Everyone is judged in the military. It's really no big deal. The point is, though, that females are judged on many points. Is she a good soldier? Do I have to pick up her slack? Can she keep up? Is she going to tattle, like the last one? There will always be a female who was there before you that completely screwed up. Once you show up on the scene, everyone will look at you and wonder if you're the same as the last one: the screw up. So, as a result they're careful, just as you should be careful. Never forget your professional attitude as a soldier, let alone as a female soldier representative. Females can make great soldiers. Second, unfortunately there are many females that slipped through the cracks that shouldn't be in the military.

The females that slip through the cracks tend to be women who join for any various reason and for the most part prefer not to work. These female soldiers make a bad name for other hardworking female soldiers. These females generally do the exact opposite of a hardworking female soldier and are easy to point out. I say this because these types of females have a name and it's close and almost on par with the term slut.

A harsh reality for a female soldier: You are considered a slut until proven otherwise. It is unfair, but that's just the stark reality. The sad part is, it's all so normal that no one thinks anything of it. But this is the way it is and you just deal with it and drive on. There's nothing to do but prove everyone wrong, and rise to the top.

Now, the great ones are the females that don't make excuses about their gender. They don't complain about their menstrual cycle openly, they don't whine, snivel, or gripe about anything or anyone, and they work on their shortcomings. For example, a male can do things that females can't. Men are better pack mules and their bodies are better fitted for endurance. Where females aren't naturally good at lugging things around and lugging them around for great distances, a female can still strengthen that weakness so that it doesn't hamper future operations she may be involved in. On the other hand, she doesn't call attention to herself and her ability to do everything; if there is a job or detail that needs to be done, she just gets it done. No problem. She's a squared away soldier just like the rest of 'em.

Let me make this clear though, once you get to your unit males in particular are very careful what they say around females because they are afraid that they'll get a sexual harassment report against them. So, understand this, because there will come a time when you enter a room full of males and they will all stop their hooting and laughing just because you walked in and yes, it's because you're female.

A female needs to be tough skinned. A lot of these males are good people and great soldiers, but everyone knows that "boys will be boys" especially amongst each other. Now throw a female in their midst and all of a sudden the males need to figure out which female she is: overly sensitive, or tough-skinned. So be ready to get judged, because it will happen.

@ Mr. 42RM : I got it, and very thank you for the detailed instruction. Being a female soldier has to overcome much more difficulty than a male soldier, especially criticising, judgement from males and the predecessors. First, I have to maintain my professional attitude and competence as a soldier , I'm not trying to set a perfect image in their eyes...but to be considerate, respect people in the unit , humbly listen and learn from them.
The fact that females are naturally weaker than males, serving in the Marines is quite more challenged and exhausted. About me, I consider myself having good health, I like sports, well-qualified at martial arts , running , swimming and yoga too... which help improve my muscles, sufficient fitness for endurance when it comes to such situation and relieve stress. And play sports with enthusiasm also trained me to become more patience and will of self-study by carefully observing and reading even without depending much on a teacher. To me, it is amazing...

PS: this summer, around June, I'm preparing to get my student visa to go to US, I don't really know how long but I will try to be fast as possible, not too urgently.

I think you´ll make it, hung.
Good luck.

And we're all friends here. No need to call me Mr.
42 will do.

Cheers,

Originally Posted by 42RM

I think you´ll make it, hung.
Good luck.

And we're all friends here. No need to call me Mr.
42 will do.

Cheers,

Thankyou, 42RM brother. I can't call you by nickname because you're more than 10 years older than me. Ah , I almost forget to ask: when I enrol in the USMC, do I need to finish at least high school or university? And with my student visa when coming to the US for studying, can I attend the Marine Corps JROTC, or Sea Cadets....first before register at USMC ?

Originally Posted by hung.vinh

Thankyou, 42RM brother. I can't call you by nickname because you're more than 10 years older than me. Ah , I almost forget to ask: when I enrol in the USMC, do I need to finish at least high school or university?

Only a high school diploma is required.

Originally Posted by lolwhassup

Only a high school diploma is required.

I will finish highschool next year and surely I can get a highschool diploma in my country Vietnam. Wouldn't it be acceptable ?

Originally Posted by hung.vinh

I will finish highschool next year and surely I can get a highschool diploma in my country Vietnam. Wouldn't it be acceptable ?

Now that, I don't know.

Originally Posted by hung.vinh

Thankyou, 42RM brother. I can't call you by nickname because you're more than 10 years older than me.

Suddenly I feel like an elderly man
My girl friend had a hysterical fit of laughter when I showed her this post

Well, it's time for my morning nap

maybe not...I think your girl friend won't laugh at you like that. In particularly, grown men/women who are near 30 or more are really experience , with serious , calmness and understanding.
Things get quite difficult for me, it is surely about money...my family's budget is tight and hardly can meet the requirement of the school fees and travels. And my last choice is going to earn a scholarship for college in the US, before pursuing my military career later, again there's problem that I must come back to my country after I've done my course, and I can't go to work for money or do anything more while studying. But can I join the JROTC or Sea Cadets at the time ?
Sorry for discussing out of the topic but you know well about US Laws & Education , I need your help on this case...this is really drive me nuts !!

Originally Posted by hung.vinh

maybe not...I think your girl friend won't laugh at you like that. In particularly, grown men/women who are near 30 or more are really experience , with serious , calmness and understanding.
Things get quite difficult for me, it is surely about money...my family's budget is tight and hardly can meet the requirement of the school fees and travels. And my last choice is going to earn a scholarship for college in the US, before pursuing my military career later, again there's problem that I must come back to my country after I've done my course, and I can't go to work for money or do anything more while studying. But can I join the JROTC or Sea Cadets at the time ?
Sorry for discussing out of the topic but you know well about US Laws & Education , I need your help on this case...this is really drive me nuts !!

The United States has an opportunity for Vietnamese students. However, it seems the opportunity has limitations, the US is open for students who want to take their Master degrees in the US, but they aren't so many annually (20-25). The best thing to do is to ask the US embassy in the Vietnam about things like this

http://vietnam.usembassy.gov/index.html