Why do you want to be a Marine?

[Hendrix]

Because I'm sitting here, at age 21, at 4:04AM knowing full well that I won't wake up until 3PM. Jobless and without more than a high school education. Because for all the smart I have in my head, I haven't had the brains or discipline to get my ass in gear. I've lived off someone else for the past 21 years, and it's time for me to step up and be a man. To learn to provide for myself. And protect those who can't protect themselves. My grandfather was a father to me. He was in the Army when being in the Army meant more than school money. I want to be like him. And this is the best way I know how. I do not know how long I will remain an Active Duty Marine, but I do know this: I am who I am today because I thought it was the best choice. Now, I'm choosing the best choice.




(Thanks for reading. It was very cathartic as I've only spoken the words, and not seen them written down.)

I feel the same way. I have been raised by my grandfather, a 22 year veteran of the Air Force with 2 tours in 'Nam. He didn't do it for money or to look cool, he did it to serve his country and he tries to instill these values in me as well.

He supports my decision to join the Marine Corps, but is also against it, saying that the military is not what it used to be and that many serving don't join for the right reasons. But, as I said, he supports me and said he is extremely proud after telling him my reasons.

[0231Marine]

This is a great thread and I get a kick out of reading these.

The funny thing about boot camp is you'll be able to see this change occur throughout the entire training cycle and you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it. At least if you go to San Diego. They have it really easy at P.I. and they'll graduate just about anyone

[Shippingsoon]

This is a great thread and I get a kick out of reading these.

The funny thing about boot camp is you'll be able to see this change occur throughout the entire training cycle and you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it. At least if you go to San Diego. They have it really easy at P.I. and they'll graduate just about anyone

OH THANK GOD!


I joined to become a Hollywood Marine, but they're sending me to PI anyway, hahaha.... Just kidding, don't beat up the Poolee...

I got laid off, didn't have a full college degree and wanted to partake in something that would both make me a better human being and provide the tools (tangible and otherwise) that'll allow me to make a life for myself after the Corps.

[Pandza03]

I never could really put my finger on it. I was born during the war in Bosnia and moved to the US at 3 years of age due to the war and the shelling in my town getting worse and worse. I always showed interest in the military and my whole family knew it. After many years of doing research online, checking out every Marine Corps book in my schools library, that was my decision. At age 14 I started talking to a recruiter and now at age 15 there is nothing that is going to get in my way on my path to bcomming a Marine. No other branch caught my eye. The discipline, the honor...The Title! I can't wait.

[JonH]

Because I'm sitting here, at age 21, at 4:04AM knowing full well that I won't wake up until 3PM. Jobless and without more than a high school education. Because for all the smart I have in my head, I haven't had the brains or discipline to get my ass in gear. I've lived off someone else for the past 21 years, and it's time for me to step up and be a man. To learn to provide for myself. And protect those who can't protect themselves. My grandfather was a father to me. He was in the Army when being in the Army meant more than school money. I want to be like him. And this is the best way I know how. I do not know how long I will remain an Active Duty Marine, but I do know this: I am who I am today because I thought it was the best choice. Now, I'm choosing the best choice.

Amen.

[MattNC]

Well, throughout high school, I haven't put forth a whole lot of effort. I mean I did with sports teams and in my AP government and politics class, because I was interested and had the motivation to do so. I scored high on the SAT, but because of my lack of trying, my GPA was just average. I never really knew what I wanted to do after school. My options basically were: Be like everyone else and go to Wake Tech, get a job, or go to the military. Well, at 17 I was getting calls from the Army, National Guard, Navy and Air Force. None really appealed to be, as they offered a lot of money, and a bright and shiny future. Sounded to me like just anybody could join, and I simply just didn't believe half of it. Well Sometime last September I got a call from a Marine recruiter. Didn't promise me anything, or paint any pretty pictures. We met for lunch and talked for a while. Basically everything about the Marine Corps appealed to me. The camaraderie, the teamwork, the traveling abroad, the physical aspect of it, the fact that people didn't just do this for the money or for themselves. The fact that the few who do choose to walk this path, do it for something bigger than themselves. The fact that they put their life on the line, to preserve what we as Americans hold so dearly; freedom. Thats the day it hit me, I knew what I wanted to do with my future; I wanted to become a United States Marine.

[bekster2008]

I joined because I don't want things given to me, I want to be a part of something, not just this elite and small community but a part of helping with this war in any way I can. I joined so that I would NOT be a statistic, the statistic of a teen druggie, teen pregnancy, freshman fifteen in college, or an 18 year old college student in debt already even though they have good grades. Whether people like it or not it was my choice and the others on this forums choice to be a part of the beloved Corps, you either have it in you or you don't and one thing bad about that is if you don't pursue a dream such as being in the Marines and you listen to the negative people around you, then it will hurt all the more worse when you start to regret not joining and those people have all left you in 10 years or less.

[GavinL91]

This is a great thread and I get a kick out of reading these.

The funny thing about boot camp is you'll be able to see this change occur throughout the entire training cycle and you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish when you put your mind to it. At least if you go to San Diego. They have it really easy at P.I. and they'll graduate just about anyone

Thank God!

[nrml1]

I haven't DEP'ed in but my reasons for wanting to become a Marine are simple but many, however they are all pretty well summed up with the following:

I am 25 years old, married, one child. I have had many jobs, I have done absolutely nothing in my life to say that I have 'accomplished' something. If I die right now I will leave this world as an average human being, my son will not have a legacy to look forward (or back?) to just as I didn't have a legacy to follow growing up.

As of this moment in time, I have no purpose in life other than taking care of my family.

I want to become a Marine for one reason and one reason only: Purpose.

[Drill for life]

It's simple for me God want's me to be a US Marine.

[sparkie]

Take a good look, fellas,,,,,,,,,

[GavinL91]

Take a good look, fellas,,,,,,,,,

when this pick popped up i had to turn of my screen in fear.(What MCRD is this from?)

[dribbler]

im here to wreck ****. get some.

[sparkie]

when this pick popped up i had to turn of my screen in fear.(What MCRD is this from?)

But those arches look spanish,,,I'd guess MCRDSD.

[Wanderer]

the guy up front looks mexican