I
have noticed that many of you are looking at the Delayed Entry Program
(DEP) as something you actually enlist into and it is not.
The DEP is
simply where you are placed once you have enlisted into the Marine Corps
and are awaiting to ship out and while in the DEP your title will be
"Poolee."
You can be in the DEP up to 365
days unless more time is approved. It is not something you choose to be
a part of and it is very important you do not make the DEP program out
to be something it is not.
I constantly get asked questions such as these:
--- Should I enlist into the DEP?
--- How do I qualify for the DEP?
--- Can I fail the DEP?
--- How much do I get paid in the DEP?
--- What uniforms do I wear in the DEP?
--- Can I skip the DEP?
These
questions are proof that many of you do not clearly understand what the
DEP program is for. You do not have a choice in regards to being in the
DEP. And you should not be looking at your enlistment process as if you
will be enlisting into the DEP because you are actually enlisting into the
Marine Corps and not the DEP as if it is something on its own.
Just like MEPS, the DEP is just a part of
the enlistment process. The DEP is made to give you future Jarheads
confidence and it is made to make you hard-chargers feel good about
yourselves by making it seem like you are now in the USMC and a part of
something special. That is all it is. Do not make things out to be
something they are not. You are not a Marine while in the DEP and if you
quit the DEP or if your ass gets kicked out, you will not get a
dishonorable discharge or any type of discharge. Your contract is simply
cancelled and life goes on.
While
in the DEP you are supposed to be learning your USMC knowledge, doing
some good ole Marines Corps PT to improve your physical fitness stats and learning
about the USMC’s ways by speaking with actual Marines and by going to
various functions/events that are USMC related. Not every recruiting
station will run their DEP program the same way. Some recruiters are
more motivated and have more resources available to use such as nearby
USMC bases, while some recruiters really don’t put much effort into the
DEP. So just because you heard of one Poolee who did certain stuff while
in the DEP, this does not mean you will also being doing the same shit.
I
can never get a straight answer about how often poolees attend DEP
meetings and I think this is because it varies from recruiter to
recruiter. Some poolees go to weekly meetings while others only go every
other Saturday. Some even have meetings 2-3 times per week while others
say they only go 2-3 times per month. These DEP meetings/events for the
most part will be fun, especially at first. Keep in mind if you are in
the DEP for 10-12 months, these Poolee events can start to seem like one
huge pain in the ass.
Some
recruiters who are more hard-core will demand that you be there for
every single meeting and they will even threaten you with that if you
don’t show up, then you may be kicked out of the DEP. Chances are really
good that if your ass gets kicked out for not showing up to a meeting,
then you are probably being kicked out because you are a shady prospect
and you are an at-risk Poolee and not because of missing a meeting. It
is always in your best interest to attend every meeting/function, especially the mandatory ones, but you should
never allow for these meetings to get in the way of your regular life in
things such as work, school, family emergencies or engagements and
things of this nature. Remember, you are not a Marine yet and they
cannot force you to attend anything. If you are going to miss a DEP
function, make sure you tell your recruiter as soon as possible that
these are your intentions. And if you are constantly missing DEP events,
don't be surprised if you get kicked out of the DEP.