Weighing the Pros and Cons

[Anonymous]

Good Afternoon,

I am a college sophmore majoring in Business Administration at a four year private college.. I have been seriously thinking about joining the marines. I talked to my local recruiter yesterday. I explained to him that I love going to school but my hang up with it is the tuition. I currently pay $16,500 a year for college by the end of 4 or 5 years I will have acquired approx. $80,000 in debt thats a huge weight on my shoulders. He explained the educational opportunities but it seemed like there were so many positive sides with minimal negative sides that it didnt seem believable. Is it o.k. to base most of my decision on the educational benefits I will recieve?

I think joining the military will help me gain the leadership skills and the confidence to someday use my major to help me succeed financially and mentally. At this point in my life I have a 4.0 g.p.a., I have a license in cosmetology and a full time job with full time school. I am struggling financially but making it through with loans. I am only 19 and I cant seem to get it through my head that my accomplishments are good enough, because to me I feel like I've done nothing I always want more.

If someone could please offer me the pros and cons (the real ones) of the military I would greatly appreciate it.



butterfly_kiz@hotmail.com

[Anonymous]

I am going into the marines next summer. I graduated from college last spring and I would not be going in if I weren't going to be an officer. You should finish college and then go to OCS. You will have better opportunities and make more money.

[Anonymous]

You should look into joining the Marine Corp ROTC while you're in college. They will pay for a portion of your college tuition and for your books as well as give you a stipend. Talk to the recruiter for all the options.

[Admin_USMC]

You really need to sit down and evaluate why you want to join the Corps. Educational reasons should not be the sole reason that you want to join the Corps. When I joined, education was a big priority; however, I also had a strong desire to be a Marine. I wanted the intangible benefits along with the training. The big decision is deciding whether or not you want to be a Marine and want to spend the next four years on active duty. The benefits are great all around. The experience and growth that you will have if you do join will be something that you can't get anyhere else and will be well worth it. I agree with the other two posts, explore all of your options before deciding which route to take. The recruiter is correct that the educational benefits are great. I would suggest that you ask the recruiter to guide you towards the occupational fields that generally have set hours so that if you want to go to school while on active duty you can. I finished my Associate's while I was in. The great thing about colleges near the bases is that most of your classes will be only 8 weeks in duration and you can take a full load each semester with out being too overwhelmed. If you want a Business degree you won't have a problem finding a college near where you are stationed. If you want more detailed information you can PM me from this message board and I will respond as soon as possible.

[Anonymous]

Lets face it. Women in the Marine Corps will never recieve the same amount of respect that the men do. The fact that women are treated differently than men adversly affects the the work environment. Think about this. Do you really want to go to Iraq or Afghanistan? Do you want to serve in a horrible place for months on end? Do you want someone to tell you what to do for the next 4 yrs of your life? Sure you will make steady money, but money isn't everything. Finish college and then consider your options from a different perspective.

[MCIWS Sgt]

Fly on the wall.
Have you ever been a Marine? If not then talk what you know. The Marine Corps is the best decision I ever made. I have been to Iraq and I felt pride, not burden when I did my work over there. You get out what you put into the Marine Corps. Every command I have worked for has respected me, because I earned it by not being a whiner. Is it more satisfactory sitting in a cubical taking orders from someone who has a pocket protector, or traveling the world and experiencing life? I joined as enlisted and earned my college degree while I was in the Marine Corps. I now plan to use that degree and go to OCS. What have you done besides ridicule those who have motivation to blanket the country you live in?
Sgt D

[Admin_USMC]

MCWIS Sgt, go girl! I too can say that I never once felt discrimnated against because I was female nor did I feel less respected. If anything I found I was more respected as a female because I pulled my weight, went above and beyond what was expected of me at various ranks and I know I had the respect of my peers. The individuals I found that had no repsect were the lazy leaders who sat back and gave orders without getting out and performing with their troops. As a leader you have to be willing to do everything that you ask your subordinates to do and those who didn't were the ones who weren't respected and believe it or not they were mostly men. I absolutely loved my 4 years of active duty and would do it again in a heartbeat. Truth be told I wish I were still in serving my country! I miss it everyday! Serving in the Corps was 4 of thE most AWESOME years of my life that I will never forget! LADIES DON'T LET ANYONE, NOT MAN OR WOMAN DETER YOU FROM YOUR GOAL! Those of us who have served will give it to you straight, no bs. We wouldn't want any females in the Corps who are going to give us a bad name and we will be upfront and honest about our own experiences. Not everyones experiences will be the same but a vast majority will be. I fyou have the desire and determination then you too can be One of The Few of the Few, The Proud, The MARINES!