>.< I'll be honest, I'm hesitating I still have a few years left to decide; any input on my hesitation? good, bad sign?

just wondering, do you have opportunities to continue a civilian life after USMC successfully?

If you don't get shoot, blowen up by a IED, or drink yourself to death in the Marine's.

You are only 14 take your time and feel it out. Its normal to hesitate. Research your ass off and make a well informed decision. What do you want your MOS to be?

The point I was making is not that you can´t do it but rather,

1. Why do you want to serve?
2. Do you feel it´s a priority for you to earn the freedoms you will later enjoy as a citizen? Or is it an option because of the payed college?
3. Are you prepared to go to war to protect your nation against all enemies, foreign and domestic?
4. How bad do you want it? Do you want it bad enough to do some research on your own before using the brilliant resource this page is?
5. And finally, No one on this page can make the decision for you.
You and you alone are responsible for your own decisions, make them as well as you can based on the answers to the questions above.

As you probably have realized by this post the intension of my last post was not to intimidate you about military service, rather to try to give you a challenge and make you answer these questions in your own mind.
Clear enough?
Good luck on making the best decision you can.

Originally Posted by Silens Celer Mortalis

>.< I'll be honest, I'm hesitating I still have a few years left to decide; any input on my hesitation? good, bad sign?

just wondering, do you have opportunities to continue a civilian life after USMC successfully?

Ah, so you're just a baby.

Like the other guys have said, you're still young. There's nothing wrong with considering options for the future but realize you don't have to be sure about what you want right now. By the time you're 18 you'll probably have a list of things you desperately wanted to be at one point and time.

1. make myself something better than what i am now, strove to continue doing so; why others and not me, takes care of my family etc.

2. payed college is a bonus, but taking care of my family comes first; also to see the real world, not a sugar coated dream (that probably sounds immature i know)

3. i believe that currently i am not prepared to go to war, therefore in order to protect myself and that which i love, i must learn (experience) to do so

(i understand i have no idea what war is other than what media shows, no arguments here)

4. i could have done more research yes, i emphasize more, i did do some (some is not enough, i know) plus this is a place to talk to people who have been through everything i might/will go through but i get the point

5. the decisions i will make will be based upon the knowledge i gain from you gentlemen (ladies too)


thank you for the post, i understand what your purpose was

-my reply to your prior post is not to contradict anything you may have said, but to voice my answer (not in being a smart ass) but just so you might see more of where I'm coming from) thanks again

MOS: 0300, not sure what yet, but undoubtedly infantry
(im sure ill learn to hate it later) ^-^

(please feel free to state any opinions, suggestions or discouragements toward the infantry)

Originally Posted by Silens Celer Mortalis

1. make myself something better than what i am now, strove to continue doing so; why others and not me, takes care of my family etc.

2. payed college is a bonus, but taking care of my family comes first; also to see the real world, not a sugar coated dream (that probably sounds immature i know)

3. i believe that currently i am not prepared to go to war, therefore in order to protect myself and that which i love, i must learn (experience) to do so

(i understand i have no idea what war is other than what media shows, no arguments here)

4. i could have done more research yes, i emphasize more, i did do some (some is not enough, i know) plus this is a place to talk to people who have been through everything i might/will go through but i get the point

5. the decisions i will make will be based upon the knowledge i gain from you gentlemen (ladies too)


thank you for the post, i understand what your purpose was

-my reply to your prior post is not to contradict anything you may have said, but to voice my answer (not in being a smart ass) but just so you might see more of where I'm coming from) thanks again

MOS: 0300, not sure what yet, but undoubtedly infantry
(im sure ill learn to hate it later) ^-^

(please feel free to state any opinions, suggestions or discouragements toward the infantry)

I am a Sgt in the USMC. You have plenty of time left. My daugter is your age. It is commendable that you are forward thinking but don't be in a hurry to grow up. I tell my daughter all the time to take it easy, don't be in a rush to get out in the real world. Enjoy life, get your heart broke, get a part time job flipping burgers, hang out at the local video game/roller rink and enjoy being young.

When you are 16, start looking. I do not say that to discourage you now, I know that 2 years seems like an eternity. I say that because at this point in time not many recruiters will give you the time of day, other than a pat on the head and a "come back and see me in a few years". This can be disheartening. I know from personal experience.

Also you will likely have responsibilities and new friends. There is a chance that within those two years your entire attitude towards the military may change.

Thanks I get the same things from my dad ^-^ (he was a LT. in the Romanian Militia) any ways, he doesn't hold military service in the highest of regards, the term "curiosity killed the cat" applies to me

My main goal in beggining my life is to contribute in any way possible to helping my mom and dad. They married late, and i doubt they can support the family for another 10 years, im hoping to take a few of those years off for them; as far as i can see the military is going to help me most

although i have an older brother, he is going to college and might not have time to contribute much; dont wanna make it sound like "its up to me to do my family a favor" but, just my parents, a physical favor at least, im sure they'll worry

...that is if i join

ill take what u said to heart though, your right there is time left, but i suppose it can't hurt too much planning ahead as long as its not excessive at least

Originally Posted by PJ24

First, let me tell you I was never in the Marine Corps, but I did wear some MARPAT once.

In all honesty, with any branch you join you're going to be hard pressed to find time for college within the first year. Remember that you'll have your intial entry training (basic/boot) and your job school. That's roughly six months gone there, give or take. Then you have to get settled into your unit and for the first stretch of time you're going to be very busy taking what they taught you at your job school, brain dumping it, and learning how to really do the job. Before you know it, a year is gone.

Let's also not forget that we're pretty involved in a war right now, deployments are not a matter of if, but when.

As for a two year enlistment into the Marine Corps, they only have three year enlistments and that's for infantry (that was true last year). The Army has an 18 month enlistment, but that's for infantry too (any other MOSes Army guys?). The Army also has 2 and 3 year enlistments, but they are MOS (job) specific. AF is 4 so is Navy (I think). So pretty much, when you look at coming in for such a short time you're going to be balls to the wall working. Combat Arms (infantry type jobs) will keep you very busy.

Someone else mentioned the National Guard, that's a six year commitment, but it's part-time outside of deployments. That would probably be your best bet since you want to go to college while you serve. They have some great programs for guys that are enlisted and want to become officers, plus a lot of states offer tuitition assistance.

Is it worth it to join the military? I'll give you an resounding "hell yes," but ultimately it's up to you and what compromises you're willing to make in your life to accomplish your goals.

I would recommend the Guard. Because if you want collage we will send you. For 45k a year for four years to any state collage you want (Witch is bascally taking care of all yout Tuition Fees). And there is a program (I have forgot the name) that will Help you with any Collage Dept prior to enlistment. Also after collage say you want to go to the USMC you can switch over to any active duty branch.

From reading your posts in this thread, it seems to me that you are more interested in setting yourself up for the future, rather than using military time to go adventuring?

I dont mean that as a put down or slight, btw. I was one of those that wanted to do the adventuring and didnt give a squat about future employment.

If you are looking to do your duty and serve but also wish to develop employable skills, do not forget the US Air Force nor the US Navy.

Both those offer excellent technical training opportunities.

As far as being a grunt in the Corps goes, even in peace time, with the training cycles and deployments and over seas postings, it can be difficult to work on college course work at the same time.