Ok..On Friday I am supposed to go MEPS for my physical and to swear in. The problem is my recruiters boss is not in the office this week. He says I might have to go down with an "open contract" and then later we will secure my MOS before I go to boot camp. Is this accurate? Or am I stupid for even considering what he is saying?
What every Marine on this board will tell you is the same. DON'T SIGN ANYTHING UNLESS IT IS THE CONTRACT YOU WANT!!!!!
Now with that being said, I have been around recruiters both good and bad okay. If you have a good recruiter that you trust, what he is telling you is accurate, if you enlist into the DEP they can change your contract while you are in the DEP to the MOS Field(if active) or specific MOS(if reserve). Now if they are sh*tbird recruiters and you don't trust them, than don't go until they can give you the contract you want. Now some more things you have to realize. Everything the Marine Corps Does with you in reguards to recruiting and training is based off of projected slots that are open and that you fill okay. Most likely they are send you to MEPS on friday because it is the earliest day the could get a slot open for you at MEPS, Remember the Marines are not the only ones that use MEPS and there are only so many people that can fit into the building, so if they tell you that if you don't go on Friday it may be a few days, to a week before they can send you again, don't think they are saying that just to get you go right now(i am assuming you have a trustworthy recruiter), although if you have a dishonest recruiter they may use this tactic, but I just want you to be prepared for it okay. IF you trust you recruiter wont screw you, you would be doing you recruiter a favor by going on friday because that is one less person he has to recurit during this month okay. (some Marine may say I probably shouldn't tell you that but I believe I should give you all the information up front from all side I can inform from okay. I am not saying you should go on friday I am just letting you know what's the recruiters point of view is okay)
Alright some more things to remember, if you are going active duty, you are going to have to swear in, and sign a contact Twice. REMEMBER THAT. Once when you join the DEP you will have up to a year to ship and Once again when you ship. You can have your recruiter change you contract, but you have to give him a couple of months notice before you ship so he can find someone to take you slot, you can't so up the day before you ship date and say you want a different contract, it is unfair to the recruiters and it wont fly okay. If you do sign an open contract and you want it to change you make sure you have at least four months between your DEP Contract and you ship date and to tell you recruiters you want a new contract. And tell them Immediatly after you sign the contract and keep pestering them until you get want you want. If you have not gotten you contract change by the end of two months, contact their chain of command. That would be the Marines at the MEPS okay.
One last thing "IF IT IS NOT IN YOU SHIP CONTRACT REGUARDLESS IF IT IS IN YOU DEP CONTRACT YOU DO NOT SIGN IT!!!!!! the second contract is the important one understand. If you dont follow this advice and you get screwed it is not the Marine Corps' fault, it is not you recruiter's fault. IT IS YOU FAULT UNDERSTAND!! I hope you I was able to help you. ask if any of this does not make sense or you have an addition question in relation to this topic. Good Luck at Boot Camp.
Originally posted by 17336472: Ok..On Friday I am supposed to go MEPS for my physical and to swear in. The problem is my recruiters boss is not in the office this week. He says I might have to go down with an "open contract" and then later we will secure my MOS before I go to boot camp. Is this accurate? Or am I stupid for even considering what he is saying?
This is a common practice. Especially if the prospect hasn't taken the ASVAB yet. Because if you haven't taken that yet theres really no way to tell what you're qualified for. I did this several times as a recruiter and not one of my poolees shipped open contract.
NOW if you've taken the ASVAB, tell him you'll go to MEPS and swear in when they have the program you want and are qualified for in your package.
Agreed. Don't sign unless you are happy with EVERYTHING. During MEPS I was told this is the only time in your life where you will be able to dictate what you want from uncle sam. If it's not in the contract, DO NOT SIGN it. Before I took the ASVAB, my recruiter gave me a list of potential jobs (this was for the ANG). He was sure these were the only openings they had for me.
Once my scores came back to him, many more jobs "magically" were found to be available.
