Useful Skills for a Wannabe

[Sitka]

What are some skills, aside from the usual, would you recommend knowing as a Marine, such as learning different languages?

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[Tennessee Top]

Learning a foreign language may be beneficial, and it may not. You may invest a lot of time and effort learning Arabic and then spend all your time in the Pacific Rim (never seeing the Middle East) or, vice-versa. Not worth the gamble to me, unless you just want to learn another language for the heck of it. Certainly no way of knowing if it would ever pay off for you as a Marine.

This is a topic you should discuss with your recruiter. They are taught how to answer questions like this in recruiting school.

Good luck.

[Sitka]

Thank you very much, sir.

[m14ed]

What would you recommend knowing
as a Marine ?

Too soon old-
to late smart,
try to learn the value of a Dollar.

[03GyRene]

Hi Jacob. A lot of people have viewed your post but not manyhave answered. I think that is because you have asked a really hard question.It’s a GOOD question, but hard to answer. All knowledge is good and willbenefit you as a Marine. The specific skills that you will need as a Marine,such as marksmanship, will be taught to you in the Marine Corps by the bestmarksmanship instructors in the world. The Marine Corps will teach you whatthey want you to know. Sure, there are skills that you can learn prior to theMarine Corps that can come in handy, but there is really no guarantee that you’llever be placed in a role where they will be used. When I was in STA platoon,our best scout-snipers all grew up hunting. They already had strongmarksmanship, field-craft, and land-navigation skills when they went into STAplatoon. But, like I said, there is no guarantee that someone with those skillswould ever end up needing them. I would say, learn as much about the world asyou can. Learn geography and understand something about world politics. For akid still in high school who is thinking about becoming a Marine, I would saygive 100% to learning those subjects in high school…I mean the math and scienceand sure, learn a foreign language too. You don’t need to be an Olympicathlete, but get into shape and stay in shape and eat clean, healthy food as muchas possible. The Marine Corps has changed a lot over the years. When I went toboot camp, I went with a guy who was offered a choice…go to jail or join theMarines. I think today’s Marines show up for boot camp better educated and morewell-rounded than ever before. The Corps doesn’t need robots…yes, Marines giveorders and take orders, but the Corps needs guys who can think and solve problems.That was probably a crappy answer, but it’s the best I’ve got!

[crazymjb]

Do as well as you can in school. Academics, and a good ability to excel in academic environments, will serve you well in the Marine Corps. Also, physical fitness. As was stated above, you don't need to be a spartan, and actually you don't want to overdo it and hurt yourself. That said, get comfortable running and doing lots of reps of various body weight excercise.

There are certain things you can learn to make boot camp easier, like your general orders, Marine Corps leadership traits, rank structure, and so forth.

If you have the time to do a little extra "learning," or you enjoy reading, start reading some books on the commandants reading list.
http://guides.grc.usmcu.edu/content....59&sid=5775642
Take some notes to keep with you later on your career about what you've read.

Other than that enjoy your time in high school.

Mike

[03GyRene]

"...There are certain things you can learn to make boot camp easier, like your general orders..."

That is good advice. There is plenty of rote memorization in boot camp (i.e. general orders) any of that stuff you memorize before boot camp will take some of the stress off, because in boot camp it will feel like you are busy every minute.

[Cpl Keller]

Learn (and practice) good nutrition. Get in the habit of eating healthy most of the time, your diet in your 20's and 30's will have a significant impact on your life as you get older.

Learn how to do your own laundry, how to use an iron, and how to be organized.

I don't know if this is something that can be learned, but try staying positive in less than ideal circumstances, and especially when surrounded by negative people. You may encounter negativity amongst your fellow Marines towards the Corps, try not to let that affect your outlook.
Not doing that last one was the biggest mistake i made while serving.

[crazymjb]

This is true. It's hard to tell someone so set on joining the Marine Corps that some days you will be disappointed with the system, as well as with your fellow Marines. The organization has its faults. Maintaining a positive mental attitude is the key to success. Everything, whether it be boot camp, or a crappy command at your unit, will pass.

Mike

[silveradomick]

Work on standing around in a circle of people and BSing.

Buy a mop and a bucket and learn to use them properly.

Likewise a machine for buffing floors, figure out how to work one of those suckers asap.

Take up smoking. Or dipping. Or better yet, both.

Learn to hold your booze, that's a skill that can only be acquired through experience.

Practice standing in one place, with a list of thing that you could, should, or even NEED to be doing running through your head. Stand there for hours not doing any of it, because you can't leave that one spot. Can't sit down. You can only move your left foot and then only sparingly. Call this excercise "standing in formation, waiting for word". Bonus points if after you're done you get yourself yelled at for not having accomplished tasks you should have, while standing in formation.

Practice sweeping with all manner of brooms on all manner of surfaces. Become adept at sweeping dirt off of other dirt.

Learn to fold the end of your fresh toilet paper roll into a point, and iron and EGa to it.

See if you can figure out how to fold your underwear into perfect 4in by 4in squares.

That should get you started, come see me when you master those and need more. Then we will work on teaching you where the spools of flight line are kept (alongside the chemlight batteries, duh) and how to acquire a box of grid squares for your Cpl.

[Melvin Jeffries]

Learn where the pawn shops are at. When you need some boze everyone chips in something of value then send one person to pawn items to by the cheapest rotgut and bring back to base then suffer some of the worst hangovers ever and I mean ever!

[Sitka]

Thanks for all of the excellent answers!

[m14ed]

Yesterday, 08:52 PM #10 silveradomick



Marine

better believe he will add to
your list....

ah - the memories