Life After the Corps

[SBYates]

Just making a post to get some of you "Old Guys" knowlege. I been thinking about getting out of the Marine Corps after this enlistment. It would put me at 9 years and 15 days when I EAS. I am either interested in pursing a degree in what I do in the Marine Corps, which would be a Meteorogy degree, but I would have to wait to get out to get a degree that meant something. And I am not to sure how well I would do with a bunch of 18 to years old when I am 29 after 9 years in this gun club. On the other hand I have always been interested in Law Enforcement. And, I can get into that without a degree, which it does help to have one. Just curious if any of y'all of do any Law Enforcement work and how did you like it.

Yut
Sgt Yates

[SlingerDun]

Yates there's like a thousand and sixteen cops on this site.
When you say dealing with a bunch of 18 year olds, are you talking about college kids? If so it aint no big deal

[SBYates]

Yates there's like a thousand and sixteen cops on this site.
When you say dealing with a bunch of 18 year olds, are you talking about college kids? If so it aint no big deal

You know I really hope that is true and it wouldn't be a big of a deal. I really hope some of those cops post on here. Thanks.

[Zulu 36]

You know I really hope that is true and it wouldn't be a big of a deal. I really hope some of those cops post on here. Thanks.

What do you need to know?

Not all police departments are the same in hiring practices. Some will accept a HS education, others require an associates degree, some a bachelor's degree (not necessarily in criminal justice). Many require that you have already attended a police academy (at your own expense).

Some departments that accept HS for entry level may require college degrees for promotion. Others aren't that fussy.

It also depends on the level of LE you're looking at. If you're thinking FBI, DEA, ATF, etc, you will need a bachelor's degree minimum, preferably in computers or accounting (but they'll accept almost anything). Law degrees are also helpful at this level.

Shoot your questions here or PM me and I'll be happy to help or refer you to someone who does know.

[MOS4429]

Just making a post to get some of you "Old Guys" knowlege. I been thinking about getting out of the Marine Corps after this enlistment. It would put me at 9 years and 15 days when I EAS. I am either interested in pursing a degree in what I do in the Marine Corps, which would be a Meteorogy degree, but I would have to wait to get out to get a degree that meant something. And I am not to sure how well I would do with a bunch of 18 to years old when I am 29 after 9 years in this gun club. On the other hand I have always been interested in Law Enforcement. And, I can get into that without a degree, which it does help to have one. Just curious if any of y'all of do any Law Enforcement work and how did you like it.

Yut
Sgt Yates

Sgt Yates, I got out of the Marine Corps a couple months after you were born, so I am not positive if separations is the same today or not. I did 9 years and got out, but not because I was tired of the Corps, thought it sucked, or anything of that nature. When I re-enlisted for 6 years, 2 years spent in college, 4 years working in the MOS I went to college for, it had pretty much always been my plan to get out and go to work in the same field. I hadn't closed the door to staying in, had made rank fairly quickly, was at the top of the gunny list when I got out, but other factors come into play, too, such as health issues, family, and so, it was just time.

Oftentimes when Marines get out, that have his perception about how life will be on the outside. They frequently get down on the Corps and have a grandiose view of civilian life. Life in the Marine Corps in '87 was clearly understood. We live in a rank structure, understand authority, how to exercise it, and how to remain under it. It is fairly cut and dry. I worked with Marines from O-6 down on a daily basis. That structure is a very good thing! I enjoyed the Marine Corps and do not regret a day I was in. When you get out, in the civilian world, that clearly delineated life becomes a blur, very gray. The inexperienced 18 year old who knows it all is on equal footing, no understanding of experience, wisdom, authority. I have been out now for 25 years, and I am doing the same job today that I did in 1983! The key difference is people.

If you go to college, like was stated earlier, age should not be a factor. In college today there are students from 14 to 80. You just go an do your thing. You indicated that you could not get your degree while in. I recall a number of Marines getting degrees while in, but maybe it is your particular major?

In separations, when I got out, we had civilian recruiters come speak to us to get us to consider their profession, and some of those were law enforcement. I was at El Toro when I got out, and LAPD sent to recruiters who gave us quite a spiel to come work for LAPD, all types of pay incentives, and they have their own academy. BTW, some of those who were in LE can speak to this, but LE is probably about as close to a military environment as you'll get on the "outside." A few other agencies spoke to us as well, including Orange PD, Stanton, and CA Highway Patrol, who also have their own academy and pay quite well.

Big decision! Before I got out, I looked at other alternatives in the Marine Corps, such as warrant officer, B billets, lat moves. Might want to look at those, too, for a complete picture.

Good luck.

[Apache]

MOS 4429 just shared a wealth of intel with you.

There are reasons to extract from the Corps----
Examine your options carefully Grasshopper
The grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence

There are benefits to doing your 20 ( or a little more)
Two are commissary privileges and Tri Care for Life
Both of these plus a retirement check for life cannot be bought from ANY Civillian employer

What about an on line degree while you are in the Corps ?
(presuming you want a degree)

[MOS4429]

The grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence

There are benefits to doing your 20 ( or a little more)
Two are commissary privileges and Tri Care for Life

Apache, and what is mindboggling is when you get out having put in 9 years, or in the case of the OP, more than 9, I hit the ripe ol' age of 37 in a freakin' blink of the eye!

Of course I said to myself, "If I had stayed in, I'd be retiring!"

I couldn't have, had a med issue that would have put me out, but barring that...

[Quinbo]

11 years from now you'll be telling someone that you were once in the Marines. You'll tell them you were in for 9 years and on your way up. They'll ask why you didn't finish out the 20 and now collecting a retirement check. And you'll say ........ ???

[awbrown1462]

you can take online classes and if not deployed you can go to school alot of bases have school on them for you to go too here on ft knox thay have UK, U of L , WKU, and some others from out of state look into that also

[2nd Lar 0311]

Im currently going to school full time after having done 4 years in the Marines. The post 9/11 GI bill is good to go, full tuition and around 1300 (depending on your state) for liveing plus an additional 1000 every year for books. Though I am not as old as you (Im 23) being around 18 year olds does get frustrating, but I am here to get an education not just to party, so try to put them out of your mind and use your GI bill, you earned it after all.

[sempidr]

11 years from now you'll be telling someone that you were once in the Marines. You'll tell them you were in for 9 years and on your way up. They'll ask why you didn't finish out the 20 and now collecting a retirement check. And you'll say ........ ???

SBYates,
You are lucky that you have so many options. I agree with Quinbo. You have almost half of the 20 done. Keep in mind that Law Enforcement is not exempt from layoffs and cutbacks. It's happening all over the US. With parts of the Country seeing as high as 20% unemployment (Stockton, CA), you need to really consider and study your options.
Go to school, get a degree and try to get in an Officer's Program. That college degree will help you more, at retirement, in getting that next career started, as well.
From an old 65 year ancient Engineer, I would tell you from my experience, stay in, and make the most of your time.

Just saying.

Sempidr

[2nd Lar 0311]

Even if you DONT do anything with your degree, its an additional 1300 a month ontop of whatever you make working, cant go wrong with it and you only need to be enrolled in 50% of your courses (usually 3 classes a semester) to get the money. Its always nice to have a degree to fall back on, since its free, why not?

[jaggerace]

Get out and go to school. That post 9/11 GI Bill is a pretty sweet deal. It's free money that you earned

[Parks]

Stay in, use TA, get your retirement check. Then get out and use your GI Bill if you want to. That's 2x the money earned.

[doc h fmf]

BOY I WISH I HAD THE 911 OR VIETNAM GI BILL BECAUSE MINE SUCKED. THE VEEP PROGRAM THE GOVERNMENT MATCH YOU UP TO 4000 DOLLARS. WELL I DID use it for awhile everything was fine, well to make a long story short one day i got a notice saying i owed 100 dollqars to the govt ment so i sent to get my money back. so i worked and payed my way to nursing school with help from the 40/8 now iam unemployed,

SEMPER FI

STEPHEN DOC HANSEN HM3 FMF