Getting ready to talk to a recruiter! [Archive] - Marine Corps

ChrisChaffin

08-15-14, 11:41 AM

Hello everyone,

I am brand new to the leatherneck site and am happy I finally found a good site to join. I am wanna be ATM and I getting ready to talk to a recruiter but had a few questions before I went. I have recently smoked weed and it is still in my system should I wait for it to be completely out of my system before I go talk to a recruiter? I know they do drug test but I was wondering if they drug your first time there? Also I want to give myself some time before i actually go to recruit training so I am going to join the DEP this is also giving myself extra time to stop smoking cigs since you cant during RT. Also, I am from South Jersey, Winslow Township and if anyone from the site is from around here that is looking to join I would be more than happy to link up for some PT sessions and whatnot.

Thanks,
Chris Chaffin

Baker1971

08-16-14, 09:31 AM

I always considered myself an ATM. Hahahahahahaha !!!!
You really should stop smoking that silly stuff and cigs !!!

ChrisChaffin

08-16-14, 01:05 PM

I am all about becoming a devil dog baker and it was going through my thought process for a very long time. I finally made that leap and decided IT IS what i want which is why I am stopping smoking all together weed is not a problem to stop at all. cake work. cigs is what i am struggling with haha I just dont want to talk to a recruiter with the silly stuff in my system and make a fool of myself and waste his time you know because i am really serious about doing this. But yeah baker lol the ATM stage is difficult to get through its intimidating but i want it real bad!

m14ed

08-16-14, 03:19 PM

I am all about becoming a devil dog (((baker)))*
and it was going through my thought process for a very long time.

I finally made that leap and decided
IT IS what i want
I am stopping smoking all together
weed is not a problem to stop at all.
cake work.
cigs is what i am struggling with

I am really serious about doing this.
But yeah (((baker)))*
lol the ATM stage is difficult to get through
its intimidating but i want it real bad!

ChrisChaffin (http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/member.php?112072-ChrisChaffin)
http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/images/leatherneck/statusicon/user-offline.png
Sweetpea,,"Baker" as you call him.
has held the Highest Enlisted rank in the military .
He's older than you , and in My-opinion ( not that you
have to give a $hit ) should be held with respect.

Sir isn't required , but at least try and learn
how to figure the rank structure of the Corps.
His rank/title is "Master Gunnery Sgt."
I 'd strech my luck and refer to him
as "MasterGunz" if given the option ..
IF that puts a wad in your gullet,
you can call him MARINE....

Phantom Blooper

08-16-14, 04:23 PM

Air Traffic Management doesn't need any potheads....get off it and stay off it. I wouldn't even ask if they wiz test you...that should be a given. The Marine Corps is absolutely ZERO DRUGS TOLERANCE.So I hope the join up for PT and whatnot is not Party Time!

mexbearlll

08-16-14, 10:49 PM

Way to go m14ed, and ChrisChaffin learn to respect those of Us that have earn the title MARINE...

ChrisChaffin

08-16-14, 11:32 PM

Truly sorry to the Marines I have offended! Not intended in anyway I respect everyone of you on here without a doubt. Phantom I am done smoking, for good. I am ready to take the leap into my career I am 21 and am not a kid anymore I have to start thinking a head now. I only asked the question about the recruiter drug testing because I am not interested in wasting both of our time. I want to earn the title of US Marine and am willing to do WHATEVER it takes. And again sorry if I offended anyone not intended.

Baker1971

08-17-14, 08:33 AM

ChrisChaffin (http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/member.php?112072-ChrisChaffin)
http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/images/leatherneck/statusicon/user-offline.png
Sweetpea,,"Baker" as you call him.
has held the Highest Enlisted rank in the military .
He's older than you , and in My-opinion ( not that you
have to give a $hit ) should be held with respect.

Sir isn't required , but at least try and learn
how to figure the rank structure of the Corps.
His rank/title is "Master Gunnery Sgt."
I 'd strech my luck and refer to him
as "MasterGunz" if given the option ..
IF that puts a wad in your gullet,
you can call him MARINE....

For you Ed, Master Gunz or Jimmy is fine with me Brother.

And here I was thinking he wanted to be an Automatic Teller Machine :) ROLMFAO !!!

ChrisChaffin

08-18-14, 09:41 PM

I am joining to become a grunt Marines I want to join all of you that have earned the title momma dukes wasn't to happy about it she said I should join the Coast Guard ha I said that is not an option if I am joining the military I am joining the best. OOORAH

USMC 2571

08-18-14, 10:09 PM

There you go, Chris---that's the spirit, and motivation. Good luck. Keep us posted here on this same thread......

ChrisChaffin

08-19-14, 03:29 PM

Thanks for the support USMC2571! and will do i will let everyone know once i go from "wannabe" to "poolie" im super excited about finally building up the courage to make the decision to join

USMC 2571

08-19-14, 07:30 PM

You're going to do just fine---several of us here have written letters to people in boot camp.....we can do that with you also, if you like...some recruits don't anticipate getting too much mail from family and friends, so we've stepped in three or four times now....

ChrisChaffin

08-20-14, 12:58 AM

That's awesome yeah when I go I would appreciate some inspiration from people who experienced it first hand you can't get anymore motivation then that! Letters from family is for sure great aswell. I am going to have to work a little bit harder I feel cause my size I'm only like 5'5 but hey I'm ready for what ever I have to do I'm still deciding if I want to join infantry or recon any suggestions to which is better?

devilbones2

08-20-14, 08:59 AM

joseywales

08-20-14, 09:34 AM

By golly the old salt is right. Talk to a recruiter. LOL

Marine1011

08-20-14, 10:18 AM

"one step at a time". I can see ol devil bones w a di hat now

ChrisChaffin

08-21-14, 12:36 PM

Ok Marines I just got back from the recruiting office near me from introducing myself and all that good stuff and I have some bad news :/ because of a tattoo on my arm they said it was an automatic DQ from entry! They told me the tree I have is considered a half sleeve! They said it was a newly enforced policy and told me to meet with an Army recruiter that they recommended it sucks I really wanted the Marine title bad.
27998

USMC 2571

08-21-14, 01:01 PM

Very disappointing.
More to say about restrictions like this, but sure can't say it here.

ChrisChaffin

08-21-14, 01:15 PM

indeed disappointing! i was so bummed when they said it the recruiter even looked a bit disappointed saying it to me. It goes to show that you really do need to be careful of the decisions you make when not thinking ahead for your future you live and you learn tho maybe one day it wont be as strict again and I will be able to slide in and get that title I really want! This site is awesome though and if everyone doesnt mind I would love to stick around and be a part of this community Marine or not!

USMC 2571

08-21-14, 01:25 PM

Of course, stick around and be part of this site----I went in after dropping out of high school. No one raised an eyebrow. I got a GED after I'd been in the Corps 2 years. No one cared about anything other than this. Would this person make a good Marine?

We had no choice of MOS, took "classification tests" at Parris Island. They GAVE you an MOS--turned out to be the best job I ever had, by far.

Needless to say, the world has changed. Change is inevitable, and as the world changes, so does the USA and USMC---downsizing. Stricter standards. Waivers for drinking too much warm milk as an infant or for being depressed for forty seconds when you were in the fifth grade.

Many good would-be Marines turned away. End of sermon.

ChrisChaffin

08-21-14, 05:37 PM

yeah i did some searching today talked to all the granches but the airforce cause its a little further away from me thats for another time the army is a no go cause of a stupid charge i got 3 years...

USMC 2571

08-21-14, 05:39 PM

Sometimes we have to go with our second option due to circumstances (like in this case)---speak with the Air Force no matter how far away it is.

Navy is a good outfit, too

ChrisChaffin

08-24-14, 09:12 AM

ayy Marines had a quick question for ya. do recruiters actually tell you if you can get a waiver for something? The reason I ask is because I read an article of someone who had the same tattoo problem as me and went to another recruiter and got a waiver. When the recruiter told me the tattoo was too big I never asked about waivers because I thought maybe they would bring it up should I go back to the same recruiter to talk about it or try a different one? Thanks

USMC 2571

08-24-14, 09:15 AM

I would do both---you need to cover all bases when really trying to reach a goal you set for yourself, i.e. enlisting in the Marine Corps....go to same recruiter, go to another recruiter. You have to do whatever it takes to get THE correct info here in your situation.

ChrisChaffin

08-24-14, 09:22 AM

I was looking around at other branches and pretty much all of the jobs that I qualified for were desk jobs or along them lines and thats what I dont want right now! Im one who likes to be on my feet doing things I know would help a lot of people but things that other people may not want to do. Which is why the Marines were and will always be my first choice. Tomorrow and probably the rest of the week I will be on my mission to do everything I can do to figure this out.

Baker1971

08-24-14, 09:26 AM

Best of luck to you. Live and learn. Perhaps others will read this thread and learn from your mistake ahead of time.

USMC 2571

08-24-14, 09:27 AM

Something to think about, is this: The Marine Corps AlSO has a lot of desk jobs. Quite a few. In my era, MOSs were assigned, we had no say in the matter. It was a desk job, but best job I ever had, including my present one. It was 2571, now 2621, Morse Code Intercept Operator......so appearances may be deceiving!
Desk jobs are not bad....perhaps most jobs are in fact "desk jobs".

ChrisChaffin

08-24-14, 09:31 AM

Thats what it is about doing research I watch many of videos of people telling their stories of their process and I learned a lot from them unfortunately wasnt able to catch the tattoo part haha so yeah if people can learn from me and not get bummed out and be ready to do what is necessary to get it then thats awesome! I may even start making some videos of my journey. Thanks again Master Gunz.

USMC 2571

08-24-14, 09:33 AM

I know plenty of guys here who joined, ended up in desk jobs, loved the jobs. You can't tell ahead of time.

And as I said, there are probably few jobs where you are on your feet as much as you'd like to be.

USMC 2571

08-25-14, 01:11 PM

Chris--keep us posted here of any further developments, either with USMC or other services. Good luck!

Phantom Blooper

08-25-14, 02:55 PM

Is your tat a complete sleeve? Can it be removed? If so you can apply for a waiver for the tat removal. If not...because of cost or scarring Good Luck!

USMC 2571

08-25-14, 03:54 PM

See photo in post 17, Bloop---it's pretty big....amazing how a tattoo can keep you out of the Corps. Oh well, that's progress for you.

Phantom Blooper

08-25-14, 06:42 PM

Yep....that would need to be amputated. I know Marines that the tats were grandfathered. I am not a fan of this policy. But....I can't fight 8th & I...without a good lawyer...any takers?

USMC 2571

08-25-14, 07:16 PM

No takers, Bloop---no one has a right to join the military....but the standards are tightened up so that many many good would-be Marines are turned away....that's the Corps' business, not mine, fortunately. Maddening, though.

ChrisChaffin

04-01-15, 01:19 PM

Hey everyone it's been quite some time since I've been here and I would like to update everyone on my progress. Wells it's been a long journey I talked to a couple more marine recruiters and it was still a no go but I have been able to get into the Army as a Combat Medic I leave for boot camp July 27 I am really excited and thank you guys for telling me not to give up and the tips I received from everyone sorry I've been absent for a while but this is an awesome community and still wish I could of been able to be a part o the few and the proud.