Lots of questions!

[Anonymous]

Hi everyone!

Firstly I'd like to thank everyone who has given me information and advice recently. I have learnt sooo much about the USMC in the last couple of months. But there's still so much more I don't know! So if anyone could help with some of my questions, it would be much appreciated.

Firstly, I am interested in completing a university degree WHILE enlisted, but I'm not sure if that is possible. Is that only if you're a particular rank? Would it be too difficult to juggle study along with my other duties? Does the government pay for your degree or part of it? Any other information anyone can provide on this subject would be much appreciated. Someone mentioned something about a ROTC program, but I'm not too sure what that is.

Secondly, I'm an Aussie. On the PI web page, it says in order for foreigners to join the Marine Corps, they "must have entered the US on either a permanent residence visa, or an Alien Registration Receipt Card (INS Form 1-551/I-551 green card or stamped I-94). They must have established a bona fide residence in the US and they must have established a home of record in the US. Once in the US & once all of the criteria is met, interested men and women can go & see a USMC recruiter who can help them enlist in the Marines." Okay, help! What does this mean? I mean, would I have to apply to get a green card (or whatever I need) ASAP, go over to the US, stay with my friend while I see a recruiter and organise to enlist? How long would all of this take, can anyone tell me?

Thirdly, I was interested in knowing how you pick up rank in bootcamp. Someone gave me the impression you can graduate with anything from an E-1 to and E-3. Is this true? What do you have to do to graduate as an E-3? What are the requirements to pick up rank while on active duty? Is it more difficult for females to pick-up? Do you get more money as you rank? Also, I am interested in choosing photography as my MOS. Firstly, what is the score needed on the test (ASVEB or whatever its called) for photography? I heard that your MOS contributes a lot to picking up rank. Do some MOS's help you pick-up more than others? For instance would I find it easier to pick-up if I chose intel rather than photography? Please help, I am rather lost on this one…

Also, do you pay to go to bootcamp, for your ticket to PI, to be shipped, for your supplies or anything or do they pay you, or what? Is it true that everyone showers together at boot? How good/bad is chow? How am I best off to prepare mentally for boot?

Okay, sorry about the barrage of questions guys, but the more answers I get, the more motivated I get. Any other relevant info you have would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Natalie.

P.S: Just for anyone who was wondering my age, I am 16 and have 1 more year of school. The reason I am trying to find out as much info as possible is because if it takes 6-12 months (or somewhere around that time) to get citizenship/a greencard or whatever you need, I would prefer to try and do it ASAP so I can become a Marine ASAP! Thanks everyone.

P.P.S: A big hip-hip-hoorah (no, make that an OOHRAH), to Mon for doing so well in her IST!!



nataliedillon@yahoo.com

[Anonymous]

hey natalie: i'd like to answer some of your questions, if i can (other people, please help me out here :-)

ok, here goes:


:
: Firstly, I am interested in completing a university degree WHILE enlisted,
: but I'm not sure if that is possible. Is that only if you're a particular
: rank? Would it be too difficult to juggle study along with my other
: duties? Does the government pay for your degree or part of it? Any other
: information anyone can provide on this subject would be much appreciated.
: Someone mentioned something about a ROTC program, but I'm not too sure
: what that is.


this, unfortuantely, i don't know how to answer, except that there is this thing called the GI bill that allows for those in the service to get their college degree after they have done their time. but there are ways to go about getting a degree while you are enlisted, you could go to school on base or off, depending on what is available. however, this would have to be night classes and stuff like that. i don't know all the details.
:
: Secondly, I'm an Aussie. On the PI web page, it says in order for foreigners
: to join the Marine Corps, they "must have entered the US on either a
: permanent residence visa, or an Alien Registration Receipt Card (INS Form
: 1-551/I-551 green card or stamped I-94). They must have established a bona
: fide residence in the US and they must have established a home of record
: in the US. Once in the US & once all of the criteria is met,
: interested men and women can go & see a USMC recruiter who can help
: them enlist in the Marines." Okay, help! What does this mean? I mean,
: would I have to apply to get a green card (or whatever I need) ASAP, go
: over to the US, stay with my friend while I see a recruiter and organise
: to enlist? How long would all of this take, can anyone tell me?

ok, about the citizenship/green card thing, i'm sorry, i said i was going to ask my recruiter, and i forgot (bad,bad) but i'll call him today and ask him, i promise ;-)
:
: Thirdly, I was interested in knowing how you pick up rank in bootcamp.
: Someone gave me the impression you can graduate with anything from an E-1
: to and E-3. Is this true? What do you have to do to graduate as an E-3?
: What are the requirements to pick up rank while on active duty? Is it more
: difficult for females to pick-up? Do you get more money as you rank? Also,
: I am interested in choosing photography as my MOS. Firstly, what is the
: score needed on the test (ASVEB or whatever its called) for photography? I
: heard that your MOS contributes a lot to picking up rank. Do some MOS's
: help you pick-up more than others? For instance would I find it easier to
: pick-up if I chose intel rather than photography? Please help, I am rather
: lost on this one…

ok, usually everyone who goes to parris island goes in as an E-1. if you are a college graduate, then you automatically go in as an E-2. also, if you help recruit two people into the marines, you also get promoted to E-2. once in boot, if you are the honor graduate, i believe you also get promoted, so if you go in as an E-1, then you graduate as an E-2. i'm not sure about the difference in promotion in different MOS's.
:
: Also, do you pay to go to bootcamp, for your ticket to PI, to be shipped, for
: your supplies or anything or do they pay you, or what? Is it true that
: everyone showers together at boot? How good/bad is chow? How am I best off
: to prepare mentally for boot?

ok, at boot camp, you get paid your regular salary (like E-1 or E-2 or whatever). BUT, you don't receive any money until your graduation. so, what happens is that once you graduate, you have a chunk of money in the bank waiting for you :-) recruits don't have to pay their plane tickets or anything, the corps pays for that. the only thing you have to pay for is your uniform, which gets deducted out of your paycheck. i believe uniforms are around $900.00 total. but once you're in the corps, the corps gives you an annual allowance to upkeep your uniforms. to get ready for basic trainig, RUN and do lots of situps :-)

i hope i answered some of your questions... let me know if you need more info, and i'll call my recruiter today, i promise semper fi nicole

canziani@simmons.edu

[Anonymous]

Hi, I can help you somewhat on this one because I just spoke to my recruiter last night and I asked the same question (to an extent).


:
:Firstly, I am interested in completing a university degree WHILE enlisted,
: but I'm not sure if that is possible. Is that only if you're a particular
: rank? Would it be too difficult to juggle study along with my other
: duties? Does the government pay for your degree or part of it? Any other
: information anyone can provide on this subject would be much appreciated.
: Someone mentioned something about a ROTC program, but I'm not too sure
: what that is.


you can take classes which will contribute to your college education while enlisted. First off you will only be allowed to start classes AFTER all your training is done. After bootcamp MCT (marine combat training) and your MOS training. Once you get to your duty station you can go to a building on base to sign up for college classes and you'll get tuition assistance. HOWEVER it depends where your stationed, what colleges/universities offer what classes. The recommendation that my recruiter made was to only take about three or four days with two to three (at most) classes a week. You could choose to take classes everyday but you'll just end up wearing your self out. At your duty station you'll have your 9-5 job (approx.)in the MOS you were trained in so your classes will only be able to take place after you get off of your job. You have an option to take classes on base or off. Remember if you go off base that you will have to get transportation to and from the college or university. Just so your aware of that. If your on base you just go to the education building and your all set. You can decide how many classes you want however my recruiter suggested to take classes on a mon. wed. and fri. so that you don't burn yourself out and you can have weekends to yourself. Now IF you get stationed overseas it might be hard to get all the classes you want because it'll depend on the professors who are overseas. He didn't get into too much detail on that but i'm sure it'll be more difficult than if your stationed in the states, for obvious reasons. Also another catch to the tuition assistance is that your required to keep a 2.0 grade avg. or they will make you drop the class and take away your tuition assistance, so you'll have to sign up again and try harder. It's not unfeasible so i don't think you'll have trouble with that. If you take your opportunity to get your college credits during your enlistment time it's a good idea. Personally i wasn't going to i wanted to just consentrate on my job, but my recruiter brought up a point i didn't realize. If you get at least two to three years of college taken care of while your enlisted. Then when you get out (if you choose too at the end of your first period of enlistment) you have one to two years of college left and your G.I. Bill will pay for that. HOWEVER, it depends how much you get from the G.I. bill if you only get 15,000 dollars. you'll get a good chunk of your last one to two years taken care of. Now if you didn't take any classes and your only offered 15,000 it doesn't take care of hardly anything. (i only used 15,000 as an example it could be more or less and it depends on qualifications and a ton of other factors. I'm just repeating what my recruiter said to me :-) This little bit of info. convinced me to get my education while i enlisted because it'll save me awhole lot of time and money later. I didn't realize the whole catch behind the G.I. bill till last night. (not to undermine the bill there are just things you need to be extra sharp to catch. thank god for recruiters!!) so that is what i know as of last night. hope that helped i know i'm convinced to get my college out of the way. (sorry for bad typing i had a lot to say so i just typed.)

[Anonymous]

N.,

Also, something else to think about. The tuition assistance/Gi Bill does not apply to everyone. For example, I am going reserves and I already have a degree. I was told I do not qualify for the GI Bill.

Although you will be going active & don't have a degree yet, make sure to find out (or we find out for you... :o) ) if your 'resident' status is going to have any impact on the schooling issue....

Email me your address & next time I see my recruiter I will pick up brochures for you. I forgot to get them on Saturday.... :o( too excited about that IST business! LOL

Mon

zuma50@hotmail.com

[Anonymous]

: N-


I was stationed with a guy who did not have a perment residence in the United States. He was from poland. He was living in the US for several years before he joined and he had a residence card. Once he joined he was able to become a citizen of the United States. I have a friend of mine who is a recruiter for the Marine Corps. I will call her tonight and see if she has an e-mail address and get the two of you in touch with each other. Her name is Sgt. Delisle. She is great Marine and very motivated. She will do what she can to help.

Amy

abbeattie@duke-energy.com

[Anonymous]

I'll see if I can help... I think most of your questions have been covered, but I'll add my two cents.


:
: Firstly, I am interested in completing a university degree WHILE enlisted,
: but I'm not sure if that is possible.


Outside of the GI Bill and going to college in your off time, there are such things as MCI's... basically a correspondence course that the Marine Corps provides regardless where you are stationed, even overseas. This is one of the better deals for Marines short on time and who can't get access to a college classroom.
:
: Secondly, I'm an Aussie. On the PI web page, it says in order for foreigners
: to join the Marine Corps, they "must have entered the US on either a
: permanent residence visa, or an Alien Registration Receipt Card (INS Form
: 1-551/I-551 green card or stamped I-94).

Don't know about that one.
:
: Thirdly, I was interested in knowing how you pick up rank in bootcamp.
: Someone gave me the impression you can graduate with anything from an E-1
: to and E-3. Is this true? What do you have to do to graduate as an E-3?
: What are the requirements to pick up rank while on active duty? Is it more
: difficult for females to pick-up? Do you get more money as you rank? Also,
: I am interested in choosing photography as my MOS. Firstly, what is the
: score needed on the test (ASVEB or whatever its called) for photography? I
: heard that your MOS contributes a lot to picking up rank. Do some MOS's
: help you pick-up more than others? For instance would I find it easier to
: pick-up if I chose intel rather than photography? Please help, I am rather
: lost on this one…
:
: Also, do you pay to go to bootcamp, for your ticket to PI, to be shipped, for
: your supplies or anything or do they pay you, or what? Is it true that
: everyone showers together at boot? How good/bad is chow? How am I best off
: to prepare mentally for boot?

Our platoon guide went in as an E-2 and came out an E-3 from boot. It depends on how good of a recruit you are. If you kick butt and try harder than everyone else, you'll probably get meritoriously promoted. It's the top 10% from your series, so you have to be pretty darn good. Generally, you won't get promoted more than one grade, so if you go in as a private, you most likely won't come out as a LCpl. Some MOS's pick up rank very quickly. Intel tends to promote quickly, but it depends on what specific area you have. There are two fields 0200 and 2600... I'm 2600 and everyone I know has been moving up pretty quickly. Don't choose your MOS based on gaining rank. There are standards for promotions and it won't matter until later in your career how fast you're promoted. Pick a job you're going to like, because you can't just say "I don't like this, give me something else"

Your transportation to PI is furnished. You pay for your Uniforms, and a bunch of other stuff at the Island... laundry soap, hygeine items, cleaning products to clean the squad bay... stuff like that. In the end it ends up being a few hundred dollars for that and my uniform issue cost me about $650.00. You pay with a Debit card that they issue you and the money is taken right out of the bank account that they also issue you, so you don't need to have money in the bank already.

Yes, everyone showers together. BUT, the DI's make you run in and out of the showers so fast that you don't have an extra second to worry about it if you're uncomfortable with that. Chow is not bad. They give you 3 square meals a day and unless you're on a diet program, there's usually a pretty good variety. The chow at MCT is A LOT worse than the chow at boot. Boot camp is no big thing. Look at it as an experience, nothing more. It isn't nearly as hard as everyone says it is and the biggest problem is that it takes some getting used to. The ones who have problems are the ones who are not willing to adapt to a new set of rules or lifestyle.

Good luck and feel free to email me with questions! K



kathyw46@hotmail.com