Married Recruit

[osborned]

Was wondering if anyone had advice for a married poolee. Are married recruits treated any differently? I'd also like to make sure they allow me to call my wife instead of insisting I call a parent.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

No, they aren't treated differently as far as I know.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

They just told us to make a call. But, if they insist you call a parent, I suggest you do so.

But, in honesty your marital status doesn't matter at all.

[fastroper]

Don't plan on any special treatment from the Corps because you are married, you will be told that if the Marines wanted you to have a wife, they would have issued you one.lol.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Does anyone else remember when General Mundy tried to make it impossible to enlist if you had any dependents? He took a lot of heat for the idea and had to stop turning away potential recruits that fell into the group- but it made sense. Being a Marine isn't easy for families- especially early in a career. It is highly likely that you will not be with your wife for more than a few days until you have completed MOS school. That is not a good thing for a marriage.

[Allen870922]

Was wondering if anyone had advice for a married poolee. Are married recruits treated any differently? I'd also like to make sure they allow me to call my wife instead of insisting I call a parent.

Not that I've ever seen. And I don't remember them ever insisting you call your parents. Its like a 15 second phone call. Just call your wife.

[baronius]

It is highly likely that you will not be with your wife for more than a few days until you have completed MOS school. That is not a good thing for a marriage.

If you're married and in the Marine Corps, doesn't your wife live with you wherever your duty station is? Or do you have to be in for a certain number of years before you can live in married housing?

[YLDNDN6]

You are pretty much on your own until after MOS school, though I was in with a guy who brought his wife down to Pensacola and his parents helped them with rent on an apartment while they were there. The government doesn't want to pay for housing in a bunch of short-term situations. That's my experience, anyway....

[Achped]

A few Marines that graduated boot said the only thing they were allowed to do differently at the recruit depot was have a talk with their senior drill instructor about their relationship. They said that if you went to have a talk, and I think he called it a "Heart to heart" with your senior about a "relationship" but you weren't married, he would just laugh you out of the Drill Instructor house. Also, there was a married recruit who was having trouble staying motivated and the platoon would always say stuff like "Think of your wife! Don't go home empty handed!".

He said other than that, there was no difference.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

If you're married and in the Marine Corps, doesn't your wife live with you wherever your duty station is? Or do you have to be in for a certain number of years before you can live in married housing?

No. When you are in MOS school, you will not be authorized to have your wife with you. If you do have her come to your school you will have to live off base without getting BAQ/BHS allowances. Unless you happen to have one of the really long schools you will also run into a problem in that you will have to sign a lease to live in an apartment but you won't be there long enough to fulfill the lease.

Junior enlisted Marines sent overseas (Oki) go on unaccompanied one year tours. That means your wife won't go with you there either.

Simply put, your priority is the Marine Corps, not your wife. If the needs of the Corps demand that you be seperated, then you will be.

[undergrad2010]

First off, I love this site. It is very informative and entertaining. I have a question that I haven't found the answer to so far. If one was to join the USMC and take the OCC route to entered as an officer, would the Marine (upon completion of OCC) be able to live with his wife on (or off) base during his 6 month training that follows? If I have misstated anything, please forgive me and correct me so that I might not make the same mistake twice. Thanks,

--Michael

[ggyoung]

E4B==========If you go over seas on say barricks duty, brig duty or any number of things you can take your wife if you are a Sgt. or above. It will be conciderd "stateside duty" after a 2 or 3 year tour you can be sent over seas to a FMF duty. Seen it happen several times.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

That is not the typical way people are stationed over seas. I have never met a person that went on an accompanied tour as a junior enlisted person. I'm not saying it couldn't happen, but I am saying the chances are slim.

[ggyoung]

E4B=======This was durning the 60's and early 70's.

[davblay]

The SGT is right E4B, even back in my day it was E-5's and above for family over seas! I guess you have to have been there! Think about it, E-4's and below are typically first enlistment people and they can't afford the expences of living over seas! Besides, would you want your wife over there, alone most of the time, or would you both be more comfortablr with her staying with family?

Believe it or not, the Corps is looking out for the family! Experience dictates policy, ya know! Can you imagine the stress it woud cause on both spouses, with little to no time together in a foriegn land?