female marine

[Rocky C]

oh, yah. Most definately....too damn much fun...damn.....

[crazymjb]

I'm not saying don't have fun (if that is what you are looking to do) but be very cautious. I can't imagine a lot of what women in the Marine Corps have to go through. For every good side there is a bad side, and the reality is there is an issue with sexual harassment. If you are able to stay on top of it and not let it get out of hand your issues should be minimal.

I have been with my girlfriend for two years, a few months longer than we both have been Marines, and she puts it best when she said their DIs gave them the option of being a "b-tch or a S--t" and that she saw it every day through MOS school, with both instructors and "friends," and in her unit now, though it is pretty well known to leave her alone. Let me state this doesn't mean you should block everyone out, she has plenty of friends, but you need to know where to draw the line.

I'm only saying this because she has been put in some tough and unfair situations, and she has seen it get to other women much more, and seen other women let it spiral out of control. I assure you, you will have NO issue dating, but at the same time, be careful and cautious. For the record, we are not in the same unit and I am so thankful that I do not have to deal with that additional dynamic.

Mike

[Sally]

Make sure you set your birth control straight before you enter.

[tdrt]

I'm not saying don't have fun (if that is what you are looking to do) but be very cautious. I can't imagine a lot of what women in the Marine Corps have to go through. For every good side there is a bad side, and the reality is there is an issue with sexual harassment. If you are able to stay on top of it and not let it get out of hand your issues should be minimal.

I have been with my girlfriend for two years, a few months longer than we both have been Marines, and she puts it best when she said their DIs gave them the option of being a "b-tch or a S--t" and that she saw it every day through MOS school, with both instructors and "friends," and in her unit now, though it is pretty well known to leave her alone. Let me state this doesn't mean you should block everyone out, she has plenty of friends, but you need to know where to draw the line.

I'm only saying this because she has been put in some tough and unfair situations, and she has seen it get to other women much more, and seen other women let it spiral out of control. I assure you, you will have NO issue dating, but at the same time, be careful and cautious. For the record, we are not in the same unit and I am so thankful that I do not have to deal with that additional dynamic.

Mike

That's for saying this. It is exactly how it is. She will most assuredly never be without "companionship" or lack of dating opportunities, but there is the other side. But you did forget dike so you have 3 choices.

And yep, believe it or not, you have to deal with a lot of sexual harassment or just the attitude that if you received a NAM, commendation, meritorious promotion, whatever, well, then automatically, you screwed or blew someone to get it.

When I received meritorious Corporal, my 1stSgt said in front of my entire squadron "I don't know how she got it -- she must have sat in front of the board with her legs spread." That was from my 1stSgt!!!! I received an apology and he was relieved the next day.

And don't even get me started on the comments during PT -- especially when they made me be in the front row and make you do cherry pickers. You can just imagine the comments.

[Phantom Blooper]

After boot camp....make sure you keep a box of socks in your ditty bag!

[crazymjb]

I wasn't sure how that was going to be received. I'm not trying to ruin the Marine Corps image by any means. I admittedly went in thinking it was some Utopian group of perfect people. For the most part, I would say the population within the Corps is better than the general population in society, that said, I see a HUGE issue with sexual harassment and how women are viewed and treated, moreso than I think exists outside.

I make it a point to tell girls I know who are going in that they really need to stay on top of it or it can spiral out of control. Again, I understand there is a double standard, and if one wants to "have fun," have at it. That said, don't mix it with work, and don't let the fact that you are a woman influence anything, good or bad. It's hard to say, because us as guys definitely partake in what could be considered "sexual harassment" towards each other, but it really does need to stop at the gender line. Even innocent jousting just doesn't work with men and women. I give the example of someone in my girlfriends unit joking about getting into the shower with her. She backhanded him in the chest (even though he was an NCO) and said he couldn't talk to her like that. He apologized, they moved on, no hard feelings... but there is a new girl in her unit, who keeps letting that stuff go, and my girlfriend said already their are rumors floating around.

Honestly knowing what I know now if I had a daughter I would encourage her heavily to stay away, and I think a lot of fathers do. Again, it can be a great experience, but you need to realize you WILL run into a LOT of issues surrounding your gender and sexuality and you need to know how to properly deal with them, and sometimes that means being a b-tch. Again, you want to go out on the weekends and do whatever, that's fine, all the guys do it. If you choose to go that route, stay away from people in your unit and stay the hell away from any authority figure, PERIOD. I have a lot I could say about her instructors in MCT and FLW but I won't even bother.

And by all means, any Marines on here who happen to be female correct me, interject, etc. This is just something I feel very strongly about being brought up to treat women with respect as well as having someone who means the world to me having had both good and bad experiences, and I hope I helped in coaching her through a handful of things, but her single piece of advice which I have to reiterate is: Be the b-tch, not the sl-t. It doesn't mean nobody likes you, she has plenty of friends, it just means they KNOW that you won't take certain types of crap.

Best of luck,

Mike

[Meagan92]

After boot camp....make sure you keep a box of socks in your ditty bag!

what does that have to do with anything??lol

[tdrt]

Be the b-tch, not the sl-t.

Sometimes, you don't always get to choose.


And yes, there is a fine line between joking around and hanging out with "the guys" and sometimes, that line gets crossed. Some guys just don't know when to stop. I don't want to hear all the crude little names you have for my fun parts.

[crazymjb]

Again, I envy your resolve for dealing with that BS, I get frustrated and POd just hearing about it, even the "little" things like off hand remarks.

Mike

[tdrt]

Again, I envy your resolve for dealing with that BS, I get frustrated and POd just hearing about it, even the "little" things like off hand remarks.

Mike

Like anything, you just have to learn to pick your battles. When certain Marines cross the line, you just have to let them know to knock it off. Some things you know are innocent slip of the tongues, others...not so much.

If that doesn't work, I'd march right into my CO's office. I was lucky enough to be in commands where I could do that. After that incident with my 1stSgt, you could see my hesitancy to trust my COC -- I just went straight to the top.

[Marine84]

Oh yeah...............you will be "sexually harassed", that's a given. You just have to realize you're stepping into a man's world - if you cry because you break a nail, you'll never make it. If you want to be a Marine, you got to act like a Marine every now and then. Do what you want when you want but be discreet and NEVER put it on film.

There was no such thing as sexual harassment when I went through. When I was checking into my last duty station, the Top literally said "I like your legs. You're going to be working in my office and you have to wear a skirt every Friday". The only thing I could do was follow the order I had been given.

[crazymjb]

Like anything, you just have to learn to pick your battles. When certain Marines cross the line, you just have to let them know to knock it off. Some things you know are innocent slip of the tongues, others...not so much.

If that doesn't work, I'd march right into my CO's office. I was lucky enough to be in commands where I could do that. After that incident with my 1stSgt, you could see my hesitancy to trust my COC -- I just went straight to the top.

She's lucky in that she had dealt a lot with the COC when she was on light duty (knee injury) and knows they have her back should she need it, she also has a great platoon sergeant, and the other one already is married to a lance... At her MOS school she wasn't as lucky. Fortunately I found out a couple of those instructors got out under OTH conditions as Privates. Lets just say her roomates actions initiated an investigation and she got a couple calls and was more than happy to tell what she knew. That was a tough time though, hearing the crap that went on from a few thousand miles away and not being able to do anything.

There haven't been any shortage of good Marines she's come across, but none of bad ones either.

laughing at the putting things on film, and yet people never seem to get why you don't do that.

Mike

[tdrt]

Oh yeah...............you will be "sexually harassed", that's a given. You just have to realize you're stepping into a man's world - if you cry because you break a nail, you'll never make it. If you want to be a Marine, you got to act like a Marine every now and then. Do what you want when you want but be discreet and NEVER put it on film.

There was no such thing as sexual harassment when I went through. When I was checking into my last duty station, the Top literally said "I like your legs. You're going to be working in my office and you have to wear a skirt every Friday". The only thing I could do was follow the order I had been given.

You got that right -- it is a man's world and you have to take it with a grain of salt so speak. There's a lot of smack talk and usually I was the one with the biggest potty mouth & the dirtiest jokes!

The breaking a nail thing and the one I hated "oh, I've got cramps" Well, suck it up sister and take a pill. I hated it when some WMs would pull that sh!t.

And what your Top said, hell, I would take that as a compliment. I always wore a skirt.

[Sally]

what does that have to do with anything??lol

Condoms, protection, hun.

[Phantom Blooper]

After boot camp....make sure you keep a box of socks in your ditty bag!

what does that have to do with anything??lol

Rubbers...prophylactics....condoms.....socks.....

Men don't always have one....or it was just used on someone else....

So if you want to play the game think ahead....and not just with a different type of head.

It will save you both allot of heartaches and headaches further down the road....especially when that thing can sometimes last more than four hours.