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cellistcs
12-27-09, 01:10 AM
Hey guys, got a couple questions about boot camp before and during;

1. Approximately how soon before I ship out will I get my orders to report to MCRD?

2. Approximately how much will be deducted from my pay over the course of the 13 weeks of boot camp?

I'm just looking for rough ideas on these, obviously it's the military so thing can change drastically in a very short period of time, but any insight is helpful. Thanks!

Fubar5812
12-27-09, 01:48 AM
1. you'll get a glimpse of them the day your recruiter drives you to MEP's, after that the next time you'll see them is when you graduate..if you graduate.

2. does it matter? you'll come out of bootcamp with roughly 2,000 dollars give or take a couple hundred depending on a few things.

cellistcs
12-27-09, 02:22 AM
Thanks for the reply. I was hoping to have a copy of my orders at least two weeks before I shipped out to boot camp to slam into my current employer's face, but it looks like I'll just have to skip that part and slap him upside the head with it in words instead.

The pay issue matters a bit as my wife and I are trying to arrange financing for her while I'm in training. We were trying to estimate how much I'd have in that account at the end of boot camp, and I was guessing that overall expenses during my time at MCRD would be about $1400 on the high end. Sounds like I was in the right ballpark. Thanks again.

CplKJSpevak
12-27-09, 07:34 AM
I think the pay gets a little screwy while you to through Boot,MCT and MOS school, I remember everyones pay being different,. So if you get a HUGE check hold on to it. They do get it squared away though. Good luck!

Phantom Blooper
12-27-09, 08:09 AM
to slam into my current employer's face, but it looks like I'll just have to skip that part and slap him upside the head with it in words instead.

Choose your words and physical actions carefully or he may have the last laugh with holding you back by filing a civil action...depending on your words and hand gestures.

Sometimes it is just best to walk away and say nothing than to stoop to a level that you don't want to be at.

If the job sucks and your employer is an azzhole....think about all the times for your enlistment contract that you are tempted to speak your mind....but will bite your lip and go with the flow...because the repercussions in the Marine Corps are real and not perceived.

Don't know your work situation...but if there is a clash or conflict of interest or personalities.....you may have that daily in the Marine Corps because it is a very diverse organization with a bunch of blended personalities and backgrounds.

You don't need to like someone in order to work side by side with them and complete your mission.

Also if you decide not to make the Marine Corps a career and you get out after your hitch is up you may need to use that firm as a reference in addition to your military training.

Depending on your MOS and if you need a clearance the government will go back and talk to that employer....do not leave with something you may regret in the future.

Leave in good standing.....it will also show you to be the bigger of the two.:evilgrin:

thezero
12-27-09, 08:41 AM
Hey guys, got a couple questions about boot camp before and during;

1. Approximately how soon before I ship out will I get my orders to report to MCRD?

2. Approximately how much will be deducted from my pay over the course of the 13 weeks of boot camp?

I'm just looking for rough ideas on these, obviously it's the military so thing can change drastically in a very short period of time, but any insight is helpful. Thanks!

I never received orders to report to MCRDPI, my recruiter had me and a couple buddies who shipped the same day show up at the office Sunday, then we either had our parents take us to the hotel or the shuttle. At MEPS after you go through again on the next day depending on how many people are shipping a couple packages with all your vital info that the Island needs to process you. But as for orders I do not believe you receive any until Marine Week, assuming you make it there. :evilgrin:

mincj
12-27-09, 10:44 AM
Graduated boot camp with just a little over $2,000.

cellistcs
12-27-09, 10:44 AM
Phantom Blooper - you're absolutely correct. When I used the words "slap" and "slam" it was meant figuratively, in a professional way. Although, the day that my boss looked across his desk at me and said, "If it wasn't for the fact that you have a kid on the way, I'd've fired you already," was the day that my respect was totally lost for the man. And to clarify, it's going to hurt him mostly because he CAN"T fire me as I'm joining the reserve unit. So, in short, I'm going to slap him with it professionally.

Lisa 23
12-27-09, 10:51 AM
Hey guys, got a couple questions about boot camp before and during;

1. Approximately how soon before I ship out will I get my orders to report to MCRD?

2. Approximately how much will be deducted from my pay over the course of the 13 weeks of boot camp?

I'm just looking for rough ideas on these, obviously it's the military so thing can change drastically in a very short period of time, but any insight is helpful. Thanks!

How about "hey Marines", not hey guys.

We can't tell you exactly how much is going to get decucted from your pay. It also depends if you're going to boot camp as a PFC or not.

cellistcs
12-27-09, 11:24 AM
How about "hey Marines", not hey guys.

We can't tell you exactly how much is going to get decucted from your pay. It also depends if you're going to boot camp as a PFC or not.

Apologies. I realized last night as I hit the "submit" button that I didn't start that post properly.

SGT7477
12-27-09, 11:32 AM
Graduated boot camp with just a little over $2,000.
Whew in our day you were lucky if you made that in a year.:evilgrin:

Gunner614
12-27-09, 01:27 PM
Pay gets pretty screwy in boot camp. I got out with 2400 and one of my buddies got out with over 5 thousand. It depends on a bunch of factors.

thezero
12-27-09, 01:28 PM
Graduated boot camp with just a little over $2,000.

Must not have had to buy your plane ticket home then. On graduation I had ~1800 because I spent 450ish bucks to get my ride home. I was making E-2 the entire time. My buddy (ElDiablo) was making E-1 and came out with around 1400-1500 I believe.

ElDiablo
12-27-09, 03:46 PM
Nope. I had $1200. Bought the ring, yearbook, and all that. Final bill was only like $200, so not bad.

dizark
12-27-09, 09:03 PM
I had roughly $10500. I spent 4.5 months in boot but the reason for the money is being married, with dependents. (It included my housing allowance).

cellistcs
12-27-09, 09:22 PM
I had roughly $10500. I spent 4.5 months in boot but the reason for the money is being married, with dependents. (It included my housing allowance).

Dependants are a wonderful thing! I've got my wife and new son. I think maybe I asked the wrong question originally, so let me rephrase it.

Can anyone tell me what all you have to pay for in boot camp, and approximately how much it runs a month?

Lisa 23
12-27-09, 10:46 PM
Can anyone tell me what all you have to pay for in boot camp, and approximately how much it runs a month?

You have taxes, all of your hygiene items that are purchased during recruit training, uniforms, shoes, go fasters (sneakers), boot camp pictures and I believe the graduation book, your travel home, that is if you don't go home with your family if they choose to attend graduation.....just about everything that is issued to you, you pay for.
It's hard to say what money you will have at the end of boot camp. Everyone is different. All depends on if you go to boot camp as a PFC or not also.

Ask your recruiter for more info on this. He/she should be able to help you out more.

NoRemorse
12-28-09, 07:46 AM
Getting back to your first question, you can actually ask your recruiter for a form letter in lieu of orders to present to your employer, utilities company, phone company, creditors, etc...

Also, have a letter handy for each of the above explaining the situation so they don't have to guess what your official form letter or copy of original orders means.

thezero
12-28-09, 08:25 AM
You buy what they issue you. When you go to the recruit PX you buy what they tell you to buy with your money. Why is it such a big deal you get paid the 1st and 15th unless it's the weekend or major holiday. You make 3 recruit PX calls, expect to spend $350-400 on items FOR THE PLATOON, does it suck yes do you learn to get over it? You better.

Like WMarine said you have taxes, graduation book, your ring, grad DVD, and some extra crap they will sell to you, you also have the "Option" to buy a time piece on recruit liberty if you can get there.

MLMonk
12-28-09, 10:17 AM
You buy what they issue you. When you go to the recruit PX you buy what they tell you to buy with your money. Why is it such a big deal you get paid the 1st and 15th unless it's the weekend or major holiday. You make 3 recruit PX calls, expect to spend $350-400 on items FOR THE PLATOON, does it suck yes do you learn to get over it? You better.

Like WMarine said you have taxes, graduation book, your ring, grad DVD, and some extra crap they will sell to you, you also have the "Option" to buy a time piece on recruit liberty if you can get there.

He wants to know how much he's going to get since he has a wife and child with him, too, and has to support those. If he was single, yeah sure I can understand why he shouldn't care, but that is not the reason.

cellistcs
12-28-09, 10:29 AM
Nah, I know approximately how much I'll be bringing into my bank account.

I know that there are deductions for taxes, and that some of the allowances like the housing is tax-free, and I know that there's a difference between Private pay and PFC pay, etc. I'm really just wanting to know about how much the average recruit spends over the course of 13 weeks.

I've got a killer recruiting team her in CO; they're fantastic. I worked with this same office four years ago, and let me tell you what, the Marines running this office now have brought it leaps and bounds in that amount of time. They've done a really good job of keeping me informed about what's going on, but they're all Sgt's and SSgt's... Been a while since they went through boot camp, so a question like "What are my expenditures during boot camp?" may just be one of those questions that they can't answer; Hence why I'm trying to get a round idea of what the overall COST is during boot camp from someone who's been through recently.

For example, if you went in as a PFC in 2009 you're making close to $1570/month - assuming you don't have dependants. So, over the course of three months, you'll have earned $4710. As a Pvt. you made $4200 over the same period. How much did you Marines have left over after that was all said and done? And please don't include the trip home, etc.; Just your expenditures during the approximated 13 weeks you were at your respective MCRD.

thezero
12-28-09, 10:49 AM
He wants to know how much he's going to get since he has a wife and child with him, too, and has to support those. If he was single, yeah sure I can understand why he shouldn't care, but that is not the reason.

Ah alright, missed that part. I've only been on around 0200-0300 so I've been tired. But I know the prior service army guy in my platoon graduated with $8400 with no kid, there were only a couple guys married that had kids in the Co. and I believe they were in lead series so I have no clue what they were making.

Cellistics, I told you. You spend 350-400 in recruit PX calls. Then final bills can be as cheap or expensive as you make them, the average was around $200 dollars. So say thats $600 since you always want to go with the most when calculating how much money you have. Then you have all of your deductions for your gear and uniforms plus your plane/bus ticket from home to MCT/SOI. With out a plane ticket home I would've graduated with around $2200 dollars as a PFC. So if your calculations are correct and I made $4710 expect to have around $2500 deducted total.