Help with some options

[CAsh110]

First of all, I'm just trying to figure out some of my options. First off, my situation. I have been in the DEP since the end of July. Right after that my first recruiter told me that he would be submitting my MOS selection sheet as soon as I was sworn in. As far as I know that never happened. During this time, my first recruiter was finishing up his term as recruiter and was in the process of filling in the new recruiter about the area. A month or two after my MOS selection was supposed to be submitted I received a call and was told that as of that point there were no more 46xx Combat Camera(my first choice) contracts available until the new fiscal year. I was told that he would put me under a data systems contract until the new fiscal year so that if no 46xx contracts became available that it would give him something to trade with at other recruiting stations. I received a call in November from the new recruiter, a GySgt, that no MOS selection sheet had ever been submitted or even filled out. So then I finally got a MOS selection sheet filled out in mid-November. It came back just a day or two ago and I was denied my first choice, 46xx, my second choice, 02xx, and got a contract with my third choice, 73xx. Now my question is, is there anything that I can do now to switch to a 46xx contract before I ship out on 20100405? I have one year of college majoring in Audio Production at the Art Institute of Atlanta. This major is tightly combined with the Video Production major so many of my classes have been in Video Production. I am not completely opposed to the 73xx enlisted flight crew contract but would much rather have the 46xx combat camera contract due to my back ground. I also understand that I can do a lat move after my first term of enlistment which I am looking at if I can not switch to a 46xx contract. Is there any Marine that knows of any advice that would help me with this situation?

[TunTvrnWarrior]

The Recruiter is a salesman, plain and simple. Until you go to MCRD, you have the option to back out at any time no matter what he tells you. He may talk about the Uniform Code of Military Justice to scare you, but.... Stand your ground. If you want to be a Combat Photographer, it is solely up to you. If that means you have to wait to go to boot camp, do it!!!! Hopefully that delay will give you more time to build up your pull ups, your run time (in addition to 3,4, or 5 mile runs... do wind sprints regularly), and crunches. If you are not memorizing basic Marine Corps knowlege right now, get on it. Again, dont settle for anything less than what you have asked for. You will have to live with your decision for 4 years if you dont stand up right now and say something.

[CAsh110]

Thanks Marine. I talked to my recruiter yesterday about it and he told me that the Combat Camera field is small and is completely full right now and they are not accepting any more contracts for it. I can live with my contract for four years and hopefully at that point try and do a lat move into combat camera. My recruiters wife is in the combat camera field so they both have contacts that they can hook me up with to help me out later on.

[TunTvrnWarrior]

These are suggestions..... Aircrew... If I had to do it over again... C130 aircrew is the way to go, you travel all over the world instead of being confined to one region all the time. So, if you are going for aircrew, that would be my suggestion. Three other MOS to think about.... Journalist, for obvious reasons. Air Traffic Controller, (translates to $$$$ money on the outside, once you complete your tour). Meterologist, (you get avionics training and weather training) (money on the outside). You have made a life altering decision by joining the MARINE Corps. Once you earn the title, it can never be taken away from you. Be careful on who you trust in the MARINE Corps among your peers, stay away from the bad crowd and surround yourself with higher caliber MARINES. Who you hang with will reflect on you as a MARINE by your superiors. If someone trys to sell you an item or borrows money from you, make up a receipt and get witnesses to sign it. A MARINE who I have been mentoring lost his PFC rank out of bootcamp because he trusted a a dirtbag who should have not earned the title who sold to him a TV that was later found out to be stolen. So he was left holding the bag. A MARINE is a professional, I congratulate you on making this decision to earn the title. God bless you and Semper Fi.

[CAsh110]

Thanks for your help. I have to hand it to you, you are probably one of the nicest Marines that I have met on this site by far.

[TunTvrnWarrior]

Thanks. One mellows out with age. I guess the quote, "Not as lean, not as mean, but still a U.S. MARINE" may be true.

[CAsh110]

Haha maybe. Most of the older Marines on this site are so uptight about every little thing that they drive off more members than they can recruit. They have their set of rules and heaven forbid if you even come close to breaking them. Oh well, to each his own.

[Lisa 23]

Haha maybe. Most of the older Marines on this site are so uptight about every little thing that they drive off more members than they can recruit. They have their set of rules and heaven forbid if you even come close to breaking them. Oh well, to each his own.

We Marines don't have a set of rules, Leatherneck.com has the rules in place for wannabes and poolees to follow. Some of us Marines just merely point them out when needed. If we Marines have to follow the rules, wannabes and poolees are no different and are no exception to the rules.
If you have a problem with those rules, then I suggest you should PM the owner of the site, Shaffer, who is a former Marine, and let him know your complaints about those rules he and the staff put into place.

[CAsh110]

I don't have any problem with rules nor do I have any problem with following rules. You demand respect as Marines, and I understand that, but when you blatantly attack people when they accidentally fail to adhere to those set of rules is when I have a problem. One thing everyone realizes as a child is that it takes respect to get respect. You demand respect for being a former Marine, well we deserve respect for being in the process of becoming Marines. The rules say it is not acceptable for a poolee to say oohrah because we have not earned the title yet but it is acceptable to say it in boot camp before we earn the title. The rules say we can not say Semper Fi because we have not earned the title but I have yet to see and form of copyright that says the United States Marine Corps owns the rights to Semper Fi or Semper Fidelis. Semper Fi is used as a greeting and motivator. It is also used as a sign of respect. You could completely change a persons view on the Marine Corps by instead of chewing a poolee out for saying it by just saying it back. We poolees are more than just a pile of dog **** for you to step in and wipe away with a few choices words. We poolees are the future of the Marine Corps. We are walking the exact same path as you but only a few steps behind. There is a difference between deserving respect and being just plain ignorant. And if you would take the time to properly read my post I said that "the older Marines OF THIS SITE..." not every Marine. That means the older Marines of this site have their set of rules. There is a difference between merely pointing out the rules when needed and chewing somebody out for it. You make yourselves look bad for that. Demanding respect also means that you must act respectable. I have the utmost respect for every person that has and is currently serving in the Marine Corps because I was born and raised the Marine Corps way. You can have my post deleted for being disrespectful or have me banned from the site but you know what? There isn't a poolee or currently serving Marine that doesn't agree with what I have just said.

[TunTvrnWarrior]

Cash, go with the flow on this one. They have rules to have structure. You are about to get more structure than you will know how to handle in boot camp. Remember, WMARINE has earned the title. As such, she deserves yours and my respect. Chew on this anonymous quote for a while, "Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?" I have to chew on that one daily. Stay motivated, keep focused, and above all push yourself hard physically.

[CAsh110]

I'm just merely stating facts. No attitude present. But I have also seen how WMarine has treated some of the poolees on this forum. I have opinions on matters and my opinion is not any less valid than the next person. I believe that I have every right to state what I see, how I feel, and how many other poolees feel. I have followed every rule that this forum has put upon me since joining. I continue to follow those rules but that doesn't mean that I am not allowed to have an opinion about them. Just because I don't agree with or understand why some of are there does not mean I intend to not follow them. I meant everything that I said in the most respectful way possible. If it is not taken that way am I not at fault. I can not control the feelings, emotions, thoughts, and opinions of others. Let me leave you with this thought also. Structure is kept in line from the top down but also structure can be taught from the bottom up.

[TunTvrnWarrior]

Cash: "Let me leave you with this thought also. Structure is kept in line from the top down but also structure can be taught from the bottom up."
Me: I want you to be successful. I think it is great you are joining America's Finest. You have the freedom of expression now, but you wont have it once your feet hit those yellow footprints. There is a saying in the MARINE Corps and it applies to structure as well, "Stuff doesnt roll down hills, it falls off cliffs".

[CAsh110]

Nothing I said was meant to be disrespectful and I apologize if was taken that way. It doesn't matter in what way you say something if the other person wants to hear it one way then they are going to hear only what they want to hear. I was stating facts and opinions. And I'm sorry if that hurt peoples feelings.

[TunTvrnWarrior]

I wasnt offended. I was trying to help. You are learning, that is what is important.

[CAsh110]

You see basically what I was trying to say was that I think it would be better to help the poolees than to just chew them out and dismiss them. Nevertheless, I thank you deeply for the information that provided myself, and anyone else with similar questions, at the beginning of this thread. Enjoy your day.