Recruit Advice

Hello,

I am hoping to receive some advice on my next steps to earning the title. So I am 19 year old currently finishing my second semester of college of my freshmen year. I have been talking to a recruiter for quite a while however with my office being far from my college back in my home town and not receiving fast feedback from him, I desperately need some advice/information. I play football here at my college and I actually room with two Marines.

So my original plan was to take off next semester and go to boot this upcoming summer. I am interested in both the MOS's Military Police (5811) and Artillery (0811). I am planning to do reserves so I can earn my degree for criminal justice and also graduate with military experience (Military Police seems like the best route considering it would give me experience in my future civilian job). My Marine roommates told me it is possible to still continue to play football with reserve life but will be difficult. To my current understanding, if you are on top of things you may be able to reschedule drill weekends to later months, which if I was in season Is a must considering my games are on Saturdays. I am not opposed to joining the Marines after school but I would probably go active at that point due to the fact I do not want to do reserve life for 6 years after getting my degree. This would only push me back and I would be starting my civilian career at 28 as opposed to out of college.

I did not schedule for classes in the fall yet so I am really trying to get the ball rolling on this process, but the lack of information I am receiving from my recruiter has me stuck in a bind. Joining the Corps is something I really admire and want to do, I just need the information and right plan before I sign. The questions I have are;

Is it possible to continue playing football while being a Marine Reservist? What is the pay like for a E-2 PFC Reserve? Would I need to go to PLC/OCS if I wait to join after college or could I just go to regular boot? Also what rank would I go in as if I waited to go after graduation but did not do ROTC or PLC/OCS? What route do you think is better for me (During school or after)? Does the Marines pay the rest of my tuition as a Marine's Reservist?

Any feedback or advice would be extremely appreciated. As previously stated, I just need to be a little more informed on the process before I can decide on what my plan is.

Thank You!

Question. Is there a reserve MP or artillery unit near you? Your choice may boil down to the shortest commute to drill weekends.

Can't answer all your questions but can add this much. The reserve unit here in Knoxville is a Combat Engineer Company. Majority of the reservists are full-time students at the University of Tennessee as the campus is only a few miles away from the reserve training center. I know some of them are in the marching band but don't know of any football players. The commanding officer is an alumnus as well. The weekend drill schedule here is always made around the fall football schedule so drills do not conflict with home football games (does not take into consideration away games since UT plays every weekend during October and November either at home or away). The commanding officer does work with his reserve Marines when there are schedule conflicts on a case-by-case basis (conflicts are unavoidable). There are times when reservists will be working at the reserve training center during the week, instead of on a drill weekend. The university is also flexible with their reservist students. All of this to say, it may be possible for you to play football, but it won't be easy like you say, and would require some degree of flexibility from different people.

Shipping to bootcamp this summer is a stretch - because you don't already have a ship date. Summer is just around the corner and will be here before you know it. Recruiters don't just come up with ship dates on their own. Recruit populations at the two bootcamps are carefully planned by the Manpower Management Branch at Headquarters Marine Corps months in advance depending on the needs of the Marine Corps. You cannot just walk into your recruiter's office and tell them you want to ship in a couple months and expect it to happen. If you think you want to ship this summer, your recruiter needs to know now so they can get your name in the pipeline. Otherwise, this fall will be your next realistic opportunity to ship.

Good luck.

If football is covering your education, I say don't risk that and finish up school first, unless you don't care whether you play or not and you don't think it would hurt your chances of staying on the team. The reserves can be accommodating, but they aren't going to let you reschedule your entire semester the next few years because of football, at least my unit never would have. I was in the reserves in New England and it never would have been a thought. I'm actually surprised to hear what Top is saying above. If it was going to be once or twice, maybe, but not on a regular basis. Not worth the risk if that is how you are paying for college, especially because you won't get crap for college benefits being a reservist.

As far as shipping this summer in time to start in the fall... not likely give the aforementioned reasons.

Enjoy and finish college, and if you still want to serve after you graduate enlist or go officer. If football isn't helping you pay for school and you don't really care, that is the only circumstance I'd say go for it.

Mike