USMC Here I come!!

[02trubluegt]

:banana:So I have been talking to a Marine recruiter. Staff Seargent Broadnax, and I will be enlisting in the Marines asap. I am going through some court shit right now, but as soon as that is done im signing the papers (after carefully reading of course) not sure of MOS yet. I want something in artillary. I took a practice ASVAB, and scored high enough to pretty choose any job I want and get it, and also took the physical, and blew away the min. requirements. WOOT WOOT. I have always thought about joining just never really had the balls to do it i guess you could say. My prospective ship date for recruit training is Sept 29th.

My question to the Marines on this site is

What did you guys do with your cars?
What about Car payments? Insurance?
Im not in this for the money, but what kind of bonuses did you guys recieve?

Im basically trying to figure as much out as I can so I know what to look for on the papers when I go to sign.

So basically anything you can help me out with as far as info. Im all ears!!

Im excited as shit to sign these papers to !!!:banana::banana::banana::rockon::rockon::rockon:

:dancenana::dancenana::dancenana::dancenana::dancenana:

 

[AllVenom]

Here is my .02 cents. Unless you plan on being a cop when you get out, pick a better MOS. Even if you plan on being in 20 years, earning 35% of your pay after 20 years does not a good retirement make.

As far as your vehicle goes...You can make a deal with your financer (if financed) to charge you only interest while in boot camp. You do not get paid until you are done with the 3 months of boot. Don't be expecting much either. As far as insurance goes, you are still responsible for full coverage (if financed) during your time in boot even if you aren't driving it. There are countless threads on here about long term storage of your car.

Bonuses always depend on the MOS. When I did Avionics, if I signed for 6 years I would have received I believe $5000 after successful completion of school. Also, if you decide to re-up sometimes there are resigning bonuses.

Do yourself a favor and request a West coast duty station. I lived at Camp Lejeune for 4 years and Jacksonville blows. The only good thing is Wilmington and Myrtle are not far but even then, still blows. Go to Pendleton, at least there's more to do out there.

Good luck, and Semper Fi. Boot blows, but I had a good time with it. The DI's I had were some of the funniest comedians I've ever witnessed. I spent my time in the "classroom" getting bent though for laughing too much.

 

[Fuerza]

Congrats on enlisting!

My suggestions are to leave your car with someone you trust greatly or put it into long term storage if you don't trust anyone.

As far as car payments and insurance, you are still going to have to pay them. While in training I suggest you have someone cover your bills for you, if you can't do that brings some envelopes and checks and mail them out when about they are due. Its a bad idea to get bad credit while in the military.

Also look into USAA! They are a great company they can cover all your banking, insurance, loan needs all in one place. There is where I have most of my loans, savings account, checking account, credit card ect.

 

[Fordman9870]

I have a son @ Pendleton and he had a good time at Boot, yes it was hard but he learned much. he is in satellite communications. Another one of my boys is scheduled to leave on Oct 27th for boot and is nervous because my Marine son is scaring him (sibling rivalry haha)
that was good advice about calling the lender, thats what id do. i am sure they would work with you as they wouldn't want bad press for dissing someone who wants to serve the country. Best of luck Poolee.

 

[jbusmc1986]

Congrats on enlisting!

My suggestions are to leave your car with someone you trust greatly or put it into long term storage if you don't trust anyone.

As far as car payments and insurance, you are still going to have to pay them. While in training I suggest you have someone cover your bills for you, if you can't do that brings some envelopes and checks and mail them out when about they are due. Its a bad idea to get bad credit while in the military.

Also look into USAA! They are a great company they can cover all your banking, insurance, loan needs all in one place. There is where I have most of my loans, savings account, checking account, credit card ect.

Agreed about the car... I did not get any bonus when I signed the papers in 03 for a 5 year contract as a aircrew billet (that is all you can select, everything else is decided for you)

Unless you are deadset on being arty, I would shy away from the ground side, as the quality of life is much much lower, and you don't really have any job opportunities that deal with arty after the marines. I was all about being a grunt back in the day, and my dad talked me outta it, because of my test scores, and the fact that he was a 46 crew chief. Enlisted aircrew is the way to go.

I am a c 130 crew chief, and as far as I am concerned. Us and loadmasters have the 2 best jobs in the marine corps. We never go on a ship, patrol, convoy, anything of the sort. We get extra money every month for flight pay, and travel the world and get per diem everywhere that we travel.:beer::rockon:

By the way I am up for re enlistment this year, and my bonus is 61k.epper: I am not sure if I will stay, just simply because of opportunities on the outside (much more dough).

Good luck, and just take it one meal at a time, that makes the days go by faster. And one day at a time, and before you know it you will be almost there. It is all down hill from the range on out.:banana:

 

[02trubluegt]

Here is my .02 cents. Unless you plan on being a cop when you get out, pick a better MOS. Even if you plan on being in 20 years, earning 35% of your pay after 20 years does not a good retirement make.

As far as your vehicle goes...You can make a deal with your financer (if financed) to charge you only interest while in boot camp. You do not get paid until you are done with the 3 months of boot. Don't be expecting much either. As far as insurance goes, you are still responsible for full coverage (if financed) during your time in boot even if you aren't driving it. There are countless threads on here about long term storage of your car.

Bonuses always depend on the MOS. When I did Avionics, if I signed for 6 years I would have received I believe $5000 after successful completion of school. Also, if you decide to re-up sometimes there are resigning bonuses.

Do yourself a favor and request a West coast duty station. I lived at Camp Lejeune for 4 years and Jacksonville blows. The only good thing is Wilmington and Myrtle are not far but even then, still blows. Go to Pendleton, at least there's more to do out there.

Good luck, and Semper Fi. Boot blows, but I had a good time with it. The DI's I had were some of the funniest comedians I've ever witnessed. I spent my time in the "classroom" getting bent though for laughing too much.

Wow some great advice in here. Its funny. I do plan on being a State Tropper as soon as I get out.

Good advice with the car. I guess ill have to call Capital One before I get shipped out.

Someone said something about leaving the car with someone I trust.. haha yea that would be NO ONE! So ill prob find some storage place. Or leave it at my parents house under a car cover in the drive way. I mean hell My insurance is financed as well. Ill give them a call, and I know my family would help cover bills while im gone I would just pay them when I get back.


Thanks for the advice everyone. Sept 29th is slowly approaching. Im getting more and more and more excited everyday its gets closer. I know some people at Lejune, as well as 8th and I up in DC about 15 min from my house. Great group of guys. All of them have different MOS's and they all love every minute of being a Marine.

Anymore advice im trying to get as much as possible.

thanks and Semper Fi

 

[Juruense]

Good luck man here are some tips for boot camp:
-do not get noticed
-be able to run at least two miles before you get there
-do not concern yourself with making friends those guys will be outta your life in a few months for the most part, wait to make friends at your permanent duty station
-do not waste your money
-do not give up

 

[02trubluegt]

-do not give up

Best advice ive gotten so far. For some reason no one as said that to me yet... lol

 

[usmcrebel]

all the car advice is good, you can drop your INX while your there b/c your not driving it.

Agreed on Lejuene/pendleton

I had a blast at boot camp, and i was there for 6 months (broke ankle in week 2) You picked a nice time to go though as far as weather. The DI will make you laugh so much, just do it behind their back.

I dont agree with the not getting noticed...i tried that got bored so volunteered 4 the quarter deck/ anything that came up. I eventually got told "get **** off my QD you god damn POS" and "get the **** away from me get someone else" so they made me squad leader up until the point they found out i was reserves and they fired me (they made me "house guide").

when your there go meal to meal and week to week. If you go day to day it can get to you...Dont break down mentally, physically your gonna get broke of at some point dont worry about it."

DO NOT SPEND YOUR MONEY (stupidly)
Enjoy your time on PI
Everything has a point at boot camp
Scream until you can't then do it some more
If you see someone falling pick their ass up and drag them (humps and shit) I never left any of my boys behind never. I carried one bitch over 150yards to get his ass in the shade and cool (heat case).

 

[SWThomas]

If you scored well enough on the ASVAB to get any MOS, you should definitely reconsider going into Artillery.

 

[Steve03SVT]

Most finance companies offer a Soldiers and Sailors act, you can have your payments deferred will in recruit training, some will drop interest charges will on active duty. Enjoy your time on PI, after its over, you'll miss it and want to visit. I got $4000 when I joined for Avionics, now Im getting $81,000 for lat moving into the UAV community MOS 6314, gotta love it!! Good luck and Semper Fi

 

[02trubluegt]

All this is great advice! Keep it coming.


Also forgot to mention. Im doing the buddy thign wtih 2 of my buddies.

 

[FordMustangLove]

my brother is art, he hates it, but then again he didnt have a choice on mos, the marines will put you where they need you ( my brother says LCPL) so i dunno,. what was your asvab score? i got a 68, good enough haha

 

[Outlaw99]

well, thanks for your service. i appreciate what the armed service does and respect you for wanting to be a part of that. godspeed to ya.

 

[02trubluegt]

thanks again everyone!

 

[Outlaw99]

stay safe. keep in touch.

 

[02trubluegt]

SO yea I will leave SEPT 29th for basic. Im excited as hell I can tell you that much. Although last nite my TKO decided to get stuck in 4th.. SO ive decided to just partout my GT and all its mods. Check my sig for link if anyone wants anything :banana:

 

[FAsnakes]

You should reconsider and join the air force or better yet college.. at the very least secure a job in the wing...

lol: re the westcoast duty station.. They'll probably stick your ass in the middle of the desert..

There's still time for you to reconsider..

 

[Fuerza]

You should reconsider and join the air force or better yet college.. at the very least secure a job in the wing...

lol: re the westcoast duty station.. They'll probably stick your ass in the middle of the desert..

There's still time for you to reconsider..

Not to take away from your sound advice, but perhaps he wants to do something more that have a nice comfy job. The way I see it, if he wants to join the Marines and be in artillery then he knows that he will most likely end up in Iraq. What is wrong with that? If you are in any branch of the military going to war comes with the job. :shrug:

 

[FAsnakes]

Not to take away from your sound advice, but perhaps he wants to do something more that have a nice comfy job. The way I see it, if he wants to join the Marines and be in artillery then he knows that he will most likely end up in Iraq. What is wrong with that? If you are in any branch of the military going to war comes with the job. :shrug:

Not to be a jerk but why are you talking to me? This thread is about a young lad figuring out as much as he can from the Marines on this site.

You should share with the thread starter what Marine Corps MOS you held so he understands how much relevance to extend to your opinions..:shrug: