Marines/Navy

[Stonewall82]

I've recently decided to be a Marine and withdraw my application with the navy. It was a difficult decision, but I feel like a made the right decision and that the Marines will give me more opportunities for flying helicopters as well as the fact that I will be a Marine! I did complete an app., transcripts, and recs with the navy. Does anyone know if any of this material gets transferred to the Marines or is it an entirely separate process? I know the budget for the Marines comes out of the Navy, but is it totally separated in the application process? I might catch flak over this, but I'd really like know. I'm contacting a Marine officer recruiter today, but I figured I'd ask yall first. Thanks.

 

[Stonewall82]

I appreciate the help Michael W

 

[zuggerat]

not to resurrect an old thread but stonewall im in the same position as u... ive withdrawn my application with the navy and have decided to go with the marines for a number of reasons. one being the navy dicked me around for the better part of a year and then lost my LORs... so i decided to make the transition.

 

[Brett327]

You're gonna be sorrrrrrrrryyyyyyy!

Brett

 

[zuggerat]

You're gonna be sorrrrrrrrryyyyyyy!

Brett

i'd rather be sorry with a shot at a flight slot than a civilian

 

[Stonewall82]

You'll Never Be Sorry You're a Marine

Hey I hear ya man. I thought I wanted to be a Marine and the more I went in that direction the more I knew it's for me. I just took my flight phys. at Pcola yesterday and I'm pumped I passed the eye exam which was big because I had PRK. By the way, the Navy basically kinda dicked around with me for 6 months - so glad I switched. The Marines are awesome, I like it better because from the bottom up as an organization everyone is a Marine. You don't have people that join the Marines just to pay for their schooling for a degree in med., nursing, etc. You join the Marine Corps because you want to be a Marine and it is a challenge and I think that is a big difference. Not to look down at anyone in the Navy at all, I think if you are willing to serve your country for the right reason or not then that is admirable and more than most people do. I just feel the Marines are a better fit for me. I'm applying for the OCS 190 in October and my package is complete minus the PFT. I'm looking forward to getting a shot at my PFT next week. Which class are you applying for zuggerat?

 

[brd2881]

You guys made a great choice, nothing against our navy counterparts. I am in advanced right now and am extremely pleased with my decision to join the Marines. You really feel like you belong to something. You will never regret it, trust me.

 

[Killer2]

I had a 4-yr NROTC scholarship and every salior and Naval Officer I met (incl Pilots/FOs) were not happy being in the Navy. Long story short I am now 3 days and 6 weeks from earning my title as a US Marine and could not be happier or less sorry with my decision. Glad you found your fit.

 

[eddie]

I had a 4-yr NROTC scholarship and every salior and Naval Officer I met (incl Pilots/FOs) were not happy being in the Navy.

Why were they so unhappy?

 

[Killer2]

They all had various reasons. There were people from just about every community there SWO, Subs, two Pilots(helos) and one F-14 RIO. They all had there own complaints and gripes.

Hell most of the guys I was there with my freshman year, all now who graduated or will graduate want to go SWO so they can do 4 and get out. They would rather do that then go Air and I think they will be sorrrrrrryyyy.

edit. the one pilot who did like the Navy was there and he always talked about doing stuff I can't talk about here because webmaster said so.

 

[Brett327]

Why were they so unhappy?

Because generally speaking, guys who do ROTC for their shore tours are the people who didn't do well in their squadrons. ROTC is not something a competitive JO goes for and is a huge "Hey I'm probably getting out as soon as my obligation is up" flag to the promotion board. It's easy to imagine why the JOs there would be somewhat disgruntled and not have a very positive attitude about their communities. If you went to any RAG and asked the same questions, you'd get a little different perspective. Try to keep that in mind when making your decisions.

Brett

 

[A4sForever]

Did I misunderstand this ..... ??? If not, ALL the officers and nearly all the E-men in my ROT-C unit were very pro-Navy. For some, it was a retirement billet, for others .... they still had "hope". NONE were down in the mouth about Big Blue or USMC --- all encouraged us and mentored us .....

 

[Flash]

They all had various reasons. There were people from just about every community there SWO, Subs, two Pilots(helos) and one F-14 RIO. They all had there own complaints and gripes.

Hell most of the guys I was there with my freshman year, all now who graduated or will graduate want to go SWO so they can do 4 and get out. They would rather do that then go Air and I think they will be sorrrrrrryyyy.

edit. the one pilot who did like the Navy was there and he always talked about doing stuff I can't talk about here because webmaster said so.

What school did you go to? While some of the guys at my unit were a little bit down on the Navy, 2 or 3 if I remember, we had a lot more guys who loved the Navy. One of the guys who was not a happy fellow sucked sand into the gas trubine of his hydrofoil patrol boat wrecking the engine when he was OOD and the other was a helo pilot and was just a sour guy.

I knew two people who went to NROTC units from my last squadron and while both were good performers they both wanted to leave the Navy and saw it as an opportunity to get grad school and leads on good civ jobs. Both liked the Navy.

Oh yeah, I have known a few Marines who have been sooorrrrryyy with what they ended up with.

 

[Brett327]

Oh yeah, I have known a few Marines who have been sooorrrrryyy with what they ended up with.

I don't want to come into the little Marine area on here and start a sh!tstorm, but I find it ammusing when people (especially those who don't know yet) start talking about how glorious it will be to be a Marine, so on and so forth. Now, to be clear, I'm not knocking Marines (at least not right now), but deciding which service to be in based on how the recruiters treated you and what flight slots are available seems a little short sighted to me. Just know what you're getting yourselves into - that's all. Behind all the "motivation" and "Hoorah" is a service with a very different philisophy. That means always doing things on the cheap, generally crappy living conditions and a much more intrusive way of interacting with its members lives. If that sounds like fun to you, then have at it. But, like in the Navy, it's not all choker whites and dining outs, so be ready to have more than a few sh!t sandwiches along with your "Hoorah."

Good times,

Brett

 

[Stonewall82]

I think it is pretty obvious that your experience in whatever service you join is to a great extent up to you and what you make of it. I believe I've read that somewhere before on this site. I made a decision for the Marines somewhat based on recruiter stuff but largely because of Navy/Marine pilots that I talked to. But, like Brett said I have not done anything yet so I really don't know for myself. I think I'll offer my opinion in the future with my own actual experience to back it up. That being said, I think as a Marine you should be determined to make your service as a Marine an asset to the Corps and be the best Marine you can possibly be whatever your situation.