View Full Version : How difficult is it to become a MP in the Marines? (5811?)
xkniives
11-05-12, 08:45 PM
I'm a junior in High School; I'm 6'1'', and I have a 3.5 GPA, and I have been interested in going into the Marines after High School (or getting my AA degree and enlisting after that.) I've taken a lot of interest in the military police in the Marines primarily because of my interest in working for the California Highway Patrol. I've read a few manuals and guides on the internet about being an MP. However, I never found an answer to my question which is how difficult is it to become an MP? I've asked my question on other sites like Yahoo Answers and they just recommend going into the Army and becoming an MP there. Why should I go into the Army and be an MP rather than be a Marine MP? And my last question is, do you get to chose where you serve being an MP (east coast/west coast/overseas, like Japan)?
Thank you,
Jake
mr gray
11-05-12, 09:47 PM
I would ask yourself this question: why do you want to be an MP? If checking IDs at a gate, responding to domestic disputes in base housing, and writing speeding tickets on base sounds enticing, then you would be a good fit. If you want to have as many career options and opportunities as possible, then go infantry.
The hardest part about becoming an MP is not the training, but getting assigned the MOS. It all depends on the needs of the Marine Corps at the time you enlist. I don't know if they give contracts for MP, but if the Marine Corps doesn't need MPs at the time you enlist, then you are SOL.
If you want to go CHP after your military service, your MOS doesn't really matter. Law enforcement looks for integrity, dependability and honesty. Being a Marine and living an honest, moral life is far more important to them then being an MP in any service. If you have a history of bad decisions, lying, stealing, drug use, etc., you could be a Medal of Honor recipient and law enforcement won't touch you.
I wouldn't bother with getting an A.A. degree before joining. A.A. degrees are a dime a dozen these days and won't really get you anywhere, besides knocking out two years of a B.A. for a low price. Join the Corps and get your career going. You have the rest of you life to get a degree. If you really want to go to college, enlist in the reserves after you graduate high school.
One more thing: you can't spell WIMP without M.P....
-Mr Gray
xkniives
11-05-12, 11:08 PM
The reason I want to be an MP is to carry on skills to the CHP, and I've always taken interest in the Marines, so I'd figure I'd do something in the Marines that would benefit my future career.
And thank you for the tip regarding the AA Degree.
Thanks, Mr Gray
- WIMP.
Lisa 23
11-06-12, 06:43 AM
Curfew during school nights.......and during school hours
http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?28477-Curfew-during-school-nights-and-during-school-hours/page2
xkniives
11-06-12, 09:06 AM
Oh, okay, I know now, but I live in California so the latest I posted was 9:08PM, which might be like 12:08 for you. Sorry.
do you get to chose where you serve being an MP (east coast/west coast/overseas, like Japan)?
The hardest part about becoming an MP is not the training,
but getting assigned the MOS.
It all depends on the needs of the Marine Corps at the time you enlist.
I don't know if they give contracts for MP, but if the Marine Corps doesn't need MPs at the time you enlist, then you are SOL.
If you want to go CHP after your military service,
your MOS doesn't really matter.
Law enforcement looks for integrity, dependability and honesty.
Being a Marine and living an honest, moral life is far more important
to them then being an MP in any service.
If you have a history of bad decisions, lying,
stealing, drug use, etc., you could be a Medal of Honor recipient,
and law enforcement won't touch you.
I wouldn't bother with getting an A.A. degree before joining. A.A. degrees are a dime a dozen these days and won't really get you anywhere, besides knocking out two years of a B.A. for a low price. Join the Corps and get your career going. You have the rest of you life to get a degree. If you really want to go to college, enlist in the reserves after you graduate high school.
One more thing: you can't spell WIMP without M.P....
-Mr Gray
Studley,
Gray gave you good advise.
For as much as you think that having been a/an MP in the MarineCorps,
lets you "Walk-in" into any LawEnforcement agency -many times the opposite is true.
Why would you think anyone wants someone Taught basic ideas or approaches they,
may need to UnTrain you from - before you can work for them ?
UnDo bad habbits you learned serving in "The Military Police" ???
MP can be a DoubleEdge Sword in that aspect to many police departments=
town- city- county- state....
Gray states it quite well.
think about what he told you.
It's worth your while.
xkniives
11-06-12, 08:23 PM
Thank you.
I have one and a half year to think about being an MP. And I have been told by a former Marine that his friend could not make it into the LAPD because the Marine's MP were too brutal and wouldn't assimilate properly into US law enforcement. The CHP academy is said to be adopted from military boot camps/basic training, specifically the Marines and Army.
And I think it would be easier to be taught basic law enforcement procedures (ie, traffic accident investigation, handling disputes, writing tickets, traffic stops, etc) as an introduction before going into a more advanced law enforcement.
Why are Marine MP's considered brutal, if they are?
- Jacob
# 1.
I have one and a half year to think about being an MP.
# 2.
And I have been told by a former Marine ,
that his friend could not make it into the LAPD ,
because the Marine's MP were too brutal ,
and wouldn't assimilate properly into US law enforcement. ,
# 3.
The CHP academy is said to be adopted from military ,
boot camps/basic training, specifically the Marines and Army.
# 4.
And I think it would be easier to be taught basic law enforcement procedures (ie, traffic accident investigation, handling disputes, writing tickets, traffic stops, etc) as an introduction before going into a more advanced law enforcement.
# 5.
Why are Marine MP's considered brutal, if they are?
Pretend this is a HighSchool Class room assignment.
Which of the Numbered items above can be evaluated .?
Define the Relivence to the over-all jest of the "Paragraph"
Define just how much You need to investigate the question,
on your own...
OR , Should i google it for you ?
Zulu 36
11-07-12, 04:08 AM
Thank you.
I have one and a half year to think about being an MP. And I have been told by a former Marine that his friend could not make it into the LAPD because the Marine's MP were too brutal and wouldn't assimilate properly into US law enforcement. The CHP academy is said to be adopted from military boot camps/basic training, specifically the Marines and Army.
And I think it would be easier to be taught basic law enforcement procedures (ie, traffic accident investigation, handling disputes, writing tickets, traffic stops, etc) as an introduction before going into a more advanced law enforcement.
Why are Marine MP's considered brutal, if they are?
- Jacob
I think your friend's friend just didn't make it into LAPD for other reasons. LAPD is known in the police community, like CHP, for hiring Marines. PDs generally like Marines because of the ability to be a team player and still operate independently with initiative and self-discipline.
Marine MPs are not "brutal," but there is a general tendency to enforce rules strictly without a lot of discretion being allowed.
As far as learning "basic" police procedures, that is what a "basic police academy" teaches. You would still attend a police academy even if you had 20-years of MP experience.
As a new officer you won't be involved in "advanced law enforcement" until you have some time on the job. How much time depends on you and the department. After all, most cops do not have any military experience, never mind MP experience.
Note this too: The Marine Corps has been changing the mission of MPs from garrison policing to field policing. This means an MP is more of a motorized infantryman, performing route security duties, convoy escort, etc. Yes, there is some garrison work done, but the major bases are converting to (or have) civil service police officers, aka: Marine Corps Police.
If you want to be an MP, talk to the recruiter about it when the time comes and insist on an MP contract. Stop worrying about how much experience you will get toward a civilian LE career. First things first, become a Marine, then a Marine MP.
xkniives
11-07-12, 09:07 AM
Pretend this is a HighSchool Class room assignment.
Which of the Numbered items above can be evaluated .?
Define the Relivence to the over-all jest of the "Paragraph"
Define just how much You need to investigate the question,
on your own...
OR , Should i google it for you ?
I have investigated, but I'll talk to a recruiter in the next few weeks. Thank you.
I think your friend's friend just didn't make it into LAPD for other reasons. LAPD is known in the police community, like CHP, for hiring Marines. PDs generally like Marines because of the ability to be a team player and still operate independently with initiative and self-discipline.
Marine MPs are not "brutal," but there is a general tendency to enforce rules strictly without a lot of discretion being allowed.
As far as learning "basic" police procedures, that is what a "basic police academy" teaches. You would still attend a police academy even if you had 20-years of MP experience.
As a new officer you won't be involved in "advanced law enforcement" until you have some time on the job. How much time depends on you and the department. After all, most cops do not have any military experience, never mind MP experience.
Note this too: The Marine Corps has been changing the mission of MPs from garrison policing to field policing. This means an MP is more of a motorized infantryman, performing route security duties, convoy escort, etc. Yes, there is some garrison work done, but the major bases are converting to (or have) civil service police officers, aka: Marine Corps Police.
If you want to be an MP, talk to the recruiter about it when the time comes and insist on an MP contract. Stop worrying about how much experience you will get toward a civilian LE career. First things first, become a Marine, then a Marine MP.
Okay, thank you.