Officer or Enlisted?

[usmcwanabe]

I want to join the Marines but I dont know if I should enlist or become an Officer? I want action but I want to also have a high rank. I am just going into High school and is there any special classes or anything that I should take that I would need to become an officer? My ultimate goal is to become a Sniper but I know thats a really hard title to get so I will just take it one step at a time.

[Shrike]

You must have bachelor degree to go to OCS anyway. So after high school your only option is enlistment.

[devildoghopeful]

usmcwannabe, I have been asking myself that very question as my high-school days are almost over and I have two options, enlist now and go to an MCRD (Parris Island or San Diego), or go to college and become an officer after getting a degree. My parents are pushing for the college option as it gives me more time to think about my decision, and having a degree from a good University gives me options for when the Corps and I go our seperate ways.

Good luck with your decision!

Alex

[Curt Geezus]

I see this question so much it makes me wonder why people dont do what I do. Join the reserves and go to college, then become an officer. It seems like the obvious choice to me.

[PFTstud]

Officer... you get more money and you don't have to fight in war

Enlisted if you rather have the respect and the courage.

PS: Alot of officer were actual marine beforehand so I'll say go through basic like everybody else and earn your stripes before you even think about being commissioned officer. Get your foot in the water and learn about the people you will one day be leading into combat firsthand.

[Brooklyn]

Officer... you get more money and you don't have to fight in war

Enlisted if you rather have the respect and the courage.

PS: Alot of officer were actual marine beforehand so I'll say go through basic like everybody else and earn your stripes before you even think about being commissioned officer. Get your foot in the water and learn about the people you will one day be leading into combat firsthand.

You are so clueless. :thumbdown

[Camper51]

PFTStud PLEASE make sure you have your head OUT of your a$$ before you speak. Marine officers most certainly do fight and go to war. Don't ever believe that a Marine officer just sits on his butt doing nothing while he sends his Marines off to do the fighting.

Do you think Chest Puller got those Navy Crosses sittin on his butt??

Again, THINK before you speak and do NOT speak unless you know what you are talking about.

[dscusmc]

Ask Capt. Chontosh about officers not fighting in war. Officers live for leading their Marines in combat -- that's the whole point of being an officer.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/lookupstoryref/200456162723

Look at this page and you can see all of the Lts and Capts that gave their life fighting with their Marines. Don't even think about becoming an officer unless you are ready to fight.

http://www.defendamerica.mil/fallen/oif/oif-marines.html

"Chontosh, 29, from Rochester, N.Y. , received the naval service's second highest award for extraordinary heroism while serving as Combined Anti-Armor Platoon Commander, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom March 25, 2003. The Medal of Honor is the highest military award.

While leading his platoon north on Highway 1 toward Ad Diwaniyah, Chontosh's platoon moved into a coordinated ambush of mortars, rocket propelled grenades and automatic weapons fire. With coalitions tanks blocking the road ahead, he realized his platoon was caught in a kill zone.

He had his driver move the vehicle through a breach along his flank, where he was immediately taken under fire from an entrenched machine gun. Without hesitation, Chontosh ordered the driver to advanced directly at the enemy position enabling his .50 caliber machine gunner to silence the enemy.

He then directed his driver into the enemy trench, where he exited his vehicle and began to clear the trench with an M16A2 service rifle and 9 millimeter pistol. His ammunition depleted, Chontosh, with complete disregard for his safety, twice picked up discarded enemy rifles and continued his ferocious attack.

When a Marine following him found an enemy rocket propelled grenade launcher, Chontosh used it to destroy yet another group of enemy soldiers.

When his audacious attack ended, he had cleared over 200 meters of the enemy trench, killing more than 20 enemy soldiers and wounding several others."

-Lt. C

[Phantom Blooper]

ALL Marines fight...ALL Marines are trained to fight! Regardless of rank or gender! Marines don't carry weapons for the hell of it on missions.If need be all engage the target!Generals...

[Thatcher]

PS: Alot of officer were actual marine beforehand

Are you trying to tell me Officers aren't Marines?

Please think a little more about what you're posting, "stud".

[usmcwanabe]

Ok so what I understand so far the best way to go is enlist earn my strips then become a commissioned Officer.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

We need to come up with some sort of filter, so I can eliminate pft's posts before I read them. Every time I see one my head tries to explode. Simply moronic is the only way I can describe it.

Back to the original thread. I had to deal with the same issues, my family, and even the SNCOIC of the RSS tried to convince me, at least a little, that I should consider becoming an officer. When I chose to enlist, I was a college junior with a very high GPA. But, I knew what I wanted. There was no reason to pretend that I would be happy being a Marine officer. I wanted to be the one doing the work, not supervising those that were working. I didn't want to be faced with the "office" work that an officer must deal with. I knew the Marine Corps would not be my lifelong career, so there would be plenty of time for that type of work later.

But, you have to decide for yourself. Your goals and aspirations are yours alone. The right path for anyone else may not be right for you.

As an aside, I do not believe there are sniper officers. I could be mistaken, but I've never seen nor heard of one.

[usmcwanabe]

I want to be in the Corps for a long time and I would like to command soldiers in the field but I dont want any of the paper work to deal with I want to be out in the field fighting and commanding troops.

[Curt Geezus]

Go to college. I would recommend joining the reserves during that time. College is a great experience.

[Curt Geezus]

I would like to command soldiers

Before someone jumpes down your throat, SOLDIERS are not in the Marine Corps, they are in the Army.

[usmcwanabe]

My bad

[usmcwanabe]

So troops would be the right word for the Corp?

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

You can't have it both ways. If you want to lead Marines as an officer you have everything else that comes with it.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Marines would be the right word to use to describe a Marine.

[Phantom Blooper]

So troops would be the right word for the Corp?


Negative until you are one ...Marine is the operative word!

And it is not Corp...it is Marine Corps !


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[usmcwanabe]

Sorry if I sound ignorant but you would still be on the front lines if you are a commissioned officer right?

[Phantom Blooper]

It all depends on your MOS (Military Occupational Skill)..Job.

[usmcwanabe]

ok

[goat]

PFTstud,
Read some better books, dumb dumb. "You don't have to fight in war"!!?? Your own words, recrute. A vary poor choice of words from one who has yet to go through boot camp! RECUTE!!

You should concentrate more on earning the TITLE - UNITED STATES MARINE! Before YOU try to pick our officers. I don't get mad often, but you've just did it son! I know nine Marine Corps officers personally who would have some vary harsh words in reply to your shortsighted and unseasoned statements. I have never in my life met anyone as deticated, coragous, or honorable as a Marine Corps officer. They don't get to lead until they learn the hard way to take commands, love to fight, and are willing die for their Marines if need be. You see, recrute, a leader not is just the result of being a collage graduate, that's only the start. They are formed from "good stock" stong of mind, body and will. Honest and true to their beliefs, you'll never see one lie. They believe in this countries ideals and foundations, and the 231 year old tradition of the Marine Corps, recrute. They have this conviction before they enlist. And it's this conviction, I believe that makes them the greatest leaders in the world! They don't do it for the money recrute, they do it because they believe in their hearts it's the right thing to do. They are a special breed of men recrute, and you'd better pray you don't make the mistake of saying they don't live for combat! These strong of will men lead MARINES into combat, does that statement mean anything to you recrute!!? Also, before they ever get the chance to lead Marines, they have to get past people like me, recrute. We don't compramise, we don't want unfit leaders. They get Marines killed unnesassarily. And pure brawn is not a factor in passing this test. For example I submit Capt. John Heiniecke, 145 lbs, but could outrun, do more pull ups, or sit ups than anyone I know. He was a Second Lt when I met him for the first time in 1975, he was my platoon commander. A RECONNAISSANCE platoon commander; recrute. I would follow him into the vary pit of hell because I know he'll never abandon me when the chips are down. You'll be singin' about men like him in boot camp. "I wanna be a RECON RANGER!!!" But you'll never be one, or ever be a Marine with a mouth and an attitude like yours, recrute. Only a chosen few of the "FEW, THE PROUD" ever achieve this high status. So grow up son, and remember humble men are unassuming and yet conspicus of heros. recrute. I know WW II vets who are the quietest, most polite, gentelmanly, and yes humble people you'll ever run across. And they love their officers! You have some vary vary big shoes to fill, recrute. I can't fill 'em myself. Think about that when you stand on those yellow foot prints, recrute. You'll need all the intestinal fortitude you can muster if you're ever be a Marine son. I'll say a prayer that you are successfull and make through boot camp recrute, and become a Marine.
-Goat

[goat]

usmcwannabe,
Sounds like you have what it takes but need some time to make your decision. For what it's worth, I suggest you go to collage, get your B.S. degree and become a Marine officer candidate. In the mean time get as physically fit as you possibly can, 300 PFT is required if you are ever to graduate from OCS. Good luck with your decision. Be one of thefew the proud yong man. Also, the Marines can always use a good SNCO if you choose to enlist right out of high school. If you want a real challange do go the commisioned officer way if you can. I know you'll get a lot of advice both ways. EITHER ONE IS HONORABLE!!!! And don't let anyone convince you otherwise young man.
-Goat

[marinegreen]

Go reserves, get your college degree then off to OCS,but remember the golden rule, to be a good officer you want to treat your men fairly and respect, you'll find with that said you'll have yourself one hell'va plt. to command and they'll follow you anywhere.As I'm sure some remember there are those officers who get so big headed they try to talk down to you,enlisted men can make there plt. commander look like ****.There was one 2nd lt in another plt got the co. lost one night, he didnt know how to read a compass, it took a enlisted marine to get us back to our CP,The CO heard of this and he reemed that louie out in front of God,the stars, creatures of the night and whoever was in ear shot,the dip**** stood there tears welling up, I dont know what happened but he was shipped out by next port.

[PooleeNGN]

How hard is it to switch from enlistee to officer? I know you have to get degrees and stuff. But do you have to send in a packet with your degrees and they pick to see if you are good enough for OCS? And if you could get a letter of recommendation from another officer from another branch, such as a Navy Captain, does that increase your chances of being selected?

[Phantom Blooper]

FOR REFERENCE ONLY........... <br />
<br />
<br />
http://www.ncsu.edu/navy_rotc/marines/mecep.php <br />
<br />
About the MECEP Program <br />
MCO P1560.15L outlines the purpose, eligibility requirements and application process...

[jryanjack]

I think that Dan Daley said it best, something to the effect "Any officer can get by on his sergeants, but to be a sergeant you have to know your ****".

I was very happy being enlisted and found that I had all of the command responsibility that I wanted/needed.

[Marine84]

OOH RAH GOAT!

He's got it right ya'll - everybody knows that one of a good leaders traits is you don't ask something of your people that you wouldn't do yourself - you get taught that in the civilian world. Works the same in the Corps - being an officer doesn't mean you get to bark commands all day and shuffle some paper - you have to also be willing to take a bullet for somebody if you HAVE to. If you get through bootcamp and DO get to this point, you'll have Marines that will (like Goat said) literally run through the pits of hell to protect you.

But you have to make it through bootcamp first.........................

[AmyG]

There are many options to becoming a Marine officer. I am enlisting active duty. Once I graduate from Recruit Training, I will start applying for BOOST. If I haven't gotten into that by the time I'm 20, I will start applying for MECEP. In the meantime I hope to be taking classes and earning credit, but depending on my schedule, that may or may not work out. In the end, I hope to be sent to college to get my degree and become an officer.

[PFTstud]

Ok so what I understand so far the best way to go is enlist earn my strips then become a commissioned Officer.
yessir.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

USMCwannabe, that may, or may not, be the right path for you. Most Marine officers never served a day as an enlisted Marine. The "Mustang" officers are the one's that once served as enlisted Marines. Both bring different skills to the table. I can say that of all the officers I ever served under, the best (BY FAR) was never enlisted. The one I liked the least had been an NCO before heading off to the Naval Academy.

Just keep doing your research, ignore everything the self proclaimed stud has to say, and you will find the right path for yourself.

[usmcwanabe]

Yes sir will do.

[usmcwanabe]

I have talked to my parents and some other people and have decided to go the 4 year college way and then become an officer since then I have a degree. Some of the people that I talked to were in the Marine Corp and said that if I enlist and then try to become an officer it would take alot longer for me to become an officer and it would also take alot longer to get my 4 year degree. Thank you all for helping me decide wich path to chose.

[Sixguns]

You won't be a sniper as an officer!

You can earn the opportunity to leads Marines as an enlisted Noncommissioned Officer. Additionally, rising through the enlisted ranks and crossing over to officer has always produced some great leaders in my opinion. I don't want to name names, but here is one.... Gen. Al Gray. Look up that Marine, his career and his accomplishments. Ask Marines who served with him or knew him as their commandant.

Enlisted-to-officer Marines tend to lead from a position of strength because they have been troops before. They know how to motivate Marines and what most enlisted Marines dislike about officers. Because of this, these "Mustang" officers are generally well-respected by their subordinates.

I too had the opportunity to cross over to the officer side (I possess a undergraduate and Masters Degree), but enjoyed leading from the enlisted side of the street. To each his own!!!

[Marine0313]

OFFICER ACCESSIONS IN FY 2003

UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY 163

NROTC 189

PLATOON LEADERS COURSE 535

OFFICERS CANDIDATE COURSE 207

MECEP 107

ECP 52

MCP 13

WARRANT OFFICER ENLISTMENTS 229

OTHER 5


TOTAL OFFICER ENLISTMENTS 2003 1500

MARINE CORPS CONCEPTS AND PROGRAMS FY 2003

This is where your Marine Corps officers come from. The majority that is not already in a Marine program prior to college come from the enlisted I.E PLC,MECEP,ECP,MCP,WARRANT OFFICERS.

5 people walked into a recruiters office with his degree and became a officer without any previous military ties.

I just though maybe you would like to know where the greatest officers in the world come from.

p.s I havent got the fy 2005 in the mail yet

[Bachle]

I think im in a similar boat with you bro, heres the thing: what do you want in the corps? If it is to fight in the iraq/afghanistan war (as I do) join as soon as you can, you can always go to college after your enlistment is up and become an officer/ choose another job path besides the military. If you are impartial to going to these particular wars then you would have to be out of your mind not to go in as an officer, thats what all my friends who are in/have been in the military say.

[quillhill]

From the perspective of someone who works with high school students regularly, you're 14, so you have a major advantage over many of your classmates: you know what you want to do when you grow up and that is be a Marine.
I knew at 14 that I wanted to go to college and that's the path I took. I'm just going to stick my nose in here, and to my beloved poolees who are in your teen years, do not take offense at my next comment. But, between the ages of 14 and 18 (or 17 if you enlist in DEP, I believe, with your parents' permission) teens change their minds a thousand times ... and you may come to decide that you don't want to go to college right away.
Prepare to become a Marine starting now, since you've made that decision. Perhaps hold off on deciding on college or enlisting until the end of your junior year of high school, when you should seriously start getting out scholarship applications, preparing for and taking standardized college entrance exams, and narrowing down your college list and requesting information from said schools. If in three years you say to yourself, "Yeah, I'm going to college first," go for it if that's what you want to do. Perhaps you can select a school that has an MC ROTC or NROTC program.
But, don't close yourself to the possibility that by the time your senior year is practically in front of you that you may decide to enlist, instead. Like it was said before, either way you go, if you become a Marine, you have taken an honorable path.
In the meantime, enjoy your summer, read a bunch of books, don't play any video games and when you're not reading, get outside and run, run, run, and when you're done, run some more. Then go to school and do well, because whether you enlist or become an officer, I want you to be a smart recruit/candidate. Besides, being smart will serve you well in the long run anyway.

[Covey_Rider]

I've also mulled over the choice of officer or enlisted. I ended up choosing to go enlisted and working my way up to becomming a Gunny. If your really motivated you can enlist and then over time work your way up to becomming a mustang officer (when an enlisted Marine gets promoted to officer). But that takes a long time to do, from what I hear...more then 10 years. The choice is all yours and the unfortunate fact is that if you ask others which choice you should make the outcome may not be what you wanted. So I'll leave you with this....research every aspect of every job that you're interested in and look at them from the officer and the enlisted points of view...see which one attracts you the more and do it. Don't think about more money or how much power you will have....power is only good if you've earned the respect of the men beneath you, which you can do as an enlisted Marine as well as an officer...good luck with your choice.

Dominic

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

You don't just work your way into an officer's slot. You have to apply for, and be accepted to one of the many officer training programs, complete that, and then make it through OCS and TBS. (I don't know if LDO's have to go through OCS AND TBS, but I would guess they do.)

As for your plan of working your way up to Gunny, that is great. But, why would you plan to stop there? There are two more promotions to be had from Gunny. Also, if you think 10 years is too long to wait to become an officer (I still don't know where you got that) then you may be in trouble. I don't know of anyone that made it to Gunny that quickly. In fact, I can't think of anyone I knew making it to SSGT that quickly.

[Stanley Hroszow]

You don't just work your way into an officer's slot. You have to apply for, and be accepted to one of the many officer training programs, complete that, and then make it through OCS and TBS. (I don't know if LDO's have to go through OCS AND TBS, but I would guess they do.)

As for your plan of working your way up to Gunny, that is great. But, why would you plan to stop there? There are two more promotions to be had from Gunny. Also, if you think 10 years is too long to wait to become an officer (I still don't know where you got that) then you may be in trouble. I don't know of anyone that made it to Gunny that quickly. In fact, I can't think of anyone I knew making it to SSGT that quickly. Then I guess that there are no more Meritorious Promotions or Field Commissions? Then later School.?

[Stanley Hroszow]

You won't be a sniper as an officer!

You can earn the opportunity to leads Marines as an enlisted Noncommissioned Officer. Additionally, rising through the enlisted ranks and crossing over to officer has always produced some great leaders in my opinion. I don't want to name names, but here is one.... Gen. Al Gray. Look up that Marine, his career and his accomplishments. Ask Marines who served with him or knew him as their commandant.

Enlisted-to-officer Marines tend to lead from a position of strength because they have been troops before. They know how to motivate Marines and what most enlisted Marines dislike about officers. Because of this, these "Mustang" officers are generally well-respected by their subordinates.

I too had the opportunity to cross over to the officer side (I possess a undergraduate and Masters Degree), but enjoyed leading from the enlisted side of the street. To each his own!!! So where are your Bar's WO. SLT. LT. and ETC.

[Stanley Hroszow]

Ask Capt. Chontosh about officers not fighting in war. Officers live for leading their Marines in combat -- that's the whole point of being an officer.

http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/lookupstoryref/200456162723

Look at this page and you can see all of the Lts and Capts that gave their life fighting with their Marines. Don't even think about becoming an officer unless you are ready to fight.

http://www.defendamerica.mil/fallen/oif/oif-marines.html

"Chontosh, 29, from Rochester, N.Y. , received the naval service's second highest award for extraordinary heroism while serving as Combined Anti-Armor Platoon Commander, Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom March 25, 2003. The Medal of Honor is the highest military award.

While leading his platoon north on Highway 1 toward Ad Diwaniyah, Chontosh's platoon moved into a coordinated ambush of mortars, rocket propelled grenades and automatic weapons fire. With coalitions tanks blocking the road ahead, he realized his platoon was caught in a kill zone.

He had his driver move the vehicle through a breach along his flank, where he was immediately taken under fire from an entrenched machine gun. Without hesitation, Chontosh ordered the driver to advanced directly at the enemy position enabling his .50 caliber machine gunner to silence the enemy.

He then directed his driver into the enemy trench, where he exited his vehicle and began to clear the trench with an M16A2 service rifle and 9 millimeter pistol. His ammunition depleted, Chontosh, with complete disregard for his safety, twice picked up discarded enemy rifles and continued his ferocious attack.

When a Marine following him found an enemy rocket propelled grenade launcher, Chontosh used it to destroy yet another group of enemy soldiers.

When his audacious attack ended, he had cleared over 200 meters of the enemy trench, killing more than 20 enemy soldiers and wounding several others."

-Lt. C Holy crap you tell me that I missed serving under him?

[Jsphsl4204]

usmcwannabe, one course that wold be appropriate to take in high school would be JROTC, whether it be Army JROTC, Navy JROTC, Air Force JROTC, or Marine Corps JROTC. Not really for the enlisted benifits, such as an E-2 or E-3 rank and pay grade out of Boot Camp / Basic Training, but more so for the general knowledge you will learn. You'll learn how to drill, how to conduct yourself in a military manner, how to call cadence, what to do under applicable situations, et cedera. I've heard numerous soldiers, Marines, sailors, and airmen say that just the slightest bit of knowledge before entering training can go the longest way.

About.com (http://www.about.com) will back mee up on that.

[LDO Capt]

[QUOTE=Echo_Four_Bravo] (I don't know if LDO's have to go through OCS AND TBS, but I would guess they do.)

Marine Corps LDO's are selected from the Chief Warrant Officer ranks, no OCS, but they do have to complete The Warrant Officer Basic Course (WOBC) (13 weeks vice six months). Also not all MOS's have Warrant Officers and some MOS's have Warrant Officer's but do not have LDO's.

Now if that didn't confuse the hell outta you what will??? :D