Advice for a want-to-be Marine

[cjl007]

Hey Marines, I was hoping I could come to this website and get any tips or advice from people who have already been through what I am going through.

First let me tell you what I mean by "what I am going through". I am constantly thinking about joining, followed by a feeling of selfishness for wanting to doing so, because I will be leaving my family and friends. I think this comes from everyone always telling me, "If you go the Corps, you're throwing your life away. I can't explain to them I don't want any other branch than the Corps, my family doesn't understand. Then on another note, I think about how I will feel if I don't join and 30 years from now I will be saying what if.. It's a battle in my head and I need advice. How do I figure out what job I can get? Do they assign one to me? Can I choose what job I want? Thank you for your replies.

[tdrt]

You definately WILL NOT be throwing your life away so don't even buy into that crap. It was the best decision of my life and I still regret getting out when I did. And I know that there are many Marines here that can attest to that.

And wanting a better life for yourself is not selfish. You owe that to yourself.

Have you talked to a recruiter yet? That is step one.

[cjl007]

I have spoke to some on and off, but I want to do my own researching as well so I don't get stiffed by some sour recruiter.

[Lynn2]

First of all you are 21 years of age. I was already out of the service and a war vet before I turned 21. (ok it was only one day but that one day I was still 20)

You are an adult. You can sit and think objectively what you want in life.

"If" its the Corps then you need to think of what kind of job you enjoy doing. There are regrets some have about joining, there are regrets some have about not joining. There are regrets some have about mos they got or did not get. No decision is full proof.

The Corps may or may not be for you.

But take everything you hear with a grain of salt (including my advice)

On MC forums all the old guys will tell you how much they loved it and how much they miss it.

But you would have been road kill if you stood in the road at the front gate as they got their discharge papers and drove away as fast as they could to get as far away as they could in the shortest time possible.

Now we all love it. :-) But few of us stayed in when we had the chance to do so.

If your friends love you they may not want to see you enlist during a time of war. That does not make them stupid people.

But its your life and your future. And at 21 you need to make your own darn decisions. Your friends and parents should not be doing it. We here on this forum should not be doing it.

Time to grow up I think. Not a knock or a slam. Just a fact.

[Phantom Blooper]

Fear is temporary. Regret is forever.

CHOOSE!

[cjl007]

Wow Phantom, thanks, gave me chills reading that.

[brian0351]

I'm just curious how civilians who have never been in the Marines know anything about the Marines?! What position are they in to say you are throwing your life away?

The quote in my signature says it all.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Crap, or get off the pot.

Or..."Lead, follow, or get the hevll OUT OF THE WAY!!!!" Stop being so wishy washy and JUMP.

Otherwise, you'll be the 30-40 something old dude goin "Weeeellllll I thought about bein a Marine once.....but decided I'd rather be a cube dwelling bean counter instead......(long siiiiiigggggh of regret)."

[J Cooper]

First of all... When you join the Corps, you start a new family entirely. You should look forward to joining because of all the people you will meet and the places you will explore. The network that you build while in the Corps is remarkable. The people back home will always be there. If they are your TRUE friends and family, they will understand that you need to move on to bigger and better things. Take the asvab, get a good score, and get a good job... one that you WANT to do.

Your choice; stop letting others choose for you.