MOS question

[recruit0107]

My recruiter told me about a program that has be going straight to Recon Indoc after SOI. I have a 96 ASVAB and I'm wondering about the odds of that happening for me. If that does not happen, I have a slot secured for my second choice, infantry. Concern has already been voiced by many (including my Air Force officer father) that I am too intelligent for the infantry. I was wondering what an active duty Marine who is not my recruiter has to say about this.

[Marine84]

Incoming...........................

[awb5711]

This should be ALOT of fun!!! Something about Pandoras Box comes to mind!!!!!

[Korling]

Concern has already been voiced by many (including my Air Force officer father) that I am too intelligent for the infantry.

I wouldn't worry about that. Asking such a question on this forum PROVES beyond a shadow of a doubt that you're not as intelligent as the "many" believe you to be.

Remember...

The course of every intellectual, if he pursues his journey long and unflinchingly enough, ends in the obvious, from which the non-intellectuals have never stirred.
Aldous Huxley

[YLDNDN6]

He may be laboring under the notion that infantry Marines are not intelligent enough to read these forums, therefore he won't insult any of them. I am definitely keeping an eye on this thread!!! LOL

[SkilletsUSMC]

My recruiter told me about a program that has be going straight to Recon Indoc after SOI. I have a 96 ASVAB and I'm wondering about the odds of that happening for me. If that does not happen, I have a slot secured for my second choice, infantry. Concern has already been voiced by many (including my Air Force officer father) that I am too intelligent for the infantry. I was wondering what an active duty Marine who is not my recruiter has to say about this.

For Recon, it matters more about how well you can PT and swim than your asvab score. You cant be dumb either, but being smart isnt how you get picked.

As far as being too smart for the infantry, I find that laughable. we have a ENLISTED grunt with his MASTERS degree!!! many have BAs aswell. Choosing to be grunt means you have a set of balls and want to see action, not that you are dumb.

REMEMBER: You dont have to be smart to be a grunt, It just increases your chances of living!!! :D

As for your dads advice, I think what he is trying to say you is "You are my son, and I dont want to lose you, so if you do join the Marine Corps, pick a job that you will be safe doing" He is your father, so i can understand, but be your own man in your decisions.

My advice... 03 KICKS ASS!!!

[Quinbo]

There is recon and then there is force recon. There is a difference. There may very well be a recon indoc that you can take after graduating from SOI. That is not a free ride into force even if you succeed and get accepted. If this is what you want to do then let it be known.

[Marine84]

First off grasshoppa - to get Recon you have to stand at attention, tap your heels together 3 times while saying "I wannabe Recon, I wannabe Recon, I wannabe Recon".

As far as your Dad and the whole smart thing - he must not be too smart, he chose the AF! Or is it because he's a little color blind and just chose the wrong color blue?

[recruit0107]

I never said i was too smart for anything. Others did and they are not Marines. When i came back from taking the ASVABs I was offered almost any job in the Marine Corps and I chose Recon or Infantry because I wanted to be in the fight. I'm now asking for the advice of enlisted Marines because my recruiter has incentive to tell me what I want to hear. You do not give a **** whether I join the Corps and that is why I want your opinion.

[SkilletsUSMC]

I never said i was too smart for anything. Others did and they are not Marines. When i came back from taking the ASVABs I was offered almost any job in the Marine Corps and I chose Recon or Infantry because I wanted to be in the fight. I'm now asking for the advice of enlisted Marines because my recruiter has incentive to tell me what I want to hear. You do not give a **** whether I join the Corps and that is why I want your opinion.

Recruit0107...

Somewhere inside that rant I understood your statement. What sounded at first like a snotty disrepectful post was actually the oposite, just worded kinda weird.

Believe it or not I DO care if you join. We are at war, and anyone who would sign up to fight and not push paper when they have the chance gets a few brownie points from me. Regardless of what you may believe, we secretly WANT young men to step up and be the next bad-ass Marine. However, to actually attain that title, we will pummel your mind and body until you either cant hack it and puss out, or you are reborn like one of us.

OK...

ASVABS... The only time you will ever care what you got on your asvab is while you are in the DEP. after that (as long as you had a halfway decent score) its like tits on a Nun... useless. Believe me I heard the same "you can do anything in the Corps yada yada" but I DEMANDED infantry because I wanted to hook and jab with towelheads. You may find a job that sets you up better in the long run, but if you do choose 03, you will feel a sence of pride that is not easy to explain. Remember ALL MOS's have a purpose, but 03's purpose is to to make bad guys push up daisys.

As for Recon/Infantry

Recon IS infantry, as it is in the 03 field (0321) It is a specalized and elite type of infantry, but still in the same 03 field. I was never a bad ass recon Marine, but the regular grunts sounded like more fun to me anyway. With nowdays type war, youre gonna get PLENTY of triger time in the FMF grunts.

I hope I have awnsered your questions... If I forgot to address anything point it out, and Ill see If I can awnser.

Goodluck.

[recruit0107]

I'm sorry if either post sounded disrespectful. I have the utmost respect for all Marines and that is why I want to stop doing what I'm doing with my life (graveyard shifts at Target) and be one. I included the concern that I was too smart hoping to God that I got flamed for it because I think it is bull****. In other words I want to join you and I want to be good at what I do. To hell with anyone's opinions save for those of Marines.

[SkilletsUSMC]

To hell with anyone's opinions save for those of Marines.

With that attitude you shoud do OK.

[SkilletsUSMC]

Oh yeah...

If you are serrious about Recon, you can try out from any MOS, but being a grunt should help give you an edge. And yes, you can take the indoc at SOI. Im pretty sure you dont have to have it in your contract to do so.

[cplbrooks]

Believe it or not, of all of the people that i have put in or other recruiters have put in with high ASVAB scores, the majority pick infantry. I dont know why but that is the way it is. Avionics is...

[cplbrooks]

I never said i was too smart for anything. Others did and they are not Marines. When i came back from taking the ASVABs I was offered almost any job in the Marine Corps and I chose Recon or Infantry because I wanted to be in the fight. I'm now asking for the advice of enlisted Marines because my recruiter has incentive to tell me what I want to hear. You do not give a **** whether I join the Corps and that is why I want your opinion.


You better change your attitude about your recruiter. A Marine Corps recruiter isnt there to tell you what you want to hear. What difference does it make to your recruiter if you go infantry or something else? Its not like he gets paid anything more for you to join. Your recruiter is there to help explain what your choices are and how the programs work. He is there to get your ready for boot camp. He is there to find high quality applicants who are worthy of the chance to earn the title of Marine. He is a Marine. I hope you understand this.

[recruit0107]

I think I presented my father in a bad light. to answer your question, cplbrooks, he is an Air Battle Manager. His flying days were spent on the AWACS. He has limited experience with any infantry as most of his experience has been command and control of air assets and some time at STRATCOM.
Really it is not my MOS choice that concerns him but that I chose enlistment when I could have gone through college and ROTC to becoem a commissioned officer. I should mention that I dropped out of college to enlist.
Still, he supports me so long as I do what I chose to do "well and with a sense of purpose" He gave me my oath of enlistment himself.

[cplbrooks]

What does that mean to you to be a commissioned officer? Why is that important to him. Being a commissioned officer is a lot different as a Marine Officer than as an Air Force officer. What do you think the difference is?

[recruit0107]

Bearing in mind that his field is centered around command and control, I think his experience with good junior enlisted personel is limited. From his experiences, I think enlisting might have seemed a waste of the potential he believes i possess. As for me, had I had the maturity and discipline to succeed when I went to college, I'm sure i would still be pursuing a commission. That said, I want to be a Marine and it doesnt matter to me whether I wear stripes or bars. I don't believe either path to be easier.

[cplbrooks]

you still didnt answer the question...

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

recruit, I know plenty of outstanding airmen that have been and are a part of the AWACS program at Tinker. I'm not sure that excuse works too well.

[recruit0107]

I don't know why he thought I had more to offer as an officer. There is really no point asking him now. I am leaving for boot camp on April 2nd

[yellowwing]

I don't know why he thought I had more to offer as an officer. There is really no point asking him now. I am leaving for boot camp on April 2nd
There is no point in a good relationship where you hit a stone wall. Of course your Pops has good input on who you really are. The Old Man has known you all your life. ;)

Recon? Dang, that is a hard road. Very few even in our Beloved Corps want such a life. Take a good look at your life, have you ever taken the easy route? Do you like a constant challenge? Then perhaps Recon would suit you.

[recruit0107]

Truth be told, anything in my life that isn't as I would like it to be is the result of me taking the easy road. It's high time that stopped. That's part of the reason I chose the Corps. I have already stated the other reasons.

As for the Ol' Man, he supports me now which is all that matters. I did speak to him recently concerning enlistmen versus commissioning by the way. If I understand him, he has known many great enlisted troops. many of them, he wishes had stayedi n school and taken the (forgive me) greater responsibility of a commission where he feels their ability to lead would be better utilized. Why he thinks the same of me is beyond me.

[cplbrooks]

There is nothing wrong with being a Marine Officer. It is something that you should aspire to become. My point was that when i read your first post is implied that somehow enlisted are mere peasants or uneducated dupes in your fathers eyes.

I sometimes detect this attitude in some that are connected to officers who have never been enlisted. Usually it means that whoever the officer spoke to either misunderstood or doesnt understand what the difference between officers and enlisted actually is and what the function of both are.

That is why i asked you if you knew what the difference is. If you are an outstanding Marine then you should finish your education and apply to officer candidate school when you are ready for it. In my opinion, the best officers are former enlisted Marines.

[xxx2311xxx]

My little brother joined heading for communications...half way through his primary school he shot over to recon. He served the remainder of his enlistment with 1st Recon Bn, Bravo Co. A good book was written covering their journey through Iraq...Generation Kill.

[ggyoung]

Just being a U.S.Marine is good enuff(sp) for most Marines. Just remember that Mother Green will put you were they want you. Do your best and you will be happy.

[recruit0107]

I've read Generation Kill as well as a book by the commander of the platoon that Generation Kill follows. I got a call from my recruiter today. I think I'll be taking the infantry slot which is awesome. Like I said before, I just want to be a Marine and preferably get in the fight. Anyway, whatever the case, I'll be working on my PT now. At the moment, I'm nothing spectacular which is going to have to change. I really appreciate all the response I got on this board. I'll be around here some more looking for advice about boot camp and when I'm done there I'll have questions about SOI.

[kato811]

Recruit is you dad by any chance John Kerry?