Stutterer, not Marine material?

[sneakyninja]

Hello Marines,

I am hoping to become a Marine after I graduate from college, but one thing has always held me back from committing 100% and putting myself into it all the way.

I am a stutterer, not in the sense that I elongate my words but eventually get them out, but rather that sometimes I completely 'block' on words and cannot say them. This has obviously been an issue all my life, and sometimes when I need to present something in class or ask someone a question, I simply cannot say what I want to say and the only way around it is substituting words or stopping and trying again (eventually, it works... usually). On the other hand, my stutter is nowhere near the ones you see on TV or anything like that, it's a stutter but I could have a conversation with someone for 10 minutes and not have them know - but not forever.

My question is will this make me 'not Marine material'? I know if I tell my recruiter (which I plan to) i will have to take a test to prove it's not bad enough, and I believe I can pass. On the other hand, communication is important for all things in life - and in a life-or-death situation in the military, it surely is needed more than any other. I know it will be hard to tell over text how much this effects me, but hopefully you Marines might have an idea and could throw me some advice.

I want to become a Marine, but without feeling 100% confident in my abilities to speak as well as how much rougher everything will be for me when my DI asks me something and I cannot respond fluently, im not sure if it's the right thing for me.

Let me know if there is anymore information I could provide,
Thanks!

[tdrt]

Talk to a recruiter. And always always have 110% confidence in EVERYTHING you do! Stop playing the victim. Constantly tell yourself to the point of convincing yourself that the words will come freely and easily.

Good luck.

[NCOPOWER]

I would have to agree with Ssgt. here. I know alot of Marines that have speech problems. Some of them you can barely understand. I think you will be fine just believe in your self.

[Quinbo]

If we can elect someone who stutters as president then surely it won't prevent you from getting into the Marines.

[Lisa 23]

Any current receptive or expressive language disorder, including, but not limited to any speech impediment, stammering and stuttering (307.0) of such a degree as to significantly interfere with production of speech or to repeat commands, is disqualifying.

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/neurotic.htm

[Old Marine]

If we can elect someone who stutters as president then surely it won't prevent you from getting into the Marines.

Yea and prior to that we had one who could not read.

[WKranz]

I was at Wounded Warrior with a Cpl who was a stutterer, and he had his jaw wired shut to boot, was a blast trying to figure out what the **** he was saying.

[Quinbo]

Dang Kranz that sounds like a nitemare. Breathing like darth vader, talking like clint eastwood and stuttering all at the same time.

[Wheels123]

One of my Marines has a pretty bad stuttering problem so you would probably be fine.

[rktect3j]

Always good to talk to the recruiter. They will know and soon after you will know.

Good luck.

[Supersquishy]

You shouldnt have a problem, don't let it hold you back, TIP... when you think your going to stutter, just yell out something motivating to your recruiter like, OHHRAHH!, or Chesty Rules! Motivating yells will get you places fast in the Corps.

On a side note, something that would be hilarious would be a mean Devil Dog with Tourettes(sp). Especially on the drill field..LOL

[temarti]

I had a 1stSgt. that had a bad stutter until he was pizzed and sounded cadence, then he was clear as a bell.

[Mac3043]

I never stuttered but had a lisp as a child. Thanks to a tutor it was cured. I did how ever have a cousin who stuttered. He had some kind of aid inserted into his ear that made a sound that, for some reason, caused him not to hear his own voice and stopped him from stuttering? That's how I understood it. Don't know what it was, how it worked, or if it is still used. My cousin was killed in an auto accident 25 years ago so I can't ask him. My best advice is to be confident in what you chose to say, say it clearly and with authority. Good luck to you in your quest.

[Mac3043]

Any current receptive or expressive language disorder, including, but not limited to any speech impediment, stammering and stuttering (307.0) of such a degree as to significantly interfere with production of speech or to repeat commands, is disqualifying.

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/neurotic.htm

Nothing personnal WMarine but that wasn't a very motivating post to someone looking to join our ranks. While the need to know regulations is very important, those with a need to improve themselves to satisfy those regulations is prudent.
Semper Fi. :iwo:

[Lisa 23]

Mac3043, that's info I found, it's not something I came up with.
If this young man can get into the Marine Corps, great, if not, then at least he gave it a try.
I'm not here to put down any one's dreams of becoming a Marine, but they should at least know that there might a bit of a bump in the road in obtaining that dream, that's all.

Good luck to you young man! :thumbup:

[Quinbo]

I would rather work with someone that stutters than someone who doesn't have a good grasp on the english language. Everybody fumbles for words when they have a steely eyed psycho bouncing his smokey off your forehead.

[Silentwarrior17]

You will be fine if you stutter. The RSS I worked at put 2 or 3 in who had a stutter. I couldn't even understand one of them and he still got in. When trying to process to become a Marine there are at least 100 things that DQ you. Weither it is directly written or not believe me there are a lot. That is why the made waivers. Anything and EVERYTHING can be waivered...believe me I seen some things that you wouldn't believe in you wildest dreams. Now with that being said, that was about 2 yrs ago and the Corps has changed a lot since then. Like is always said in these post, go to your recruiting station and talk to someone. They are the only ones that can help you. Good luck

[Lisa 23]

I would rather work with someone that stutters than someone who doesn't have a good grasp on the english language. Everybody fumbles for words when they have a steely eyed psycho bouncing his smokey off your forehead.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l305/wmarineluvstaylor/Patriotic/SemperToons-Iheardyoureyeballsmove.gif

[crazymjb]

I too have met stutterers. I actually had an instructor at SOI who I believe had exactly what you describe. He'd be talking and just pause for like 3-4 seconds mid sentence. Met a bunch other with speech impediments, and quite a few who just shouldn't have been allowed to speak.

Good luck, talk to a recruiter, but I think you'll be fine.

Mike

[CH53MetalMan]

I worked with a Sgt that would always take 3 or 5 seconds to get the first word out, after that the words would roll off his lips pretty good, untill he paused, then he would always take a delay getting started again.

In basic the D.I. would see this as fair game, and ridicule the private over such, as they do with any other thing that causes one to stand out.

[Rocky C]

Talk to a recruiter. And always always have 110% confidence in EVERYTHING you do! Stop playing the victim. Constantly tell yourself to the point of convincing yourself that the words will come freely and easily.

Good luck.

Good Words Right There :thumbup:.
Semper Fi,
Rocky

[sneakyninja]

Thanks for all the replies, they've eased my worries a bit. Im glad to know that Marines who stutter are not as uncommon as I thought they would be.

Regardless, I have two years until I plan to join (after college) so hopefully I will be able to afford a bit of speech therapy prior to enlisting, but if not, your answers have released some of my worry.

I figure the times my speech is most fluent are when i'm yelling or angry, and I figure that will make up the majority of my time, at least at bootcamp :)

Thanks