Seeking Marine reservist opinions/experience

[civgrunt05]

It's not that it's hard to keep a job, it's that it is hard to get a job in my opinion. I'm sure getting on at Burger King is no problem, but IMO jobs in professional fields are more difficult to get when you say, "Yes, I am still in the Reserve. Yes, I could be deployed at any time now. I don't expect it at this moment, but I am still obligated should they call." It's very doable.

The only thing I regret about my Marine Corps career is never being sent to either war. I joined to go to Iraq, that ship has since sailed, and now I'm being told we are mobilizing again but not for Afghanistan. It's like being a senior on the football team, believing yourself ready, training hard to be ready, and then the coach telling you, "Look guy, we need some good linebackers on the JV team." Would I have joined if I knew I'd do 6 years plus and never get sent to the wars? Possibly not, but I will say that some of the best experiences I've had and will ever have were made in the Corps.

As far as the time commitments: As a junior Marine, it wouldn't be so much of a burden. All that's required of you outside of showing up to drill is staying in shape and doing a few MCIs/Marine Net courses from time to time.

You'll have to make your own mind up if it's worth it for you.

[YourPhoneIsMine]

Civgrunt05** -

Yes I am still monitoring this post, thank you for responding. So your saying it was pretty hard to get/keep a job while being a reserve? Is it hard balancing out your regular job with your Marine job? Do-able? I agree with you about suffering with the rest, being an officer is not what I'm looking for. So my last question to you... Has is been worth it enlisting, to go through all the long drills, boot, soi, deployment, being away from home and your wife, trying to keep a civ job AND balance out your Marine job? That's an important question for myself. My reason for joining (if I were to join) is because, a Marine is something I just want to be. I have a lot of other things I could "be" that are safer, less...well hard to be. My hangup is that I'm having a hard time justifying all the other overhead. I wouldn't hesitate as much if it were just myself, but I'm planning on marrying this girl soon (asking rather) and all that overhead has an affect on her too later on. We've had many long talks about this and she is very supportive. She says she would rather me do it than look back and have regret. I feel the same, but the same hangups still bother me. Help?

your "marine job" is usually two or three days out of the month. if you can't adjust a work schedule around that then you've got bigger problems on your plate

[TheReservist]

your "marine job" is usually two or three days out of the month. if you can't adjust a work schedule around that then you've got bigger problems on your plate

In the beginning it's all about just showing up. As you gain rank though, it becomes more and more an unpaid job as you are getting constant phone calls for inane things like getting Marines in your squad boot sizes or because they didn't do frost calls.

Also, going over info so that during the actual drill weekend you can teach the boots something instead of them just sitting around their wall lockers complaining about having nothing to do. Then you can teach them and have them prac app while they complain about what theyre doing.

[Gunz]

Good post civgrunt05

[civgrunt05]

In the beginning it's all about just showing up. As you gain rank though, it becomes more and more an unpaid job as you are getting constant phone calls for inane things like getting Marines in your squad boot sizes or because they didn't do frost calls.

Also, going over info so that during the actual drill weekend you can teach the boots something instead of them just sitting around their wall lockers complaining about having nothing to do. Then you can teach them and have them prac app while they complain about what theyre doing.

If I were running some Marines through some prac app on a class I had tought and they started complaining, I'd hand them an e-tool and tell them to make me a fighting hole.

[DrZ]

As one engineer to another.... let me fill you in on a few things. The engineering market sucks currently in the civilian world. If you decide to go reservist, you are going to need to find a job in a market that has a glut of engineers from shiny new just out of university to people who have PhDs and reams of experience. If you choose to go to the Marines, you can become an Officer of Marines since you almost have the degree in hand. Your CS/CSE skills will be valuable to the Corps. Not saying your experience wouldn't be valuable if you decide to go enlisted as well, but why go enlisted if you have the majority of the requirements satisfied to become an officer?

As far as your girlfriend...she will either stay or not. Sounds cold but wouldn't you rather find out the prior to taking that long walk down the aisle? Family will be your family no matter what. They might disapprove of your decision but they will get used to it.

Don't over think the rest of it. Determine what is best for you and do it. As an Officer of Marines, you need to have the ability to determine what needs to be done and do it. As an enlisted person.... you will grow in responsibility and knowledge with every rank....but, and this is my personal opinion only, often the way things are done in the Marines are not the most streamlined or efficient and it might just drive you crazy.

Go somewhere quiet and away from the din of civilization and think it over. Then do what your heart and brain tells you to do.

Good luck either way.

[03Mike]

...IMO jobs in professional fields are more difficult to get when you say, "Yes, I am still in the Reserve. Yes, I could be deployed at any time now. I don't expect it at this moment, but I am still obligated should they call." ...

Depends on who you're trying to work for. Personally, I give preference to hiring veterans and reservists. As a Marine, I know what to expect of them and they know what to expect of me. I have a higher level of confidence that if I give them a task they'll get it done instead of b!tching about how difficult it is or why someone else should do it. I know that I can assign tasks with a "civilianized" version of a 5 paragraph order and it'll get done.

Personally, I'd rather risk having half of my team activated and deployed than have to put up with the whining, equivocating civilians that are all applying for jobs now.

[jrod02]

CivGrunt05 pretty much hit the nail on the head. I was a 3531 with a 3533 liscence and the reason I was given that MOS was because of the units near my home. My 1st unit was 23d TOWS (now Fox Co AT BN) from Lafayette, La. I deployed with IMHG because I had a LVS operators liscence. My 2nd unit was with a Bulk Fuel Plt. but I deployed with Combat Logistics Battalion 8 under RCT8. So really it all pretty much depends on how you truly feel in the end. I can say that if you don't have the right people in your corner on the reserve side, you can & will get fugged. I would recommend going active, But that is just my opinion.

[AdminAssassin]

You could easily get deployed with ANY MOS regardless of what unit your with or whether or not your an officer. I'm admin and I was told last week I was getting deployed in the near future(can't specify when) so it's always possible. Active or reserve, relationships are always strained but your gf/wife just has to understand going in that you will be a Marine and if she's ok with that she should do fine. Just go ahead and join us, getting that EGA is a once-in-a-lifetime feeling no one can take from you.

[jbach]

Thanks for all the help so far guys I really appreciate it.

I've thought about going the officer route...and well, is doesn't feel like that's what I want to be. I would join to do my part, get dirty, do the hard crap that nobody else want's to do. Not that officer's don't get their fair share. When I think of being an officer, feels more like a career decision and frankly I'm not looking to make it a career. I I guess I need to find out what officers really do. I don't know. Can somebody point me to a website with a mega-crap-tonne of info on officers and everything thereof? Thanks.

As for the gf/wife comments: That's not an issue with me or her, she is fully supportive and understand all the overhead -at least as much as we can guess.

Now I'm going to ask a couple questions that I keep finding different answers for. It's very frustrating not knowing which is the truth. Just to get it out of the way -I know it doesn't matter what mos you are or if your reserve or full time, I know as some point your unit will more than likely get deployed. My question is WHERE and WHAT is it like? I also know these have many variables but where are most Marines going to? I read on the futurejarhead's website that there is a smaller chance of deploying to Afghanistan (instead of Japan or somewhere else) and an even smaller chance I would see combat. From my own research I find that to be the opposite, but I have no experience. The website also said that most likely you would get deployed to a base in nowhere being absolutely bored with a small possibility of seeing some distant small arms fire. Being a Marine reservist, I thought that you would have a higher chance of going to Afghanistan and since that's the hot spot right now that you would be seeing combat almost everyday. I understand that I'm asking decently specific questions but I'm not looking for a definite "you will go here, you will go there" answer. Just trying to figure out what the "norm" is...or at least what the pattern has been. Here's another one I might get crap for, but keep in mind this is a n3wb question forum... so please be gentle. Parallel to the questions I just asked -what's the general, overall chances of survival in a harsh area in Afghan? Of getting hurt?

[crazymjb]

This isn't WWII, if you get deployed you will more than likely come home. That said, reservists have died and will continue to be killed in Afghanistan, as they were in Iraq. Whether and where you go will largely depend on when and what unit you get to, where they are in their schedule, and even then they could decide to augment you with another unit. Consider yourself having a good chance of going to Afghanistan as a reservist, as I would be highly surprised if they weren't rotate through until the last Marines are out.

What region are you in? Do you know what reserve unit you would be going to as a grunt? That will factor in as well. 3/25 is just getting back from Afghanistan, 1/23 is just heading out, and 1/25 is going to be there by summers end... there is a method to the Marine Corps madness. If you land in one of these 3 infantry units they will likely not be back to Afghanistan after these deployments just based off timing and Obamas schedule... that said, you will also likely have an easy opportunity to volunteer to go with another group, or quite possibly be voluntold. Bottom line, your a moron if you aren't expecting to go to Afghanistan when you join the Marine Corps.

Mike

[jbach]

I don't know if I HAVE to go to a base in my state or not, but there's a base in Perrysburg, OH the 1/24 weapons comp. There is another base in Detroit also 1/24, Charlie comp i believe.

[AdminAssassin]

The recruiter will give you your options on what MOS's are available to you, which depends on the units in proximity to your address. Go to www.marineofficer.com to find out more about being an officer, its got plenty of info on it. By the way, Japan is more of a duty station as opposed to a deployment spot.

[Gunz]

I don't know if I HAVE to go to a base in my state or not, but there's a base in Perrysburg, OH the 1/24 weapons comp. There is another base in Detroit also 1/24, Charlie comp i believe.

1/24 in Detroit is the Battalion Headquarters.

[crazymjb]

If given the choice get a slot in Weapons Co. You ride while other walk (you operate out of trucks). It's a good gig, the best if you are a Machine Gunner because you spend a lot more time on the heavy guns (.50 Cal and Mark 19), and if its a Combined Anti Armor Team, you get to play with rockets too.

Mike