ENLIST INTO THE MARINE CORPS BECAUSE YOU TRULY WANT TO
Do
not enlist to prove anything to anyone else. Do not enlist because of
the image or reputation the USMC sells you. Enlist because the USMC best
fits your wants and needs, and or because you are willing to accept the
adventure no matter what it may bring. If you enlist because you think
you are a tough guy and because you prefer muscles to brains, then you
may not want to enlist. The Marines are looking for that well rounded
individual and not some immature kid who thinks killing is cool. I know
we all want to be bad asses, just make sure this isn't your primary
reason for enlisting into the Corps because it most likely wont go as you dreamed. And contrary to popular belief, you
can find a brotherhood and camaraderie in the other branches, so don't
fall for the hype that only the Corps can give you these things.
WHEN YOU SHIP OUT TO BOOT CAMP, LEAVE YOUR PAST LIFE BEHIND
In order for the USMC to make you into a better person, you must allow for
change to occur. This can’t happen if you refuse to change and if you
are hard headed. Leave all your bad habits at home, leave all your drama
at home, leave all your racial issues at home, and leave all of your
personal grudges at home. Basically what you want to do and what the
Marine Corps wants is for you to come in with a blank slate. Let them
build you into that person you asked to be. Keep in mind that very often
who you were prior to enlisting often carries over while you serve. So
don't expect to emerge as a totally new person. On the outside you may
be a fresh new person, but on the inside 9 out of 10 times you are still
going to be the exact same person you were before you enlisted. You can read more about how boot camp and the USMC might change you here.
DO NOT EXPECT TO LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER JUST BECAUSE YOU SERVE
Serving
in the Corps does not mean your life is now set. When you are done with
the USMC, you basically are shown the door and you must move on with
your life with very little help if any from the USMC. They will not hand
you any money or a job and they are no longer responsible for you at this point. Just being a Marine veteran does not mean the world
owes you anything, so don't expect free handouts. You have to get out
there and get your job just like anyone else and you have to get out
there and enroll into a college, if you so desire. Life is not always
easier after the USMC, so prepare for that. Since most of you will only
serve one enlistment, it is very important you understand that once you
exit the Corps, life can very often be tough.
THE USMC IS NOT LARGER THAN LIFE ITSELF
Do
not act as if serving in the USMC is a matter of life and death. There
is more to life than the Marines. Do not make the Marine Corps out to be
something it is not. If you become a Marine, then be very proud, but do
not cross that line where you become an arrogant and an immature
asshole, because when you do you give others the fuel they desire to
poke fun at the Marine Corps. If you must talk crap, then at least have
correct facts and first-hand knowledge to back up any claims you make in
regards to the USMC. It is very important you remain as grounded as
possible when serving. You do not always have to announce that you are a
Marine. Many years after you have served, the Marine Corps will just be
one chapter in your book of life, so don't make serving out to be
something it is not and try your best to never forget where you came
from.
UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE GETTING YOURSELF INTO
Don’t
expect the Marine Corps to adapt to you, you must adapt to them. Know
what your job will be, and know what the real USMC is like as best as
possible. Do not judge the USMC by any video, movie, or video game you
may of seen. Do not think the Marine Corps is like boot camp or like
what a recruiter may say it is like. There is a lot about the Marine
Corps that you may not know about, and this is what Future Jarheads is
all about. This website will talk about many issues that most Marines
and the Marine Corps itself refuse to speak about and it is important
that you have this knowledge prior to enlisting.