1812 MOS - Tank Crewman, FT.Benning

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Originally Posted by AAV Crewchief

Tanks are cool. There were days on the ramp at Camp Schwab where I would wonder if being a tanker would be better than a tracker as I busted rust off the trans and pack on my hog. There is nothing scarier than to feel the ground shake underneath a tank as it passes you by. He will be OK.

Don't go to school with him. Have your stuff packed for the first duty station after school and be a good Marine wife. Yes, there are bad Marine wives. I won't go there, but they are easy to spot. Your man's job will be a lot easier if he knows all is well at home and you will be there for him when he returns. Jacksonville, NC outside of Lejeune is a soap opera a lot of times. Try not to get caught up into all of the BS of the other couples/families.

Put off having kids for as long as you can. It might be tempting to start that family, but being newlyweds, you need time to be with each other and not have the stress of yard apes. At the end of the first enlistment and if all is well and he decides to make it a career, would be a great time to start a family. Don't start having kids and then him not like the Corps and deciding that the economy sucks so bad and the Corps offers than guaranteed paycheck is the reasoning why he stays in. He will resent it, you will resent it, and the kids will not like it either with mom and dad fighting. Personally, I don't think kids should be getting married their first hitch in the military to start, but it is not my call and you've already done the deed. When he makes E-5 it would probably be safe to say he will earn enough money to support a family. E-4 at the minimum, but again that is your choice.

Good luck and Semper Fi.

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Thanks for the info! makes me feel alot better knowing he will be safe.
We didnt just get married because he joined, he have been together for 4 years (since we were 15), and engaged for a year before he decided that the marine core was for him. I will do anything in my power to be a good marine wife, What do i need to look for to stay away from the bad ones? i hate drama, and do not want any part of it, so any info would be great. Yes i am staying at home (being a good wife) and getting things squared away here. When he does get liberty one weekend i will go visit, but as far as letting him know that im here and not going anywhere, thats done! i let him know that daily :)
Thanks again, any other info would be greatly appreciated.

Oh & we aren't planning on starting a family, for at least another 4 or 5 years, we want to enjoy just being married for now, and we want to be financially stable.

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Originally Posted by marinewife621

Thanks for the info! makes me feel alot better knowing he will be safe.
We didnt just get married because he joined, he have been together for 4 years (since we were 15), and engaged for a year before he decided that the marine core was for him. I will do anything in my power to be a good marine wife, What do i need to look for to stay away from the bad ones? i hate drama, and do not want any part of it, so any info would be great. Yes i am staying at home (being a good wife) and getting things squared away here. When he does get liberty one weekend i will go visit, but as far as letting him know that im here and not going anywhere, thats done! i let him know that daily :)
Thanks again, any other info would be greatly appreciated.

Oh & we aren't planning on starting a family, for at least another 4 or 5 years, we want to enjoy just being married for now, and we want to be financially stable.

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It's Marine Corps.......and good luck to you and your husband.

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Originally Posted by marinewife621

Thanks for the info! makes me feel alot better knowing he will be safe.
We didnt just get married because he joined, he have been together for 4 years (since we were 15), and engaged for a year before he decided that the marine core was for him. I will do anything in my power to be a good marine wife, What do i need to look for to stay away from the bad ones? i hate drama, and do not want any part of it, so any info would be great. Yes i am staying at home (being a good wife) and getting things squared away here. When he does get liberty one weekend i will go visit, but as far as letting him know that im here and not going anywhere, thats done! i let him know that daily :)
Thanks again, any other info would be greatly appreciated.

Oh & we aren't planning on starting a family, for at least another 4 or 5 years, we want to enjoy just being married for now, and we want to be financially stable.

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1) Some wives try to steal other's men.
2) Some wives wait until the ship is over the horizon on the next deployment and then start hitting every bar in Jville.
3) Some wives just like to stir up crap with the other wives and many think they wear their husband's rank.

*** Your conduct as a wife of a Marine will be important to his career. What you do can and will reflect upon him with his superiors. And speaking of superiors, watch out for your man's buddies (or so they say). Some want more than to just be friends.

I purposely stayed single in the Corps during my active duty time. Not everyone can make that choice. It was hard enough making E-5 on my first enlistment as a single Marine. I cannot imagine how hard it would have been had I been married.

I don't want to be a wet towel, but their are tripwires everywhere. Again, watch out for the other wives. Just sayin'....

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Originally Posted by MGySgtSki

So, they moved tank school from Ft Knox?

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MgySgt they moved this year they where just down the road from where I work now the only Marine Tanks on Ft knox are E Co. 4th Tanks

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Originally Posted by awbrown1462

MgySgt they moved this year they where just down the road from where I work now the only Marine Tanks on Ft knox are E Co. 4th Tanks

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Gotcha. I used to live in that area when I was a kid (Vine Grove) and am originally from Louisville.

Check out this website if you haven't already. It's for Marine spouses and other family members. It may take a little time to negotiate around but the moderators are anxious to help so just ask questions and they'll get you going in the right direction. You will be able to contact other spouses who have already been where you are or are at the same point in your journey:

marinefamilynetwork.com

The unofficial motto for a Marine spouse is semper gumby (always flexible) as you are already learning. Expect "the word" from your husband to change often as he may be told one thing today and something completely different tomorrow (this is just a fact of military life). One is not garaunteed a specific MOS (like artillary) but rather a program that includes tank and artillary MOS's. Then, the USMC decides which MOS needs bodies the most. I doubt his recruiter lied to him but if that is your perception we won't change it here.

Drama with spouses does happen unfortunately. You will be exposed to it to some extent. Ever see "Army Wives" on TV? That's Hollywood but some of it is pretty accurate.

The most important thing you can do is support your husband through the bad times as well as the good (and there will be both). Being a Marine is tough enough; issues at home only makes it even more difficult.

I am wanting to get into Armor, when I enlist do I put down 1800 or 1812 as my first choice MOS? I would like to 1st Tank Bn but i know they will stick me anywhere they please, but it doesnt hurt to wish :D! anyway I would like to know more about getting in to be a Tanker! im 5'8 132lbs !

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Originally Posted by marinewife621

Thanks for the info! makes me feel alot better knowing he will be safe.
We didnt just get married because he joined, he have been together for 4 years (since we were 15), and engaged for a year before he decided that the marine core was for him. I will do anything in my power to be a good marine wife, What do i need to look for to stay away from the bad ones? i hate drama, and do not want any part of it, so any info would be great. Yes i am staying at home (being a good wife) and getting things squared away here. When he does get liberty one weekend i will go visit, but as far as letting him know that im here and not going anywhere, thats done! i let him know that daily :)
Thanks again, any other info would be greatly appreciated.

Oh & we aren't planning on starting a family, for at least another 4 or 5 years, we want to enjoy just being married for now, and we want to be financially stable.

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AAV Crewchief has given you some very good, sound advice, and staying out of the drama network, the gossip crowd will do you both good.

My wife and I married after I had been in for 2.5 years, but I was also a Sgt and the pay and rank help. We were married for four years before our first child came along, and it was in my second enlistment. I would echo Crewchief's advice in that regard.

As far as your question, "I will do anything in my power to be a good marine wife, What do i need to look for to stay away from the bad ones? i hate drama, and do not want any part of it, so any info would be great," I can only share my opinion in that regard, which others may and will differ with.

As a Marine, you are a Marine 24/7. It is not like an 8-5 job. Because of that, from my observation, I saw more drama existed in families that lived in base housing. I personally found it better to live in off base housing (nonmilitary). My wife and I had lived in an apartment, a condo, and eventually bought a house. I knew some Marines who just enjoyed living on base and wanting to be around Marines. For me, I liked getting away from base, not always eating, breathing, and sleeping Marine Corps and it afforded my wife the opportunity to not get caught up in some of the things mentioned. That said, you might find yourselves in the position where you have to live on base housing. BTW, I am not saying base housing is bad. My brother lived on base housing, and when at Pendleton it was very nice, right up above the beach, and it was a good area. At Lejeune, it was not as nice, but it was still good housing and he had good neighbors. But that will be down the road a bit before you guys get to that point.

As far as staying away from the bad ones, because we lived in the community, we were pretty much away from all military wives, unless we got together for a social occasion, BBQ, etc. I notice you went to a Christian school. That doesn't make you a Christian, but assuming for the moment you are, one of the things my wife and I did was we became members of a small church where we lived and became involved in different ministries in that church, Sunday school, Awana and had many non-military friends. I think it helped keep a balance in both of our lives.

So those are some ideas. You should be able to identify the troublemakers, though. Most make it pretty obvious.

Good luck. You sound like you got a great attitude about it, and that's probably 90% of it right there.

Hey! I have a question, I am wanting to get into Tanks. I am going to enlist in March 2012 (17th Birthday). I was wondering, when I enlist do I put down '1812' as my first choice for MOS? or do i just put '1800' field, because i really dont want to get stuck in Arty lol. Also, How frequently do Tankers travel? like going on floats and deployments and such? -Thanks, Stephen

Only reservists can choose the exact MOS they want. You'll be able to pick the general career field though.