Man, you know...I miss the Corps a little!

[Marine1011]

any gap will be looked at by a prospective employer. Why wouldn't it be looked at?
does anyone think he or she will say oh a giant gap in his life, must be that he was doing something constructive, I won't even ask him about it
Myth? nope, stretchusa. not at all

[Zulu 36]

If one is attending college full-time, particularly if immediately after honorable military service, that will not be viewed as an employment gap.

[stretchusa]

any gap will be looked at by a prospective employer. Why wouldn't it be looked at?
does anyone think he or she will say oh a giant gap in his life, must be that he was doing something constructive, I won't even ask him about it
Myth? nope, stretchusa. not at all

Please reread my post, I never said that it is not going to be asked about. It is a myth that having a employment gap is harmful to you. Especially if it is reasonable, or covered in your CV like college would.

[Conch]

Thanks Blake. I don't hate the Corps by any means (As many of the Super Rockers here would have you believe) but I am sure as hell glad to be out...

[jp2usmc]

After the Gulf War cease fire, I was not offered re-enlistment. I was told it was because I had NJP for drinking underage at one of Camp LeJune's beer gardens while attending Engineering School.

I grew my hair out when I got out and went to school.



Today, nearly 20 years later, I wear a Marine Corps regulation haircut ...but I only visit the barber every 2 months instead of every 2 weeks!

[Warbyrd13]

Oh ya Top....this is the guy who likes his wife to support him.

If my gf ends up making more money than me and we can live with comfort then i will stay home. But I swear this guy just posts stuff to get people all pi$$ed off so he can have a good laugh with a few friends.

But I was raised a certain so its my duty to take care of my Gf, the new baby boy an my kids so I will work an make sure we have enough money to pay our bills n take care of stuff. Or at least until her or I win the Lotto...j/k

[USMC-SSGT]

I miss the Corps. It was the one job I can truly say I was great at and recognized and rewarded hard work. I still run and stay in shape and shave daily. Haircuts have cut down to biweekly and are now between a med and high reg.

My current job is seniority based. No matter what you do or how hard you work your pay and progression are reliant on years of service and how stagnant or not your seniority list is.

I'm only out because my current job makes it cost prohibitive to go back and with the op tempo my wife and family spends a lot more time together.

[rktect3j]

Also, incompetent bosses (just like all workers) get fired, not "reassigned" or moved when they can't hack it.

Bwa ha ha.

Oh man, I'm laughing so hard I'm crying.

[Warbyrd13]

Bwa ha ha.

Oh man, I'm laughing so hard I'm crying.

Man I want to work where he works.

[cpllevi]

You've been out what, 2 months now....Give it another 10 months and it'll start setting in. You'll start getting the occasional memory of the good times and start noticing how civilians just don't understand life the same way. And it's all downhill from there.

We've all been there and we all know.

Oh and btw, my EKMS SSgt was denied reenlistment. So E-6 ain't safe.

[Tennessee Top]

Yeah, I was a reservist, I only spent 3 years of it active duty. They can only deny reenlistment to a certain grade, once they hit e-6 then it's till 20 and then they get fired. Maybe I've just come across a bad string of terminal Staff Sergeants.

You and I were in a different Marine Corps. I know of plenty SNCO's who had families and were expecting to stay for a career but were told to seek employment elsewhere (for various reasons). In the Marine Corps I served a career in, any rank could be denied reenlistment at any time and frequently were.

Of course, you were on active duty for a whopping 3 years and, being junior enlisted, I'm sure you knew a sh$tload of SNCO's. I was in for 22.6 years and probably knew two or three more than you.

It's not that you maybe came across a bad string of terminal Staff Sergeants...on this particular subject, you don't know what the hell you're talking about.

[Zulu 36]

You and I were in a different Marine Corps. I know of plenty SNCO's who had families and were expecting to stay for a career but were told to seek employment elsewhere (for various reasons). In the Marine Corps I served a career in, any rank could be denied reenlistment at any time and frequently were.

Of course, you were on active duty for a whopping 3 years and, being junior enlisted, I'm sure you knew a sh$tload of SNCO's. I was in for 22.6 years and probably knew two or three more than you.

It's not that you maybe came across a bad string of terminal Staff Sergeants...on this particular subject, you don't know what the hell you're talking about.

Top, you came into the Corps a year after I did and probably remember the big weight control push in 1976-77. I knew a Master Sergeant who was kicked out, administratively, for failing meet weight control standards after a couple of trips through the program. He had 18-years in and lost his retirement because he really didn't believe they would kick him out that close to the end of his career.

I know of other senior SNCOs who got the ax too either through admin action or reenlistment denials. Needless to say, overweight SNCOs and officers got really serious about losing weight.

[BGW]

I dont know why Marines try to scare other Marines about leaving the Corps. **** about how they will never find a job, or how it wont ever be as good as it was in the Corps. Or give it a year and they will start hating the civilian life. I am glad that I joined but I wouldnt be able to make a career out of this, five years will be enough. And I wont stay in the Marine Corps over some kind of fear that I wont ever make it in the civilian world because of the current economic situation, or something like that.

[Tennessee Top]

I dont know why Marines try to scare other Marines about leaving the Corps. **** about how they will never find a job, or how it wont ever be as good as it was in the Corps. Or give it a year and they will start hating the civilian life. I am glad that I joined but I wouldnt be able to make a career out of this, five years will be enough. And I wont stay in the Marine Corps over some kind of fear that I wont ever make it in the civilian world because of the current economic situation, or something like that.

I agree with your point BGW. Marines have many of the qualities employers are looking for today. And, we all know Marines lead a spartan life. It's even doubly tough on someone with a family. Serving a career in the USMC is defenitely not for everyone and there is nothing wrong with changing occupations.

In my own personal experience, I punched out, went back to school on the old GI Bill, finished my degree in medicine, had 5 job offers before graduation, accepted my current position, and came to work the same week I graduated. That was 13 years ago; I've been promoted on time and never been laid off or missed a days work since (was even named the medical center's employee of the month twice). So, yes, it can be done in this economy.

However, you cannot deny, it's common to see posts on here from people who got out and, for whatever reason, regret that decision and are trying their best to get back in (with limited if any success). The grass is not always greener on the other side (as many want to believe); some find that out the hard way.

[TunTvrnWarrior]

Give me a break. You're a reservist...nobody is going into your personal life and telling you what to wear or inspecting your apartment. Marines are denied reenlistment all the time...if that's not being fired I don't know what is. I have been retired and working with civilians for awhile now and believe me, I have had more incompetent civilian bosses than I ever had in the Corps (and they continue to get promoted instead of fired). Civilian bosses are not taught anything about leadership traits and principles and couldn't lead a troop of girl scouts. Instead of mission accomplishment and the welfare of their troops/employees, all that matters to them is making a buck.

WORD....