Decision to join the USMC

[wannajoin89]

Hello everyone,

Until recently I never thought about joining the military but my friend brought it up to me about two months ago and he told how I could be a linguist and how the military is a good way to grow up. At first, I was a bit reluctant, but as I researched more and more, I liked what I saw and read more and more. The thought of being able to be trained in a job skill and acquire discipline while serving seems perfect for my life right now. I'm 22 and I still live at home with my parents and I have gone through various minimum wage jobs that I hated. I love languages though and I already speak 5, and I wanted to be an interpreter when I was younger. The past few weeks I have been really researching the military and more recently, the Marine Corps. So I've read a lots of posts about becoming a linguist with the military, and I find myself researching it everyday. I told my mom and dad about it and they didn't think it was a good idea. See, I've never been someone that you would think would join the military, especially the Marines. I didn't play sports in high school, I was always little chubby, and I've always been the goofy
/dorky class clown type. I've never really had any discipline in my life. I feel like joining the military would be a way for me to step up and become a man and for people to take me seriously. But I'm wondering if I have what it takes to be a Marine. If I were to join, I would want a few months before boot camp to get in shape so I'm not one of those recruits panting in the back. I would want to give my best.

I've been researching the different branches, and the Marines appeal to me most , I admire the way Marines carry carry themselves, the amount of discipline that they have and they're bad ass. haha. I would love to one day be able to one and wear that uniform. This urge to become a Marine has been growing and I think about joining the Marines everyday. At first I wanted to join the army, but after researching all the branches, and I thought that as joining the military for me would be a challenge, I want to go all the way, and join the Marines, also getting a black belt while in would be cool!!

I guess it's weird for me because I've never thought about something like this until recently. My parents see this as a radical descision and think this would be a poor decision on my part because they think I won't make it, I wouldnt fit in, I could get killed etc. It would be so cool to prove them wrong by joining the Marines and becoming part of the Few, the Proud. But I am scared too that I would fail and not be able to make it. I just want to know are there any Marines out there who were in my position before they joined?? Living at home, no training, discipline or income, but also who didn't think of the Marines until a few months prior to enlisting/leaving to boot. How was your experience? How did you cope?? Did you feel changed after boot camp?? I want to know that I could make that change of maturity, pride and discipline. My parents think because I wasnt the "military type" growing up that its not for me and my close friends and family would be shocked, I think, if I told them I wanted to join the Marine Corps. I told a couple friends though and they thought it was the best idea!! Haha...I also, for the most part, understand what I would be getting myself into, boot comp, that there are deployments etc I want to know that this is what I want to do for sure, and maybe even make a career? And that it isn't just a phase like my parents think. I do have respect and take what they have to say into consideration though. I want to do this A LOT though, I've tried to just focus on going to school for personal training, but this urge to join is there everyday.

I'm really stuck on the subject and I wanted some advice I guess. Also, in the Marines, to choose being a linguist, can you get it in your contract if you score well on the asvab
/dlab ? I also understand that getting deployed is a reality. I know that some linguist go out on the field and some are at desks, but does it just depend on where your needed?? Would linguists be right up there fighting with infantry or would it be more in a support role. Are the desk job and the field job in the linguist category separate MOS's??


Sorry for the long post, thanks in advace Marines!! Semper Fi!!

[Lisa 23]

You have a well thought out post there.....
If you try doing on search on the site, you'll find that the questions you asked, have been asked and answered before.

Also, how about a bit more of a profile besides a first and last name.......site rules, which can be found in the poolee and Ask A Marine forums.

POOLEE/WANNABEE SITE RULES! Read FIRST!!!

Rule Four make sure that you have a completed profile less than that is unsat and will get you banned for a period up to and including permanently!

Rule Six never use the words Semper Fi, Semper Fidelis or OORAH you do not rate that here until you have earned the title of United States Marine!

http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/sh...t=28989&page=2

[wannajoin89]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean any disrepect at all. I have updated my profile to include more info. I've been looking at quite a few posts but I will keep looking.

[Tennessee Top]

I'm curious how you learned 5 different languages living at home? During my career, I was exposed to Korean, Japanese, Spanish, Portugese, French, and Arabic but spent time in those cultures/lands. While serving with the State Department (embassy duty), we were required to complete at least 100 hours of language training for that particular country but could take more if we wanted to. Of course, we learned more from our girlfriends than we ever learned from the State Department instructors!

Marines come from every background in this country (from the city, country, and everywhere in between). There are "momma's boys", nerds, college grads, rednecks, and gang members from East LA. The great equalizer is bootcamp. You obviously have the intelligence required, your DI's will instill the discipline, physical stamina, and esprit de corps needed to earn the title. Once you take the ASVAB and enlist, you will join the delayed entry program, become a poolee, and work with your recruiters to prepare your mind and body for bootcamp. They will not allow you to ship to bootcamp until you can pass an initial strength test (IST).

Are you at least a junior in highschool? If so, you need to go talk to a recruiter; they can get you on the road to where you want to go.

I was not intel so can't answer your questions about linguists but there are members on here who can so hopefully they'll see your post.

Good luck to you.

[wannajoin89]

Well I learned these languages by taking classes here, then I studied abroad in high school and did some traveling after I graduated. My original plan was to go to college in Europe because in a lot of countries there, college is free. But its been hard to find and keep a good job here to save to move there, so I'm just here at home. That's another reason the Marine Corps appeals to me, so I can just get started in a cool career. That's so cool that you learned all those languages. You were assigned embassy duty in the Marine Corps? That sounds really cool too, is that a specific MOS??

[Tennessee Top]

Can't say I learned all those languages; just studied and used them while in those countries. Did become pretty proficient at Spanish since I married a Nicaraguan girl (that's another story for another thread). Also, as you probably know, if you speak one of the "romantic" languages, you can usually get by with the others. For instance, you can speak Spanish to a Brazilian and they'll pretty much understand you. I did that in Brazil until I learned enough Portugese to get by. When I hear Italian, there are many similar words to Spanish. Took some free classes from the USO the two tours I spent on Okinawa, Japan but could never carry on a conversation in Japanese. In Saudi Arabia, we learned a little bit from the Saudi military personnel we worked with at their Pentagon building (USCENTCOM forward deployed headquarters during the Gulf war).

Yes, US Marines guard our embassies, consulates, and legations abroad. We have been doing that since December 15th, 1948. To be eligible for embassy duty, you must be at least a Lance Corporal so it's not something you can do right after bootcamp. You are assigned a secondary MOS for embassy duty but it is not a primary MOS. It is also one of three special duty assignments (called "B" billets) in the USMC. The other two are recruiting and drill instructor. If you make a successful career of the Corps, you will complete some "B" billets along the way. Keep in mind, the time you spend on a "B" billet is time away from your primary MOS so you may lose proficiency in that occupational field which could affect your promotion opportunities. But, "B" billets are usually good for promotion because they make you a more well-rounded individual and show you can adapt to different challenges. Someone who is comfortable in the fleet may not be comfortable out in a "B" billet and vice-versa.

So, you are a highschool graduate living at home with no job and not going to college. What is keeping you from talking to a recruiter now? You are not getting any younger and the military is a young man's game. If you are serious about your future you need to show some initiative and get to your recruiter's office...TOMORROW! Just talking about it is not going to earn you anything or get you anywhere...talk is cheap. Marines don't just talk...we do. If you REALLY want to be one of us then get your a$$ in gear.

[wannajoin89]

Yes I know. I need to get my act together. Lol The thing is that my parents signed me up for a private personal training school that starts in about 3 weeks. I'm excited and interested in that and my parents think I could then save up money and go to school. I've decided though that if I'm not happy where I'm at in August, I'm gonna join the Marines. It'll give me an excuse to tell my parents I tried doing things their way and it didn't work out so the Marine Corps would be the be the best option. I really do think about it everyday day though, I feel like I'll end up doing it. I guess this year will give me time to see if it is a phase or if this is what I really want. Going to school and living overseas was my dream growing up so the Marine Corps is a totally new idea for me. Going to school and staying home would be staying in my comfort zone, which sounds like a good plan half the time, and joining the Marine Corps and stepping out of my comfort zone is scary for me and freaks me out kinda and I wonder why I would leave my family and my life, but this urge to join won't go away!!!!

[Tennessee Top]

Fair enough; you are just too "wishy-washy" at this point so no point in wasting a recruiter's time. There are plenty of young people your age who know they want to earn the title. Just remember, the clock is running on you; the longer you put it off the older you will get so the physical part will only get more difficult.