General Questions

[The Dreamer]

Hey.

First post.

I am thinking about joing the USMC. My recruiter thinks I should go for reserve, because he said it would be easier to try out for what I wanted. I got a over all 95 on the ASVAB. My ultimate goal is recon, like every other young (stupid) pup out there. But I would gladly settle as infanty. Now I know there is an intel path into Recon too, or atleast I have heard of such a path before. If I went active I would want to do Intel analyst and branch counter intel before going for recon. If I went reserve and failed I wouldn't mind being infantry.

Yes I know Recon is the hardest thing I can try out for. Yes, I know most fail. I would just kick myself though if I didn't try though. In my heart this what I want to do, and I don't want to look back and say "what if i tried?" If I fail then I work harder the next and the next, until they won't look at me any more, even if I do become a running joke.

I guess my first question is active versus reserve?

Now I can get a score of 100 in both running 3 miles (if I am not sick, I can barely get it down to 18 flat) and crunches. Pull ups... pull ups are my issue. I can do pushups pretty well (i guess that would help if I was joining the army...) but any suggestions for getting in shape to do pull ups?

Also I have not done any combat/fighting training in a while, should I prep for MCMAP?

Thanks for you time,
~TD

[chili77bowl]

1. Infantry doesn't "Settle!" get that out of your mind. if you are going to "settle" for the grunts, go join the Army.
Don't lump grunts as some second string, take a back seat to recon. We have our mission and it is to FVCK SH1T UP!!! Recon has their mission and yes it requires a "little" more training than the regular guys, but without us, wars don't get won.

2. anyone can try out for Recon.
3. Counter intel doesn't take straight out of boot camp...last I checked...it is a re-enlistment only.

as far as active or reserve...would you buy a car before you test drove it?

[Sgt Leprechaun]

First...read the rules of the site. No profile, no answers.

BUT...I will say 'this about that'...you are mistaken about the "Intel to CounterIntel to Recon" path. It's not like checking blocks off on a piece of paper, or attending some college course. It takes YEARS to 'build' a good Intel analyst, and CounterIntel isn't an 'entry level' MOS (one of the few left that is a lateral move) and one that once you are IN it, you won't leave it, for reasons I won't get into here.

Fill your profile out if you want further responses, otherwise this is all your likely gonna get.

Chili, you beat me by a couple of seconds....

Oh, and I didn't "settle" for the Infantry, either! That's a jackazz comment that is going to bring fire on your pos. sure as I'm sittin here!


Popping smoke..........now...

[chili77bowl]

"Fire For Effect!"

Now that I have calmed down a little...

Look kid, I joined to be recon too...but got to the grunts and found out...I LOVED IT!
I would never think of changing it for the world! and now, I'm a SOI instructor...I get the priveledge of teaching the basics of what I love to young Marines.

[SlingerDun]

...Now I know there is...Yes I know Recon is...I know most fail...You know scat, dreamer

[Sgt Leprechaun]

And the BDA will follow shortly...LOL

[The Dreamer]

First, let me thank all of you for your answers.

Let me apologize, I did not mean settle. Writing in a hurry I was not thinking and I apologize. Nor did I mean to say counterintel, I meant only to say intel. However the later one is a moot point, as you have already set me straight on that.

What I meant to say was, I want to go into Recon for numerous reasons. I am willing to try and willing to prove that I have what it takes. But if for whatever reason I do make it, I would gladly do infantry, it honestly looks like everything I could want. Which I realize sounds like a contradiction to what I said earlier, but I am not sure I can phrase what I mean.

oh and I added a profile.

Again there is one question I have to ask, any advise on getting better at doing pull ups?

and Sgt. Leprechan how bad off am I?

Thanks again for your help, again.

[sparkie]

Get better at Pullups by trying a few,,,, That ain't hard to figure. Practice makes what?

[The Dreamer]

Perfect. I keep working, but I don't feel like I am getting any better.

[sparkie]

Feelings,,,,,,,,,,, Nothing more than feelings,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,[Work a little harder] The body gets comfortable in what it does, Make it uncomfortable.

[thewookie]

Feelings,,,,,,,,,,, Nothing more than feelings,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,


:) nice one sparkie, love that song,,,:)

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Dreamer, you are now fine. You've man'd up, so to speak, done your mea culpa's, and likely there will be no more fire missions on your pos. LOL. At least, on this thread.

Do some searching on the site, there will likely be many of the same questions you are asking, that have been answered here.

[The Dreamer]

Hey,

Thanks all for helping so far.

I have more questions, after scanning the forums, so instead of making a new thread I thought it might be more apt to recycle this old one.

So here it goes...

I mentioned earlier that I want to go recon, I got my little heart set on it, and I also realize, as previously mentioned, that a lot of young kids (20 in my case) seem to think they can do it and want try for it, and most fail. I also said I would kick myself for not trying and trying again. I know I have the heart to do it, I just have to bring my body back into shape and I know I can do it.

Yet, to be ironic, I have to ask the nagging question, what if I fail... I know I end up back in the 03 series. Would I end up as an 0311 or could I go for 0313?

Reason I ask, is if I go reserve, there is an LAV unit near my school, and the job sounds mighty interesting to me. As well as 0311, if I was 0311 would I be stationed with that LAV unit or one of the other units near my school?

There is a recon unit near my home.

Thanks all again for your time. I hope to make you all proud one day. I hope that does not sound odd at all. My biggest fear is not doing myself, my family, the Corps or my future DI's right, by not living up to all I can be and can do. It’s an odd fear that is even reflected in my posts (such saying "yet, to be ironic") or perhaps its 0402 and I am running on little sleep, little food and a bit of anxiety over some friends (some friends aren't recovering well from the death of other friends.) And I am rambling so, once again I thank you.

Also if that last paragraph made little sense I apologize, its 0400 and I have no sleep, but perhaps someone can help explain that fear to me and tell me how to get over it, or teach me how to.

Thanks again!

[The Dreamer]

Sorry I realized I missed something. When I said if I want 0311 would I be likely to be in the LAV unit it is the nearest to my school, the next one is a transportation unit, and after that I am not sure.

[chili77bowl]

eh...hmm... As we are calling off all fire missions on this guy...let me kick in some serious knowledge.

At SOI, they will pick your MOS. If you are lucky and get 0313..then you will be 0313. If you are VERY lucky and get 0311, 0331, 0341, 0351, or heaven forbid 0352...then you will be those and yes, they all have a place in the LAV community as well. LAV's have a Mortar section (0341), and the rest are known as scouts.

But, if you decide to go Active duty, you will probably not be in the LAV community...and you will be graced with the joy of hanging out with the rest of us ground pounders...in a regular good ol' Victor unit.

[TJR1070]

Dreamer, you're all over the place. Why don't you first find out if you want to go reserve or active as this might determine which jobs you are eligibile for in your reserve unit. Then why don't you go in as an 03XX try and get through boot camp then try to excel in SOI and then maybe, MAYBE you might have a choice of what job type within the 03 field you want. This isn't Burger King and you don't always get it your way. Also SOI is no joke and like Sgt. Chili told you alot of Marines like the infantry once they go to their unit and don't want to go to Recon. So don't put the cart before the horse you have some incredilbly difficult challenges ahead of you, get going on those pull-ups and start worrying about getting ready for recruit training.

[The Dreamer]

I am fairly certain that I am going reserve.

So I just want to make sure I understand correctly, I go to boot, boot leave, then I report to SOI, this is where my knowledge break down. As I understand all Marines reporting to SOI are split between combat-MOS and non-combat.

Okay so thats where as I said my knowledge breaks down. I think I understand what happens for the non-combat MOS Marines, they do the shorter course, and then go off to their school. Correct?

So now I hate to sound like a total dipsh** but I am going to, because now I am at a loss...
Now for combat based MOS's I am at a loss. A combat MOS attends SOI,for 52 days. During that they learn common skills (day 1-14?) and then attend their infantry MOS school for the rest of the time there? Or do they spend 52 days training and then do their MOS?

[TJR1070]

Alright just to clear this up a little more so that you can then go work on your pull-ups this is how it works. First you must decide on active or reserve, then you decide on a MOS, once this has been completed and you go to MEPS and sign your contract after which you are not changing anything. Next you go to one of the MCRD's and you attend the hardest training you will ever face in your short little life. After which you may go home for 10 days, rest and relax. Then you will report to either MCT if you have a non-combat MOS or SOI if you have an 03 MOS. In SOI you will train with everyone for about two weeks then your class will be seperated into the different 03 sub-MOS (ex:0311,0331.0341 or 0351) which you will train in that specialty until you graduate SOI. Once you graduate SOI you will return to your reserve unit or you will be asigned to an Infantry unit based on the Corps' needs. There is that clear enough?

[The Dreamer]

Yes, thank you.

[chili77bowl]

As an SOI instructor...let me say...

1. Yes, If you are a non 03XX, you will go through a 4 week (as of Jan 1st 2008) then you will report to your MOS school.

2. If you are 03XX then you will remain in lovely, (insert name of base here), and train first in general skills...basic patrolling, land nav, etc etc...
THEN if you are picked, based on testing scores, leadership, etc etc...you will be given the opportunity to continue on to a weapons MOS...
IF you are NOT chosen to go to the weapons MOS's...then you will get more in depth as an 0311...use of the quadrant sight on the M203, more patrolling, etc etc...

Why do I feel like a record...we have covered this all before haven't we?
<search> <search> <search>

[rvillac2]

Grasshopper,

Please get this through your brain housing group. The difference between going to MCT and SOI is that SOI is for 03xx, Infantry. There are plenty of other MOS's that are considered within combat arms. So, get that combat/non-combat distinction at of your skull. Every Marine trains for combat.

[sparkie]

MCT,,,,,SOI,,,,, All I got was ITR. Which means all Marines were combat Marines. I know it hasn't really changed. Just spoutin off older Corps. {After ITR,, I went off to 1 year of MOS school,,,,,, What a B!tch].