Is being in Infantry worth it? - Page 2
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  1. #16
    Was being a grunt worth it?

    For me it was - but I knew a lot of Marines who wouldn't agree. They're the ones who, quite frankly, I don't think would have been happy anywhere and if they'd actually managed a lat move would regret it later in life.

    Was it always fun?

    Nope - not by a long shot. The suckage factor can be high - no doubt.

    Would I trade my experience or do it differently if I had it all to do over again?

    Not a chance. Being a Marine, and being an infantryman wasn't something I did, it was something that I became. It is something that I am, even though I've hung up my tree suit years ago. Become a Marine, and become a grunt for the right reasons and don't look back - take that first step and embrace it.

    Being grunt you won't learn skills that transfer to a civilian job?

    Bullspit. I'm in a position now to hire a lot of people, and by and large I'd pass over people with experience to hire an infantry NCO or SNCO and here's why.

    First, the biggest skill that a grunt NCO brings to the game is their ability to get stuff done. Period. I can give you a task, you ask what support is available, timeline, etc, and then you execute and accomplish on time. A lot of your cilivian counterparts will take the task and complain about this or that.

    Second, you know how to make a decision and how to stand behind it. No decisions by committee. You make sure you understand the task. You evaluate resources and courses of action. You decide. You act. You execute, and you accomplish it.

    Third, I know that I can count on you and that you won't require much direct supervision. I know that you'll do what needs to be done to accomplish the task on time.

    Fourth, an infantryman understands what I mean when I say "It's F'ed, I need you to un-F it."

    Fifth, I know that you'll tell me if something is "F-ed up", and that if I say, "I know, but we need to do it anyway" that it'll get done.

    I could go on and on, but bottom line, in many cases I can teach you the technical side of how to do something - that's the easy part. But those five things I've mentioned can't be taught in a week of OJT.

    So, yes, being in the infantry can teach you a lot about valuable civilian job skills, because those five skills are rare in the civilian world.


  2. #17
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    that was exactly the type of motivatoin I was looking for Mike! Thank you so much. I agree with everything you've said. I mentioned to my recruiter I wanted to switch to Infantry and he though I was an idiot, since an Intel contract is extremely hard to get and I got it with no problem. But I'd much rather be a grunt, by far. I've yet to tell my parents. They're so against me being in Infantry, and I'm afraid of how they'll respond.


  3. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by joey513 View Post
    that was exactly the type of motivatoin I was looking for Mike! Thank you so much. I agree with everything you've said. I mentioned to my recruiter I wanted to switch to Infantry and he though I was an idiot, since an Intel contract is extremely hard to get and I got it with no problem. But I'd much rather be a grunt, by far. I've yet to tell my parents. They're so against me being in Infantry, and I'm afraid of how they'll respond.
    Just pick up the phone and say, "Mom and dad, I done did it." Then hand up.


  4. #19
    Phantom Blooper
    Guest Free Member
    This is dated from a different era......the grunts of this day and age have different weapons and gear and many technological pieces of equipment to help in the quest and fight of today.....but basically a grunt is a grunt agrunt no matter what year servrd in the Marine Corps.


    The average age of the infantryman is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's; but he has
    never collected unemployment either. He's a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away.

    He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and 155mm Howitzers. He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk. He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you
    the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must. He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional.

    He can march until he is told to stop or stop until he is told to march. He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient. He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry. He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts. If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low.

    He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands. He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job. He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay and still find ironic humor in it all. He has seen more suffering and death then he should have in his short lifetime. He has stood atop mountains of dead bodies, and helped to create them. He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed. He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to 'square-away' those around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking. In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful. Just as did
    his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the American Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over 200 years.

    He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding. Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.


  5. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Phantom Blooper View Post
    This is dated from a different era......the grunts of this day and age have different weapons and gear and many technological pieces of equipment to help in the quest and fight of today.....but basically a grunt is a grunt agrunt no matter what year servrd in the Marine Corps.


    The average age of the infantryman is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's; but he has
    never collected unemployment either. He's a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away.

    He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and 155mm Howitzers. He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk. He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you
    the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must. He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional.

    He can march until he is told to stop or stop until he is told to march. He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient. He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry. He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts. If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low.

    He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands. He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job. He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay and still find ironic humor in it all. He has seen more suffering and death then he should have in his short lifetime. He has stood atop mountains of dead bodies, and helped to create them. He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed. He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to 'square-away' those around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking. In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful. Just as did
    his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the American Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over 200 years.

    He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding. Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.
    You know, if you take a bicycle and substitute for the 10 year old junker, you've got my generation.


  6. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phantom Blooper View Post
    This is dated from a different era......the grunts of this day and age have different weapons and gear and many technological pieces of equipment to help in the quest and fight of today.....but basically a grunt is a grunt agrunt no matter what year servrd in the Marine Corps.


    The average age of the infantryman is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father's; but he has
    never collected unemployment either. He's a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away.

    He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and 155mm Howitzers. He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk. He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you
    the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must. He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional.

    He can march until he is told to stop or stop until he is told to march. He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient. He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry. He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts. If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He'll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low.

    He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands. He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job. He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay and still find ironic humor in it all. He has seen more suffering and death then he should have in his short lifetime. He has stood atop mountains of dead bodies, and helped to create them. He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed. He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to 'square-away' those around him who haven't bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking. In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful. Just as did
    his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the American Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over 200 years.

    He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding. Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.
    You know, that sounds just like me! Haha wow, maybe I really was meant to be a grunt. And if I told my parents that and then hung up, I'd be dead before I even made it to Afghanistan. Haha and besides, I like to keep my parents updated, and they like to know what's going on. After all, they signed the papers, so I might as well keep them informed.


  7. #22
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    Well, I have some bad news. At PT today my recruiter told me I'm unable to get Infantry because there are no spots open. So I'm sticking with Intel, which I don't think will be bad. It may actually end up being more enjoyable than I imagined it. I'd just rather be a grunt. Oh well, sh*t happens I guess. Thanks for all the advice anyway, I really appreciate it.


  8. #23
    Being an intel Marine is a great option - especially with you go into it with a grunt mindset. Every Marine is a rifleman - many forget that when they get the armchair. So, stay strong and be the best Marine you can.


  9. #24
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    I'll definitely be the best Marine I can and give everything 110%. I agree, Intelligence is a great field to get into. I'm still able to try to lat move into Recon, right? I'd like to eventually lat move into Recon or Counterintelligence/HUMINT.


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