r/USMCboot

Hello, Im 17 and I plan on joining the marines after I finish high school and I have like 10 and a half months maybe? Before bootcamp? I think? Or maybe longer, who knows. I am currently applying NOW so I can do the PT's (twice a week) with my local marine base so I can prepare BEFORE I head out to bootcamp. I haven't actually started the PT's yet but I will once I finish all the signing up process. I am VERY intimidated by everything and I doubt my physical abilities which is fair because I can barely do a single push up as embarrassing as it is to admit... and im also 215 pounds. I will start going to the gym soon to lose weight and gain muscle. I will try my best to go everyday. I do want some advice on what to focus on to physically prepare myself for the challenges I might face. Obviously losing weight, but like what machines or exercises should I do to really make my life so much easier down the line because im genuinly so weak?? Sorry if I didn't explain things well but I would appreciate all help😥

Hey everyone,

*Sorry for the Long Text, but I really need some advice* 

I'm looking for some honest advice because I've been going back and forth on this for a while. I'm currently in the Army DEP as a 27D (Paralegal Specialist) and I'm about 70 days away from shipping. Lately, I've been wondering if I should try to pursue Marine Corps OCS instead. For some background, I'm 24 years old, 5'6", 132 lb, married (no kids yet), and a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Cuba. I have an A.S. in Cybersecurity (4.0 GPA) and a B.S. in Cybersecurity (3.96 GPA), both from Southern New Hampshire University.

One of my biggest concerns is honestly my size. At 5'6" and 132 pounds, a lot of OCS candidates I've seen online seem much bigger than me. I know leadership and fitness matter more than size, but it's still something I've thought about. I'm in the gym consistently and working on improving my fitness.

I've been working since I was 15. I started with physical labor jobs, and since I was 18–19 I've worked in the legal field doing immigration, bankruptcy, debt defense, and now energy litigation. I've worked as a Legal Assistant on federal, state, and international matters and have had leadership opportunities at work and through sports. A big reason I wanted to serve was attending a high school with mandatory Marine Corps JROTC. I had some incredible Marine instructors, including combat veterans, who really inspired me.

I signed with the Army because it made the most sense at the time. I was able to secure a 27D contract, enlist as an E-4, work toward my master's degree while serving, and later use the GI Bill for law school. Army OCS wasn't realistic for me because of the timeline, so I enlisted instead.

For reference:

• AFQT: 78
• Army GT: 113
• Marine GT: 108
• EL: 102
• CL: 119
• MM: 97

I'm training consistently, but I haven't taken an official Marine PFT yet, and I also haven't spoken with an OSO or Marine recruiter. Even though I had a good civilian career, I decided to enlist because I genuinely want to serve the country that gave me and my family opportunities we never would have had otherwise.

Originally, my plan was to complete my 3-year Army enlistment as a 27D and then apply for OCS afterward. But lately I've been questioning that plan and wondering if I should try for Marine OCS before I ship instead.

Another factor is my family. My wife will be working while attending law school and earning around $80k a year. As an Army E-4 I'd expect to make around $60k–70k (this includes BAH) with military compensation, while an officer would earn more. I'm not chasing the money, but it's something I have to consider as a husband when thinking about our future.

Has anyone here been in a similar situation?

Based on my background, do I seem like a realistic OCS candidate, or should I stick with the Army plan and revisit becoming an officer later? Is it worth leaving the DEP program to pursue OCS now, or would you finish the enlistment first and prepare for OCS afterward?

I'd really appreciate any honest opinions, even if it's something I don't necessarily want to hear. Thanks in advance.

Hello i am currently 17 trying to get into marine corps/force recon/ but i heard u can get disqualified at meps for having ADHD so look i havent been on meds i think since 14 i am going into my senior year gpa is like a 3.1

But i was only on adhd meds simply because in 4th and 5th grade i used to be a bad kid all though my grades were good than all through middle school i did very good but my mom still put me on adhd medication for no reason at all after middle school i convinced my mom i never needed it and she listened and now im going into senior year am i good? Someone please let me know

Hey USMCboot reddit!!

My stepson is going to be 18 next month and shipping out next month as well. I've been reading lots of your posts and I'm wondering a few things. If this is not the right subreddit I do apologize just let me know and I can take it down.

First, What's something meaningful to get him for his 18th birthday that would be good for him to have AFTER basic. I have read a lot about don't bring personal items and only the clothes on your back so don't want to send him off with anything there, but for after what's something you wish you had? Or something you got that you really appreciated.

I know he said he's going into fire and rescue and also how things can change.

Secondly, we plan to write to him when he's in basic. However he lives with his mom. I'm unsure if we would also get the mailing address too? He's going to San Diego we know that for sure. But do both parents get informed of the mailing address? Also is there a way to see if anyone else in basic doesn't have family or friends writing so we can write them too?

And lastly, what does the ship date look like? Do we get to go and say goodbye? We know his date but pretty much nothing else at this time. Do they leave at like 4am like they did for MEPS? We want to make sure we're there for his departure.

Anything else I might need to know? He and I are not very close but I love this kid and just want him to succeed in whatever he wants to do.

Thanks for all the advice!

Hey guys, I was in from 2012-2017 and don’t have contact with any guys I served with that had once became drill instructors, so.. ask Reddit I guess?

Did the bus driver actually drive around PI before dropping us off to disorient us? Or is that just classic bootcamp folklore? I honestly can’t remember since this coming September will be 14 years ago.

I was on deferred probation for four years for a third-degree felony. Because the probation was deferred, it will not appear on my record after successful completion. During that time, I earned a bachelor’s degree in History with a 3.0 GPA and did not participate in ROTC. Given these circumstances, is it possible?

So I’m 20 years old now and recently broke up with my evil succubus girlfriend and I think it’s time to go do the thing and join up.

My dad was an 0331 with 1/3 back in the 90s and his experience sounds like the coolest time you can ask for, so I’d really like to be stationed on Hawaii as he was.

When I spoke to a recruiter in high school I was told that scoring high in your tests and asvab give you a better chance of getting the billet you want. However, with there only being 1 infantry battalion in Hawaii these days I don’t imagine it’s very easy to get placed there as an 03.

So this being said, if I enlist and excel in boot camp and SOI is there a decent chance I could be assigned to the littoral regiment there?

I'm currently 16, I'm going into my junior year and I turn 17 in December, I was wondering whether or not I could talk to my recruiter and him help me prepare me for when I plan on enlisting at 18 after I graduate high school, more so in terms of ASVAB, how to find what MOS is right for me, any specific elective classes I should take, and help keep up with my grades, etc. I'm not too worried about physical fitness, as I go to the gym 6x a week, I play soccer, and I wrestle, any advice very much helps.

im colorblind and have a Asvab score of 80. My recruiter also said I can do fire direction/control specialist, and nuclear. Im thinking cyber, infantry, or parachute rigger. I dont want to work a desk job and I want to do smt hands on (the only reason im even slightly thinking cyber is cause of money) look for my earlier post for the paper that shows you the jobs im qualified for i posted it a few hours ago

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my boyfriend wrote home talking about how he experienced some IT, and to search up what it was. I had no clue before about what it was, and I did a little bit of research. I was going to write back to him that I had read about it and that it seems kind of wild, but it seems that everybody eventually gets some form of IT.

I googled it, and Google AI said to not explicitly say the word IT, because drill instructors scan letters for use of IT to see if recruits are complaining.

This whole thing is a little interesting, because there’s a lot of things I’m not allowed to say which I would like to. It seems like every interaction from me and my boyfriend for the next few months is heavily monitored and I can’t even tell him how much I love him without being worried that it’s gonna flag a DI.

I’m trying to keep pet names, “I love you”’s and anything “lovey dovey” to a low which i guess is just bumming me out. Everything that I’ve read has said that DI is really heavily scrutinized and inspect every recruits mail. I guess I’m just wondering if this is true and if I’m allowed to talk about IT without him possibly getting in trouble.

Looking for advice and answers

Is it at all possible for someone to get an ASVAB waiver in the Marine Corps DEP Program?

If so how long did it take for it to get processed?

I am currently a poolee and have been in the DEP since March of this year. I took the ASVAB twice when it was offered at my high school in 2024 and 2025. My first score was a 71, and my most recent score was a 51. At the time, I was very ignorant and trusted everything my recruiter told me. Before I was sent to MEPS, he told me that the ASVAB score I would be going to MEPS with was my 71. I went through the entire process under the impression that I would be using that score. When the time came for my recruiter to pick me up from MEPS, he broke the news to me that I had actually sworn in with my 51. I was very upset because I knew I would not be able to choose either of my top MOS choices (Cyber or Aircraft Maintenance). I was told it was possible to get an ASVAB waiver, so I waited from March until June for it to be processed. I was eventually told that my retest at MEPS was scheduled for June 4. However, the day before my supposed test date, my recruiter told me he was on leave and that I would not be able to retake the ASVAB. I was then told that I could potentially get another retest date, so I continued studying and waiting. Around two weeks ago, during our station PT, I told him that I no longer wanted to retake the ASVAB. I was tired of waiting for the waiver to be processed, and the uncertainty of whether it would ever be approved was becoming exhausting. I have not yet spoken with my recruiter about selecting an MOS and signing my contract. My original ship date from MEPS was June 22, but it has now been pushed back to October. I feel like I wasted my opportunity to leave for boot camp right after graduating high school because I was waiting for a retest that never happened. I’m starting to think I was being lied to the entire time. My original plan was to use work experience in cyber, along with a security clearance, to help me get a high paying job when it came time to transition out of the Marine Corps. I know there are many great opportunities in other career fields, but I don’t think I would feel fulfilled working in a different field. At this point, I’m starting to question whether joining is even worth it anymore.

(Update signed a contract for DB Info and Comms shipping out August 3rd)

Is it okay to sleep with a stuffed animal in the marines?

I understand its probably not possible in boot camp but can you do it after that?

Its not that I need it just makes me feel at home after a long day. I know its embarrassing.

I am a 32 Year Old Corporate Lawyer (I do realize I will need an age waiver). I've always wanted to serve - but now I am in the financial/personal/professional position to actually step away and do so (debts are paid off, personal obligations are taken care of such that I can not be home for the next 4 years etc).

I am aware that Officer positions across the military require U.S Citizenship, mostly because of the security clearance that is required. I also know that since we are technically in a period of hostility since 2001, "one day of honorable service" is all that is needed to qualify for citizenship after you have your green card - meaning that once the paperwork is rolling, you can have you citizenship by the time you finish basic.

Given all that....is it TECHNICALLY possible to sign a USMC JAG contract as a Green Card holder, with the understanding that you will swear your oath of citizenship at the earliest possible opportunity?

Or is this just a non-starter?

I leave for San Diego on October 5th. And the biggest worry I have right now is the basic swim qual. What are the authorized swim methods during the 150meter? And what are the authorized ways to do the 4 minute tread? I want to know so I can practice and get things down before then

At 18 years old, I became homeless, which prevented me from finishing high school. I had to move to a homeless shelter far away from the school I was attending, so commuting there every day would have been difficult. I likely would have been late to class or exhausted throughout the school day.

At the time, I also didn't have important documents like my birth certificate or a government-issued ID. Without those, I couldn't enroll in another high school near the shelter. The process of replacing those documents would have taken so long that I would have aged out of high school before I could return.

Since then, things have improved. I was able to get my school transcript, birth certificate, and state ID, and I only need to get my passport. Now, at 19 years old, the homeless shelter has enrolled me in a program where I can work while making progress toward my GED. So far, I've passed the Reasoning Through Language Arts (RLA) and Social Studies GED tests.

My question is: since a GED is generally viewed differently from a traditional high school diploma, is it still possible to join the Marine Corps with a GED? My plan is to serve for four years, use the GI Bill to attend college, and earn a degree. More importantly, I want to serve my country and be part of something bigger than myself.

Throwaway account here because I dont really use Reddit. Background: I have already sworn into the DEP and have a ship date of August 18th. Long before I even talked to a recruiter I was engaged to my now wife and had a wedding date set. That was one of the first things I mentioned to him and he was perfectly fine with that and he said he would make sure to give me a ship date about a month after our wedding so we had time to spend together as newlyweds, he just told me to get our marriage certificate to him as soon as we got it, along with my wife's social security card, birth certificate, and ID so that she could get added as a dependent etc. as she has quite a few health problems, so that she could get on the insurance when I leave(and she has a habit of putting them on the backburner because she doesn't have the means to pay for the healthcare)

That was all fine until we got said marriage certificate. Now my recruiter (and the head recruiter at the RSS) are giving me pushback on adding her as a dependent because they said it'll be an additional waiver (I already had to have a few to swear in but all were approved with little to no issues) and it could push back my ship date. I tried to look it up and everywhere is saying this isn't a waiver, so why the hell are they giving me issues now? They're saying they can just add her as a dependent after boot camp, I personally dont want that due to her health conditions - I want to make sure she'll be okay while I'm gone. And while she is on workplace insurance now, its really crappy and covers almost nothing. Any advice?

Im 20 gonna enlist soon for 0311, how would it work wanting to get stationed or the chances of getting stationed or deployed somewhere cool? i have no idea how the deployment works but have an idea of the stations. id either most likely get stationed in San diego since thats where im from, or go straight to japan, or be in san diego for a bit then japan. But idk id want to go to different places and stuff like spain, middle east, africa, Caribbeans if its possible (ive seen online) how would it work? is it possible but super rare? or do i have to go a certain route? and for enlisting id most likelly be going to boot september-november.

I’ve been in between reserves and active for a while now i’m not sure what I want to do. I can either go IT or infantry at my local reserve unit and I have a huge interest in computers and with the IT experience from the marine corps I could get a pretty good IT job and also go to school. I’m 18 and i don’t know if i’m ready for the life style change and missing my family. but at the same time what if i can’t get a career while im in the reserves then i’m stuck doing a dead end job with an extra few hundred on the side. I don’t have many personal obligations here except I share a house with my two bestfriends and i have a girlfriend and family i’m really torn and I’m really looking for some unbiased advice outside of my family just do what my heart tells me but my heart is torn down the middle.