I am planning on joining the Marine Corps straight out of high school and I was wondering if you all could help me make a better, more informed desicion. I searched high and low for accurate information on the Marine Infantry, but all I have found is little factoids here or there. My recruiter is a truck driver in the Corps, so the only info. he could give me is his short lived time in the School of Infantry. So I come to you all, I was wondering what your experiences were in the infantry (i.e. chow, leaders, standards of living, decrepid SGTS, you name it), and if you all have advice or things I should know before I sign my name to that particular MOS?

I loved the Infantry. It's not easy but it is fun and fulfilling and best of all they pay you to camp out, hike ,shoot guns, ride in helos and amtracs. Whats not to love.

What exactly are you wanting to know?

For starters, how is the morale in the infantry? Was there much dissention amongst your colleagues?

In the units I was in morale was generally good to high especially in the field. Every unit will have periods of low morale . But Marine Grunts are usually pretty good in the morale dept.

You need to remember a Unit is like a family. There will always be minor sqaubbles amongst it. But you still would not hesitate to help your buddies out.

Certainly, and what types of missions did you all have? What were some of the harder things they made you do and what usually drives those currently in the Corp's Infantry to continue in it?

Would you, 03USMC, recommend Infantry when you first join the Corps?

I enlisted for Infantry so yes. As far as missions you do typical Infantry Mission. Close with and Destroy or hold positions. You have MOUT missions, etc. anything an infantry company would be required to do in combat.

If I decide to join the Marine Infantry, would I be able to still attend schools like Military Free Fall school in AZ, Pathfinder, Airbourne (static line), scout/sniper, etc.?

What about if I go into the Corps as a 2nd Lt. Should I get experience with the Corps before going infantry. Or join the infantry as a fresh 2nd Lt and learn from those with combat experience?

Only certain elements in the Corps get Airborne, MFF, Pathfinder etc. Based on the requirements of the Corps. Not to say if you qualify you couldn't but it's not wide spread.

As far as enlisted vs commissioned thats a personel choice. It depends on what you want.