I'm nearing closer and closer to shipping to boot camp and I seem to be discussing the Marines and what I'm doing a lot more with family, friends, and friend's parents. While talking to all of them, they all say the same thing: "Why infantry? You shouldn't do that, you should do something like MP or a job that will transfer into the civilian life."
I tell them that infantry is what I knew I always wanted to do and just gave me the most interest out of any MOS that I looked into. Even then they still bother me with the same BS that doing infantry would be a waste, some even say, "only the not so smart kids do that", etc.
What can I tell them/say to them to just shut them up? It seems nothing I say convinces them that I am making the right choice for ME and doing what I want to do, not what they think I should do.
Tell them it's your life and you'll do what you want... PS...I was hired in two different jobs by executives who were infantry Marines...it is a management training MOS...
"Why infantry? You shouldn't do that, you should do something like MP or a job that will transfer into the civilian life."
Only a handful of VERY specialized jobs in the military will "transfer" directly to the civilian job market after a first enlistment, and neither infantry nor MP are among them (think: linguists of high-demand languages, operators of very sophisticated equipment, etc.). It's not like it used to be. That said, you're doing the right thing in shooting for what you want to do. And as GT pointed out, there are former grunts in just about every walk of life you can imagine.
I heard the same stuff back in 1983 when I joined. I had a high Asvab score, recruiters (all services) wanting me to go into high brow fields. I had already decided to join the Corps and have Infantry MOS. My dad (former 101st AB) asked "Why infantry?"....I told him "Well Dad, If you're gonna be a bear, BE A GRIZZLY!"
You might not learn how to work on a jet engine or fix a radar, but you'll have discipline and self-respect and learn respect for others. That counts for a lot in the civilian world. Good luck to you and Semper Fi
Welcome to the exciting world of Marine Infantry where every fiber of your being will be challenged to the max and the only people you'll ever have to impress is no one because you're all in it together. You'll learn to work with all types of people under varying degrees of stress in situations you'll later look back upon and wonder "how did I do that?"
So you're getting the old "only dummies are grunts" speeches. Ha ha ha ha ha. Son, Infantry is tip of the spear which means you have to mentally and phyically qualify, and then certify just to graduate from School of Infantry. Every Infantry Applicant has to have a higher than average ASVAB just to get in the door. During boot camp, if you disqualify (DQ) in shooting, swimming or have low physical fitness scores you're contract is modified and you're dropped to support troop.
Unlike everyone else who can use paper notebooks to remind themselves of what, why, when, where and how they're doing what they're supposed to be doing, we commit most to memory until it becomes second nature and the rest we change on the fly via radio communications. All it takes is one notebook to fall into hostile hands and they'll know everything we're about and good Marines will die that didn't have too.
Always remember that whatever can go wrong always does so we improvise, adapt and overcome in order to accomplish our mission because failure is never an option to ANY Marine, especially Infantrymen. Why? Again, good Marines will die that didn't have too.
So the next time you hear how we're all a bunch of dummies or losers who couldn't cut it in another military occupational specialty (MOS), just smile to yourself and say nothing because you now know the truth and as I said before, we have nothing to prove to anyone because our work speaks for itself. We never lose. This is our way of handling those who think poorly of us.
Semper Fi, do or die, Infantry all the way! Ha ha ha, gave myself goosebumps with this moto!!! Even though I'm joking here at the end, this is our way too. Take nothing serious and always always always take care of your Brother Devils because we're all we've ever had going for us out there.
Unless your getting hired into a Tech field that you where trained for then you have just as good as chance at any job as any other Marine. You putting a limit on yourself....
One very important thing to always remember: irregardless of MOS ALL Marines are still Brothers & Sisters so don't get a big head about being a Grunt. We can't make a move with transportation, our gear doesn't work without maintenance, nothing happens without administration and supply keeping us full up. Ha ha ha, we'd be some hurtin' mothers without cooks feeding us! Lets not forget how tanks, amtracs, artillery, engineers and airwing help keep us alive so there are no greater or lesser MOS's because we're all ONE TEAM out there. No real Grunt worth his salt ever knocks another MOS because he thinks he's better. We may be arrogant and cocky at times but we're not stupid and we give all credit due to our Brothers and Sisters who help us keep going and save our sorry backsides when the chips are down.
I won't get a big head about it, that is if I succeed in becoming a Marine. I actually put a lot of time in looking into other MOS's, I went over just about every enlisted MOS job I qualified for. Though I'll admit I knew going into the recruiters office that infantry was the one choice on my mind and in the end it ended up being what I signed for.
I have a question, kind of off topic with this discussion: How is your specific infantry job chosen? Does it depend on your assigned unit's needs or your ASVAB and GT score? Or, perhaps, both? If anyone could answer that I'd really appreciate it.
If you are reserve then your specific MOS and billet has already been set aside for you. Thus you are guaranteed to receive that MOS, for example 0331, at SOI regardless of the MOS selection process there.
If you are active then infantry MOS selection takes place at SOI. Depending on factors such as academic performance, instructor evaluation, and your stated personal preference, you will be placed in an 03 MOS whether 11, 31, 41, 51, 52.
