Why did you get out of the Corps

[Namvet67]

There's been lots of talk about why we joined the Corps and what it means to be a Marine etc. I often think about why I got out and I wonder if any others ever think about that. War time or peace time...any meaning there? At the end of my 3rd tour in Vietnam I had 6 months remaining on my enlistment and the brass really put the pressure on me to stay and go to OCS and become an officer. I thought about it but I really didn't want to go back stateside while my unit was still engaged in Vietnam. I put in my request to finish out my enlistment with my unit but was told I must go home. I refused to take my stateside orders so another meeting was held and I was told if I get on the next flight to Oki...I'll be home and honorably discharged in a few days. I did and I was...but I still wonder..what if?

[Nagalfar]

I think most of us still, and forever will wonder, what if. I didnt reup because I was not as smart then as I am now.. good thread gbudd..

[hrscowboy]

I got out because of all the Bull**** that was going on in the states after serving in Vietnam and my last duty station being cuba and had 3 months left they sent me to Marine Barracks North fork Virginia and all these people wanted to do was inspections 3 times a week and guard duty. after being there a week they asked me if i wanted to ship over and asked what do you have to offer they said another stripe and stateside duty and i told them i wasnt interested in state side duty. Then they said i could get an early out because of vietnam service and if i want to start checking out i could so thats exactly what i did. Took me 4 days to check out and got a 3 month early out. They couldnt give another war to fight so i said what the hell i am going home..

[hrscowboy]

Kinda sounds like Sgt York aint no wars to fight so i am going home...

[Namvet67]

No sounds like a Marine to me. I knew I would not be able to take the stateside duty after my time in the bush. I really didn't want to go to the east coast anyway.

[Sgt Morales, AM]

I haven't had a reason to leave...yet. I love the corps and will be in the Corps until I no longer have the urge to Run, Shoot, do sit-ups..etc. Semper Fi Do or Die. Great thread!

[jinelson]

Well that is a question that has long haunted me the old, what if. I considered myself a combat Marine don't laugh 03's and loved the adrenaline rush when our resupply convoy would get hit and I somehow would lead my Marines out without any officers or SNCO"s. I hated the stateside B.S. junk on the bunks, make work and what ever else the 90 day wonder butter bars could dream up. I shipped for two years just to return to Nam but by then it was 1971 and I could see that the war was winding down. I will never forget the look on the career advisors face when I told him I was going to cut the cord, he said your a career designated Marine and your on the Staff list. My mind was made up, I was out a little over a year and I got home sick and joined HQ CO. 25th Marines 4th MARDIV in Alameda, CA. as a non-obligore reservist. My precidence number had come up by then and I got pinned with my rocker and I was given the motor pool as their NCOIC. My drivers and mechanics were more civilians than Marines and after two and half years of being pi$$ed all the time I hung it up. I did try to reenlist when Gulf One came along, but of course I was over the age limit by then. I often think about the retirement bennies that I forefeited and wished that I could have stuck it out. But I will always be a Marine.

[benny rutledge]

The attitude was once a Marine was returned to CONUS was "Get the F--- out of my Corps".Early outs were common,Getting good advice from the unit Career advisor was not to be had.All of us returned to a different world.The Corps was downsizing and licking it's political wounds.I picked up a rotton beer habit in Chu Lai,not once when I got to Cherry Point did anyone ask if I wanted any help with my Problem.Making a US Marine is a giant investment and the Corps now aims to please,Out of this world training,Good money and Bennies.I often say to myself"What if?"
Hell,now that were all older and smarter,we aren't wanted or needed.I do wish that Career adviser would have said "get your head out of your ass,your still a US Marine and you can stay one"
The stigma of "Vietvet" is still out there,I hope our "Iraqi Freedom"Veterans don't have the same crap dumped on them........

[Sgted]

I served 6 1/2 years.
Joined a 6 month reserve.
2 - 3 year reenlistments.

On the 2nd 3 year enlistment I got married.
I wanted to make a career out of the Corps but my (ex) wife wouldn't have it.
She threatened to take the kids and leave me in Swansboro, NC where we lived off base.
She really hated being a Marine's wife and made no bones about it. She was fighting mad that I had to ship out to Okinawa a few days after our first son was born.
She was the best example of why a young Marine should not get married. Trying to balance my responsibilities between the Corps & family.
The Corps treated me real good. Yeah, I had to put up with the BS like the rest of you. But, overall the Corps fit me well and I was reccomended for reenlistment.
I decided to end my enlistment in favor of my family.
Not too many years later my wife & I divorced.
Looking back, it was not too late to join again, but those options were not as clear to me then as they are now.
I had a home, a full time job, was making good $$$$ and was near my children.
I try not to linger on the mistake I made back then.
I'm proud that I can retain the title.

[kentmitchell]

I came back from Japan & Okinawa where in 57=58 we were training to go back and "Kill some more Chinese" to unbelieveably boring garrison duty at Pendleton. When the chicken by-product got up to my neck, I knew me and the Corps would part ways. No war so why stay in? At the time, Nam wasn't even on the radar.
I envy the guys today. They have purpose.

[artymarine]

27 yrs in, after Desert Storm arty E9's were like dinosaurs. One year reenlistment packages told me it was time to go. Plus the orders back to oki made my wife tell me it was time to go.
If it were up to me the Commandant would have dragged me out screaming. Semper fi

[mrbsox]

Some of all the above, some of my own reasons.

4 year active hitch, Combat Arms
0341, mud Marine, loved training, in the field. That's what the Corps felt like it should be, to me. State side BS, spit and polish for no reason except 'make work'. Taking orders from SOB's younger and dumber than I was, just 'cause they had a stripe after re-signing.

Late '79 I got an article 15, cost me my E4 stripe, and gave me a bad attitude. When we deployed to GitMo later that year, I felt better, being back in the field, doing my job again.

But, my article 15 and attitude won out, and the retention NCO never even talked to me.

But let there be no mistake, I'm still a Marine. Probably even a better one today, than 25 years ago, partly thanks to this site.
I Miss ya Roger... save me a seat

Terry

[Sgt0811]

Got married 6 mos before enlistment was up. Wife got pregnant(Sp) I grew up as a military brat and did not want to put my kid(s) through that.
At times I wish I had stayed.

[hector verduzco]

After reading everyone's storys, I guess mine is really different.
I was at Briageport, NV. for training when one day several of us were told to report too the tent where theirs a line. Inside the tent were (2) company personal (brass & snco). Also was a desk with our S.R.B (service record book) open and a piece a paper.
Non of us knew what was going on except you know who, them.
For myself, my s.r. b. was clean from anything, but the option or choice was that if I didn't sign the piece of paper that I would get a page 11 for fefussal and if I did sign the paper, then it means that I can't re-enlist because of my test scores from my asavb.
All this happen when president Reagen was in office. They called it Reagen nonmics. After 4 yrs. in the corps, and haveing a gunney from TX. you know who you are, I could never have made
CPL. . When my active duty enlistment was up, I was informed that if I reported to the reserves, I could make CPL. WRONG!!!!!
I was told that they no longer do that. So that means to me that
After 4 yrs of service and no Blood Stripe, but a hashmark of 4 yrs.
No matter what I'M a MARINE!!!!!

[Wyrm]

Just before I got out, I had been in the Corps for 5 years, married for 2 of those 5 years, and deployed for 89 weeks of the last 104 weeks (2 years) of my enlistment. That gave me only 3 months of that time span with my wife and newborn daughter.

What's worse is that not once in that entire time did I EVER deploy to a combat environment. My MOS was so short that I shipped out every time the call came to assist any unit that needed my MOS, in training cycles, but with no explanation or information about any relief.

I do feel for any Marines that are serving in the 0847 MOS, as my experience tells me that to be deployed to a combat environment would actually be a godsend, and would allow some much needed "rest". Funny how life works out.

I had actually gotten all my paperwork for my re-up package completed, needing only my signature before the deal was done. Heh, they even showed me the promotion warrant for Sergeant, pending my reenlistment, just to "sweeten the deal". I asked 3 questions.

1) Would there be any others joining my MOS so the pace would slacken a bit so that in Garrison we could actually get some down time?

2) Would it be likely to be deployed to a combat environment, instead of just for training.

3) Could I Laterally move and get another MOS?

The answers were 1) No, and 2) Not likely. 3) HELL NO.

I then made the decision that since this pace was neither giving me any personal rewards or doing any justice for my family, that it was time to go...

10 years, and 3 beatiful children later, my wife divorced me. I believe that the divorce had its roots in that first 2 years I was married but never spent any time with my family.

I gave to my country...

I still wonder if I should have stayed single and followed my dream of becoming a career Marine...