If you do really well in bootcamp (top 3) do you get to choose where youre stationed?

[HBEmily]

My boyfriend told me that if he does really well in bootcamp that his chances for choosing where he gets stationed becomes higher... have any of you actually met someone where this was true?
I don't believe that seeing how it's the Marines and they put you where they need you...
(he's joined under aviation mechanic and bootcamp is september 4th, and he wants to get stationed in southern california where we're from)

[Beltayn]

Short answer: No.

Long Answer: he is probably confused. In SOME circumstances, the number 1 ranked graduate of MOS school (their occupational school, which comes after boot camp and combat training) is given the opportunity to request a specific duty station.

[HBEmily]

oh sorry maybe that was me being confused, I meant MOS school not bootcamp, my bad
So just the number one ranked? wow hmm.. should be an interesting relationship the next 4 years...
Do you, or anybody know about aviation guys and where they were stationed?
Because the closest bases to my city is Camp Pendleton and Miramar... wondering how popular those places are

Also, he strongly believes that he wont be deployed because he's an aviation mechanic.. is he just lying to me so I will stop bugging him about it?

[JoshLittle]

Like he said above, top 1 ranked grad out of MOS could choose, more then likely they'll let him choose, but the real question is, "Will he be given it?"

Most MOS school's, actually.. all that I know of, choose the students first duty station base on need from the unit.

And your other question, I'm from Miramar, great base, not too crowded, but yeah. He could also be stationed in North Carolina.

And about him not deploying? It depends on the unit. HMH, HMLA, VMM, MALS, they all have Aviation Mechanics out here in Afghanistan. That's all about how many are in his unit. He may not get the chance to deploy to Afghanistan, but future conflicts, yeah, maybe. He's not lying, but he's not telling the entire truth.

[HBEmily]

thanks for all the info
I guess I'll just have to lower my expectations haha. And cross my fingers they'll send him to the west coast.. Even though who knows he might do really well.. he got a 94 on the ASVAB.. I heard that's pretty good?
Oh, well hopefully he doesn't deploy, good to know the truth though

[cubawatcher]

well since I'm from the "old corps" it might not be 100% accurate but remember Marines go where ever and that means basically any where on the face of the earth.With an aviation mos he also could end up spending time on a carrier.I went to A school in Millington Tenn, then to Cherry point NC then Key West Fla,-twice,Norfolk Va.,El toro Ca.,NAS Atsugi Japan,Okinawa,the Philippens, twice,Da Nang in Viet Nam and finally El Toro again.All this in 4 years.So be prepared to work hard at continuing your relationship.I wish both of you the best. Semper Fi

[HBEmily]

Wow you went all over the world! Didn't know that was possible in such a short time
I mean I'm excited for him to get the opportunity to travel if they want him to be deployed or go on a carrier... He'll have a great experience I'm sure... I'm wondering what affairs the us will be in in the next 4 years? I heard Africa, and ofcourse Afghanistan, hopefully no big wars

Just hard not to be the worried girlfriend who wants him to be close haha. Thank you for the advice, I'm really intrigued how Marine Corps relationships work out, they seem to be the most strongest of relationships or the weakest from what they're put through.

[Kegler300]

I thing his final standing in MOS school may have more to do with his first permanent duty station...

[HBEmily]

Yea that's what I meant to ask, wrote the question while tired:/

[iamspartacus]

The main duty stations for airwing Marines are: Cherry Point NC, Beaufort SC, Miramar CA, Camp Pendleton CA, Kaneohe Bay HI, Futenma Japan, and Iwakuni Japan. Again, those are just the main duty stations. Theoretically, he could go anywhere. I'll let you do the math on the odds he'll go to Cali.

As for deployments, who knows. Some guys get called for every pump, some guys never go. It's unpredictable. It's not like his job is non-deployable though. But you can take some comfort in the fact that this war is winding down. His chances of deploying anytime soon are less than recent years. However, he may not deploy to a combat zone, but he might deploy with a Marine Expeditionary Unit. That's where he goes out on an aircraft carrier for 6-8 months. There is always traveling to be done in the Marine Corps, wartime or peacetime.

[Tennessee Top]

Marines are gone a lot...that's just a fact of life. And, our Commandant wants us to get back to our expeditionary roots (that means being aboard ships and forward deployed outside the USA). We are a part of the sea services (USN and USMC) so do to our jobs we can't be landlocked all the time.

During the 4 years I was married, I was gone probably half the time including 12 months on Okinawa, Japan. My ex couldn't handle all the separations so our marriage didn't make it (but, many of my friend's marriages did and most are still married today).

Being married to a Marine is one of the toughest jobs there is but can also be very rewarding. It takes a very independent individual (because you'll be alone often) and someone willing to sacrafice a lot because everything you do will be based on the needs of the Marine Corps first. It's difficult; some spouses can accept it and some can't/won't.

Good luck to you and your Marine.

[HBEmily]

Iamsparacus: wow that's many duty stations.. I guess I better start becoming less needy... If its gonna be a real long distance relationship..
that is comforting that the war is dying down I'm assuming spouses (if I married) aren't a aloud on aircraft carriers...? Lol

Tennesseetop:
Wow half the time? What was your MOS? >< and oh sorry about the first marriage, she wasn't able to live with you in Japan?
I'm happy that my relationship will be almost 3 years once he goes to boot camp because I definitely told myself before meeting my boyfriend that I'd never want to be in a military relationship but its funny how ideas like that never go through once you become attached to someone..

[noviatt]

I signed as aviation mechanic as well. I ended up as a gse mechanic, so I can get stationed wherever there's aircraft really. I got lucky and ended up at Miramar like I wanted. Most people I know ended up east coast though. A-school for most aviation MOS's is in Pensacola, FL. C-school could be anywhere depending on his MOS. It depends on what aircraft he ends up working on. If they don't have it in cali, he won't be getting stationed here. As for deployment, as the Marines who posted before me said, it could go either way. I'm in a unit that has a regular deployment schedule I guess. Plus there's all the expeditionary units that go out, which is what I'm doing this year. You never know what's in store for you, just go with the flow Semper Gumby(always flexible), yeah?

[Yonkers]

Good luck to you and your boyfriend.. Marine relationships are very... different. Be sure you both have a lot of trust, or it simply wont work... especially when he deploys.

[HBEmily]

Aw thanks for the info, I will definitely go with the flow, wow you did get lucky with miramar. Yea I was aware that he'll go to Pensacola, how was that?

Oh and we have tons of trust I'm very confident that we can make it