Delayed Entry Program

[ClemsonEngineer]

Marines, <br />
<br />
I have received great input and advice so far from you all, so I wanted to throw another question out there. <br />
<br />
I have looked around here and researched on the internet about the DEP....

[yellowwing]

"I graduate college in May and OCC is not accepting any ground or air applicants this summer."

"Could I sign an open contract and go into the DEP, work a civilian job until October or November (Whenever my shipping date is.), and then in October renegotiate my contract so I could have a 03XX MOS on my contract, and then ship afterward as originally planned?"

Then why not wait until October to go back to OCC?

[ClemsonEngineer]

Sir, I am still considering that option as well. However, October's OCC will most likely only be accepting a few applicants, if any. It is going to be the same situation as May's OCC. If I I were to wait, and not get into October's OCC because I wasn't one of the few selected or because they aren't accepting any applicants again I will have a huge financial problem since I won't be a full-time student.

At this time, I am considering a few different options and just trying to find as much information about each of them as possible.

- JRG

[Sgt Leprechaun]

I understand in my area that they are NOT doing the 'open contract' thing and basically (according to my local recruiter) using that ONLY for 'dead heads' that can't get an MOS due to various and sundry issues, including low ASVAB scores. Likely that won't be you.

You CAN ship early, it does happen. Wish I could be of more help. Talk to the recruiter and express to him/her what you've expressed to us. Be honest, you might be surprised at how much he/she will work with you on this, IF they are able to. They might not be able to, but it's worth trying.

[nullisecundus]

Do not enlist, even into the DEP, without the mos that you want.

I definitely wouldn't recommend enlisting open contract with intentions to reenlist later or any stupid bull****, that's a good way to get your ass shipped off open contract.

Tell your recruiter that you want this mos, and you will not enlist without that mos specified in your initial contract. When he gives you the.. "arent you motivated, dedicated blah blah, enlist open contract, do it for the corps, I promise I wont send you to bootcamp open contract" speech, tell him as soon as you can enlist with the mos that you want, you'll do it, until then, no.

[Quinbo]

Going into OCC is more or less an open contract. You can go in knowing what you want to do but end game you as an officer must rely on the system to put you where you are most needed. You do have some influence on that final decision by excelling in OCS and TBS but the final decision is not yours.

Enlisting you do have a small amount more control over what MOS you end up in. If you go in the recruiters office and stubbornly instist that you will not join unless you can be a ground pounder there are two ways it could go. Maybe put you on stand by to stand by, or show you the door. If I was your recruiter I would try to talk you out of fixating on infantry. There are tons of jobs out there where you get to run jump and swim then hit and roll.

I get a bit defensive about derogatory remarks at infantry because I was one but I also understand there are tons of other MOS's that you might enjoy more. It is not a video game with a reset button. You'll do that chit every day all day for 4 years or more.

[ClemsonEngineer]

First, Thank you for taking the time to reply. <br />
<br />
If I am told I can ship early because an opening occurred in, for example purposes, August. This is before October, and therefore, would not have...

[ClemsonEngineer]

I tried to edit my post to mark the question in red to make the post easier to navigate. But, I could not get the editing tool to work. I apologize.

-JRG

[TinDragon]

Let's see, I'll hit on a couple small things...

Why would you have to wait until October 2011 to DEP in? I assume you meant 2010 unless I'm missing something, as that's the beginning of the 2011 fiscal year.

02xx Intelligence is mostly desk work. 26xx Intelligence is desk work in garrison, but when deployed oftentimes involves "getting out there". You don't get to pick between the two when you sign a contract, but it might be something to look in to.

As far as renegotiating/open contract, that's something you'd have to discuss with your recruiter personally. Different RSSs will do things differently.

Like most things in the Marine Corps, I believe you get to pick your top three MOSs when you graduate OCS.

I think there was more I was going to mention, but I can't find it in that wall of text there. Hope this helps though.

[ClemsonEngineer]

Sir,

If I waited until October 2010 to start the contracting phase (ASVAB, MOS's, etc.), I know I could wait 6 months to a year before I would ship. I am graduating college in May, and this would cause some problems financially because of loans and some other things. Therefore, if I don't start the the enlisting process here soon I would opt for graduate school for a year and a half. Waiting until October 2011 would allow me to finish graduate school.

Thanks for the input on the Intel. MOS's, and I can't even find things in the wall of text. I just tried to include as much as possible to avoid or answer questions before they were asked.

Thank you again,

-JRG

[nullisecundus]

Alright buddy, I know exactly what youre saying right now, trust me, I fully understand what your saying right now.

I enlisted in December of 08 on an open contract because I only had a GED... My recruiter said the only way to enlist at the time was to enroll in 15 college credits over the summer, and leave in August of 09.

trust me i was all oorahhkillkillkill 0311 baby, just like you... and just wanted to be in the DEP because you're almost a marine right?

Well, April 21st rolls around, and I get a call... I was on a plane to parris island on the 27th. Open contract because I never renegotiated my contract.

I wanted to be a grunt, I still want to be a grunt, but currently... I fix airplanes.

[ClemsonEngineer]

So, if they call and tell you that you are shipping out to Parris Island earlier than your original ship date, you have to leave or you have to discharge from DEP? You can't tell them you'd prefer to...

[nullisecundus]

No idea, ask a recruiter. <br />
<br />
That is my intention.

[ClemsonEngineer]

Thanks for your responses. I appreciate it. Good luck when your time comes to re-enlist and you go for the 03XX contract.

-JRG