Becoming a Marine...

tanto said:
I suggest that you push for Security Forces called "Yankee White". Your MOS is 03XX but you must be single and be able to obtain a TS security clearance, this was what I almost did. You are part of a special security team (FAST maybe not sure) that is assigned to do specific jobs directly from the president. Maybe some of the others (03XXs) on this board can shed some light on specifics but I know that you will not be acting as a bonafide MP. I think that you do two or three years (cant remember) in a Yankee White billet then you spend your remainder as a regular grunt.
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This sounds like what I was looking into, but haven't heard it called "Yankee White" though, just "F.A.S.T". I am very interested in this as well as embassy guard duty. So you say you must have a 03xx MOS? Ok, sounds right. What about the embassy guard? That can be ANY MOS right? At least that's what i've been reading.
Well, the "meet-and-greet" thing went very, very well. I thought my mom was gonna totally lose her cool when I first told her they were coming, but she ended up being as sweet as can be. Total shocker. My dad was also very supportive, and they both seemed to be uber-proud of me that night. I'm getting medical forms filled out with the recruiter tomorrow morning, and I believe (could be dead wrong) I will be going to M.E.P.S this thursday/friday. Can't wait to get this over with, and move on to prepping for BT. Im more excited than nervous/scared which I'm glad for. Just gotta learn some o' the core lingo, rules, ranks, etc. and get my arse in awesome shape and im set! SEMPER FRY!!!!........ :rant:
 
natedogg said:
And being a infantryman I got to fire some badass weapons. On the other side of the coin, anyone who was someone other than a grunt had a much easier time of things. I couldn't image myself being anything other than a grunt though. It really is night and day between the grunts and non-grunts. I have a shitload of knowledge and experiences I could tell you.
That's the best summary right there. Grunts are the backbone of the Marine Corps. We have to go to the field a ton which can suck at times, but we also get more time off...Like usually after a long ass hump (up to 25 miles for grunts). In Iraq, we get shafted with where and what our camps had. When I was there all the pogs (non grunts) had air conditioning, sat. phones, ect. But, even though we had it hard, I did get the combat action ribbon for all the firefights and they didn't....
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builtolast said:
. What about the embassy guard? That can be ANY MOS right? At least that's what i've been reading.
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Yes, that's correct. My gf is a marine and she's on MSG (embassy guard) and so are some of my friends, but you have to apply for it after you join (and if your in a critical MOS it will be hard for you to get out of your job and go).
 
builtolast said:
This sounds like what I was looking into, but haven't heard it called "Yankee White" though, just "F.A.S.T". I am very interested in this as well as embassy guard duty. So you say you must have a 03xx MOS? Ok, sounds right. What about the embassy guard? That can be ANY MOS right? At least that's what i've been reading.
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Security Forces is a secondary MOS like I've said before (0852 I think). You are a grunt, but after SOI, you will go to Security Forces school in Chesapeake, VA for about a month or so. There they will get you up to speed on CQB tactics (ie stacking, room clearing, etc), how to stand guard properly (ie how to set up/stand a checkpoint, vehicle and personnel clearance, etc.), how to fire the shotgun and pistol, and so on. During the school you will have a choice to choose either FAST company, stateside guard duty which involves nuclear weapons, or overseas duty(ie Bahrain, Spain or Iceland). I was in Bahrain for a year and had a great time and saved up over 10,000 dollars in the year that I was there. Ask me specifics if you want to know more. Good luck.
 
natedogg said:
Security Forces is a secondary MOS like I've said before (0852 I think). You are a grunt, but after SOI, you will go to Security Forces school in Chesapeake, VA for about a month or so. There they will get you up to speed on CQB tactics (ie stacking, room clearing, etc), how to stand guard properly (ie how to set up/stand a checkpoint, vehicle and personnel clearance, etc.), how to fire the shotgun and pistol, and so on. During the school you will have a choice to choose either FAST company, stateside guard duty which involves nuclear weapons, or overseas duty(ie Bahrain, Spain or Iceland). I was in Bahrain for a year and had a great time and saved up over 10,000 dollars in the year that I was there. Ask me specifics if you want to know more. Good luck.
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So, "Security Forces" is a the main idea and all the other special assignments (guard duty, FAST, etc.) are just sub-branches of that. Is this correct? Also, you said you saved $10,000 while in Bahrain? Why is this? That's pretty dang good savings, eh? Also, what is the assignment like? Is their some excitement? Prestige? Interesting experiences? ETC ETC ETC? Just wanna know about this special duty before signing 03 to do it. Then again, I'll probably sign 03 anyways...

Speaking of which what is the best 03 specialty (machinegunner, rifleman, assualtman, etc.) and how does one become one of those specifically? Do you sign your contract as one, or do you first have to go through IST and then become assigned to one of those? Anyone able to clear those cobwebs for me gets a lollipop. :lol:
 
So, "Security Forces" is a the main idea and all the other special assignments (guard duty, FAST, etc.) are just sub-branches of that. Is this correct?

Yes, basically.

Also, you said you saved $10,000 while in Bahrain? Why is this? That's pretty dang good savings, eh?

Hell yeah it was. I bought myself a car as soon as I got back too. Well, since Bahrain is cosidered a danger zone you get paid a whole lot more than you would if you were just to get stationed here in the states. As a PFC (E2) for instance, I got paid the equivalent of a SSGT (E6) which equals out to about 500 more dollars a month. I spent hardly any money so I was able to save up around 1000 dollars every month for a year.

Also, what is the assignment like? Is their some excitement? Prestige? Interesting experiences? ETC ETC ETC? Just wanna know about this special duty before signing 03 to do it.

Bahrain had it's ups and downs. I loved the money I was making. And the drinking age is 18, so I would go out a few times every month and get wasted with my buddies at some of the local bars. I had a shitload of gym time and gained a lot of muscle in the year that I was there too. I had a girlfriend for the last 6 months I was there so that kept me busy as well. ;) Downsides? The heat is almost unbearable sometimes. Imagine 110 degrees, plus 100% humidity which makes it feel more like 140 degrees. The posts become repetive after a while. Sometimes as a patrol, you find things to do that keep it interesting, like training on post and what not. Excitement? Not really, although the ranges we ran were fun. I think the most interesting experiences happened when I wasn't on duty. I always had a blast going out into the town and mingleing with the town folk. During the summer months I did a lot of jet skiing and swimming. I definately had some awesome times out there.

Speaking of which what is the best 03 specialty (machinegunner, rifleman, assualtman, etc.) and how does one become one of those specifically?

I wouldn't really say any one specialty is better than any other. I was a machine gunner and yes firing a machine gun is cool, but not when you have carry it around for several miles in the jungle or desert, up and down hills, through heavy foilage or thick sand. All of them have there ups and downs. You get a wish list in SOI. Basically you choose the specialties in the order in which you prefer. Sometimes you'll get the one you want, sometimes you don't.
 
Beelzebub said:
hey nate, how's the old desert dome doing these days? haven't seen it since 98. ahh, memories. :)
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They tore it down and rebuilt it entirely. It was really nice when I left in 2002. The entire base was under a complete overhaul. It's probably even better now than it was then.
 
natedogg said:
Hmm, tough question. I had some great times and I had some really ****ty times as well. Near the end I couldn't wait to get out because I couldn't put up with the bull**** anymore (due mainly to a ****ty command). I met some of the greatest guys I will ever meet while I was in also. You meet someone and after a while you'll be friends like you've known each other your entire lives. Seriously though, you will never be as close to another male (no, not in that way you sick ****s) as you will be in the Corps (figuratively and literally). As far as training, I'm not gonna lie, It won't be easy bro. I did the whole Infantry thing so you can image the **** I went through. 13 weeks of basic, another 6 weeks or so of Infantry training (2 and a half weeks of infantry training for non-grunts), then because I also did security forces for the first year I had to do another 4 weeks of training on top of that. The negatives were being treated like a speck of ****, no/hardly any freedoms, long hours, lots and lots of field time rain or shine, sleep depravation, and the list goes on. Then again the comraderie was awesome between us. We learned how work together as a team to accomplish goals and objectives. And like Ryan said, it makes you into a man (although I see you're 26 so I'm not going to question your manhood). And being a infantryman I got to fire some badass weapons. On the other side of the coin, anyone who was someone other than a grunt had a much easier time of things. I couldn't image myself being anything other than a grunt though. It really is night and day between the grunts and non-grunts. I have a ****load of knowledge and experiences I could tell you. Just ask and I'll answer to the best of my knowledge.
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what are you doing now in life,,,im wanting to join as a rifleman but im also thinking post military and wondering if maybe thats not the best mos to go into...im also thinkg intelligence....i want to go into federal law enforcement so would rifleman be a good choice...or i guess mp would be better uh?
 
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