what is it like to be a marine?? bootcamp??

[Anonymous]

Hey my name is jen and I am seriously thinking about joining the marines...i am currently enlisted in the army and unfortunately i donot find it challenging in any way...i want to push myself like ive never been pushed before, i really want to be deployed, and fight for my country...i am working on a 4 year degree in political science and i wanted to know if i should go in as an officer...or go in as an enlisted...im ready to see if i have what it takes to become a marine ....please answer ..thanks!
jen

[MCIWS Sgt]

Jen,
Hey, I am a female Sgt in the Marines and have been deployed over seas. You made the right decision by dropping the Army and going into the Marines. I was in the same boat as you. I have a BA and am about to go to OCS to become an officer. I joined as enlisted while I completed my undergraduate degree. It was the best decision I have ever made. Please feel free to ask me any questions.
Sgt D

[Anonymous]

Sgt D,

Please post when you get back. I want to know what OCS is like. I graduate with a BS degree in May and I am wondering which route to take...enlisted or OCS. Thank you for the info.

:)

[MCIWS Sgt]

Selina,
I am afraid I can not answer that I am scheduled to go to OCS this summer. I can tell you that if you are going to make a career out of it, it is better to go in enlisted. You then have a choice if you still want to do OCS and if you do, having enlisted time under your belt will make you a better officer. Hope this helps.
Sgt D

[tperng]

I am also applying to OCS, but I'll be in the October session. There are some books and online resources on officer training. I've got a little thread on the topic: http://www.militarywoman.org/messages/viewtopic.php?t=6931

I personally decided to skip the enlisted route and go straight to officer training partly because I'm already old (26) and partly because I enjoy leading projects at my current job and want to develop my leadership skills even further. So while I will always regret not having experience as an enlisted Marine, I already have plenty of experiences as the little worker bee and will work hard to be a good officer of Marines.

Talking to recruiters should also be helpful since they can give you additional information and perspectives on the differences between the enlisted and officer paths. Good luck on your choice. And good luck at OCS, Sgt D!

[Anonymous]

Hey SGT D! Thank you for replying to my message...Thank you for your great advice, im definetely going to pursue the marines as soon as i get out...whether or not im going to go officer im still debating it because i truly feel that before i can be an officer in any service i should enlist first so that i know where they are coming from, even though i am currently enlisted army i still feel that i should do it, and i dont mind hard work...but im still debating. what do you suggest?? If i go enlisted with a BA will i go in with any rank? please write back.
Jen

[MCIWS Sgt]

Jen,
With a college credits you can go in as a PFC rather than a Private. I am torn on your situation...with military experience in the Army you know the basics. The Marine Corps is much more intense and nit picking. I mean if you are not %100 right then you are wrong. If and when you join the Marines...forget everything the Army taught you...never make the mistake of saying "in the Army we did it like this" you will never live it down. Learn it the Marine way and retain that information. Which ever path you chose, your are making the right decision to be a Marine in the first place. I am sure you will notice the difference from the Army on the first day. Since you have seen the enlisted side of the house in the Army, and you already have your degree, going straight to officer would not be a bad thing to do. The only thing that concerns me is the dramatic difference in training. It is like going from bumper cars to a professional race car driver. If you feel you are up for the challenge then do it, if you feel you need work go enlisted first. Let me know if you have any more questions and good luck.
Semper Fi
Sgt D

[KS-USMC]

This thread is pretty old but I wanted to chime in since I was in a somewhat similar situation when I joined the Marine Corps. I was not prior service, but I do have a 4 year degree and was torn on whether or not to go in as Officer or Enlisted at first.

I went Enlisted and am currently training at my MOS school. So I'm done with boot camp and MCT and I am thrilled with my decision to go enlisted first. I will probably go Officer at a later date, but for now...I'm enjoying working from the ground up.

As far as what bootcamp is like...there is no experience like it...I am stationed in Missouri now where the Army boot camp is and their training is FAR different from anything we ever went through. Some of the army recruits actually talk to Drill Sergeants here...that would definitely not fly at lovely Parris Island...it takes about a full month to learn how to effectively communicate to a Drill Instructor. Get used to "sounding off" and doing it loudly because it motivates the hell out of them and well...they won't accept anything but your loudest, your fastest and your best every minute of everyday.

In Marine Corps boot camp, stress is ALWAYS high and demands are even higher. You need to be on top of your game at all times to save yourself from more pain. The physical punishments really weren't too bad, but the mental stress gets hard after doing it for 13 weeks straight. You never get one minute to yourself and let me tell you what happens with large groups of stressed out females :) HAHA...it gets rough sometimes but trust me...it's SO worth it...being a Marine is the best job in the world. What other career allows you to PT on the job and even moreso, won't accept people who don't take care of their bodies! After Marine Corps boot camp, you'll learn to appreciate life so much more. At MOS school, our day usually starts at 0500 and ends at 1730 and that feels like a walk in the park. The rest of the world isn't used to 12 1/2 hour days but you'll be so used to 16-20 hour days that a silly 12 1/2 hour day will be a pleasant break.

Good luck with the decision...I know you'll do what's best for you!