Good looking out SC.

Okay, let's take a deeper look at our common reasons. What are we really saying in our writing?

Stay focused people. There will come a time when you'll feel really stressed as you face a great challenge and your very core belief in being a Marine can and will carry you thru that difficult situation. For some of you, the life you save may very well be your own.

It's not always just about combat. People get hurt in routine training exercises, vehicle accidents, etc. all the time. Some of you will see this while others will actually experience it first hand. Again, your core belief system can and will make the difference between recovering or you quitting on yourself or your buddies.

I don't really know where to start..

Ever since I could remember, joining the Marine Corps is something I have always wanted to do. I graduated high school, and told myself I would give it some time to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. After comming up with many things to go to school for, I never followed through. I just never had the passion. Now I am 22. I have a decent job, with real good benifits especially for my minimal high school education. That however doesn't do it for me. Nothing will ever do it for me. Well, nothing besides being part of the Marine Corps.

I went to the recruiter for the first time, not knowing what to expect. I just wanted some information. He gave me those little plastic cards, and asked to put no less then three in order. The only cards I put to the side where anything partaining to money. I was at Boston meps the other day listening to other guys talk about thre $20k enlistment bonuses, and whatnot. I thought wow.. $20k is alot of money, and it would help get me out of my little debt. Then I rememberd a few people who went through the Army( No disrespect for any other branch). I thought of how much a dipshit this kid really was, and how I didn't want him fighting by my side. If I have to fight. I want it to be with other people who have the same passion, and pride as me.

I am also a mediocur(sp?) type person. I'm ok with average. I know I can do better, and I think the Marine Corps will instill that into my personallity.

I can't seem to explain this to anyone in my family, they all think I am making a very stupid mistake. They think im throwing away all my oppurtunitys. I however, think this is going to open up those oppurtunitys even more, and make me a better person in general.

I want to join for the following reason. Not in any specific order.
I want the Honor, I want the motivation, I want to fill that sense of accomplishment, I want the experience, the direction, pretty much anything posative I can gain out of this.

I do not feel it is my duty, I do not feel I owe my country. I have paid every way through life, I do not leach of the government, and I have never. However. I hope to one day be able to make a differance in someone elses life, I want to help a complete stranger. I am willing give myself to my country, in hopes of finding a better ..... Me.....

Thats as real as it gets. For those of us who posted like the above, we're coming in search of ourselves. Remember, "Oz never gave anything to the Tinman that he didn't already have." The you that you're seeking is already within you.

A lot of us came in searching for exactly the same reason. Guess what? We found it. It takes hard work and the guts to stick it out and if you follow thru without quitting on you, you'll find it too.

Searching for that special magic within self was the number one reason Recruits expressed their desire to earn the Title. Except for the physical breakdowns like stress fractures and such, they pretty much all made it and graduated. And yes, they served well as very good Marines.

Why Marines why not heres why.
Superior training to any of the branches thats a gimme.
From what if heard they run a tighter ship they dont let silly erors that plague the Army hapen in the Corps.
Them blues.
Cause it's such a statement to say you are a Marine.
Brotherhood.
When someone puts there life in my hands I want them to know I had the best training and if my life is in theres I want to know they had the best training.
Did I mention being a United States Marine

Anyone who tells me they want to join the Army I tell them do you want to be used for the money do you want to be a prostitute for the military cause guess what after that signing bonus your back into the suck. Thats why you sign for honor and true love in your country

Just giving this post a bump, because I think more poeple should respond

I wanted to travel to exotic distant places... meet interesting people from old and distinguished cultures... and waste them. I wanted to be the first kid on my block with a confirmed kill.

Smart azz. LMAO, still can't take you anywhere Hollywood!

Well this isn’t an easy one for sure. I don’t even remember what I was originally thinking when I joined 12 years ago. That kid doesn’t exist and neither does the way he used to think. I spent 10 years in the fleet always in a tactical unit; I spent 6 years of that time deployed to “hazardous duty” locals. Some scenic parts of the globe (I’m being optimistic there). Out of those 6 years I have just over 3 years of no-**** combat time. After tooting my own horn I’ll say this:
Every time someone back here in the states thanks me for protecting them or their freedom I get a little hot under the collar, but smile anyway and thank them nicely. Cause that’s what we do. But the truth is that I have never personally in all that time I mentioned above ever done anything, and I can’t even imagine indirectly protecting anything or anyone state side. I am speaking from my experiences other Marines may feel completely different. But I can say this; I have helped thousands of children, poor families, refugees, etc… in all those scenic locals. From Kosovo, to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Sudan the thanks I got from those people and the look in their eyes is why I did it, that’s what being a Marine means to me. Standing up for what’s right and protecting the less fortunate regardless of their race, creed, or country. Marines fight for the freedom of those who can’t fight for it themselves. I never knew it going in. I had a lot of the same ideas you all have. But CWOSKI was right I guess, you will know why you became a Marine when you are a Marine. It took me 10 years and allot of searching before I figured it out.
If you have the heart, will, and ignorance to join the Corps then “get to gettn’” we need more hard charges in the ranks. But I don’t think you’ll know what it means until years from now. But you’ll never know that feeling or brotherhood if you don’t join.
P.S. In no other branch of service will you find brothers 5, 10, 20, or 50 years after you get out.

Back in the '90s there was a recruiting commercial where a Marine fought with a dragon. I don't remember how old I was, but I was born in 1990, so I was under ten, and that commercial planted the desire to be a Marine in my mind. It wasn't until a few months ago that I realized it was still there and that I wanted to be a Marine more than anything.

I want to be a Marine because of the challenge of Boot Camp, because of the camaraderie, and because Marines fight for and defend not only the freedom of American's but the freedom of people who can't fight for it themselves. I want to be a Marine because I believe it will make me a better person and that whatever I end up doing for the Marine Corps. will be worth more than any other career that I could ever choose.

Literally a handful of people in my family support my decision to become a Marine and even fewer understand it. But it doesn't matter. I will do whatever it takes to keep my country safe, to keep my family safe, and to make myself a better person. Being a Marine will help me to fulfill all of that and that is why I want to be a Marine.

In my high-school, on my way to lunch, a saw a group of Marines with their own recruiting table. I had wanted to join the Army, but I realized that I knew next to nothing about the Corps.

So, after lunch, I stopped by the table. I asked a few questions, and picked up a couple of books and pamphlets that they had. For the rest of the day, i read through them.

My dad's in the army and in Iraq and he tried to talk me out of it. I told him that I would look them up. Using Military.com's "10 steps to recruiting center" i read all about recruiting, the corps, and everything related. I IMMEDIATLEY made up my mind. To be one of the few, to share in that honor.

After a few E-mails, my dad came to accept it. He told me to go and be the best **** Marine that they've ever seen.

ever since, i've been figuring out as much as i could, putting up posters,and tried to talk to recruiters. (he won't talk to me since i'm only 14)I want...no, AM going to be one of the few, the proud...The Marines

Semper Fidelius, ooo-rah!

Truly a difficult question, I am still in the debating period of my life when I'm not sure if enlisting is my calling and also if my back will be an issue during training.

However, my older brother, a squid[nuke, USN], is almost desperate to keep me from joining the Marines. The Navy is great and all but in the end you still aren't a Marine. I honestly want to stand form something and what better way to do that. I can give back to my country and my family who have given so much to me. Finally, I crave the camraderie of enduring hardships and relying on the men who rely on you.

It sounds strange but I have always enjoyed running and PT which I hear are in amble supply within the ranks of the USMC.

TL

P.S. I would be greatly interested to hear some reasons from those retired or currently active/reserve Marines. Their take on their reasons before and after enlisting would be greatly appreciated.

What you're reading in all these posts are exactly the same reasons why many have, are, and will enlist for. It's a timeless human question we all ask ourselves and this is the answer some of us came up with: enlist in the Corps. So your question is indeed being answered right here.

Becoming a Marine for me will be the most important thing I have ever embarked upon. It represents every thing i have been doing my entire life to prepare my self to give 200%to the Corps, Country and God. I know that I could be one of the best Doctors or any thing medical out there, but i also know i could be a great Marine. Becoming a Marine takes presidence over any thing I have ever done. I know this is what i want and need to do. The only regret is having to sacrifice family, church and friend relations. In the great words of Shila Buff, "No sacrifice, no victory". I have the great honor of having an opportunity to earn the greatest victory of all, becoming a UNITED STATES MARINE. It is good to know that no matter were you are or what is happening, a Marine has your back.
Semper Fidelis: sem·per fi·de·lis, always faithful: motto of the U.S. Marine Corps.

I want to be a Marine because I want to do something with my life. At first I thought I was just doing it to take care of my family. I am all my mom has and I want her well taken care of and as a Marine I could do that. But the more I thought of it the more I realized I was doing this for myself and justifying it by saying I was doing it for her. I have always felt I did not deserve things for myself, but I know the military is for me and the Marines are my choice. My grandpa is a Marine and I've talked to him; he says the Corps is a life not a job and that is what I'm looking for. I want to be a Marine because they are the best, the elite, and always give their best no matter what is in front of them. The Marines will give me a purpose, a path to follow, they will draw out the best in me and make me proud of the man I will become.

1. Writ of Passage
2. Something to find pride in for the rest of your life ( Comaradery, something no one will EVER find in civilian life regardless of what you do, I don't give a **** if your a cop, you ain't gettin what you would get in the military, from what I have been told by several people in my family ).
3. To be apart of history that won't die; 6 billion people are on this planet, how many of them will live forever?
4. To experience and see ****, not many people get the privledge to see/experience. Good or bad.
5. Benefits
6. Schooling

Basically I am serving myself by doing this. I think if anyone else says the opposite it's frankly BS.

Sorry for double post but I forgot to add something.

The thing that sealed the deal with the Marine Corps, was I was reading online between all the different branches and came upon a quote:

If someone asks you what your job is, and your in in any other service, people generally say "I am in the Army, I am in the Navy" etc. When someone asks your job, you say "I am a Marine".

To me that holds a tremendous difference, and totally impacted the way I felt about joining the Marine Corps.

Wow deano great topic im not sure if i have a tear coming to my eyes or a woody in my pants but it sure gets a man thinking, and i read many good reasons and for those who had parents that dont want them to go thats normal thats because they love you and care about you and don't wanna see you grow up or get hurt i have 6 kids myself and two of em are real close to that time and yes me the hard charging Marine that i am is also scared to see my kids grow up but guess what? We as parents no matter what you do in life whether we show it or not love you and are very proud of you no matter what you do in life it just will give us grey hairs quicker if you choose the corp is all but we will still be proud. thanks deano

Thanks Big Stan. That means a lot coming from you because I see you trying to reach the youngones too. I totally agree that we parents want the best for our children and we do stand with them no matter what their ultimate choices are.

I faced this very issue with my Son who enlisted in the Navy. At first I wanted him to have no part of it and then much to my surprise I found myself wanting him to be a Marine. I had to question whether it was out of a sense of tradition, wanting him to experience the same life or just plain wanting him to be what I considered part of the best. Turned out to be all three reasons.

What really makes me proud was he made his choice based on what he wanted and he followed through to make it happen. Thats why I tell him all the time how I'm proud of the man he turned himself into. After all, I was just his guide. He's his own man and I totally respect that in him.

I will freely admit it's taken a while to get used to looking at his picture in Navy dress Blues. Ha ha ha, hey, what can I say Brother? At least I'm not cringing anymore. I do love the little waif no matter what. After all, thats what defines us as Dad.

I have always wanted to join the military and have now considered trying to join once more. I feel that the Marines would be best for me because all my life I have been a push over allowing others to tell me what to do or walk over me. I am no longer some skinny guy, but I still lack the confidence and I know that the Marines can bring out that warrior and confidence that I know is hidding deep in me.