deployed will have priority so funds are diverted from one imaginary piggy bank to another. it's just worse for those who already spent a lot
Hmm ok i guess ill find out when i get there.
Another quick question. If my recruiter put down Reserve on my paperwork he faxed to MEPS, can that be changed? If so at MEPS or? I gotta go to the office tomorrow anyway to hand in some papers
You should have fixed everthing today? Yes? Your job is assigned at the office following your ASVAB/Physical results... It's a field, not an MOS that you are assigned... S/F
Zoltta1
08-21-09, 01:09 PM
You should have fixed everthing today? Yes? Your job is assigned at the office following your ASVAB/Physical results... It's a field, not an MOS that you are assigned... S/F
I did everything yesterday but i signed as a reserve for 0311. I really hope i can activate myself for deployment after i get out and then try and go full active duty.
I saw in the poolie hall someone got an 03xx contract as active yesterday, so i guess they really ARE open or what?
Im shipping November 02. I really dont want to be stuck as a reserve forever but it was my only option down at MEPS
samthomas
08-21-09, 02:12 PM
Im shipping November 02. I really dont want to be stuck as a reserve forever but it was my only option down at MEPS
If an opportunity comes along for changing to active (as I did while in the DEP) you might consider taking it. Otherwise, don't worry about it.
this is true... an active contract may come along... and if you show promise and are active in the DEP they may offer it to you.
you should ask them what you can do to help... and always put out 110% at poolee functions and improve your score each time you do an IST.
samthomas
08-21-09, 02:27 PM
.. and always put out 110% at poolee functions and improve your score each time you do an IST.
Certainly do this. I originally enlisted as a reserve 0151, I think it was, but ended up changing to active 03XX. Use your time in the DEP wisely.
Zoltta1
08-21-09, 03:22 PM
thanks i will look more into this with my recruiter