Official new Recruits check in.

[Lord Helmet]

Well it's been awhile since posting here.

I completed US Army Infantry OSUT and I'm doing my five jumps next week to finish up Airborne school. I can't wait to get to a unit and actually start life in the Army, although being a trainie has its perks. The guys with the tan berets pick me up right after Airborne graduation, yay.

For anyone on here interested in joining, I couldn't have been happier with my decision; especially going enlisted. I was going to finish school, but it just wasn't cutting it for me.

Its been good so far.

Wait until you get to your units and get hazed by your senior guys lol anyways keep up the good work.

Congrats.

[Peanut]

Going to be signing away the next 4 years of my life soon, and am torn between these two.

I've been generally researching/training for the Marine Corps, specifically Recon the past couple months but recently the Army Recruiter with his evil mind twisting methods presented me with an 11X Option 40 Contract.

Oh, and also, hows life on Ft. Benning?

[USMC29]

You're talking about becoming a 96 day reservest. We've got a couple of Marines in my unit that enlisted under that contract. I warn you, it can be tough having to go back to being treated like a recruit going from your unit, back to SOI.

PM if you've got further questions.

Could anyone share some info on that program where college students can enlist in the Marine Corps and go to boot camp and SOI during the summers, thus not missing school?? I believe its called Reserve Incremental Initial Active Duty for Training (IIADT). I google it but didn't find a lot of info. I'm interested on something like that.

Its actually 92 Day Reservist. But your right on the official name IIADT. I am currently in that program. PM if you have questions about it and I can answer them for you.

[AroundTheCorner]

Going to be signing away the next 4 years of my life soon, and am torn between these two.

I've been generally researching/training for the Marine Corps, specifically Recon the past couple months but recently the Army Recruiter with his evil mind twisting methods presented me with an 11X Option 40 Contract.

Option 40 Contract?

[Peanut]

11X is infantry. Option 40 means Jump School after OSUT, and then RASP(Ranger selection), and if you pass that you get assigned to a Ranger Battalion. Basically a Ranger Contract.

[AroundTheCorner]

Nice. Good luck.

[ZoneOne]

Ft. Benning has it's advantages and disadvantages.

You will live on post, as a E-1 and up through training and will have limited access to what surrounds Benning in the city of Columbus.

Only real suggestion I can give you, and you will hear this once you get there, is stay away from Victory Drive unless your going to Ranger Joes or Commando's. Other then that there is no reason any Soldier, let a lone PVT be there.

With that said, you will be there to train. If you make it through Basic/Airborne and don't get recycled you'll go straight through RIP (thats what it was called when I was at Benning) and then you'll hopefully be the stud you think you are and pass it. If so, welcome to the life of a Batt Boy and just listen to those above you. Strive to excel and you'll be fine.

[MountainWarrior]

I'll throw my quote from the previous thread...guy was interested in going Marine Corp. as Infantry...my advice was:


Reconsider your choice of infantry. (This coming from a prior 11B / 11H in the Army.)

There are numerous other MOS's that will give you practical training that you can use when you get out, even if you have no intention of following that career field after college. Consider that most future employers don't give a crap that you served, in fact some see it as a negative. With this in mind, which do you think might look better on a resume - Infantry or Tactical Intelligence Analyst?

Beyond future resume bullets, there's the practical side. Once you're beyond the "cool" factor of being infantry (and running around shooting guns and doing fieldcraft has its cool side), infantry quickly settles down and becomes rather mundane. Check on the various Intel and maintenance career fields - lots of things to do there and there are bonuses aplenty. If you just HAVE to go combat arms, consider Armor or Mech - why walk when you can ride.

There's also the aviation side of the Marine Corp. Aircraft crew chief - you get to fly and learn the maintenance side as well.

In the end, DO YOU RESEARCH. I was 17 and rushed into being an MP and when I look back after 23+ years, there were far better jobs available than the paths I took. I did what I did, but for you - take your time and find something that you'll like to do and will give you something back beyond your service days.

I second that thought. I just recently got out, I did 9 years of infantry, reached E-6/Staff Sargent. And after awhile it got very mundane, besides that, infantry helps you outside the military if you're going to pursue a Law Enforcement carreer. Now that I look back, I should have changed MOS, reclass into something more practical like mechanic or aviation field.

[HollywoodMarine]

I second that thought. I just recently got out...

You'll be back... you'll be back.

[HollywoodMarine]

Yup! That's what I meant. After I EAS'd in 2003, I couldn't stand civilian life and went reserve. I'm good to go with my civilian career, but need to take a paid vacation (TAD/ADSW orders) once in a while.

[MountainWarrior]

You'll be back... you'll be back.

Nooooooooooooooooo!!!!!

[khalifah]

@HollywoodMarine,

Its been suggested to me that i should take up studing the 11 general orders(there are just 11, right?), plus learn about the Commandants and all the've done for the Corps.
now i know Knowing these things is no guarantee, but isthere anyting else i should study into prior to OCS?

[HollywoodMarine]

That's not even scratching the surface. You can skip the Commandants, but do focus on 11 General Orders, Marines Hymn, Code of conduct, Core Values, Articles of War, history of the Marine Corps, UCMJ, chain-of-command, location of bases, USMC and USN rank structure.

[khalifah]

thanks, im glad i asked before hand. The board to decide whether i go in January 11th is in October, so ive got the time. Im just glad i asked.
thanks again.

[Mein Teil]

This thread makes me feel so damn old...I went to Benning in 1984. I was in a training area most of you guys probable never heard of "Harmony Church" a white washed WWII barracks out in the stix. I did three years after that and tried civillian life for a while but found out I didn't like that much. I went back in in 1996 and I didn't get out until 2005 and only after I was injured. I still don't like civillian life that much. If you take to the military boys it just may stay in your blood forever!

Good luck to all of you, stay safe!