I have a few questions...

[6655321]

Hello

I have a few questions about joining the Marines.

I am just under 22 and a junior in college, I took the ASVAB in high school and talked to recruiters from the Air Force and the Marines just because I was curious about the military but I never pursued it after that. It's been about 4 years since then and I have found that I am bored with my life right now and I realized that I have never really done anything hard in my life or been challenged at all. I also have a couple of friends and acquaintances who are or have been in the Marines and I have been impressed by them.

So the main reason that I am thinking about joining the Marines is that I want to be challenged and do something that I can be proud of. Is this a good enough reason to join the Marines, or should I just go train to run a marathon or something like that? I really don't know anything at all about the military other than what the recruiters told me and what I have read on this site and a couple of others, no one in my family has been in it and my parents would absolutely flip out if I enlisted.

Also, does anyone know anything about the National Call to Service? I could not find much information about it on this board. Is it available for the Infantry field? I thought that sounded like a good option because I am already 22, which seems to be kind of "old" to be enlisting, I read that the average age in recruit training is 19. If I joined the Marines for 4 years I wouldn't get out until I was 26, and I still have a couple of years of college to finish. I know that it is an 8 year commitment with the reserves and everything though...

[OB MSG]

Fill out your Profile or you won't get squat from anyone in here!

[Covey_Rider]

First you need to read the rules and fill out your profile. From the sound of things you're already thinking about the end of a commitment that you haven't even started.

[6655321]

Sorry, I read the rules but I thought my profile was the form I filled out when I registered. I just went back and filled out my profile.

From the sound of things you're already thinking about the end of a commitment that you haven't even started.

I meant no disrespect and I apologize if that's how I came across. I understand that joining the military is a serious commitment. I am just trying to learn about all my options.

[OB MSG]

If you want to join then join. I was in the same boat as you, but I joined when I was 22 with 105 college credits to my name. I only needed one more semester, but the fact was I was bored and burnt out. I wanted a change of pace, and believe me the Corps will give you just that. I will never regret what I did, I'm now and forever a member of the the greatest brotherhood in the world and that feeling never goes away.

So if you think your life needs a kick in the pant and you think you can handle the challenge then go talk to recruiter and get this started. As for your folks, my mom just about lost her mind when I first told he I was thinking of enlisting in the Corps. But after both my folks talked to the recruiters and saw that it was what I wanted they turned all Gung-ho for it.

[6655321]

If you want to join then join. I was in the same boat as you, but I joined when I was 22 with 105 college credits to my name. I only needed one more semester, but the fact was I was bored and burnt out. I wanted a change of pace, and believe me the Corps will give you just that. I will never regret what I did, I'm now and forever a member of the the greatest brotherhood in the world and that feeling never goes away.

So if you think your life needs a kick in the pant and you think you can handle the challenge then go talk to recruiter and get this started. As for your folks, my mom just about lost her mind when I first told he I was thinking of enlisting in the Corps. But after both my folks talked to the recruiters and saw that it was what I wanted they turned all Gung-ho for it.

Thank you for the input. I read some of your posts and it sounds like things worked out great for you after you left the Marines. Do you mind if I ask how being in the Marines helped your career after your enlistment was over? What was your MOS? Also, does being a few years above the average age really matter at all in the Marines?

[OB MSG]

Good questions all!

The Corps helped me on many levels with my career after I left active duty. While I was in I signed up for the GI Bill, when I left I had to go back and finish my last 15 credits for my degree, the GI Bill paid for them and for my room and board to get through that semester. The Corps also reinvigorated my focus and drive to finish college and get to the work force, I ended out that semester with a 3.93, not to shabby, I think. Also I had been a Marine Security Guard (MSG) at two different Embassies, that billet requires a Top Secret clearance. I still had mine when I left the Corps and got hired by a Fortune 100 company that had my clearance rolled over to them and it helped me get in the door. The senior person in the office that hired me is a retired Marine Colonel so that helped a lot as well. People see Marine on your Resume, and that you have an honorable discharge and then look at the things you did and it shows them that you have drive and will get the job done.


I held a couple of MOS’s while I was in, although I only had one primary. I was a 2871, TMDE (Test Measurement Diagnostic Equipment) Tech. It’s an MOS that has you working with mechanical and electronic equipment used for qualitative or quantitative measure. For example: Torque wrenches, pressure gauges, weight scales, waveform generators, signal counters, etc. I was also a Marine Corps Martial Arts Instructor: Green Belt and an MSG.

As for being a little older, yeah, it helped. I was the second oldest in my Boot platoon, the old guy was 24. I had seen more than most of the guys in there and I had been away from home, which is what hit some of the younger recruits. I also didn’t let things get to me, you learn to tune out the screaming DIs and focus on the task at hand. Some guys got all flustered, I just stuck to the mantra of “Sunday to Sunday, Chow to Chow” and did what needed to get done as fast and as well as I could. Boot is easy if you get in the right mind set, being in shape helps a lot too!

Hope this helps, fire away with any more questions. You are where I was in 1998.

[6655321]

Thank you OB MSG.

It does sound like you felt very similar to the way I do now. I feel the need to do something in my life that is a higher calling. I don't want to end up like most of the people I know, who coast through life only caring about money and material things and have never really done anything challenging like being in the Marines. I know it is dangerous and everything but I just feel like if I don't enlist I will always regret it when I am older.

Is your current job related to the MOS you had in the Marines? Do you think that having a related MOS to the job you are applying for is very important, or is the fact that you were in the Marines the most important thing to employers?

The reason that I ask is that the MOS I was thinking about is infantry and I don't think there is really a civilian version of that job. I do understand that infantry is dangerous and an extremely difficult job (as I'm sure all jobs in the Marines are). I know someone who was in the infantry and he says it is very serious business and not something to be taken lightly. However the main reason I want to join is not to improve my job prospects in the future, but if it helps that is a nice bonus.

Another question - I have a couple of medical issues in my past that I hope would not be a problem. The first (this is kind of embarassing) is that I had to have surgery a year ago for a condition called Gynecomastia, which is basically enlargment of the breast tissue in males. It is just something that happens sometimes to guys when they go through puberty because of all the hormonal changes and everything. Sometimes bodybuilders get it from using steroids also. It is part of the reason that I did not pursue joining the military after high school. My friend who is an MP in the Marines told me "Trust me dude, you do not want to go to boot camp with ***** tits". I also had to save up money for the surgery since it is considered a cosmetic procedure not covered by insurance. The surgeon had to cut into my chest and remove the tissue. It is simply a cosmetic surgery and has no effect whatsoever on my physical abilities or anything like that. I am in good physical shape, can do 15 pull ups, run 3 miles in about 20 minutes, etc.

Secondly, a couple of years ago I was going through what I thought were some rough times in my life (this is partly related to my first problem, and also some family issues) and I went to talk to a psychiatrist who prescribed me an antidepressant. I never took the antidepressant because I thought it was kind of crazy that a psychiatrist would prescribe that after half an hour of talking to me, plus I just didn't feel that I needed it. I sorted myself out and got my head out of my ass and have not ever had any other problems. I have read that you must be off antidepressants for a year or it is a disqualifier. This was well over a year ago and I never actually took the antidepressants (I did fill the prescription though).

Do you think these medical issues would reduce the chances of me being able to enlist? I have the feeling this is something only a recruiter can answer but I just thought I'd ask.

[OB MSG]

The position I currently hold has nothing to do with what I did in the Corps. The first position I had with this company touched on it, mainly in the area of electronics, system networking and my ability to handle technical jargon and schematics. I was helped in gaining my current position by the fact that I had been in the military and know how to deal with military personnel (officers) and converse in Mil-speak. So you may get into an MOS that you will ultimately never use on the outside but it's the other experiences and knowledge you will gain in the Corps that can be just as valuable.

That being said, choose an MOS that you feel you'll be happy in and can get the most out of. It's no use picking an MOS then finding out you hate it and being stuck there for four or five years. This will erode your morale and that will effect your fellow Marines from subordinates up to those in charge of you. If you constantly have a poor attitude then no one will want to be around you, which in turn will further bring you down. Do you see where I'm going? Think about what you want, what you like/love, and mostly what you dislike and wouldn't want to do. Take that list and talk to a recruiter. Work through the list of MOS's and find the one that best appeals to you. If that's Infantry then there you have it, if not, keep looking.

Lastly, the med issues. I know what gynecomastia is, and that it sucks for a guy to develop it. If after your surgery you have no problems, then you should be good to go with a waiver. As for the Shrink, you will probably need something from him/her saying you are good to go. But I can't give you complete answers on those, you will have to talk to recruiter. Be honest and he/she will work with you.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[rvillac2]

Also, does anyone know anything about the National Call to Service? I could not find much information about it on this board. Is it available for the Infantry field? I thought that sounded like a good option because I am already 22, which seems to be kind of "old" to be enlisting, I read that the average age in recruit training is 19. If I joined the Marines for 4 years I wouldn't get out until I was 26, and I still have a couple of years of college to finish. I know that it is an 8 year commitment with the reserves and everything though...

We all look the same age in uniform...young. You will not be setting any records. Many older have gone before you.

The 2yr enlistments are very rare in the Corps. You can read about it here:
http://usmilitary.about.com/od/marin...ncsprogram.htm

[6655321]

Is it possible to continue your education while in the Marines, via online courses or something like that? I am studying economics in college right now and a couple of my courses have been online and they were surprisingly good, it would be nice to be able to get some credits out of the way while in the Marines.

[6655321]

Also the standard enlistment is 4 years active duty, right? I've been reading this board all day and I saw a post that said they raised it to 6 years or something like that, is that true?

[rvillac2]

Yes, you can take correspondence courses when you have the opportunity in the Corps.
Not sure where you saw that post, but Active contracts are 4 yrs. Reserve contracts are 6 yrs.
Been that way for decades.