Graduating from hs and want some info!

[D BOUJI]

first off Godbless any man/woman who has fought or has died for this country. you are the defenders of freedom and have my utmost respect.

ok now onto me....im a 17 year old single male who will be graduating high school next year....a good buddy of mine just joined the army via the delayed entry program....i have always wanted to serve as a Marine and now as i get older and it becomes a possibility im seeking more information. i am not elligble for the delayed entry program since i go to an "alternative high school" even though i get an actual deploma not a GED unlike mose alternative hs's. i wanna be an infantry marine since i think it would be one hell of a thrill....also i want to see duty overseas....now please dont look at me as some tommy tough kid that thinks war is fun....im the total opposite. i know war is in no way enjoyable. i wanna be infantry because to "ME" in my head it the best way for me to satisfy my craving to fight for this country which i so love. i graduate from school next year and have been visiting my recruiter but he kinda just says come back when your elligble (in so many words).. now i have a couple questions

1. i know pay isnt great but how much would a 0311 reserve marine make? i live right by a huge base known as Selfridge Air National Guard Base. and was considering becoming a reserve marine so that i can still see combat and at the same time start building a career while at home and start a family. so how often do reserve 0311 MARINES get deployed? and how much would a reserve 0311 Marine make?

2.Signing bonuses? my buddy just got a 25,000 bonus for joining the army...do the marines offer any bonuses?

3. if i were to go active duty how much money would i make right outta bootcamp? and how much would i be paying for my cost of living? now im not in anyway joining for money im just curious. also if i went 4 years do i get a vacation? and how long would i be overseas for?
my main reason for not going active is because i dont wanna just leave my family (especially my little sister since i kinda consider myself her guardian) for 4 years and then come back at 22 and be just starting my life and having no career skils..i know that i could join the Corps as many different mos's but i truly want 0311. is there anyway for me to be active but still live at home or on a near by base like Selfridge?

4. i know i kinda asked tis earlier but what is the difference in pay between an active Marine and a Reserve Marine? and i mean a pvt right out of bootcamp?

5. if i do choose to be a Reserve Marine how would i earn rank?


im sorry to bombard you guys with a ton of ?'s but im just lookin for answers since joining the Marines is now a reality not a dream.


thanks all and God Bless

[D BOUJI]

also if i were to go active how likely is it that i could get into recon or become a sniper? i know its not easy and everyone cant do it but how would i go about doing it? im 6' 200 lbs. if i went active that would be my primary goal. and is it even possible to do such in the reserves? and finally is becoming a sniper or getting into recon even possible in 4 years?

[josephd]

based on all the questions/comments about making money and wanting to get deployed I would suggest going active duty.

As a reservist you only get paid per drill period, 2 drills per day. So on a long drill weekend you'll get 6-8 drills, as an E-3 you get right around $50/drill. Do the math...

Picking up rank in the reserves works the same active duty. E-4 and E-5 based on cutting and composite score. Reserves can be a bit tougher to pick up but its basically the same.

As for the recon and scout sniper thing, this has been covered on these boards so many times, do a search!

[D BOUJI]

based on all the questions/comments about making money and wanting to get deployed I would suggest going active duty.

As a reservist you only get paid per drill period, 2 drills per day. So on a long drill weekend you'll get 6-8 drills, as an E-3 you get right around $50/drill. Do the math...

Picking up rank in the reserves works the same active duty. E-4 and E-5 based on cutting and composite score. Reserves can be a bit tougher to pick up but its basically the same.

As for the recon and scout sniper thing, this has been covered on these boards so many times, do a search!


ok thank you josephd, i will for sure search it!

[D BOUJI]

and also when i go active is there any vacation time? and if so how long? i know that when my cousin got back from bootcamp he got like 10 days of vacation. also for what its worth i was an E-3 in YM'S. and as far as pay, do active duty Marines get to pocket all the money they make? im not sure but i believe housing is free and so is food so what left do they have to pay for?

i greatly appreciate your patience, thank you

[DrZ]

and also when i go active is there any vacation time? and if so how long? i know that when my cousin got back from bootcamp he got like 10 days of vacation. also for what its worth i was an E-3 in YM'S. and as far as pay, do active duty Marines get to pocket all the money they make? im not sure but i believe housing is free and so is food so what left do they have to pay for?

i greatly appreciate your patience, thank you


If you go active, you get 30 days of leave per year. Typically right after boot camp, you get 10 days of leave. When active, you are provided with a place to live and three squares a day. As far as the money, you have to pay for haircuts, upkeep of your uniforms, and things of that nature. I have yet to meet a young Marine who ever has much money in their pockets. It tends to get blown on the weekends when you just want to get away for a while. If you get a car, I have noticed that insurance tends to be a bit more expensive close to a military base.

So, just like civilians..... most of the time you will be broke.

Being a YM really doesn't mean much other than perhaps you will already know how to march, and the proper position of attention. If you want to excel in boot.... go there motivated, in good shape, and ready to kick a$$. Keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut.

[Quinbo]

Active duty gets 30 days paid vacation a year. You get a uniform maintenance stipend every year. Haircuts and hygeine gear etc are out of pocket. We have the same pay scale as the Army. Bachelors are housed and fed at no cost to them. Bonuses come and go .... it doesn't hurt to ask a recruiter. There are snipers and recon in the reserves. As a reservist you MOS selection will be dependant up what is available at your nearest reserve unit. Op tempo has most reservists deploying at least once in 4 years.

[Quinbo]

We must have been typing at the same time drz. Pretty much mirror image of posts.

[Wyoming]

Please explain this -



i am not elligble for the delayed entry program since i go to an "alternative high school" even though i get an actual deploma not a GED unlike mose alternative hs's

[DrZ]

We must have been typing at the same time drz. Pretty much mirror image of posts.


At least in our agreement, the young man knows we are not blowing smoke.

[D BOUJI]

Please explain this -

first off thanks all you guys for your honest aswers

well i used to go to a very nice hs. i screwed around with my budddies and failed a class or two and needed a couple credits. so since i transfered to an alternative hs my recruiter said that i cannot do the DEP since my hs was considered alternative. but at my school we get a deploma not a GED like mot other alternative highschools.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

I was confused on that as well. Good clarification. Hopefully you won't have to get college credits to enlist....did your recruiter say your diploma will be ok?

[D BOUJI]

I was confused on that as well. Good clarification. Hopefully you won't have to get college credits to enlist....did your recruiter say your diploma will be ok?


yes he said i can get in with my diploma. 0311 is what i want....i took the practice asvab and got a 45 he said i qualified for 03. i was just wondering for any infantry Marines out there what is life like on a daily basis? and also how often are you guys deployed?

[Lisa 23]

It's Marines, not you guys...and do a search on the site as infantry has been covered many times before.

[ameriken]

It's Marines, not you guys...

Doncha wish you could have a buck for every time you had to post that Lisa? :banana:

[Lisa 23]

Yeah Ken, I'd be rich by now...lol!

I know it may not bother other Marines about being called guys, but it bothers me. To me, it just shows respect towards the Marines who answer wannabes and poolees questions.

[D BOUJI]

Yeah Ken, I'd be rich by now...lol!

I know it may not bother other Marines about being called guys, but it bothers me. To me, it just shows respect towards the Marines who answer wannabes and poolees questions.

ok my apologies its MARINES from now on

[Sgt Leprechaun]

And there you go. WM, perhaps you should just make that part of your Sig line! LOL.

Anyway, it's part of the site rules. Regardless of all that, I wish you the best of luck young man!