I’ve been wanting to join for a while now. Used to lift a little and always played sports, can do 17 slow pull-ups, I can’t do push-ups atm, getting over torn ligaments + shoulder sep/dislocate but have benched 305 at 180 BW in the past. I’m physically capable but my back is pretty shot especially considering I’m 20. Herniated 2 discs a few years back as well as maybe some other disc related stuff. I have scoliosis + disc degen as well but I’m sure I can get that waived. Pain isn’t horrible but it’s hard and painful to bend over most days just to tie a fucking shoe. Would like to go in as infantry but practically a less physical mos like intel would be better for me. Is it worth joining? Guess I’ll go to MEPs soon after I take my asvab tmr, but I need to get another MRI soon.

I’m a senior in high school and am very driven on becoming a Marine. But I made the incredibly dumb decision as a 13 year old to self harm. I wasn’t remotely depressed or struggling mentally in any way but I was naive and had way too much time on my hands during quarantine. It was a case of social contagion because lots of people on social media were doing it and it was seen as almost cool, and I had multiple friends who were doing it and would talk about it. So being a moron I thought I’d try it out. I only did it a handful of times and then never touched it again but I still 5 years later have faint scars on my wrist that 100% look like self harm, like there’s no argument against it. I’ve never gone to (or needed) therapy, I’ve never been hospitalized for anything mental related, I’ve never been diagnosed with a mental illness or taken any medication for anything. I’m a good student and am involved in extracurriculars and such. I know it’s a very case by case basis, but what are my odds of getting a waiver?

My mom is constantly hitting her weed pen when I'm in the car with her and the windows are rolled up, is this gonna make me pop?

I ship January and I started thinking if it’s worth getting a motorcycle or a car when I get my duty station or if it’s even worth having anything especially cause of the bases in Japan and Hawaii or do I just just pay to get it shipped over seas

I pick up with Alpha tomorrow and I'm a little worried about IMC. I have more than what it takes, hikes ain't shit, I run sub 20, my brain is callused. However, I feel humbled by swim a little and the CEA has been sitting at the back of my mind for a while. I'm more than dedicated to get to the finish line, this life is what I've always wanted and I'm not trying to lose it because of 1 obstacle. I want to get to the fleet and do some good shit, please if anybody could send some advice I'd greatly appreciate it

My son should have finished the crucible yesterday morning (if I'm understanding the PI matrix schedule correctly). The last letter we received was dated Monday and said he would be doing the Crux if everything went well.

He didn't mention the phone call in that letter. I've been reading this reddit for the last couple of months trying to understand Marine Boot camp - so I thought I might get a call today. Now I am anxiously waiting by the phone.

Is there a timeframe today when I can expect the call? Or does it not always happen?

(I also anxiously waited by the phone the day he shipped and never got that call.)

Btw - thank you for all of the information that's shared here. I've only lurked but it helped me over the past few months.

I know DIs will be looking for the same characteristics as they would for males but i have yet to hear from any females on the topic.

Hey guys I'm honestly ashamed but I want to back out. The thing is i ship tomorrow to go to meps/boot camp and i havent sworn in besides for DEP but im planned on going reserves. I've been hearing stuff about not being able to do so, is this true? I honestly do not want to go anymore

EDIT: Just basically want to know what happens if I just dont ship. I will contact my recruiter

I want to go into 4571 Combat Videography but my recruiter gave me a list of MOS that are available to pick before going to bootcamp and that is not an option. Is it a guarantee that I can go Infantry for 2 years then lateral move to combat videography?

If I get discharged for delayed entry program and I go back in under a year do I still have to go through medical and waivers again and retake my asvab ?

EDIT:failed to make weight in time for shipping

My boyfriend just left to bootcamp and I’m preparing to send my first letter. I was advised to send a gallon sized bag in a Manila envelope. Would I be able to send it in a bubble mailer or should I skip the bag all together? I don’t want to give him more attention in the first couple of weeks.

I recently graduated and I have RA after my boot leave. What do I wear when I go to the RS to check in? Also is there anything aside from my orders I should take?

Graduated yesterday but just barley. I barely qualified at the range, barley passed my cft, got a mediocre 2nd class pft. I have a pog job but am concerned about the yearly cft/pft and riffle qual in the fleet. I know that there’s time to improve myself and that boot camp is just the beginning but for the mean time, am I fucked?

Can you wear sweats/joggers to the airport before you ship? Or do you have to be in dress attire to & feom?

I see questions about everything from MOS's to lifestyles but the real question is why do you personally want to be a Marine?

The pay is lousy, the food isn't that great, working conditions can be intolerable and you have to deal with personalities you wouldn't normally give the time of day. The benefits are subject to politics driven by people who never served thus they're really not that good. Service is about sacrifice that can be really brutal at times.

So why subject yourself to mental anguish, physical pain and downright suffering? Be a normal person and pick another Service or stay out of the military.

Marines are not normal people. The vast majority of us signed on to serve our Country with whom we believe are the best and we got it. That's it. There's no great payoff. It's all about knowing we pack the gear inside which is why we can look ourselves in the mirror and say Semper Fucking Fi. There's no cheering crowd. Just us standing there alone looking deep within.

If you're looking for anything else chances are the Corps isn't for you. Think long and hard rather than buying into all the recruiting hype because being a Marine is serving something greater than ourselves.

My son is at bootcamp right now and I received his letter, he wrote to send him protein bars and liquid IV. In one of the facebook groups they said you have to send enough for the whole platoon if not he wont get them, is this true? Do I have to send enough for the whole platoon? How many in a platoon? I dont mind but I'd like to know how many i need to buy.

TIA

Is dialect behavioral therapy disqualifying if I'm trying to get cleared for tic disorder and personality disorder (both of which I have never had but they got pulled up in mhs genesis), I worked with a third party phsyciatrist and took the mmpi test and the results weren't good enough to get a clearance, she wants me to do at least 6 months of dbt therapy before I can retake the mmpi, is this going to be an issue with enlisting?

What are the odds of enlisting into the Marines, having 2 DUIs,over 10yers old. Separated from Army with Re code 3 and sep code jkq. And 35yrs old.

So i’m in high school, strongly thinking about joining and the other day I was in a uber, having a casual conversation with the driver and she told me that she used to be in the army. I told her I’m joining the marine corps and she said something like “oh girl you don’t wanna join the marine corps they don’t give you the benefits” and explained that she has a marine friend who was having trouble getting his benefits from service. Is she full of shit and just trying to get me to join the army? or is there a bit of truth to what she was saying?

Going back for MCT soon. Can I get away with not having inserts for the duration of MCT? I seen a lot of people get away with not having some particular items. I prefer not to get put into a holding platoon but if I have to, I guess I have no choice. The real question is when do you use these inserts?

Hey y’all so I plan on improving my marksmanship before I go to OCS in May (if I get selected). Should I train with Irons or a red dot or some sort of other optic? I love shooting but I haven’t had the money to shoot as much as I’d like when I was in school and now that I’m an engineer I haven’t had the time until recently when I got a new job as a Engineering Quality Control Manager. The job is pretty nice I get to do micro work outs all day and prepare for OCS on the clock and then go run before and after work.

I mean I know it’s not critical to prepare for it but since I’m going to the range more often now, what kind of optic would be more beneficial for qualifying once I join? Also how far should I practice at and what level of accuracy should I try to achieve?

I’m hoping to be an 0302 by the way.

I turn 18 in Feb which is when I will try to enlist

• 1 week in an inpatient facility for suicide ideation when I was 12, 5 years ago (Feb 2020) Was not seeing a therapist before that, no mental history before that either. It was a first time same day thing. School counselors heard I was having a bad day, was put in the facility later that day. Main reason being my mom told me to k*ll myself.

• 3 sessions of therapy over the course of 6 months after that. (Was told I had acute depression but I have no idea if I was ever officially diagnosed. (Mar 2020 - Sep 2020)

• Never ever took meds of any kind, never self harmed, no reoccurrences

• No idea if it will help my case but I have 40 college credits now, have done sports while in school, graduated from high school early, run regularly, etc etc. Again, I don’t know if this will be taken into consideration when it comes to getting a waiver.

Rate my chances on a scale of 1 (unlikely) 10 (likely). Please tell me why too. Thanks

Just sworn in a week ago i was told by the Gunny sarge i'm underweight and might be put in a weight gaining program during bootcamp. Can someone who's been through the program tell me abt the experience and how much weight they gained

Im 18 and I made a 99 on my Asvab today at MEPS 148GT what do I chose regarding MOS? Was thinking something like 0311 or 2171

Sorry for the 50th straight weed post. I used to smoke weed but not experimentally. I smoked most days from 17 to 20, sometimes several times, so my number would be like >1000. No criminal record. No dui's or speeding tickets.

I exercise 6 days a week and can get a first class pft, trying to get to 300(this is self tested so maybe I'm not doing as well as I think because the form on the pullups or plank might be off). I've been studying for the ASVAB, and I feel confident in everything except electrical.(lol how does electricity work)

I wanna do something more on the desk job side of the corps like either Intel, cyber, Public Affairs, Admin, etc. But I want the title. Will my weed use dq me? What do you think? I'm curious. Do any recruiters have info?

Finally at the hotel. Needed waivers, took months, got em, now we’re here.

Want to thank this sub for giving me some small motivation to stop being a pussy and just talk to a recruiter.

Cya

Note: I DID NOT smoke weed. + NOT a fake story to coverup for friends smoking weed around me.

(This happens a lot when I'm outside. Place I live in is a hotbed for smokers.)

tldr: Inhaled 2nd hand smoke outside (smell was pretty strong).

===

Had to go to the bank. Was in my car. Smelled weed (windows open). Exited my car to enter the bank (smelled more weed from people outside).

How likely am I to piss hot from 2nd hand smoke from those goddamn potheads?

The stench in the air was pretty fucking strong.

===

Tested myself with a piss cup for THC last night. It was negative.

But military piss test is more senstive than OTC tests, so how likely is it that weeds in my system?

For context, I just posted but I want opinions if I stood up during the moment of truth and if they will question me and if they would be understanding about my situation. Basically, I would tell them that a friend put a wax pen up to my mouth and i thought it was a nicotine vape and took a hit of it which would I think cause me to pop hot at mcrd but idk if I want to take that risk so I’m thinking I should just fess up during MoT Edit: I ship out in 3 days and on the drug test I’m preliminary positive but the line is barely there meaning that I’m very barely passing.

For context, I had accidentally smoked weed thinking it was nicotine about a month and a half ago and I took a piss test yesterday and the line to show that I passed was there but basically nonexistent. I just got done with final inspect and I told my recruiter who knew and he is telling me that I most likely won’t pass the urinalysis at boot camp and to just fess up at the moment of truth and try my best to explain to them that it was just a mistake (which it was). What are your guys’ opinions and what do you think I should do?

Heading to Camp Pendleton 3/1 what should I expect when I report to my unit and what should I know so I don’t make myself a target. Also how is the fleet as a boot?