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  1. #1
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    My Marine Corp brothers -- advice

    I retired Navy after 25 years. Went from E-1 to Chief, then LDO to O-4. Only reason I mention me is to help in the advice... I directed my son to the Marine Corp since I felt in my heart that is where he belonged. Anyway, he is knee deep in boot camp ( he is older 22) and I am loving it. Anyway, any advice from our Devil Dogs once he graduates boot camp on career, how to manage it all, etc. He is the kind of kid who will make it a career. Thank you all.

  2. Member
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    #2

  3. Member
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    #3
    Orion, will send you a PM. Ron

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    #4
    And it's "Corps." Don't worry, your son will correct you too.

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    #5
    Ron, that is awesome. You made me spit up. Took me back to early 2000s with a Gunnery Sargent who corrected me lol.

  6. Airborne/Infantry bassnman81's Avatar
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    #6
    Stay out of the grunts would be my advice.


    Lake Norman, N.C./New Britain,CT.
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  7. Member
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    #7
    Going the infantry route is what the Marines is based on, all other jobs support the grunts mission. Having said that, infantry has very limited chances for promotions and career enhancement. Many guys also get burned out on the grunt lifestyle. If he is smart and has good common sense then jobs such as combat engineer or intel allow you to move up the ladder but still experience what the marines is all about. If he’s more focused a career that would lead to a civilian career after wards then I would suggest motor transport or something like air wing maintenance. That would lead to more options in the civilian world afterwards. You get out after being a grunt and go to a job interview and tell them you can run an M240 Machine gun with your eyes closed and it doesn’t get you very far. This is just from my personal experience.

  8. Member
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    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by UKjake15 View Post
    Going the infantry route is what the Marines is based on, all other jobs support the grunts mission. Having said that, infantry has very limited chances for promotions and career enhancement. Many guys also get burned out on the grunt lifestyle. If he is smart and has good common sense then jobs such as combat engineer or intel allow you to move up the ladder but still experience what the marines is all about. If he’s more focused a career that would lead to a civilian career after wards then I would suggest motor transport or something like air wing maintenance. That would lead to more options in the civilian world afterwards. You get out after being a grunt and go to a job interview and tell them you can run an M240 Machine gun with your eyes closed and it doesn’t get you very far. This is just from my personal experience.
    I agree with you .being a Grunt is very rough , but its a winner if hes interested in law enforcement,worked great for me !

  9. Member
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    #9
    My nephew is an aircraft maintenance Marine, I was maintenance for half of my career in the Air Force. I see a huge difference in lifestyle. The Marines have been the best thing for him. He is lured to get out right now, a year remote tour in Japan because the base couldn’t take care of his diabetic daughter and lots of contract/civilian job opportunities have made him think the grass is greener.

    I have facilitated the classes on the other end part time for 14 years. Gen Love’s wife Marjorie hired me. I mainly work with Army, but I’ve worked with all branches over the years. Uncle Sugar did not have those classes when I got out, we show all sorts of transferable skills for infantry. I’ve had spec ops guys come through that somehow manage to earn a doctorate in ten years of AD. I’m talking operators, not support. People have different things that drive them. My advice would be to pick something he’s passionate about, then start working on post secondary certifications, degrees, license as soon as he can. I meet WAY too many active duty military that “joined for a career” only to get hurt etc...and sit there like someone just liked all the sugar off their lollipop on their way out the door because they put all their eggs in a career choice.

  10. Member 1stindoor's Avatar
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    #10
    ^^Good advice right there. That's more or less what I told my son nearly 10 years ago when he wanted to join the Army. Told him to do his homework, find a career field that interested him, something he thought he would enjoy doing and then take advantage of the education benefits once he gets settled in. He became a linguist, just PCS'd back to the states this week, and plans to get out after this assignment, which will put him at 12 years.
    2016 Nitro Z21
    "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." Benjamin Franklin

  11. Member
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    #11
    The 03 field..infantry, is actually and fast promotion MOS. Turnover is high, a lot of Marines in the 03 field that decide to re-up change their MOS. They are tired of deployments, spending a lot of time in the the field, no matter what the weather is. If you have any questios, PM me and I will give you my ph number and let you know what to expect.

  12. Member
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    #12
    If he's already halfway through bootcamp, he has a career field already assigned to him. I was a recruiter from 16-19. Best advice I always gave everyone I sent out the door was to expect your first year or two to suck. I have an infantry background and just recently was medically retired.

  13. Member
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    #13
    If he didn't enlist with a guaranteed MOS then not much he can do if already in boot-camp. Decision will be based on his ASVAB scores and needs of the Marine Corps.

  14. Member
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    #14
    20 year USMC GySgt here, the one thing I would tell him (and we all know this all too well, and we all know he won't listen) is to SAVE MONEY. He has guaranteed income for the next 4 years minimum and if he stays 20 and does right, he could walk away on easy street.

    Of course, he will do what most of the rest of us did. Is there ever a lesson that is so obvious at 40 and so hard to see at 20?

    And tell him Semper Fi, thank you for continuing the tradition, from me.

  15. Member
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    #15
    Great point. He warmed my heart when he took my advice for 20 percent to TSP.