Why did you chose Infantry?

[Chrisbrv]

So I just had a chat with my recruiter, I'm meeting up with him tomorrow. Basically we where talking about a Marine who was his recruit who's parents where against him joining Infantry. My recruiter said that he tried his best to keep him from going Grunt ( weird because he himself is one.) I brang up the question that I also was strongly thinking about being Infantry. He said that I better give him a great explanation on why I want to be Infantry by tomorrow when he picks me up to go to his office.

This question made me more nervous, I have my reasons they are the following "I know that theres major risk in joining Infantry and that I'm almost 100% guranteed to go to a war zone. but I want to join because I want to have that comradery that no other job has, also I think that if you are going to join the Marine Corps why not go all out? I mean no matter what job you have you still most likely go to Iraq."

I'm not asking for reasons to help me out, I have my resons, I just want know why you decided to join Infantry knowing all the risk involved.

[sgt tony]

Well a good answer is well all Marines are grunt and they they have other jobs I just want to be the best grunt the Marines have.

[SkilletsUSMC]

This is a good post.

My recruiter was himself a Grunt and tried his butt off to get me to choose another MOS. The reason he did so became evident once I checked into my FMF unit. Let me just put it like this, the Marine Corps is the hardest branch of the military, and when you go 03 you have chosen the hardest life in the Corps. As a junior Marine, there is MUCH expected of you. You will do many long thankless **** details that the saltier Marines are tired of doing. Until you have done a pump, your status on the totem pole is LOW.

BUT....

I am happy as a fat kid with a cupcake that I chose the infantry. Its what I wanted to do. I WANTED to go to Iraq. And with all the crap you have to put up with, you will be rewarded with the satisfaction of being the true tip of the spear. Where ever you go, People will ask you what you for the Corps and you will be able to awnser with pride "I am Marine Corps INFANTRY!" You life will be tough sometimes, but it will only make YOU tough.

Nothing against all the other MOSs. Lord knows they have bailed us out of bad times, or made our job easier. But there are more than a few Marines who have said openly that they are kicking themselfs in the ass for not going 03.

Thats my story....

[echo3oscar1833]

Well first and foremost I am not a 03, but my MOS none the less is probably the closest you will get to in infantry and that is 1833 Assault Amphibian Crewman. My recruiter actually refused to sign guys for 03, but if you wanted to be as close as possible he would sign you as 1833. The thing is I can understand the type of world that the 03's live for one reason. And that is were they go we go, and they cant go without us plain and simple. It is none the less a hard life for both 18,s and 03's you will have deployments, and be away for a good portion of your career, and in these professions you can literally be called to go at a moments notice. But in the long run I think the best thing that you could tell you recruiter is as follows. Because this is the reason I gave my recruiter.

" I want to be in the Infantry because it is what defines what the Marine Corps is and what it does, We are the tip of the spear, and I want to be the point of that spear"

1833's, and 0311's are probabaly the best chosen, and most highely covented, and respected jobs in the Marine Corps. And I have not met a 1833, or 0311 yet that would disagree with me.
:usmc::iwo:

[Gary Hall]

The longer I live the more appreciative I become of once having been an 03. In my 5 years in the Corps, aged 16(I know) to 21, all I did was carry an M-1 and pick up trash, 2 professions I have become absolutely convinced of the magnificance of each. It took me 3 years of determination (and a lot of snapping in and windage and elevation corrections) to become an Expert Rifleman, which accomplishment I appreciate equally as much as if not more than the 3 college degrees I later earned. I did not learn about my astigmatism until age 27, when I learned (accidentally) that I was in need of glasses. When going to the rifle ranges each year to qualify, (years before I later learned I needed glasses), at those times we were taught that windage and elevation corrections for the M-1 were to correct for tendencies of the individual rifle. Many years later it became evident in my case that the windage and elevation corrections I had applied to my rifle were also correcting for my then unknown astigmatism, which resulted in my seeing the target, where it was not. I cast my lot with the 03's of the world, kindest regards, guys. Gary Hall, W-3-1, 50 - 51, Tyler, TX.

[PRPCoMarine]

I chose infantry for the reasons mentioned before. For some insane reason i thought being a reservist would be a good idea too and thought id be going to a regular grunt reserve unit. I figured if i would be a half asser i guess id be the best half asser there is. Well as it turns out i was assigned to PRP Co, Personel Retrieval and Processing. I retrieve the remains of fallen sailors and Marines and make sure they get back home. Not exactly what I thought i would be doing but someone has to. Turns out they need 03s for search and recovery.

[outlaw3179]

Good **** Skillet....pretty muched summed it up right there. I went in knowing exactly what I wanted to be. Snoopin and poopin in the woods, shooting guns and blowing **** up. It wasnt easy but Gdamn......I love being a Grunt.

[Quinbo]

Eagle57?
Do you see what I meant on my first post?

[SkilletsUSMC]

Eagle57?
Do you see what I meant on my first post?

I think Eagle57 bugged out. I havent seen him post in a while and I still have my "chicklets" intact.:D

[Echo5November]

Because 10, 20, or 50 years from now, you don't want to be starring at your shadowbox on the wall and watching documentaries on the History channel about the Marines in Iraq and wonder "What If I...

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

My recruiter talked me out of infantry, and I could kick him square in the backside if I saw him today. I loved my job in the Marine Corps, but wanting to be an 03 never left me. If I had it to do over again, I would have been infantry.

If you decide you want a career in the Corps and don't want to be an infantryman any more, you can lat move to another job. But, (at least when I was in) you cannot lat move from a non-infantry job into the infantry. That is reason enough for me. You only get one shot. (Other than the reserve of course.)

[Chrisbrv]

Well I met my recruiter today it went well. I'll be going to MEPS the first week of May. He didnt try to talk me out of Infantry he said that if I really wanted Infantry he would give me the Infantry contract by July when I can officially enlist. He did try to talk me into Security Forces/FAST, I was intrigued, he told me I could do a few years as a SF then I would go into Infantry. I took the practice asvab and scored a 45 he also agreed to give me the Marine Corps College Fund which I asked about. I am currently googling Security Foces/FAST but the info is very little. Hopefully I find some Marines here who can better explain the everyday life/requirements of being a Security Force/FAST company.

[capmarine]

the grunts chose me!so to speak

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

SF can be promised to you, FAST is something you'll have to be selected for. However, if it is something you're interested in you should give it a shot.

[Chrisbrv]

SF can be promised to you, FAST is something you'll have to be selected for. However, if it is something you're interested in you should give it a shot.

I did a google search on it, but I can't find the requirements of getting into a FAST company is it anything like Recon requirements? Thanks for the help.:thumbup:

[killerinstinct]

I am happy as a fat kid with a cupcake that I chose the infantry.
Thats my story....

i just bout **** my pants laughing at that

[SkilletsUSMC]

I did a google search on it, but I can't find the requirements of getting into a FAST company is it anything like Recon requirements? Thanks for the help.:thumbup:

From what all the SF guys tell me, the way to get into FAST is to have a less than flawless background and go securtiy forces. All the guys with a squeaky clean past get stuck guarding the Nukes.

Im not knocking Security Forces, because I never spent any time doing it, but eventually you will have to go to the fleet, and your going to have all the rank and none of the 03 experience. That can be hard when youre trying to lead a team or a squad with salty combat vets "under" you.

It may be scuttlebutt, but the rumor is that SF is being phased out and the Navy is taking the reins, so they can free up more 03s for actual Infantry duty.