What should I do???

Stoonaroon

Stoonaroon

New Member
I want to join the military. The army or marines. I'd like to be a sniper i definatley don't want to get. A desk job. But my mom wants me to go to college. Any thing you guys think I should major in and any tips to get a head start along with army or marines cments would help. I like both these branches but I hear you are supposed to join the marines at eighteen. Also heard it is harder to become a sniper because you can't choose it. So anything on what I should do would help. Any current or past snipers I would definatley like to talk to you. Thanks
 
I was Navy, but back in my day we did what we wanted to after we turned 18. College will definetly help you become an officer, but for most enlisted in the military get a college degree for them selves, and for after their enlistment is up and they get out of the military.
 
With all due respect (and I'm not kidding), you shouldn't join the military.

You don't choose to be a sniper... Maybe you've seen too much "Full metal jacket" ("you gotta be a killer"... and all that stuff).
I was an officer in the Artillery of the italian army: I fired guns, rifles and machine gun... and it was good to realise the enourmous power a weapon can give you. So, you don't shoot just like you are in a video game.
The most important quality of a soldier is RESPECT: RESPECT FOR YOURSELF, FIRST AND FOREMOST; RESPECT FOR YOUR COLLEGUES AND (NEVER FORGET IT) RESPECT FOR YOUR ENEMY.
YES, IF YOU GOTTA KILL SOMEONE IN ACTION (GOD FORBID, I HOPE), YOU ALWAYS REMEMBER HE'S A MAN LIKE YOURSELF.

I give you a good piece of advice: go to the college and grow up as a man. I'm sure your passion can be better pointed to a career in the studies.

Respectfully
Alex
 
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You can chose to be a sniper, we have sniper slots in my Squadron. If you are motivated and are a top notch shooter you would request to be moved into a sniper slot. If there is a open slot and you are worthy they will send you to sniper school. Our dismounted scout troop has quite a few sniper slots. You will need to be a 11B (Infantryman) to be a sniper. You can get pretty much any school in the army if you are a stud. It's a matter of proving yourself and letting your chain of command know they are not wasting a school slot on a guy who will fail. This is on the Army side of the house.

With all that being said you would need to score at least a 270 on a PT test and shoot in the high 30s before they would even consider sending you to the school. Talk to a recruiter.
 
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alessandro.pirisinu said:
With all due respect (and I'm not kidding), you shouldn't join the military.

You don't choose to be a sniper... Maybe you've seen too much "Full metal jacket" ("you gotta be a killer"... and all that stuff).
I was an officer in the Artillery of the italian army: I fired guns, rifles and machine gun... and it was good to realise the enourmous power a weapon can give you. So, you don't shoot just like you are in a video game.
The most important quality of a soldier is RESPECT: RESPECT FOR YOURSELF, FIRST AND FOREMOST; RESPECT FOR YOUR COLLEGUES AND (NEVER FORGET IT) RESPECT FOR YOUR ENEMY.
YES, IF YOU GOTTA KILL SOMEONE IN ACTION (GOD FORBID, I HOPE), YOU ALWAYS REMEMBER HE'S A MAN LIKE YOURSELF.

I give you a good piece of advice: go to the college and grow up as a man. I'm sure your passion can be better pointed to a career in the studies.

Respectfully
Alex
Click to expand...

Respect for your enemy?
Only good soldiers have the brains to respect their enemy. They tend to die of old age too :salute2:
 
You can also choose to be a scout/sniper in the Marine Corps. You just can't enlist for the MOS.

You must hold an 03XX Infantry MOS

You must shoot high expert

You must have the GT score

You must have a first class PFT score of at least 275

You must have high proficiency and conduct marks

Then you can apply for open billets in the STA Platoon and go thru OJT and eventually S/S course.

Some 02xx Intel Officers can also go thru scout/sniper course but their numbers are very few.
 
wolfen said:
Respect for your enemy?
Only good soldiers have the brains to respect their enemy. They tend to die of old age too :salute2:
Click to expand...

This is the most famous commonplace about soldiers...

Didn't they teach you that defence must always be proportional to offence?

This is the first thing I've been told the first time I fired a round... And, be sure, italian soldiers don't lack courage...
Sure, it's easier to fire at will whenever you see an enemy far from you, hiding yourelf behind a gun or a rifle.
You need courage and, again, respect to be a soldier. The old age is not assured, but courage - often - is the only weapon that escapes from many, many soldiers...

I have never had the privilege of combat... but I've never thought of being a soldier like going to kill my enemy at all costs...

Respectfully
Alex
 
Alex Sir,

This young man is american, therefor he is more likely to end up in a combatzone than you average Italian, not to mention average Swedish soldier.
Fact is, we have a few guys from the states on here that are in combat MOS,s and have or are about to deploy.
Let them give the advice they see fit to this young man.

We both know the respect your enemy part are tought to the soldiers at an early stage.
Up to him to take that advice for what he reckon it being worth just like anything they teach him in his early days in.

Stay safe and sound Sir.

Stoonaroon, why sniper?


//KJ.
 
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Really I don't know what your getting at but the Snipers in the US Army and USMC are drawn from the top troops and generally expieranced troops. So they understand respecting the enemy...maybe I'm reading you wrong.
 
03USMC said:
Really I don't know what your getting at but the Snipers in the US Army and USMC are drawn from the top troops and generally expieranced troops. So they understand respecting the enemy...maybe I'm reading you wrong.
Click to expand...

Was this directed at me?
If so I know damned well what snipers are mate.

//KJ.
 
I would like to thank you, KJ and 03USM. Your answers are the words everyone should write in a military forum... I'm sorry to have read sarcastic remarks from others...

Thank you KJ, because you replied to me calling me "Alex Sir" and that's the best way to start a reply. And thank you for your words, actually words of experience.

And thank you 03USMC: you're not reading me wrong. You have perfectly understood what I meant. Also in Italy, snipers are from the best and experienced troops. Maybe you know about our Carabinieri, Incursori or Marò. I thank you because you said the words I would like to say to that young guy, a sniper wannabe: "It's a long way to the top...".
Also, you are a US Marine: who can say better than you "...so, they understand respecting the enemy"?

Just to quote KJ Sir, stay safe and sound

Alex
 
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No KJ I thought I was misinterpreting alessandro just trying to clear up some things. I think we posted at about the same time.
 
03USMC said:
No KJ I thought I was misinterpreting alessandro just trying to clear up some things. I think we posted at about the same time.
Click to expand...

No worries and I apologize for snapping.
Had nothing to do with you MSgt.

//KJ.
 
alessandro.pirisinu said:
This is the most famous commonplace about soldiers...

Didn't they teach you that defence must always be proportional to offence?

This is the first thing I've been told the first time I fired a round... And, be sure, italian soldiers don't lack courage...
Sure, it's easier to fire at will whenever you see an enemy far from you, hiding yourelf behind a gun or a rifle.
You need courage and, again, respect to be a soldier. The old age is not assured, but courage - often - is the only weapon that escapes from many, many soldiers...

I have never had the privilege of combat... but I've never thought of being a soldier like going to kill my enemy at all costs...

Respectfully
Alex
Click to expand...


Yes sir they taught us that, they also taught us to never to underestimate the enemy.
And teh most important thing they taught me is that what you think is the enemy might be your friend.
 
Wolfen Sir,

it was not so clear who's on whose side... seems you're challenging me on everything I write...

But just to leave behind the sarcasm, that I just can't stand - and I apologize for my previous answer - I appreciate your words: "just remember we're on the same side". I know it...

You know, many times I exchanged my point of view about being a soldier with officers of the USAF of the NATO air base of Decimomannu, in Sardinia, where I lived up to the last year. They where collegues of my old man (he was a GCA Air Traffic Controller of Italian Air Force). I was trying to explain my point of view in this thread about starting a military career.
And you're right: you never underestimate your enemy. I was lieutenant in the Army but I've never been in combat... if I had been, I would have never had doubts about that.

Maybe, you can better understand my ideas if you consider that "Italy rejects war... as means to settle international conflicts": it is written in our Constitution. So, we can only participate in International peace-keeping operations. And I'm sure you know Italian soldiers many times have to react to attacks in Afghanistan or Ex-Yugoslavija or Lebanon... and we paid a huge price in terms of human lives (as the USA, of course), even recently... none the less, Italians don't go away and never turn back.

Hope I have cleared my point of view.

Wolfen Sir, I wish you the best for your career

Alex
 
Sorry to seem like I am challenging you sir, I'm not trying to, sometimes I just get taken that way by a lot of people.

I'm happy that you never had to see combat personally, I was enlisted and saw plenty, both dureing the Cold War, and after, and I'm happy to be retired now.

You said:
"Italy rejects war... as means to settle international conflicts": it is written in our Constitution.

That in itself tells me the people who wrote that into your constitution were very smart people. If the rest of the world had that in their s, maybe we would see less war and more reason to drink together :)

I envy you being stationed in Sardinia, closest I ever got to there was Naples, and Laverno,
 
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