A little worried...

[PHILLYBOI]

I've just gotten my best friend to dep in with me about a week ago and he's talking about he wants to go recon, and this is a problem to me, before he depped in he was saying that he wanted to be a mechanic and he ddn't want to really be in a combat zone, and now all he wants to do is go recon because he gets a 10,000 dollar bonus and I kind of feel responsible for him. His mom constantly tells me Kristian watch out for Nigel, and I tell her I would. I just feel that he's doing it for the wrong reason...

[thewookie]

Fear not, if his heart isn't in it then he won't make it past the the first indoc. 99.99% of all guys who eventually hold the title of Recon Marine don't do it for the money, they might stay in it for the nice bonuses they're getting these days, but most of the successful ones don't start out doing it for the money. And you can't be held responsible for what he does when he signs the bottom line, don't put yourself into a situation with his family where you're making promises that you can't keep or have no control over. He's just trying to get laid before he goes, don't worry he'll end up a mechanic.

[Big Jim]

When I was asked to apply, alot of us signed up...with no bonuses, but Wookie's right, only a handful of us made the cut. What I thought was strange though was I thought it was going to be all physical...you know running and endurance stuff like that, but at least 40 % of the tests were based on state and strength of mind. There were guys there with better PT scores than I had and they failed. I was 19 years old and at times it took all I had, it was definitely an experience I'll never forget. If he is doing it for the wrong reasons, the Corps will find that out. I wouldn't worry. But, you guys will most likely be split up once you hit the FMF, so how can you look out for him? Just wonderin...

[PHILLYBOI]

He was my referal and his mom pretty much holds me responsible because im the one who "brain washed" him...

[BR34]

I can't believe all the different MOSs the Marine Corps is giving bonuses for now, compared to 2 years ago. It's amazing how quick things can change.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

What he does, and his motives, are really none of your business. He is an adult and can (and should) make his own decisions.

[Big Jim]

Well. I'd make him own up to his mama, that he's playin' Marine now...and not to hold you responsible...and really ...how can you be???

[LeonardLawrence]

He was my referal and his mom pretty much holds me responsible because im the one who "brain washed" him...

You talked him into looking...the money talked louder. It's on him, whatever he does.....

[WalkingMan]

Fear not, if his heart isn't in it then he won't make it past the the first indoc. 99.99% of all guys who eventually hold the title of Recon Marine don't do it for the money, they might stay in it for the nice bonuses they're getting these days, but most of the successful ones don't start out doing it for the money.

I'm curious... is Recon now a permanent MOS? When I was in, back in the 1960s, I seem to remember it being a temporary (Category B) assignment, and then you went back to fleet, and working in your primary MOS.

My experience was in Viet Nam, though, where things were pretty slack... you could be told 'go with those guys, see you when you get back', and wind up working with Recon, ARVN, LDNN, ROK, etc, for a day, a week, a month, and the guys in the rear wouldn't know where to find you, until you eventually showed up again.

[thewookie]

I'm curious... is Recon now a permanent MOS? When I was in, back in the 1960s, I seem to remember it being a temporary (Category B) assignment, and then you went back to fleet, and working in your primary MOS.

My experience was in Viet Nam, though, where things were pretty slack... you could be told 'go with those guys, see you when you get back', and wind up working with Recon, ARVN, LDNN, ROK, etc, for a day, a week, a month, and the guys in the rear wouldn't know where to find you, until you eventually showed up again.

I wasn't in Recon, but I'll just add from my knowledge that today it's more of a permanent career option rather then what you saw in Viet Nam. Not saying stuff like you mentioned still doesn't happen, but today they're usually permanently assigned to that type of unit. When I was in, most guys did a tour with Recon and then they had to go back to the regular grunts for a tour, which isn't a bad thing because a lot of knowledge gets passed down "to regular grunts in the fleet" in that type of system. However, conversely a lot of knowledge and expensive schooling in order to get that knowledge gets lost in the process of switching back in forth. So I think that's changed now with the reorganization of Recon and the USMC "spec ops" community. Now they go there and they don't usually come back, especially with the bonuses they're giving.

[truckee0911]

Gents is it even possible to go straight into Recon from Bootcamp nowdays? When I was in you had to be an 03 and in the FMF before you could even think about it

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Yes, it is possible. They can even get a contract that promises them a shot at the indoc. Of course, far more people fail to pass than will ever be accepted.

[truckee0911]

Well ok then. Im kinda shocked and amazed but I guess its a different world now.

[WalkingMan]

Well ok then. Im kinda shocked and amazed but I guess its a different world now.

Yep... things are a lot different now, than they were back in the 1960's, when I was in.

Yikes! I just realised... that was 40 YEARS AGO.

Holy Crap.

[truckee0911]

Yep. The older I get the better I was LOL. The guys who were coming ing in Corps as I was getting out are retiring right now. Its depressing but on the bright side Im not actualy losing my hair, its just moving to other places