Question from Poolee

[Racine]

I am torn 50/50 between deciding to do Active Duty or Reserves (Infantry). I have some questions but before he’s the story-I’ve recently done my interview and all is good and I am going to swear in DEP and go to MEPs late may. I went into DEP as active duty because my recruiter said it was easier to switch from Active Duty to Reserves in the DEP( Just simply drop out of DEP then re go in and go back to reswear at MEPs). And the reserves you have to request to be released.


My main reasons for Reserves is I can directly go 0311, I get to stay home most of the time, I know which unit I will go too (1st Battalion, 24th Marines) which has a awesome motto lol (Terror From the North). Also we’re not a war so I’m probably gonna be a terminal boot anyway but one of the companies from this unit is in Afghanistan right now but idk if there seeing any combat. One of the reasons I’m doing infantry is I wanna experience combat.
The thing is I don’t know how I feel about sitting on my ass and only going 1 weekend a month and 2 weeks in the summer waiting for a deployment.


The reasons I wanna do Active is I get the full Marine Corps experience. I get to be a Marine full time and always get to be with my unit.
My biggest fear of doing Active, and it may sound dumb to some of you. Is I don’t wanna do Mortars 0341 at all. It just simply doesn’t interest me. I want to be a 0311 or 2nd choice 0331. I heard you get to request at SOI but some may get forced into it. It’s something about the pride of being a 0311 that really appeals to me also. And just being a riflemen. I don’t wanna carry around a AT or shoot mortars from behind. I’d do Artillery MOS if I wanted to do that. I know 0341s do mostly 0311 stuff but it’s just still not 0311.


Keep in mind I am junior In high school and I’m enlisting as early as the marines possibly let’s juniors start enlisting so I have first dips on 03xx contracts and reserve infantry MOS selections.


Any advice? Or thoughts?

I cant set my account as Poolee yet since Ive only done the interview and I am going to swear in late may. I will be shipping next summer unless my school accepts my early graduation request. In that case if they do I will be shipping a little earlier

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[KookieKrisp]

Basically what I got from all that is you need help deciding if you want to go active or reserve. From what it looks like you seem to have most of the information to make an educated decision, from there it's really just up to you and how you want your career to be.

[irpat54]

well if you're talking about the Grand Rapids unit, that was where I reenlisted just before the first Gulf war, when I was there we trained hard, and I told the company that I would talk any extra duties they had so I pretty much was there all the time, but as a 0311/0331 we did train hard and the time in between drills went fast.

having said that, I did enjoy my active duty time, when I went in we were undermanned so 0311/0331 wasn't a problem in getting, my primary MOS was 0331 I did have a secondary as, I believe it was 8513 Marksmanship instructor, now that MOS is Marine Combat Instructor.

I guess what I am saying is that flip a coin, as the old saying goes, "ya pays yer money, ya takes yer chances"

[Racine]

Basically what I got from all that is you need help deciding if you want to go active or reserve. From what it looks like you seem to have most of the information to make an educated decision, from there it's really just up to you and how you want your career to be.

I could go to a trait school for 2 years to be a linesmen which are very in demand and make close to 6 fig while im the reserves. i could also just do it after im active duty.

My other question is what are the chances I get forced to be something other than 0311 if I do active duty?

[Racine]

well if you're talking about the Grand Rapids unit, that was where I reenlisted just before the first Gulf war, when I was there we trained hard, and I told the company that I would talk any extra duties they had so I pretty much was there all the time, but as a 0311/0331 we did train hard and the time in between drills went fast.

having said that, I did enjoy my active duty time, when I went in we were undermanned so 0311/0331 wasn't a problem in getting, my primary MOS was 0331 I did have a secondary as, I believe it was 8513 Marksmanship instructor, now that MOS is Marine Combat Instructor.

I guess what I am saying is that flip a coin, as the old saying goes, "ya pays yer money, ya takes yer chances"

Yeah Alpha Company i think is in Afgan. I could also go to charlie which is in Lansing.
What was the atmosphere like in the unit?

[Tennessee Top]

Spent 22.6 years on active duty. Never was a reservist, but I was on the Inspector-Instructor Staff for a reserve Combat Engineer Company here in Knoxville so have a decent idea of what life is like for reserve Marines (platoons from that Company have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan).

Since you're 50/50, but want the full Marine Corps experience and be with your fellow grunts all the time (not just weekends), then it's clear to me, active duty is the way to go. Can't say what the chances are you'll end up with the MOS/weapons system you want. But, sounds like just being in an infantry battalion is more important to you than the MOS anyways. I can tell you, the MOS you end up with will be where the Marine Corps needs you most - and that should be important to you too.

Good luck with your decision and your journey.

[Racine]

Spent 22.6 years on active duty. Never was a reservist, but I was on the Inspector-Instructor Staff for a reserve Combat Engineer Company here in Knoxville so have a decent idea of what life is like for reserve Marines (platoons from that Company have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan).

Since you're 50/50, but want the full Marine Corps experience and be with your fellow grunts all the time (not just weekends), then it's clear to me, active duty is the way to go. Can't say what the chances are you'll end up with the MOS/weapons system you want. But, sounds like just being in an infantry battalion is more important to you than the MOS anyways. I can tell you, the MOS you end up with will be where the Marine Corps needs you most - and that should be important to you too.

Good luck with your decision and your journey.

Thank you

[crazymjb]

My advice is if you don't have a solid civilian career/plan, go active duty. You'll be incredibly dissatisfied with the reserves otherwise. Also, you won't get **** for benefits unless you deploy.

Also 0311s are the crayon-eaters of the infantry.

Mike

[irpat54]

Yeah Alpha Company i think is in Afgan. I could also go to charlie which is in Lansing.
What was the atmosphere like in the unit?

when I was in, we had a great Corps of people, the I. I. was someone who took training very seriously, He was no-nonsense but what very firm and fair. when I decided to go back in I was concerned that it was going to be a bunch of loose partiers, but was pleasantly surprised at the level of professionalism that was there.

[MunkyVsRobot]

Do you want to be a Marine part time or full time? that's the real question you've got to ask yourself.

[crazymjb]

Some reserve units are great. You go in surrounded by professionals both in their civilian careers and the military. Some suck. Like any military unit, things can and will change with time, toxic leadership can take hold, or the unit can be as locked on as any other decent military unit.

Biggest factor should be what your plan is. If you dont have a solid career or aren't furthering your training or education towards one, you shouldn't be a reservist. Nothing wrong with wanting to be a part time Marine, it can be very satisfying, but only if you have a civilian life that is flourishing alongside it.

Mike