I Have A Few Questions For Those In The USMC

[Matts00GT]

Your paycheck is better, living conditions is better, not to mention all officers are paid BAH no matter married/single. I'm honestly not sure how the Marines do it but Army officers (that are a combat MOS such as 11Z) usually has a platoon from 2LT-1LT, when they make Captain they usually get put into a S3 shop or command. Thats when I can see the Officer side going down hill fast. One thing I would hate is to be an Infantry PL one day and be stuck in a plans office the next. Being the CO would of course have its perks.

As for the NCO side being the fun side thats true when it comes to working with soldiers/leading them. Usually the bond between a soldier and his NCO is alot closer than than of an Officer/Enlisted soldier of any type due to the fraternization rules (which is BS IMHO). For sure though the officer side does have huge downfalls (paperwork and so on and so forth) but as your go up in the NCO ranks it ends up being the same thing. The farther up you go the more bullshit you have to deal with.

I am in no way saying your wrong, but If I would of had my degree and knowing what I know now, I would still chose to come in on the Officer side. :beer:

I'm Army as well. You make a valid point when saying that as you make rank on the enlisted side, it turns into management as well.

The difference is the time frame. By the time youre just pushing paper and overseeing as in NCO, you're somewhat close to retirement.

If I'm lucky, I'll be a PL for 18 months and then when my company command time comes, I might get another 18 months. The rest of my career is bs staff jobs or an XO.

 

[trickflow coupe]

I'm Army as well. You make a valid point when saying that as you make rank on the enlisted side, it turns into management as well.

The difference is the time frame. By the time youre just pushing paper and overseeing as in NCO, you're somewhat close to retirement.

If I'm lucky, I'll be a PL for 18 months and then when my company command time comes, I might get another 18 months. The rest of my career is bs staff jobs or an XO.

this is why i said being enlisted is more fun in the Marine Corps some MOSs its not till after E-7 when you pick up a platoon and your stuck at a desk but by then you have about 12+ years in and your almost done i feel bad for the good officers that get the boot from platoon commander to XO it looks like a miserable job

 

[RedDemon91]

Lol this is all Chinese to me.

I'm a little confused, doesn't enlisted mean that you're just signed up in the Military or is there some whole other meaning that I don't know about?

 

[jerrad]

Lol this is all Chinese to me.

I'm a little confused, doesn't enlisted mean that you're just signed up in the Military or is there some whole other meaning that I don't know about?

Enlisted are private, pfc, corporal, etc
Officers are 2lt, lt, captain, major, etc.

Officers are like managers, taking care of logistics, people, etc.
Enlisted are the people that get their hands dirty.

 

[trickflow coupe]

Enlisted are private, pfc, corporal, etc
Officers are 2lt, lt, captain, major, etc.

Officers are like managers, taking care of logistics, people, etc.
Enlisted are the people that get their hands dirty.

aint that the truth

 

[SonicDTR]

Enlisted and Officer are two paths you take in the Military.

Officer requires a bachelors degree and is a bit tougher to get into, but the pay and life is usually much better.

There is also a Chief Warrant Officer rank, but you obtain those after going enlisted and deciding to go that route years down the road.

 

[trickflow coupe]

there is also a program in the Marine Corps called MSEP where you are enlisted first then after a while in you can submit a package to to the officer side and the USMC pays for you college and you still get active duty benefits like pay health care ect...

edit im sure other branches have it as well just dont what its called

 

[Root1022]

there is also a program in the Marine Corps called MSEP where you are enlisted first then after a while in you can submit a package to to the officer side and the USMC pays for you college and you still get active duty benefits like pay health care ect...

edit im sure other branches have it as well just dont what its called

The Army has the same program only its called Green To Gold, its also VERY hard to get the one where you still get Active Pay/benefits. Something like 25 slots a year total. If you cant get it then you just get it with you GI bill and say an as Army Reserve untill you get your degree.

 

[trickflow coupe]

im not sure how many slots the USMC has i just had 2 of my friends leave for the msep program they laft as E-5s and by the time they are done with college and head off to OCS they will be E-7s so its a pretty legit deal if you can get into it

 

[Matts00GT]

The Army has the same program only its called Green To Gold, its also VERY hard to get the one where you still get Active Pay/benefits. Something like 25 slots a year total. If you cant get it then you just get it with you GI bill and say an as Army Reserve untill you get your degree.

Last I heard Green to Gold was pretty much phased out.

But enlistment contracts guaranteeing federal OCS immediately after BCT are still out there. Typically requires you to already have your bachelor's degree though.

Other options ROTC of course and direct commission if you're Guard or Reserve. They hand those direct commissions out like candy nowadays.

 

[RedDemon91]

Ahh ok, that makes alot more sense now. Is the MSEP something that's a pick and choose thing that's hard to get into though?

 

[trickflow coupe]

if you think your are qualified to go msep you submit a package and it just goes to different people and if they think your ok then they approve it and send it higher

 

[Root1022]

Last I heard Green to Gold was pretty much phased out.

But enlistment contracts guaranteeing federal OCS immediately after BCT are still out there. Typically requires you to already have your bachelor's degree though.

Other options ROTC of course and direct commission if you're Guard or Reserve. They hand those direct commissions out like candy nowadays.

They still do Green to Gold, one my my friends is a SSG and he just dropped his packet for it. The slots for green to gold has been cut alot in the past few years, and here pretty soon I think that it'll be completly gone or done on very special circumstances or just have some insane criteria you have to meet lol. The Armys overstrengthed right now, thats why 98% of MOS' have their promotion points at 798 and are trying to push people out...