err,
I'm an 11 with 1/3 out here in Iraq. I just picked up meritourious Corporal when if first got here and am slotted for squad leader school when i get back. I've already been told that I'll be getting a squad upon completion of the course. However, my unit is all screwed up and just about everyone wants out. My platoon commander has recommended that I go to Marsoc and is also putting a package together for me to Mecep. I've already got two years of college done and can see the appeal of getting away from all of the enlisted bs. Plus I meet all the requirements to go to Marsoc, and there will be a screening when I get back. The thing is...I have to make a committment asap. Can anyone please shed some light on either of the routes? I've tried talking to many Marines but have had no luck getting any info. Any information would be extremely appreciated.
Semper

I would look at where you want to go career wise. That will be the first and important step.

quote:

Originally posted by 15297467:
my unit is all screwed up and just about everyone wants out

....lines from the new Marine Hymn.

quote:

Originally posted by __Apollo__:

quote:

Originally posted by 15297467:
my unit is all screwed up and just about everyone wants out

....lines from the new Marine Hymn.

yeah pretty much...

quote:

Originally posted by AHill_USMC:

quote:

Originally posted by __Apollo__:

quote:

Originally posted by 15297467:
my unit is all screwed up and just about everyone wants out

....lines from the new Marine Hymn.

yeah pretty much...

here's an example of screwed up. When I was in Weapons Plt, I carried an M16. Now I'm in a rifle platoon, and I carry a SMAW and a 9 mil. Err

No man...that's the new tactic against the insurgents. fool them into thinking that the companies have switched places by making wpns co all 11's and vice versa...

I'm staying in...the question is, is it worth going to Marsoc on a career level. I know that I'm gonna kick myself in the *** later if I don't go. Is being an officer really all that its cracked up to be?

quote:

Originally posted by 15297467:
Is being an officer really all that its cracked up to be?

Who said its cracked up to be anything other than a bunch of B/S? That what I've gathered from talking to the officer cadre here at A&M. Granted, I've heard of the Officer "mystique" that you've described, but I don't think it lives up to the hype.

Remember how "cool" joining the Marines sounded and how "bad-azz" the Corps seemed before you joined? Didn't really live up to the hype, now did it? Same thing with the "o" side of the house from what I've gathered. Same fucked up shit, same dumb azz people in charge of you...Only this time YOU are the one that everyone blames for cleaning weapons for 10 hours a day. That's just how I see it in my mind's eye.

FWIW:
MARSOC is the choice I would make if I were you. But then again, I am not you---which brings us to the original question: What do YOU want outta the Corps when all is said and done? What do you want to remember about your time in the Corps when you are sucking oxygen out of the tank behind your wheelchair?

stay enlisted... Do you wanna work for a living? and as a platoon sgt someday u are accually the one in control of the platoon...

plus many many other choices ahead.. like drill instructor.. that would be my choice upon a 2nd re-enlistment

I would love to be a D.I., but even if I pick up Staff and come back to the fleet I still don't have as much pull as the platoon commander. Being involved in strategic planning has more appeal to me, plus being a proir 03 I could do my best to un**** alot of the boot LTs. I just talked to a buddy of mine who was with the Seals for a year until he blew out his knee, now he's a naval officer and he says that life is way, way, better in the o side. I don't know though, its gonna be a tough call. Thanks for everyones input.

The bulk of MARSOC is foreign military training.

Only a small portion of MARSOC has the Force Recon/Direct Action mission.

I'm just saying to make sure exactly where you are going in MARSOC before you make a decision.

quote:

Originally posted by DeepRecon:
The bulk of MARSOC is foreign military training.

I may be mistaken, but isn't that Green Beret turf?

There is absolutely no guarantee that you'll become an infantry officer, or even an officer in in a combat arms field for that matter. It would suck to go to OCS and then TBS, only to get screwed into being a supply officer or a dispersing officer because of the "thirds" method used to place officers into their MOS'.

If you're capable of making it into MARSOC, then your decision is an incredibly easy one to make.

I know that there is no guarantee to be an 03 officer...but don't you think that they would take into consideration the fact that I was an 03 enlisted? To Deep Recon: Is it true that once you're in the Marsoc or Recon community that there is no way you're going back to the fleet?

MARSOC sounds cool but you should jump at the chance to get that free college education. When you're old and tired that degree will work far more for you than jump wings and scuba bubble.

quote:

Originally posted by 15297467:
I know that there is no guarantee to be an 03 officer...but don't you think that they would take into consideration the fact that I was an 03 enlisted?

No, they don't. It doesn't matter if you're a former infantry Sgt with 3 combat tours in Iraq, they would just as quickly make you a supply officer no questions asked.

quote:

I know that there is no guarantee to be an 03 officer...but don't you think that they would take into consideration the fact that I was an 03 enlisted?

As Accord32 mentions, you stand just a good chance of being a Disbursing Officer, as you do of being an Infantry Officer. You'd better have your platoon commander explain the "thirds" system to you.

quote:

Being involved in strategic planning has more appeal to me

As a young lieutenant (yes, although you're prior enlisted, you'll still be a "young" lieutenant), you're not involved in planning much of anything. A 2ndLt Platoon Commander has less latitude in his decisions than the platoon sergeant does. Once you've become a senior 1stlt (more probably Captain), your billet MAY allow you some flexibility to make decisions. But as far as strategic planning - Captains/Majors and up, only.

I know about the thirds rule, but my Lt. right now was a Mecep Marine. The way he explained it, when he went through they let him go back to the infantry. Does anyone know what the three week class/indoc for Marsoc consists of? Or what the percentage of drops is?

As an OCS graduate, I can tell you what you want to know about MECEP. Granted, I am not in the MECEP program, but the 6 weeks of OCS that you must complete, I have already completed. At a minimum I can give you the gouge on what you will be doing down there. In terms of requirements and peperwork, and what happens AFTER OCS, I will not be of much help.

LCpl Russo

quote:

Originally posted by __Apollo__:

quote:

Originally posted by DeepRecon:
The bulk of MARSOC is foreign military training.

I may be mistaken, but isn't that Green Beret turf?

The Green Beret form and train a fighting force from scratch.

The main Marine MARSOC mission is to train a foreign military that already exists.