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View Full Version : Recon Wannabes... what to expect...



DevilDogsSon269
09-11-10, 04:05 PM
So I have a friend on FB who is close friends with one of the Marines who was on Surviving the Cut(he is now a Recon Marine). His mother got me in touch with him and we have been talking. This is a view from the eyes of some one who graduated BRC a couple months ago. Here is his views and what to expect:

*note- I have edited this in an effort to keep his identity on the DL as this is posted on the web where everyone can see and I am sure he doesnt want to receive a ****ton of pointless mail from people not even affiliated with the Marines.

"Hey man, how are you? idk if you know me or know who i am but my name is ***** ***** and i graduated from brc about 2 months ago. i just want to tell you good luck. it will be like nothing you've ever attempted. if you make it through brc you will think boot camp was a joke lol. the biggest piece of advice i can give you is do not give up. it is going to suck sooooo bad and so many people will quit. don't do it. almost all of your buddies are going to want to quit and they are going to try to bring you down with them. OK so i will give you a little bit of a time line for you first stages of the marine corps. boot camp for 3 months then out to California for itb(soi) for another 3 months then MART( marines awaiting recon training) and that can last anywhere from a week to a couple months. this is where most of the junior marines are going to quit, about 75% or more will quit. mart is hell on earth, you will get treated like absolute crap, stand around and look at a wall for hours, work out till you can't move and then go thrash in a pool for a couple hours. the instructors during this phase of training have 2 goals: 1) make you quit. 2) get you ready for brc. the pool during this phase of training is going to be the hardest thing you have ever done. once again do not quit. they( the instructors) will help you in the pool as long as you show that you want help and don't want to quit. the advice i have for the pool is just stay calm and breathe.
your next phase of training will be brc(basic reconnaissance course) this will be another 3 months. and it is really not that tough. you get treated better in brc than you do in mart. just follow the rules and once again don't quit. going back to mart, it is going to be intense and you are going to get treated just like a recruit again, but you will get lots of liberty. you should get evening libo everyday and weekend libo too. once again do not quit sorry for saying it so many times but i can't someone has such a great opportunity and through it a away because they get out of there comfort level. one of the reasons you do not want to quit is because you will become a regular grunt( 0311 infantry) and they have it rough. they get treated like crap their entire career. Recon is the best job to have in the entire marine corps. it is the most laid back job where you get to do some of the coolest training. i mean i just finished airborne school with the army in fort benning georgia. airborne school is jumping out of airplanes with a static line parachute. it was so cool. ok well i think that is enough for now. i realize that you are not yet a marine and don't understand a lot of the terminology and you probably wont until you get to that point in time. but if you have any questions feel free to ask i will be more than welcome to answer them."

Good Luck poolees! I myself have not gotten my contract secured but, when I do I will see you after Boot Camp for MART!

Tony Fleri
09-12-10, 12:00 PM
Good Luck poolees! I myself have not gotten my contract secured but, when I do I will see you after Boot Camp for MART!

yup good luck to you too buddy...see you out there someday

Zumbii
09-12-10, 11:39 PM
Thanks for posting this man.
Good on ya

DevilDogsSon269
09-12-10, 11:53 PM
No problem. I thought it would be helpful. What you mean by good on ya? kinda lost on the phrase, maybe overlooking its meaning.

Zumbii
09-13-10, 10:24 AM
Likeeeee
good job.

good on you for posting

DevilDogsSon269
09-13-10, 05:21 PM
Ah, Why thank you. I thought thats what was meant but i didnt want to assume.

Zumbii
09-13-10, 05:46 PM
we should all post question in this thread for you to ask that Marine.
My question for him, Did you have a Recon contract or did you volunteer at SOI? If you had a contract; how many of the Marines did not, and volunteered at SOI?

Tony Fleri
09-13-10, 06:39 PM
we should all post question in this thread for you to ask that Marine.
My question for him, Did you have a Recon contract or did you volunteer at SOI? If you had a contract; how many of the Marines did not, and volunteered at SOI?

that sounds like a great idea

DevilDogsSon269
09-13-10, 09:08 PM
I know for sure he was a volunteer at SOI. Ill ask him the second question about population. Shoot. Dont go over board and only ask serious questions. Im not gonna look like a MOtard, nor am I gonna barade him with rediculousness, or harrass the hell out of him. So keep the questions trimmed!

Zumbii
09-13-10, 09:56 PM
Haha, well that is pretty much my only concern. Recon contracts are real slim pickings so more than likely most of us will go in with infantry slots.

DevilDogsSon269
09-14-10, 12:06 AM
its true. Ie heard that UZ contracts are limited 2-4 per state or month or some crap like that.

bdalesvandy
09-14-10, 05:58 AM
How likley am I to get a shot at the Recon Indoc after SOI if I'm not able to get the UZ, and have to sign for 03? I meet all the prerequisites, and live on the East Coast...

DevilDogsSon269
09-14-10, 11:14 AM
He said its best to get a UZ contract. Unless you live on west coast the evaluation and selections at SOI happen more since thats where BRC and MART take place. If you get in, you have equal chance as anyone else when you get to MART. Pass MART(indoc) and you get in BRC.

bdalesvandy
09-14-10, 02:03 PM
My biggest fear at this point is that I pass Bootcamp and SOI, and then never get the opportunity to try out. I've heard many don't even get the chance to try out. I don't want to have to wait months or years if I could try now...

Tony Fleri
09-14-10, 04:27 PM
My biggest fear at this point is that I pass Bootcamp and SOI, and then never get the opportunity to try out. I've heard many don't even get the chance to try out. I don't want to have to wait months or years if I could try now...

Contract is your only garauntee for recon otherwise when you go to SOI you may or you may not get a chance. I here they always take volunteers so they kno who wants in in the future but dont always take from that class because they may not be more seats in BRC or MART. I just recently talked to an infantry marine that just got back from afghanistan and said that your allowed to take the screening every 3 months or 90 days but if your unit is training for a deployment (which usually they are) you may not have a chance. this marine didnt get a chance in his first enlistment. Now the cases change for every individual. Some may go straight from SOI, some may go back EVERY 90 days till they pass but it really depends on your unit you get stationed with.

bdalesvandy
09-14-10, 05:36 PM
Thanks man that clears things up, i'll be ****ed if I don't get a chance at SOI, I'm all Gung Ho right now and I want to take advantage of it ha

DevilDogsSon269
09-14-10, 10:21 PM
At SOI as long as your ITB and not MCT you are suppose to get weekly opportunities to go to MART. Also even after SOI you can volunteer, after your first enlistment you can lat move into a RECON contract. If you want to be Recon then I am guessing your looking at career or long term Marines. Depending on your MOS you may have opportunities as well to volunteer or have your CO select you to go to Recon. As far as I am concerned Recon isnt my dream job. I want to become a HOG. If I have to do it through recon then that knocks out two brids with one stone but still.

Zwoods2010
09-15-10, 01:27 AM
My biggest fear at this point is that I pass Bootcamp and SOI, and then never get the opportunity to try out. I've heard many don't even get the chance to try out. I don't want to have to wait months or years if I could try now...

I'm going for recon as well and NO ONE can deny you the right to try out for recon. Theres actually a link on the marines website with a phone number to call if anyone ever denys you the right.

DevilDogsSon269
09-15-10, 05:38 AM
If you already have a PMOS your CO can deny you. Now if he asks for volunteers or if there is need in your unit blah blah blah.... than theres an exeption. You wont get to try out if already a Marine if theres no reason to send you. Also you can be denied right to try out if you dont meet the regs for it. Always exceptions but the likely hood that you will get denied isnt high. If you have the time and opportunity take it. In the military unless your a ****bird, only you limit where you can go and what you can do. The skies the limit but only can set that limit for yourself. They arent gonna baby you if you want something make it known, meet the regs, try out, get in, and move on. If you dont... get into shape and work to meet your goals. Everyone asks unimportant things, that wont matter to you for a long time. Gotta take it one goal at a time but think about where you want to be and how you will get there. I have 6 different pipelines plotted according to things I want and the what ifs. I have plans for after I retire, I have plans for further edu. etc... Were all young and statistically incapable of thinking past two years.... Lets change that and not be someones bull **** statistic. Build a plan and make your goals. Set them, work to acheive and overcome. "Goals are dreams with deadlines" -Diana S. Hunt

Good Luck Devil Pups. Future is what you make of it and its YOUR life. Get what you want and find ways. Quiting isnt in the Marine Corps vocabulary!

Zumbii
09-23-10, 02:06 PM
Will you please ask your Recon Marine buddy this question for me?
I really need to hear back ASAP, as I am kind of in a sticky situation here.
What does the recon indoc consist of?

DevilDogsSon269
09-23-10, 03:58 PM
Indoc is basically a few days to a few weeks of hell. Lots of heavy physical training the point is to get you into shape for BRC. BRC Indoc is a day at the pool. Watch the first part of Surviving the Cut:Recon Marines and for Recon Indoc search up MART(Marines awaiting Recon Training) a good example to find is watch the documentaries on the begining of BUDs(first few weeks and hell week). That should give you an Idea. Ill ask him for details but that should get you started. Good Luck be back ASAP

Zumbii
09-23-10, 04:05 PM
LOL thanks for the reply.
But I was under the impression that there was an initial indoc... and thennnnn you go to MART.

the802
09-23-10, 04:21 PM
Look at Tony and Dorin, BFF's now! hahaha, to bad he's going to ITB with me.

the802
09-23-10, 04:23 PM
But really, Recon sounds pretty dope.

Zumbii
09-23-10, 04:25 PM
bahah Tony is a good kid, and good in the pool.
Jeff I hope we go to ITB together

the802
09-23-10, 04:27 PM
bahah
Jeff I hope we go to ITB together

Would be nice to go knowing someone.

DevilDogsSon269
09-23-10, 05:13 PM
Ill search around and I am awaiting my source's reply.

DevilDogsSon269
09-23-10, 05:31 PM
RIP(Recon Indoc Program) sounds like what you were talking about with the whole indoc prior to MART. And from the sounds of it it is what you saw on STC: Recon Marines a few weeks ago. Its that day long plus indoc.

Tony Fleri
09-23-10, 06:44 PM
Look at Tony and Dorin, BFF's now! hahaha, to bad he's going to ITB with me.


THIS MEANS NOTHING!!!!! haha