General Questions and advice

[Sergeant M]

Just calm down and take a breath. From what I'm reading on all these other threads, the average time in the DEP program is about a year. That means if you want to go to bootcamp within the next year, it's a good idea to get on the waiting list now. All they're going to do at MEPS is make sure that you're qualified and make sure that you really want to be in the military. If you have any questions you can PM me as well.

[GyC]

So I went to the recruiter, asked him everything I could think of. Took a practice ASVAB scored a 55. Before I knew it I was signing paperwork to take the real ASVAB and get my physical.

Wow this is going fast.

My mother is a wreck (as I expected) I'm nervous as hell, I spoke to my recruiters Gunnery Sergeant (asuming that considering he called him Gunny). Very nice guy sold me on the Marines, Little did I know I aparently gave him the impression I want to go NOW.

I wake up to a phone call asking me if im ready to go because the Gunnery Sergeant projected me today.

I told the recruiter I was going to wait till Monday, Not knowing that after doing this I would be swearing in. I thought there was more to it! I didn't even discuss careers.

My Family is not all that supportive of this, I have a cousin who's a Marine officer but he's hard to contact - While writing this I finally got a hold of him but he wasn't too sure how to answer my questions, but did tell me the harder side that the recruiter didn't touch.

Now, when I swear in after my ASVAB and Physical. Am I locked into the Marines? Or am I only sending in my application for a contract to sign at a later date?
I want to do this, without a doubt. However the timing and speed of which this is going is too fast. As i've stated I still didn't even go over the jobs with him yet, which I really want to do before I go any further.

I feel I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. There are still things I absolutely have to take care of before I can leave, but they take time.

If you told them you wanted to be a Marine, they are acting on your response to a question... I agree with an earlier response, step back, take a breath, and put things into perspective... You have wanted to do this for 2 years, now you're actually doing it... This is an agreement between people, which means if you want to leave 5 months from now, just tell them... You'll talk about it... Once you are found qualified at the MEPS, you will enter Delayed Entry, which if ran as it should, will assist you in preparation for Boot Camp... Also, you will sit down with the Gunny and discuss Programs (Jobs) that you are qualified for and that are available for the period you are leaving in... The Marine Corps guarantees, on a limited basis, Recon... Talk to Gunny about it...

[MD8724]

Until you sign the final contract and leave from MEPS to PI or SD, you can walk away. No matter what they tell you, you can walk away. They will tell you plenty of bull****, but it's exactly that, bull****. Anyways. Yeah, Think about it long and hard. If you enlist and it turns out to not be what you want for a career, you'll be 30 years old, just looking to start out all over agian.

[GyC]

Until you sign the final contract and leave from MEPS to PI or SD, you can walk away. No matter what they tell you, you can walk away. They will tell you plenty of bull****, but it's exactly that, bull****. Anyways. Yeah, Think about it long and hard. If you enlist and it turns out to not be what you want for a career, you'll be 30 years old, just looking to start out all over agian.

I always enjoy when I get to see some disgruntled individual spewing their "no-nonsense" advice on matters of committment... The dude that started this thread was looking for some positive advice/ feedback, and then some numb-nuts Cpl with 3 years in (assumption) gets on and goes negative because his 1st Sgt just chewed him out, or he probably just didn't get down with the program... When you join the Corps, it's a committment, period... What you say is certainly true, however for the individual that started this thread, as I said earlier, you have choice in the entire process... If you are not committed to the idea of spending 4-5 years as a Marine, working sometimes long hours to accomplish the mission, deploying, etc., then don't do it... The Marine Corps is not a Career Force, unbeknownst to many that join, or are interested... The Marine Corps demographically is the youngest branch of service, which means that many Marines choose not to make it a career, and step off to bigger and better things... Approach the Marine Corps as if it was a 4 year job that was going to benefit you in many different ways, and if you truly enjoy it, then reenlist... Specifically for you MD whoever, if I could find out who you were, where you were at, then I would do whatever I could to tear those Cpl chevrons off those sleeves of yours... Your Rank holds the privelege of being the backbone of the Corps, the Non-Commissioned Officers that GET IT DONE... You are the first step of small unit Leadership, and here you are spewing some negative garbage to a kid that wants that responsibility perhaps, to lead... You should be ashamed, but you're probably not, you'll go about your business being some butt-nugget NCO who's no better than the PFC that checked in yesterday... Freakin turd... Gy Out

[Crusader20]

I have heard you can enlist with the option to go seals in the navy... you need some serious pre-reqs you need to meet, but you should talk to a recruiter and get the news from the guys who get paid to know that info...

That is correct. Now, the Navy will allow you to join the Seal program. You will even be dropped into a Boot camp with other Seal attemptees.

Then you will head off to Pre Seal training, RIP for the Army rangers.

But, yes. You can sign up for just Seals now. My Dad's, wifes, son,, Just joined the Navy and is now at BUDS in Flordia. He has completed Seal and Dive school so far, and then will be headed to jump school, next. Then he will be dropped to the unit. All in all, about a year and half of schools first, before getting to his unit.

[Petz]

I always enjoy when I get to see some disgruntled individual spewing their "no-nonsense" advice on matters of committment... The dude that started this thread was looking for some positive advice/ feedback, and then some numb-nuts Cpl with 3 years in (assumption) gets on and goes negative because his 1st Sgt just chewed him out, or he probably just didn't get down with the program... When you join the Corps, it's a committment, period... What you say is certainly true, however for the individual that started this thread, as I said earlier, you have choice in the entire process... If you are not committed to the idea of spending 4-5 years as a Marine, working sometimes long hours to accomplish the mission, deploying, etc., then don't do it... The Marine Corps is not a Career Force, unbeknownst to many that join, or are interested... The Marine Corps demographically is the youngest branch of service, which means that many Marines choose not to make it a career, and step off to bigger and better things... Approach the Marine Corps as if it was a 4 year job that was going to benefit you in many different ways, and if you truly enjoy it, then reenlist... Specifically for you MD whoever, if I could find out who you were, where you were at, then I would do whatever I could to tear those Cpl chevrons off those sleeves of yours... Your Rank holds the privelege of being the backbone of the Corps, the Non-Commissioned Officers that GET IT DONE... You are the first step of small unit Leadership, and here you are spewing some negative garbage to a kid that wants that responsibility perhaps, to lead... You should be ashamed, but you're probably not, you'll go about your business being some butt-nugget NCO who's no better than the PFC that checked in yesterday... Freakin turd... Gy Out

damn gunny... maybe we can take this to PM when outside the hooch... SF

[GyC]

damn gunny... maybe we can take this to PM when outside the hooch... SF

To those NCO's, fellow SNCO's, and Marines that keep it positive in the forums where it should be, and for my slight outburst... I don't know how many Recruiting side Marines are on here, but I have Poolees on here that turned me on to this site... There's no quarter for any Marine that is going to say a Recruiter (fellow Marine) is spewing bull****... If you have issue with something that the Marine Corps did or is doing then take it up with your chain of command/communication... Most Recruiters work pretty hard to accompish the mission, and that's what it is, a mission... Apologize again for hijacking the thread...

[Petz]

I agree Gunny, Marines should not be blasting recruiters... the recruiters said what they are instructed to say and the people only hear what they want, ignoring the OTHER information that they later complain about.

if you sign the contract the only person to blame is yourself, the recruiters only give you the key to enter the Marine Corps.

[MD8724]

Until you sign the final contract and leave from MEPS to PI or SD, you can walk away. No matter what they tell you, you can walk away. They will tell you plenty of bull****, but it's exactly that, bull****. Anyways. Yeah, Think about it long and hard. If you enlist and it turns out to not be what you want for a career, you'll be 30 years old, just looking to start out all over agian.

Okay, jesus ****ing chirst. The guy was worried about being rushed in and now not being able to walk away. I was saying that yes, he can still walk away after he signs the DEP contract. If he trys, they will tell him bull**** such as he'll be sent to prison and fined and all this crap. And it is just that, bull****. Nothing will happen other than them harrassing him. Im not saying anything bad about recruiters. It's their job to do such. But the fact is, until he signs the final contract just before he departs for training, he can walk away. Now why oh why would I tell him this ? It must be that I hate the Corps and my 1st Sgt yelled at me, right ? Or, possibly, it could be that he said things were going really fast and he was worried about it. Oh my! Who would have ****ing thought that.

As for the career comment I made, agian, he said things were going fast and just like everyone else told him to slow down, so did I. Regardless of opportunites it opens, 30 is still and old age to be starting out all over agian in life.

I don't hate the Corps, and my 1st Sgt didn't say ****. The man asked for answers and he got them. if you took these the wrong way, then maybe you should have read into them a bit more.


-3 year Cpl who isn't ****ing retarded, Out.

[GyC]

Okay, jesus ****ing chirst. The guy was worried about being rushed in and now not being able to walk away. I was saying that yes, he can still walk away after he signs the DEP contract. If he trys, they will tell him bull**** such as he'll be sent to prison and fined and all this crap. And it is just that, bull****. Nothing will happen other than them harrassing him. Im not saying anything bad about recruiters. It's their job to do such. But the fact is, until he signs the final contract just before he departs for training, he can walk away. Now why oh why would I tell him this ? It must be that I hate the Corps and my 1st Sgt yelled at me, right ? Or, possibly, it could be that he said things were going really fast and he was worried about it. Oh my! Who would have ****ing thought that.

As for the career comment I made, agian, he said things were going fast and just like everyone else told him to slow down, so did I. Regardless of opportunites it opens, 30 is still and old age to be starting out all over agian in life.

I don't hate the Corps, and my 1st Sgt didn't say ****. The man asked for answers and he got them. if you took these the wrong way, then maybe you should have read into them a bit more.


-3 year Cpl who isn't ****ing retarded, Out.

Cease fire, unload, and show clear... PM'ed you...

[MD8724]

I apologize for my little outburst as well. Maybe I shouldn't have used to word bull****. Regardless, my post original post still stands. If you think it's going to fast, then tell them to slow it down. Nothing is final until you sign the last contract at MEPS just before you ship out, no matter what anyone else says.

As for the commitment comment, well, if anyone thinks 4-5 years isn't a long time to commit to something you aren't sure about, they need to think agian. You inquired about the Seals and the Marines, so it seems to me you may have somewhat of the wrong picture about the Military. Stop watching Jarhead, get the facts, think it out, then do whatever you decide from there.