I am 20 years of age got my highschool diploma and I have always wanted to be a Marine.  Also if there is a specific job in your contract that you are wanting to do does that mean you are entitled to that poistion or do they put you where they want you?
201093
Like everyone else has stated above, you do not get your first choice.  They give you options, but remember as a marine your first duty is a rifleman, you are a foot soldier and most likely will see some type and form of combat in a war time environment. The only way out is if you have some speak law degree and or super computer skills, but that is normally left to the Navy to do for us.  You much understand that the MARINES own you, you do not think for yourself, you do not plan for yourself. If the Marine Corps wanted you to have a wife you would have been issued one in boot camp.  So if you have a girl, drop her.  I can not tell you how many "Dear John" letters are out there that have made grown men cry.  In the end you get only what you want out of the Marines, nothing else.  It is a commitment of your body, sole and life for the Stars and bars.  You would be the first and last line of defense and will be required to do things that you never thought you would or could ever do.  This is the worst case, my brother never saw anything more than the underside of a HumVee (JUNK) give me an old MUTT any time.
86430
ive heard that if you are an officer you had to request discharge in writing. in your case go down with a bunch of friends say ,"give me the papers" and dont say anything else. call ahead make sure they have the papers and have them identify the papers while your on the phone [ dd214, whatever,etc] if you didnt sign anything to reserve a job i think its bs... anyway i enlisted way back in '66 and ever since i've thought recruiters are a bunch of low life blood sucking cowards... especially the young ones who should be out there doing the fighting if thats what they believe in ... and i dont care if they already did 2-3 toures ..instead of "hustelling" young impressionable children into  a possition where they may have to kill for a living.. and live [ if they're luck] with it for the rest of their lives... hey if you want i'll go with you to sign the papers! they piss me off lieing punk cowards that they are .they used to get paid commision .. i dont know about now.. if you think about it they are the worst kind of child molesters!
277851
It feels great to be called US Marine.  That's why I joined.  And I've met three former Army girls in my battalion who had the guts to join up as well.  Obviously I'm not the only one who knows where the best are supposed to be.  Semper Fi.
387615
~Well, pilgrim, me and the Duke just discussed it and we agree the Marines want you.  No brains, likes to sweat, believes invading a sovereign nation without cause or justification is a patriotic thing to do and is somehow akin to defending the motherland.  You'll probably look good in a butch cut and will give the folks on the other side a worthwhile target to shoot at.  By all means, stay away from a "technical" branch that may require foreign concepts like thought and reason and get your butt to Paris Island and start pushing dirt as soon as you can.  Bill O'Reilly loves you.  Given your reasons for wanting to sign up, I'm sure you'll go far.  You could even be our next Bill Calley or Ollie North.
71431
Chances are, they did it for your own good.  I was in the same situation when I was your age.  I finished going to school and got my degree.  They didn't want you to screw up your future.  You'll have more power to do what you want once you've got school squared away.  Hope this helps. :)
46690
Speaking from personal experience and pride.  I would say the Marine Corps is the way to go.  Something my friends and I noticed while I was in; if you ask a soldier what he does, he will tell you "I am in the Army." Navy? "I am in the Navy." Air Force? "I am in the Air Force." But if you ask a Marine what he does, he/she will tell you "I am a Marine!"  That is something no one else in the world can say.  For 230 years the Marine Corps has been monkey stomping anyone that needs it.  There has never been a mutiny in the Marine Corps.  Hence the motto "Semper Fidelis." Which means "Always Faithful."  It applies to more than that also. It applies to the fact that, if we can help it, we never leave a man on the battlefield.  Wounded or dead.  We take care of our own.  From experience with other branches of service they learn a little about their service history.  Marines learn everything about their service history.  It is no longer the history of the Marine Corps, it is MY history as well. I was a Sergeant. I was leader of Marines.  That is one of the greatest feelings in the world.  Almost as good as the day I stood on top of "The Reaper," and my Senior Drill Instructor put that Eagle,Globe, and Anchor in my hand, and told me(this by the way was the first time in the entire 13 weeks of boot camp that any Marine is addressed as Marine, only when their training is complete are you a Marine.) "Congratulations Marine. Welcome to the Corps."  Marines have pride in their service in part because of our history, and also because we had to earn the title Marine.  We had to earn the right to be called Marine.  Everyone else is a soldier, sailor, or airman as soon as they get to basic training.  Not Marines. I was every derogatory term except.  I certainly wasn't a human being. But then it was all worth it.  Marines are the first to fight.  Whatever you think your chances of going to Iraq or Afghanistan are...double it.  I'm not trying to Scare you away, but every Marine is a rifleman. Our pilots learn learn infantry combat tactics.  Oh by the way the whole Navy pilots are the best thing. Only the top 10% of Naval Flight School, are allowed to be Marine pilots.  Someone had mentioned the Navy SEALs.  You can be a Navy SEAL even if you are a Marine.  The SEALs are Special Forces and thus are open for anyone in the Armed Services to try.  But why do that, the Corps just started its own Special Forces program.  I would have retired if I could have.  Anyway I say go Marine.
641080
Well first you go to Boot Camp (not basic training, big difference), then you go to MCT (Marine Combat Training) and then you go to A-school to learn about your job.  Finally you get stationed somewhere.  I don't know what you mean asking what do you do next.  You do your job and whatever else they tell you to do.
264918
Why would it matter? You join the military to serve where they place you. That is the whole point; to serve your country wherever they need you.
345225
Yes.\n\nYou are not in the navy until you swear in.  You don't swear in until you have approved a contract.  The contract lists everything the navy is promising.\n\nIf you are at MEPS and can't get the job you want you are totally free to leave.  I did it three times.  The 4th time I got the job I wanted.
143164
Probably.  Especially if you meet the age requirements.  Don't know them, since they are different with prior service.  When I was thinking of joining, I went to about.com and looked up the USMC.  The site gave me a lot of info on age etc.  Or you could try the army's site.  Or worst of all!  Call a recruiter.  He could answer your questions.
89168
i dont know where you want to proceed in your career after you get your degree,but ive got a lot of friends in the army,the national guard,and other branchs as well that got their training in the millitary and love every sec of it.I mean they get to travel the world, or stay close to home like the national guard or reserves.Plus once you get out the millitary you have one of the highest recomemdations of all.Right now you may think im a recuriter or something ,but in fact im not im a regular soldier in the national guard.My mos is millitary police.Currently im a security guard,ive already been accepted for the police dept but choose not to take the job until i turn 21.i stay close to home(20 min)and im very happy with the way i got my job and training.
159683
depends... \n\nusually after college the student finds a job in thier field and practices what they were taught.  However, thats not to say you can't do what you were taught in the military.  \n\nI don't know if there is an age limit in the military. If so, you might want to do that first, then do college when you get back.  \n\nBut once there in, its hard to get out.  Compared to school you can always drop if you feel its not for you and join the military at that point.\n\nThere are alot of options and things to consider for your choice and its not an easy choice to make.\n\nPersonally myself, I think you should invest in yourself (school) because if you go to the military and then feel after your term is done that you want to study, however you can't because of money or whatever and start to work to save up for school, it becomes hard to get out of the work force and go to school.  Its not impossible but it is difficult.\n\nFollow your heart.
664342
Sorry, four years is the shortest for those branches (and that's active, you then have 4 years inactive reserve).  You can take college courses in the service and they pay for everything.  (Your GI Bill is saved for when you get out).  It wouldn't make sense to have a two year contract.  Lets take the Marines for example.  You have boot camp and after graduation you have MCT (Marine Combat Training), then you have A-school.  That's almost a year right there depending on your job and how long it took to class up in school.  They spend all that money and you serve for a year?  That's not going to happen.  Trust me, the time flies by!  If you're going to do, just bite the bullet and sign.
593972
You will probably be a better student now than you would have been right out of high school.  You're more highly motivated, and I'm sure your stint in the Marines taught you a lot about self-discipline.  Many (most, I would think) colleges have programs to assist returning students or students who feel they need some extra help.   \nI myself got a graduate degree 26 years after I graduated from college and exactly 30 years after my high school graduation.  I had some fears myself about getting back into a school groove, but I really had no problems because this was something I really wanted.  \nI work in a college now, and I can tell you that I'd be very happy to have someone like you as a student.   You're going to do great!
253045
There will always be a few people crazy enough to join the Marines. The Marines will take anyone. The only thing good about a Marine is they keep the prison guards employed.
594455
If your intentions are to possibly leaned towards a career I would highly reccommend the choice you have already made. The Air Force is an excellent choice family wise also. If you like to spend months onboard a ship, then by all means join the Navy. If you like walking, marching or bouncing around in a vehicle, join the Army. If you think you are the macho type and enjoy running errands on a ship, plus like to march or strut around like a tin soldier and think your the badest ass in town, go with the Marines. It's as simple as that. There is no such thing as the best, we're all in this together and should act as such. To me there is no single hero, in my personal opinion anyone who puts on a uniform and serves his country (USA)honorably for a full tour of duty in any branch of the services deserves to be called a hero.
288783
going into boot camp, it'll be lower.  Coming out, quite a few more will be at those standards.  The DI's won't hound you for it, but it will seem like it.  You'll be given responsibility to help your fellow recruits that are struggling.  It'll seem like they are assigning impossible tasks in what little free time you have, but it's actually teaching to be a leader and how to help your fellow Marines.