I have been in the USMC for 16 years now and I love it. I chose a good job. Going to the schools for my job and for the ranks I have moved through gave me all my elective credits for the degree I am working on (43 credit hours).
I have been to Okinawa (Japan), Hong Kong, Thailand, California, Virginia, North Carolina, and now to Iraq 2 times.
The Marine Corps was a decision I made during my Junior year of high school. I filled out cards for each of the services I found in a magazine and mailed them all in. I received a letter back from the Marines in a week. I heard back from the Army a month later, and never heard back from the Air Force. So I decided to go see the Marine Recruiter.
I scored high on the ASVAB so I could pick any job. I picked radio repairman. Now I manage a shop of radio repairman, and make sure that all our Battalion’s Communication equipment is repaired quickly and efficiently.
If and when I finish this deployment I will have spent 14 out of 24 months in Iraq. I have enjoyed the work, I have enjoyed the variety and in 4 years I will enjoy the added income from my retirement. I will use the new GI bill to get my Master’s Degree and move on to my second career.
The Marine Corps definitely isn’t for everyone. Someone said air force has the best facilities. I completely agree, I remember when I was in Okinawa, Marines had old beat up Barracks that were decades old and we kept them in good shape with our own hands. The Air force on Okinawa had new barracks, with people hired to clean their rooms and make their beds. Oh and they still were given ‘Hardship pay’ for living there!
I am very proud to be in the Marines. America keeps us because you all love us. Because we represent many of the things that are great about America:
We do more with less, we have the smallest budget.
We have a reputation for getting the job done, and don’t let IEDs or bullets stop us.
We believe in our country so much that we would bleed on the flag to make sure it stays red.
We don’t have all those really cool college funds, or all the commercial time.
We carry those intangibles that everyone wants: Honor, Courage and Commitment to the extent that we would die for them.