Planning on meeting a recruiter tommorrow..

[bquick13]

Hey Marines, and guys & gals (poolees and wannabes), I'm gonna try to schedule my first meeting with a Marine recruiter tomorrow. Kinda nervous. Is there anything I should know? What is he gonna ask me? What do I need to tell him? Will I have to take my asvab over again since I went with a NG recruiter, and marked National Guard? I should get those scores from my asvab tomorrow.

Chase

[Lisa 23]

Hey guys & gals,

How about saying...."hey Marines"...not hey guys and gals.

[bquick13]

Also if I do pass all my meps and stuff, since I'm planning to go reserve and go to college and ROTC, how quick can I ship to Bootcamp? I know you can ship asap in the army, what about Marines?

[bquick13]

How about saying...."hey Marines"...not hey guys and gals.

WMarine, in all seriousness, have you considered becoming a D.I. ? You get people in line quick!

[Lisa 23]

That's Drill Instructor to you, not DI.

Yes, I was going to go to Drill Instructor school to become a Drill Instructor just like my brother, who's a retired Marine GySgt and former Drill Instructor.

[Lisa 23]

Maybe this might help you......

Meeting the Recruiter
http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/joini...recruiter2.htm

[bquick13]

Thanks WMarine.

Another question of ethics. (if thats the right way to put it.)

As I mentioned in a different post if I join the Marine Corps, or any military branch for that matter, my Fiance will be leaving me because its a "death wish". Right now, joining the military is something I feel very strongly about, like I said all I want is to better myself. I love this girl to death. But she cheated on me earlier this month. If she did that while I'm here, while I'm gone for 12 weeks theres no telling what would go on. I try to be a man of my word, and stand by her like I told her would.

If I join to better myself, and she leaves me because of it does that make me a bad person, for breaking my word?

Integrity is important for me, thats another reason I like the Marine Corps.

Chase

[Lisa 23]

In my opinion, NO it doesn't make you a bad man. You're only 18 and don't need that kind of crap holding you down while you're in boot camp. When and if you do go to Marine Corps boot camp, you'll need to focus on everything you're doing every day. Worrying about whether or not your girlfriend is cheating on you back home will only be a distraction, and crap happens when you're distracted.
Just a suggestion, maybe it's time to tell her...'Hey, it's been nice, but it's time for me to move on with my life, and whether you want to be a part of my life and me joining the military is totally up to you. If you want to, that's great; if not, it's been nice knowing you."

[FattyTheFerret]

To the best of my knowledge, your ASVAB score is good for six months and it's good regardless of what branch you were previously looking at. Pretty much everyone goes to the same MEPS. Doesn't hurt to take it again if you think you can get a better score, in my opinion.

As for what you should tell your recruiter: everything. If they ask a question, answer honestly. Used to smoke pot? Tell him. It's a lot easier for them to work with things they know than to fix it if you get caught in a lie later.

[Rocky C]

In my opinion, NO it doesn't make you a bad man. You're only 18 and don't need that kind of crap holding you down while you're in boot camp. When and if you do go to Marine Corps boot camp, you'll need to focus on everything you're doing every day. Worrying about whether or not your girlfriend is cheating on you back home will only be a distraction, and crap happens when you're distracted.
Just a suggestion, maybe it's time to tell her...'Hey, it's been nice, but it's time for me to move on with my life, and whether you want to be a part of my life and me joining the military is totally up to you. If you want to, that's great; if not, it's been nice knowing you."

[bquick13]

To the best of my knowledge, your ASVAB score is good for six months and it's good regardless of what branch you were previously looking at. Pretty much everyone goes to the same MEPS. Doesn't hurt to take it again if you think you can get a better score, in my opinion.

Thats a good point, depending on what I hear about my score I may be going back and taking the asvab again. I didn't know I was taking my asvab until the day before, it kind of fell into my lap. So np study time, plus being out of school for nine months, it was rough. English was my strong point in school, math not so much. But we'll see. Thanks for all the advice Marines. I've got my pen and notepad, and I'm ready to take some notes. I'm all ears.

[Lisa 23]

Maybe this will help you out about the ASVAB...........

ABC's of the ASVAB
Re-Testing

You can’t actually “fail” the ASVAB, but you can “fail” to achieve a high enough AFQT score to enlist in the service you want. If this happens that means your AFQT score was too low which — in turn means you need to work on one (or more) of four areas: math knowledge skills, arithmetic reasoning skills, reading comprehension skills, and word knowledge skills. These are the four subtests which are used to calculate your AFQT score. Parts II and III of this book are specifically designed to help you improve your scores on these four subtests.
Once you’re sure that you are ready, you can apply (through your recruiter) for a retest.

Minimum Waiting Times

ASVAB test are valid for two years, as long as you are not in the military. In most cases, once your join the military, your ASVAB scores remain valid as long as you are in. In other words, except in a few cases, you can use your enlistment ASVAB scores to qualify for retraining years later.
After you take an initial ASVAB test (taking the ASVAB in high school does not count as an initial test), you can retake the test after 30 days. After the retest, you must wait at least six months before taking the ASVAB again.

When you retake the ASVAB, it’s not your highest score that counts, but rather the score on your latest test. If you score lower on the retest, that is the score which will be used for your military enlistment.

When you can/cannot re-take the test

The bad news is that you can’t retake the ASVAB on a whim or whenever you simply feel like it. Each of the services has its own rules concerning whether or not they will allow a retest:

Army: The Army will allow a retest only if the applicant’s previous ASVAB test has expired, or the applicant failed to achieve an AFQT score high enough to qualify for enlistment, or when unusual circumstances occur, such as if an applicant, through no fault of his or her own, is unable to complete the test. For example, an applicant is called away from test because of an emergency. Army recruiters are not allowed to schedule a retest for the sole purpose of increasing scores in order to qualify for enlistment incentives, job qualifications, or other special enlistment programs.

Air Force: The Air Force does not allow retesting applicants after they have enlisted in the Delayed Entry Program (DEP). Current policy allows retesting of applicants who are not holding a job/aptitude area reservation and/or are not in DEP, but already have a qualifying AFQT score. Retesting is authorized when the applicant’s current line scores (job qualification scores) limit the ability to match an Air Force skill with his or her qualifications.

Navy: The Navy allows retesting of applicants who's previous ASVAB test has expired, or if the applicant fails to achieve a qualifying AFQT score for enlistment in the Navy. In most cases, individuals in the DEP cannot re-test. One notable exception is the Navy's DEP Enrichment Program. This program provides for the provisional DEP enlistment of high school diploma graduates with AFQT scores between 28 and 30. Individuals enlisted under the program are enrolled in academic enhancement training, retested with the ASVAB, and accessed onto active duty provided they score 31 or higher on the subsequent ASVAB re-test.

Marine Corps: The Marine Corps will authorize a retest if the applicant’s previous test is expired. Otherwise, recruiters can request a retest as long as the retesting is being required because the initial scores (considering the applicant's education, training, and experience) do not appear to reflect his or her true capability. Additionally, the retest cannot be requested solely because the applicants initial test scores did not meet the standards prescribed for specific military job qualification.

Coast Guard: For Coast Guard enlistments, six months must elapse since an applicant's last test before he or she may retest solely for the purpose of raising scores to qualify for a particular enlistment option. The Coast Guard Recruiting Center may authorize retesting after 30 days have passed from an initial ASVAB test if substantial reason exists to believe the initial AFQT score or subtest scores do not reflect an applicant's education, training or experience.

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joini...svabretest.htm

[bquick13]

I got another dumb question for ya'll.. Medical care in the military, my NG recruiter said he pays 75 dollars a month for health insurance, I thought military personel health care was free?

[Lisa 23]

How about taking one step at a time. Meet with your recruiter and take it form there. You're getting way ahead of yourself here.

[bquick13]

Ha. WMarine, I'm starting to think so too. I haven't even sworn in yet and I'm ready to take on the world.