question about being an officer, specifically USMC
06-15-2006, 09:50 AM
#21
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Where is this hate and discontent coming from about the way dumb **** officers are running things? Is this from what you experienced in Army bootcamp? Not to be offensive, but you will be as lost as every LT I see, and it will be even worse as a reservist. The little enlisted training you recieved in the Army will not help you out as a Marine Officer. In my opinion you will be wasting your time if you go reserves as a Marine Officer. Most reservists have been been activated for a year with months of training ops to get up to speed before deploying, and when they deploy its usually for a year. Thats alot of time away from the family. It would better benefit you to go active duty than reservist. If you do make it and become an Officer I will stress what the others have said. DO NOT MICRO MANAGE Believe in your SNCO's and NCO's. Especially as an infantry Officer because when you deploy to Iraq you will learn it is a Corporals and Sergeants war. Back to other things we have 4 mustangs in my Bn. Two prior SSgt's and 2 Sgts, and every one of them have told me how much they miss the enlisted side of the house, and to never join the dark side haha. You should really do an enlistment as a Marine first before you decide and you will really realize what everyone is saying. That will help you to be the best officer you can be if you were to still decide to go that route.
Sgt Upton
USMC
Sgt Upton
USMC
06-15-2006, 07:54 PM
#22
i'd have to agree with what the other enlisted Marines have been saying. Be an enlisted Marine, and then go officer. you really can't compare the army to the Marines. it's like comparing apples to oranges. If you did the army SF school, you should do ok in Marine boot camp. there's various programs the Corps has to go from enlisted to officer. And, we don't have medical personel in the Marines. We have Navy Corpsman.
06-22-2006, 08:40 PM
#23
like what Sgt Upton said, the fleet is going more and more to the NCOs. as i was reading Rust Z's post, i was thinking to myself, " that sounds alot like my day. NCO's are tasked with and willingly accept the tasks that only commissioned officers used to do. as a Sgt, its the biggest rush in the world to see your Marines implement everything you and the other NCOs have tried to teach, they've bitched about, and some supriors asking why, in a firefight. to watch it all come together when it counts. cant find a rush anywhere else like that. So if leading Marines is something you want to do, don't think that the only way you'll do it is as a commissioned officer.
06-22-2006, 08:44 PM
#24
plus see this thread
https://ls1tech.com/forums/military-hotrod-club/525051-best-hazing-story.html
you'll never get to see the funny side of stuff like this as a commissioned officer. all you'll hear are rumors and the bad stuff (the NJPs that get doled out). what fun is that?
https://ls1tech.com/forums/military-hotrod-club/525051-best-hazing-story.html
you'll never get to see the funny side of stuff like this as a commissioned officer. all you'll hear are rumors and the bad stuff (the NJPs that get doled out). what fun is that?
07-07-2006, 05:57 PM
#25
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This thread is a little old, but I'll throw in my 2 cents as a noob Marine 2nd LT. I graduated from the basic school 4 weeks ago. I came to TBS after college; I was never enlisted. I personally think that prior enlisted Marines make the best Junior officers. They have a better grasp on infantry/warfighting fundamentals, and they are more familiar with the high standards of the Corps. IN any other service, it is acceptable to be a fresh college graduate turned officer, but the Marines expect more.
As far as 1gen getting a combat arms MOS, have at it. The quality spread at TBS makes it really tough to get the MOS you want unless you can walk on water. I personally, have to swim through water. You have to be happy just to be a Marine, and let your MOS selection come second. UNLESS...
Your a pilot like me. You can be gauranteed a flight contract and not worry about the TBS MOS selection Hogwash. I have a better chance of seeing combat as a pilot than most of my ground pounding brethren.
As far as 1gen getting a combat arms MOS, have at it. The quality spread at TBS makes it really tough to get the MOS you want unless you can walk on water. I personally, have to swim through water. You have to be happy just to be a Marine, and let your MOS selection come second. UNLESS...
Your a pilot like me. You can be gauranteed a flight contract and not worry about the TBS MOS selection Hogwash. I have a better chance of seeing combat as a pilot than most of my ground pounding brethren.
07-10-2006, 02:53 PM
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So that's what happened to your sf plan. Did you get discharged from the army 3 days before basic graduation or were you in sopc at the time? Dude, hopefully you're not basing this off knowledge of 0's in basic. The whole world changes after that. Good luck making the decision though.
07-18-2006, 11:09 AM
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Wow. What else to say in here? For starters I am Army, SNCO, 16+yrs of service and numerous deployments.
1. I dont see where being an Officer anywhere near as grand as it used to be, back in the movies era. An officer, under the grade of LT Col, can only be as good as his NCO's. Bottom line. So where does the real "change" come from? Some say officer, I think NCO's. Not sure bout USMC, but I know in the Army, the NCO's went soft on their O's in the late 80's early 90's, giving the "power" to the O's. Thats when the major micro-management came in, and now, years later here we are trying to take back those reigns that once belonged to us.
2. I think there is little difference in E and O as a person. If you go to a track and talk with someone from the opposite side, you can quickly see that given the right atmosphere, underneath, we're all the same. Its just some ppl are better at not having to think and others are better long term/far side problem solving and management, but that only covers the exception to the norm. The norm to me says that 85% of enlisted would serve just as well as 85% of the officers and vice versa. There are only a handful at best of exception, think about it. Now of that 15% leftover, 10% really are meant for service...that leaves the 5% that will make history, or somehow contribute to it in such a way to be remembered etc...
3. No way in hell you can compare your Enlisted time as a trainee to "knowing" the enlisted side and thinking you would be a better officer because of it! Come on man, I dont give a rats *** if you were a trainee at BUDS course, or TST (if you know what that means, half the battle) your still a ******* trainee drop with NO EXPERIENCE in the Daily grind and internal working relationships b/w O and E. Personally, I think the best officers are fresh out of college and are assigned to an experienced Platoon Sergeant! Not West Pointers either. Prior enlisted, seen half n half worth a ****, they just take more time to get right. Some hold grudges against enlisted for their treatment when they were a geeky little enlisted guy that wanted to go to the dark side...some dont like NCO's so they want to become and Officer to tell the NCO what to do...WTFE!
Wont even go into the Res. CDR vs Enlisted CDR and ask how much a diff you think you can really make! Thats insane. Daniel, take care of the wife, and you soon to be newborn, think about it long and hard. Maybe ask some ppl that KNOW you and can give you an honest evaluation, even if its not what you want to hear, it may be the best for you.
Charlie
1. I dont see where being an Officer anywhere near as grand as it used to be, back in the movies era. An officer, under the grade of LT Col, can only be as good as his NCO's. Bottom line. So where does the real "change" come from? Some say officer, I think NCO's. Not sure bout USMC, but I know in the Army, the NCO's went soft on their O's in the late 80's early 90's, giving the "power" to the O's. Thats when the major micro-management came in, and now, years later here we are trying to take back those reigns that once belonged to us.
2. I think there is little difference in E and O as a person. If you go to a track and talk with someone from the opposite side, you can quickly see that given the right atmosphere, underneath, we're all the same. Its just some ppl are better at not having to think and others are better long term/far side problem solving and management, but that only covers the exception to the norm. The norm to me says that 85% of enlisted would serve just as well as 85% of the officers and vice versa. There are only a handful at best of exception, think about it. Now of that 15% leftover, 10% really are meant for service...that leaves the 5% that will make history, or somehow contribute to it in such a way to be remembered etc...
3. No way in hell you can compare your Enlisted time as a trainee to "knowing" the enlisted side and thinking you would be a better officer because of it! Come on man, I dont give a rats *** if you were a trainee at BUDS course, or TST (if you know what that means, half the battle) your still a ******* trainee drop with NO EXPERIENCE in the Daily grind and internal working relationships b/w O and E. Personally, I think the best officers are fresh out of college and are assigned to an experienced Platoon Sergeant! Not West Pointers either. Prior enlisted, seen half n half worth a ****, they just take more time to get right. Some hold grudges against enlisted for their treatment when they were a geeky little enlisted guy that wanted to go to the dark side...some dont like NCO's so they want to become and Officer to tell the NCO what to do...WTFE!
Wont even go into the Res. CDR vs Enlisted CDR and ask how much a diff you think you can really make! Thats insane. Daniel, take care of the wife, and you soon to be newborn, think about it long and hard. Maybe ask some ppl that KNOW you and can give you an honest evaluation, even if its not what you want to hear, it may be the best for you.
Charlie
07-18-2006, 01:40 PM
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Originally Posted by CAT3
Wow. What else to say in here? For starters I am Army, SNCO, 16+yrs of service and numerous deployments.
1. I dont see where being an Officer anywhere near as grand as it used to be, back in the movies era. An officer, under the grade of LT Col, can only be as good as his NCO's. Bottom line. So where does the real "change" come from? Some say officer, I think NCO's. Not sure bout USMC, but I know in the Army, the NCO's went soft on their O's in the late 80's early 90's, giving the "power" to the O's. Thats when the major micro-management came in, and now, years later here we are trying to take back those reigns that once belonged to us.
2. I think there is little difference in E and O as a person. If you go to a track and talk with someone from the opposite side, you can quickly see that given the right atmosphere, underneath, we're all the same. Its just some ppl are better at not having to think and others are better long term/far side problem solving and management, but that only covers the exception to the norm. The norm to me says that 85% of enlisted would serve just as well as 85% of the officers and vice versa. There are only a handful at best of exception, think about it. Now of that 15% leftover, 10% really are meant for service...that leaves the 5% that will make history, or somehow contribute to it in such a way to be remembered etc...
3. No way in hell you can compare your Enlisted time as a trainee to "knowing" the enlisted side and thinking you would be a better officer because of it! Come on man, I dont give a rats *** if you were a trainee at BUDS course, or TST (if you know what that means, half the battle) your still a ******* trainee drop with NO EXPERIENCE in the Daily grind and internal working relationships b/w O and E. Personally, I think the best officers are fresh out of college and are assigned to an experienced Platoon Sergeant! Not West Pointers either. Prior enlisted, seen half n half worth a ****, they just take more time to get right. Some hold grudges against enlisted for their treatment when they were a geeky little enlisted guy that wanted to go to the dark side...some dont like NCO's so they want to become and Officer to tell the NCO what to do...WTFE!
Wont even go into the Res. CDR vs Enlisted CDR and ask how much a diff you think you can really make! Thats insane. Daniel, take care of the wife, and you soon to be newborn, think about it long and hard. Maybe ask some ppl that KNOW you and can give you an honest evaluation, even if its not what you want to hear, it may be the best for you.
Charlie
1. I dont see where being an Officer anywhere near as grand as it used to be, back in the movies era. An officer, under the grade of LT Col, can only be as good as his NCO's. Bottom line. So where does the real "change" come from? Some say officer, I think NCO's. Not sure bout USMC, but I know in the Army, the NCO's went soft on their O's in the late 80's early 90's, giving the "power" to the O's. Thats when the major micro-management came in, and now, years later here we are trying to take back those reigns that once belonged to us.
2. I think there is little difference in E and O as a person. If you go to a track and talk with someone from the opposite side, you can quickly see that given the right atmosphere, underneath, we're all the same. Its just some ppl are better at not having to think and others are better long term/far side problem solving and management, but that only covers the exception to the norm. The norm to me says that 85% of enlisted would serve just as well as 85% of the officers and vice versa. There are only a handful at best of exception, think about it. Now of that 15% leftover, 10% really are meant for service...that leaves the 5% that will make history, or somehow contribute to it in such a way to be remembered etc...
3. No way in hell you can compare your Enlisted time as a trainee to "knowing" the enlisted side and thinking you would be a better officer because of it! Come on man, I dont give a rats *** if you were a trainee at BUDS course, or TST (if you know what that means, half the battle) your still a ******* trainee drop with NO EXPERIENCE in the Daily grind and internal working relationships b/w O and E. Personally, I think the best officers are fresh out of college and are assigned to an experienced Platoon Sergeant! Not West Pointers either. Prior enlisted, seen half n half worth a ****, they just take more time to get right. Some hold grudges against enlisted for their treatment when they were a geeky little enlisted guy that wanted to go to the dark side...some dont like NCO's so they want to become and Officer to tell the NCO what to do...WTFE!
Wont even go into the Res. CDR vs Enlisted CDR and ask how much a diff you think you can really make! Thats insane. Daniel, take care of the wife, and you soon to be newborn, think about it long and hard. Maybe ask some ppl that KNOW you and can give you an honest evaluation, even if its not what you want to hear, it may be the best for you.
Charlie
In todays military, there just isnt a big difference between SNCO's and officers.. once you make it through the junior grades on the enlisted side of the house, things are a bit different. Officers know who has the experience and they lean heavily on us for advice and guidence.
and as far as the officers having starbucks at 1000hrs.... well ever heard of the phrase "RHIP" rank has its privileges
you can bet your *** that me and Cat3 have been somewhere doing something other than army **** at 1000 hrs on some random day... the junior enlisted work dyas for the most part has a set beginning and end.. SNCO's and O's have to let the mission set our scheduals for us, so if we find a 30 minute window during the day to go do something with our peers (probablly discuss work anyways) you can bet your *** we try and do it if the oprotunity rises..
