How soon to deployment?

[TheRichmondKid]

Evening Marines, just got a quick question. Presuming of course I make it through Parris Island as well as SOI. How long after joining the Marine Fleet Force could I expect to be deployed? I will be infantry, at least I have a 03XX contract now. My mom asked me the question today and it occurred to me I really had no idea. Thank you in advance for the info.

Keep on settin' standards Marines.

[Tookie22]

I don't know all the info, but all we keep hearing from our NCOs and Staff NCOs is that it just depends on the unit you are assigned to. Sorry I can't be too specific but that's all we hear at our schools.

[Quinbo]

In general terms brand spanking new grunts get sent to units who have just returned from deployment and the salts rotate out. Takes as long as a year for the battalion to get geared up for another deployment. It works on a rotational basis, so it is a good bet that you will be in the fleet for a while before you deploy. As for MOS's outside of infantry units I have no clue.

[smoking gunz]

Unless things have changed since I went to soi in 04 anywhere from graduation to a year. We had guys go to units that were are already in Iraq, after they checked into their unit they met their unit in country. I went to my unit for six months before I deployed. It all depends on what unit you go to and what rotation that unit is currently on.

[Supersquishy]

Seems like the one who want to deploy right away never do and the one who don't do.

[WKranz]

Yeah, i've been with my unit for a year and they wont be leaving for another month. I also know 2 guys who checked into their unit went to Mojave viper and were in afghanistan in two months. It's all luck of the draw.

[Backhaus 1103]

It depends. I got to my unit about 3 months ago and we deploy in less than a month. The boot drop before me got to this unit in Oct of 2008. We're also about to get a boot drop this week 3 fuc*ing weeks before we leave....so who knows.

[TheRichmondKid]

Thanks so much for the info, greatly appreciated.

[dizark]

I joined my unit at the end of September (Communications). Anyways, at that time, we had most of our seniors still in Iraq returning home within 3 weeks of that time. They are all here now and we are preparing for Afghanistan before Summer of 2010. As said, it really depends on the unit.

[Donut Brigade]

MALS deploys a few people at a time. Two guys from our shop just came from OEF, in a few months, three will go to OEF, two on a MEU.

I've been hearing that within the next our whole MALS will pack up and leave for OEF...