Hello,
I am thinking about joining the Marines. If you are a veteran of the Marines I would like some info about it. I am not trying to offend anyone by asking but I would like the general scoop of what its like? The reason I am asking on here is I have heard that some recruiter are full of BS. My whole life I have wanted to be a scout sniper but as I got older I found out what goes into that and the odds, Would also like some info about that. P.M. me if you are open to talk about it.

Thanks,

My son just graduated yesterday, and my Dad graduated just as Korea was ending.

The current advice is do what you're told, quickly, and don't lose anything. Anyone of above-average intelligence and without anger management or authority resistance issues will do just fine.

If you have to worry about the physical requirements, it might not be for you. Otherwise, if you can do at least three pull-ups NOW and more than 50 crunches before slowing down, and can run a 7-minute-pace mile for 2.5 miles, it's likely to be no problem.

The Physical wouldn't be a big problem I am in pretty good shape. Hunt and walk a lot sometimes 20+ miles in a day. No anger management or authority resistance.....

going in and being a SS is not easy and far from feasible. You are going to want to give your all all through boot camp and SOI, then when you get to the fleet the STA platoon will run an Indoc. This isnt so much testing your physical abilities. They want to see what you got inside, your heart is the biggest thing

My experience in the Marine Corps was over forty years ago, and is therefore likely to be more stale then the Pharaoh's bread.

Marine Boot Camp is pretty universally regarded as intense, spirited, and unquestionably motivating. Doing anything but what you're told is not really an option. The only real option is to survive or flunk out.

When it's over, you're different. Very different. Forever.

Greg

How old are you? All other things being equal, if I have to choose people for the SSP, I am picking the older people.

Your best bet in dealing with the recruiter is to make friends with a Marine and take him with you. A NCO if possible, a SNCO even better.

The initiation process is long and humbling. There is some yelling. The follow-on schools are tedius. Depending on what you are assigned to do, the work runs the gambit. In some jobs, people live out of a seabag and are gone most of the time. In others, people sort mail and sign papers and are home in time for dinner. Some people here will knowingly laugh, for this is what Marines do when they are happy, sad, angry, etc...

I found most Marines to have authority resistance issues, but they are trained to follow orders and do so. Take for instance a busload of civilians arriving at a remote location where they are to offload and meet someone. If you watch them, they offload and then start looking around like strangers in a strange land wondering what to do. A busload of Marines on the other hand would offload, and with nothing happening directly, would hold an orderly formation and then tasks would be assigned.

Your question is so broad it is difficult to answer. By all means, if it has entered your mind, listen to the voice and what it tells you. But there are so many perspectives that the thread could go on forever. Here is one: walking 12 miles back to the battalion area early one Friday afternoon, after a good week of force on force and then live-fire training, a Marine rifle company then has to endure a pouring rain. As the pogue parade builds up, the Marines driving hurriedly by the long formation look out of their dry cars at the wet and tired infantrymen having to walk and think, "Damn glad I had a great GT score and ended up as a (enter non combat arms MOS)." The infantrymen then hold their heads up and throw their shoulders back and grin at the cars going by thinking, "fuckin-A right I am infantry." Same planet. Same service. Different worlds.

I will echo the 'listen to your mind's voice' comment. When I went to college I enrolled the Platoon Leaders Course. It was the best experience I've ever had. However because I listened to the voices of other people rather than my mind's voice I opted out in the end. It is a decision I regret to this day and ponder often after many decades. On the bright side the experience taught me to trust what I know about me rather then what others think they know about me.

It was the best thing i ever did with my life,
and now all else just pales in comparison to it
is the only downside, but not all people do as
well as they think they might. just dont putt
the idea of what you think bieng a Marine
is like to far up on a pedistool and just go in
with the intent to not come out wishing you
could have done more with it. I allways think
of it as the best gift i have ever had in the
worst package ive ever seen if that makes any
sence to anyone. And one more thing before you
get to worked up over bieng a Sniper or anything
else just worry about bieng the best grunt you can
then figure out what u really want. There is plenty
to do Recon, STA,Hell even a strait up 0311 Squad
leader,Force or MSOB i guess ime not up to speed on
that right now oooorrrrr Admin Tactical.......
speed on that right now

Stop bullshitting and just do it. Bottom line, it's a kick ass place to start.
You think you can be a 8541 go Infantry, do well, then as the man said, try out the STA platoon indoc to see if you have it. Just don't be disappointed if you don't because being a MArine is the Cat's Ass. It's the best freakin thing in the world. Plus all the cool places you get to go are mighty fine too!