1. Start Preparing Early.
Whether you are shipping to MCRD Parris Island or MCRD San Diego, you can enlist in the Marine Corps Delayed Entry Program (DEP) up to one year before shipping to Marine Boot Camp. If you are smart, you will use that entire year to ensure you are both mentally and physically prepared to undertake one of the most challenging endeavors of your entire life. Proper preparation should include both mental and physical training aspects. This should involve studying your Marine Corps history, knowledge, and rank structure; learning the Code of Conduct, Leadership Traits, Leadership Principles, and your 11 General Orders. In addition to your mental preparation, you will need to get yourself in top physical condition if you want to not only succeed at Marine Boot Camp, but excel. Physical preparation should include combinations of short intense exercise circuits combined with long cardiovascular endurance sessions that will get you ready for any physical challenge that can be thrown at you during the 13 weeks of Recruit Training.
2. Choose Your MOS Wisely.
Your Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) is effectively what you will be doing for the next 4 years of your enlistment in the U.S. Marine Corps. It is extremely important that you choose an occupational field that is suitable to your personality, interests, and capabilities. If you absolutely hate living in the dirt, shooting guns, and long challenging forced marches while wearing heavy gear, you will likely not enjoy a career in the Marine Corps Infantry. Conversely, if you are not someone who enjoys sitting behind a desk all day in an office performing clerical work or typing, you probably would not enjoy an Administrative or Legal MOS. The Marine Corps has numerous career fields to choose from. Infantry, Tanks, Artillery, and Amphibious Vehicle Crewman are some of the more combat-oriented MOSs. Supply, Motor Transport Mechanic/Operator, Food Service Specialist, and Military Police are some of the Combat Support MOSs. Administration, Legal Clerk, Public Affairs, and Communications are some of the Combat Service Support MOSs. Whichever MOS you choose, it's important to choose one that you enjoy doing and that you are able to do for at least the next four years of your enlistment. Take some time and put some serious thought into this decision, as it will affect you every day you are in the Marine Corps.
3. Get Ready for a Significant Change of Lifestyle.
Once you become a Marine, your life as a civilian is over for the duration of your time in the Marine Corps. This means you are done with high school or which ever civilian job you may have had before joining the Corps. You are done living at home with mom and dad, and having someone to clean up after you. You will no longer live in your home town and hang out with your old buddies from high school. This is a significant lifestyle change that you will undergo. Prior to leaving for boot camp, ensure you communicate this with your friends and family. Let them know that once you leave for boot camp, you will not see them for the next 13 weeks, and even after you graduate, you will only get to see them from time to time, when you are granted annual leave or during holiday periods where you receive extended liberty.
Whether you are shipping to MCRD Parris Island or MCRD San Diego, you can enlist in the Marine Corps Delayed Entry Program (DEP) up to one year before shipping to Marine Boot Camp. If you are smart, you will use that entire year to ensure you are both mentally and physically prepared to undertake one of the most challenging endeavors of your entire life. Proper preparation should include both mental and physical training aspects. This should involve studying your Marine Corps history, knowledge, and rank structure; learning the Code of Conduct, Leadership Traits, Leadership Principles, and your 11 General Orders. In addition to your mental preparation, you will need to get yourself in top physical condition if you want to not only succeed at Marine Boot Camp, but excel. Physical preparation should include combinations of short intense exercise circuits combined with long cardiovascular endurance sessions that will get you ready for any physical challenge that can be thrown at you during the 13 weeks of Recruit Training.
2. Choose Your MOS Wisely.
Your Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) is effectively what you will be doing for the next 4 years of your enlistment in the U.S. Marine Corps. It is extremely important that you choose an occupational field that is suitable to your personality, interests, and capabilities. If you absolutely hate living in the dirt, shooting guns, and long challenging forced marches while wearing heavy gear, you will likely not enjoy a career in the Marine Corps Infantry. Conversely, if you are not someone who enjoys sitting behind a desk all day in an office performing clerical work or typing, you probably would not enjoy an Administrative or Legal MOS. The Marine Corps has numerous career fields to choose from. Infantry, Tanks, Artillery, and Amphibious Vehicle Crewman are some of the more combat-oriented MOSs. Supply, Motor Transport Mechanic/Operator, Food Service Specialist, and Military Police are some of the Combat Support MOSs. Administration, Legal Clerk, Public Affairs, and Communications are some of the Combat Service Support MOSs. Whichever MOS you choose, it's important to choose one that you enjoy doing and that you are able to do for at least the next four years of your enlistment. Take some time and put some serious thought into this decision, as it will affect you every day you are in the Marine Corps.
3. Get Ready for a Significant Change of Lifestyle.
Once you become a Marine, your life as a civilian is over for the duration of your time in the Marine Corps. This means you are done with high school or which ever civilian job you may have had before joining the Corps. You are done living at home with mom and dad, and having someone to clean up after you. You will no longer live in your home town and hang out with your old buddies from high school. This is a significant lifestyle change that you will undergo. Prior to leaving for boot camp, ensure you communicate this with your friends and family. Let them know that once you leave for boot camp, you will not see them for the next 13 weeks, and even after you graduate, you will only get to see them from time to time, when you are granted annual leave or during holiday periods where you receive extended liberty.
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