Marine Corps or Army Issues....

[iCharlieF0xtr0t]

Aye guys sorry Ive havent been around much, been busy with work lately but I got some pretty big issues I need some advice with. As most of you know Im enlisted army reserves but Im attending college next year at west virginia university now here comes the dilema.. Ive been thinking alot lately and I always planned on doing ROTC but recently the more i think about my future in the military Im wanting to go Marine Corps. There is no Navy ROTC at my college and I am attending west virginia university for certain party obligations I have for myself but Im not obligated to commision Army right? and I have the option of commisioning MC but since there no NROTC the PLC is the only option.. at this point im stumped what i wanna do.

On one hand I would rather go to college and live a college life rather then put up with the ROTC politics and the corny program sales they do at football games and just do the summer programs the marines have and on the other side, the Army is basically all I wanted to do my entire life.. Honestly I would much rather be a Marine then Army just because there a higher caliber of people, they live a different type of life compared to army.

But yet Im stuck ROTC has some pluses and more incentives but on the other hand PLC is something that fits perfectly with everything. in the end i really dont know what I should do guys any advice??.... Could I even be considered for PLC if im currently enlisted Army?

[twistedFX]

I'm a Marine brotha and would not change it for the world. Infantryman to be exact with two combat deployments. I always carry myself higher and left school my junior year to join. As for ROTC I have never really liked it and would not want anything to do with it. It's all about what you want to do. The military is changing a lot since they are trying to become more "peace time" but still it's all good. Don't let anyone else tell you what you need to do. Find it deep within you and go for it brotha!

[iCharlieF0xtr0t]

I was honestly afraid of what my mom would think also to my surprise shes wanting me to go marine corps rather then doing rotc army. And the more im thinking about it the more the drive to go Commision as a marine is getting. In reality tho the last time I even considered going marine corps was middle school and the only reason I choose to go army was because they let me enlist while a high school junior and at 17. Do you have any more information on platoon leaders course btw. Theres basically two videos on line and there not to descriptive and does not go in depth what so ever to the details of it all. Plus I have a bunch of friends in ROTC and literally 90% of them say its a bunch of bullshit. You have cadets pulling cadet rank on prior enlisted, you have to deal with other shit aswell, and PT is a joke, but idk tho man.

[airbornedaddie]

"a higher caliber of people"? :mad:

I'm compelled to say something in my gritty paratrooper style, but because this statement falls in paragraph's full of questions intended to help sway a "life changing" decision, I will give you my opinion, not tell you to DX your brain.

If you think the Army's soldiers are not of the caliber or standard you imagine, become a officer and make the changes.


THE RESERVES DO NOT REPRESENT THE ACTIVE COMPONENT.



YOU WANT CALIBER? GO AIRBORNE, GO RANGER, GO SF...JUST GO SOMEWHERE WITH YOUR BLIND OPINIONS AND SEE IF YOU CAN BE THEM....

[iCharlieF0xtr0t]

This is very true. The reserves are much more lax then active and in reality am lackin to see the real side of the Army. So here comes my other point If i did do Army ROTC the odds of getting an active duty slot arr limited and I would only want a combat MOS and the odds of gettin a branch in SF or Infantry out of ROTC are slim to none if im not mistaken. Also by higher caliber of people I only mean that in the quality of life of the soldier. I did go Army for alot more then im saying now only to save time im not listing it but I choose Reserves one because I could only get my civil affairs mos as a reservist and two because I need to get my 4 year degree regardless if I commision or just go active duty until im outta school because I know how hard it is to get once u do go active. and the things im trying to do after the military include having that degree

[MaximusR3]

I'm not going to even pretend like I know squat about ROTC or anything you're involved in right now, but as a Marine reservist, I might have a little bit of insight for you. You're going to college and want to get a degree and then join the military as an officer? Or do you just want in and will see what doors open for you when you get there?

there were a few Marines in my unit that were 92 day reservists. They attended college full time, and during the summer went to bootcamp and became a marine and started doing drill like the rest of us, one weekend a month. One guy we actually picked up from his bootcamp graduation for his first drill weekend. Then the next summer they would do either MCT (additional combat training that all non-infantry Marines go through) or MOS school. So if going to college is your top priority but you also want to get into the military instead of playing soldier in ROTC, then look into the 92 day reservist program. I'm pretty sure the other branches had the same program too, perhaps with a different name

[sirjohnathon]

Have you ever considered Marine Platoon Leaders Course? If you are enrolled in college you can apply to attend, and then go on to be a Marine Corps Officer. It might be an option for you?

[loakii]

This is very true. The reserves are much more lax then active and in reality am lackin to see the real side of the Army. So here comes my other point If i did do Army ROTC the odds of getting an active duty slot arr limited and I would only want a combat MOS and the odds of gettin a branch in SF or Infantry out of ROTC are slim to none if im not mistaken. Also by higher caliber of people I only mean that in the quality of life of the soldier. I did go Army for alot more then im saying now only to save time im not listing it but I choose Reserves one because I could only get my civil affairs mos as a reservist and two because I need to get my 4 year degree regardless if I commision or just go active duty until im outta school because I know how hard it is to get once u do go active. and the things im trying to do after the military include having that degree

Ok I am a current Army Recruiter, and completed training on Army ROTC program recently. The odds of getting Active duty in Infantry straight out of college with ROTC is going to depend on how well you do in school and the ROTC evals(LSAT). The top 10% across the country get one of their top 3 branch choice,(usually the top three are infantry,aviation, and I think MI) and only the top 50% are allowed to go active duty. To be in the top 10% you need to have a 3.8 GPA cumulative by end of Junior year and Satisfactory or Excellent in the LSAT Eval. Now contracting and getting scholarships is getting more difficult, But you need to either get a 4yr scholarship or the 2 yr scholarship(while using Reserve MGIB) to eligible for active duty.

Now the other option is just get your 4 year degree and apply to become officer on active duty, but you would be at the needs of the Army on which branch you get. As for anything Marine Corp related...NO CLUE..

[iamthesgt]

Have you ever considered Marine Platoon Leaders Course? If you are enrolled in college you can apply to attend, and then go on to be a Marine Corps Officer. It might be an option for you?

Yeah, that's what he's thinking about if he ends up doing Marines. He didn't spell it out in his post, but that's what he meant by PLC

[jxspyder]

Ok I am a current Army Recruiter, and completed training on Army ROTC program recently. The odds of getting Active duty in Infantry straight out of college with ROTC is going to depend on how well you do in school and the ROTC evals(LSAT). The top 10% across the country get one of their top 3 branch choice,(usually the top three are infantry,aviation, and I think MI) and only the top 50% are allowed to go active duty. To be in the top 10% you need to have a 3.8 GPA cumulative by end of Junior year and Satisfactory or Excellent in the LSAT Eval. Now contracting and getting scholarships is getting more difficult, But you need to either get a 4yr scholarship or the 2 yr scholarship(while using Reserve MGIB) to eligible for active duty.

Now the other option is just get your 4 year degree and apply to become officer on active duty, but you would be at the needs of the Army on which branch you get. As for anything Marine Corp related...NO CLUE..

Can second pretty much all of this, as he beat me to it. I was actually in the program, until I dropped in order to volunteer for deployment. Was about a week before my contract was signed. If memory serves, the navy's ROTC program has pretty much the exact same standards. What slot you're eligible for as a ROTC graduate is 100% up to you, regardless of branch.

Another thing is that as an ROTC cadet who's already enlisted....or enlists during the program, you don't hang out at campus playing soldier as Max suggested. You spend your drill weekends as a cadet, with a perfect bullet-sized dot on your forehead, drilling as an officer. Which, depending on your unit, can be valuable education.


As for what service you choose, pick one you're going to enjoy serving in. I can absolutely guarantee you that there are just as many "high caliber soldiers" in the Army as there are in the Marines. And there are just as many blue-falcon jackasses in the Marines as there are in the Army. At the end of the day, you put on your uniform with pride and serve your country. If you ultimately choose to go Marines, more power to you....but don't pretend any service branch is inherently better than another because they wear a different colored uniform and have different rank insignia. They're not.

[Pakman3000]

YOU WANT CALIBER? GO AIRBORNE, GO RANGER, GO SF...JUST GO SOMEWHERE WITH YOUR BLIND OPINIONS AND SEE IF YOU CAN BE THEM....

Do you have a friggin sword, Jump? Didn't think so. :rolleyes:

[jxspyder]

Do you have a friggin sword, Jump? Didn't think so. :rolleyes:

You mean you don't? :rolleyes: :p

Sent from the muddy banks of the Wishkah

[iCharlieF0xtr0t]

lmao, but this is the thing I really don't know what I should do, yea in the grand sceme of things service is service no matter what I choose to do, and Marines are doing the same jobs Army is doing in todays world anyway. But I feel like Marine Corps PLC will be much more challenging and I will develop myself better as a leader if I did that instead of ROTC. But the routes after I get out of marines or army would be different, and the routes with in the service of the marines are limited strictly because there a drastically smaller service. Its a hard choice.

[Rickety Rob]

[QUOTE= Marine then Army just because there a higher caliber of people?[/QUOTE]

Ok, this right here kinda offends me. When you say a "higher caliber" of people, what are you referencing? I'm not knocking the Marines but what can you say "honestly" seperates the Marines from the Army? Other than the branch of service, uniforms and equipment/vehicles, they are just like us but like to play in the water. I'm going to play the devils advocate here.

[toby2533]

This is my thought, I was never a officier but went to college on the GI bill to a big ROTC college in PA, I would say there is a lot of BS your going to have to do in ROTC but they will help pay for school if you go through and join, now the problem is the coming force cuts, some of these programs will go away, I would go to school have fun and at the end decide to go either Army or the Corps then to go to OCS. Have fun now why deal with the mickey mouse BS of after-school stuff and weekends,

[iCharlieF0xtr0t]

Ok, this right here kinda offends me. When you say a "higher caliber" of people, what are you referencing? I'm not knocking the Marines but what can you say "honestly" seperates the Marines from the Army? Other than the branch of service, uniforms and equipment/vehicles, they are just like us but like to play in the water. I'm going to play the devils advocate here.

The quality of life and espirit de corps. Some of the "bct mind set" never leaves marines until they reach the nco corps. Not higher caliber as in fighting, ass kicking, or stupid uniform debates(Multicam looks 1000 times better then marpat anyway). They live differntly then the army.

[Rickety Rob]

The quality of life and espirit de corps. Some of the "bct mind set" never leaves marines until they reach the nco corps. Not higher caliber as in fighting, ass kicking, or stupid uniform debates(Multicam looks 1000 times better then marpat anyway). They live differntly then the army.

Ok, Quality of life? What quality of life? How shittier of a life style one has? Last time I checked, regardless of which branch (excluding the Air Force, because they are the prince and princes of the military lol) they all are treated like poop. I have yet to meet a soldier or marine who actually enjoys their living situation. Job they do and the way they go about why the joined but life style, no.

[iamthesgt]

Ok, Quality of life? What quality of life? How shittier of a life style one has? Last time I checked, regardless of which branch (excluding the Air Force, because they are the prince and princes of the military lol) they all are treated like poop. I have yet to meet a soldier or marine who actually enjoys their living situation. Job they do and the way they go about why the joined but life style, no.

Chair Force FTW!

[KaNtSt0PMeH]

Ok, Quality of life? What quality of life? How shittier of a life style one has? Last time I checked, regardless of which branch (excluding the Air Force, because they are the prince and princes of the military lol) they all are treated like poop. I have yet to meet a soldier or marine who actually enjoys their living situation. Job they do and the way they go about why the joined but life style, no.

Lol prince and princesses? Not my fault I smashed the asvab :) and then got tricked into working the flight line. Regardless of your service in this day in age they all have their pros and cons. Just go with what feels right.

SPARTAAAAAAAAAA!

[Rickety Rob]

Lol prince and princesses? Not my fault I smashed the asvab :) and then got tricked into working the flight line. Regardless of your service in this day in age they all have their pros and cons. Just go with what feels right.

SPARTAAAAAAAAAA!

Hey Hey Hey! I smashed my ASVAB as well. It's not my fault my recruiter told me the world is at my feet when I joined the ARMY. MI is fun but an intel analyst is NOT!

[jxspyder]

Lol prince and princesses? Not my fault I smashed the asvab :) and then got tricked into working the flight line. Regardless of your service in this day in age they all have their pros and cons. Just go with what feels right.

SPARTAAAAAAAAAA!

How can you not smash the ASVAB?


Toby brought up another good option for you to consider. Go to school, graduate, and then select a branch and go OCS.

[airbornedaddie]

Do you have a friggin sword, Jump? Didn't think so. :rolleyes:

Bud, If the Division NEEDED a sword, dammit, they would issue it...along with a bad ass contraption to jump it with! Imagine that picture...a thousand paratroopers hitting the DZ and brandishing swords! CHARGE!!!!!

[SAPPER USMG]

I second and third everything Jump said...caliber of people? Really?

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk 2

[HAVOK]

I'm gonna jump in here too, as a former Army Airborne Infantry grunt, I can tell you I still TO THIS DAY live my life by the code of Honor and Morality that being Infantry taught me. I am STILL Airborne Infantry and will be til they put me in a box. You say you want Esprit De Corp? Don't be a POG. Go Airborne, Ranger...hell, join the Air Force and be a frickin' PJ! You'll get a more intense Esprit De Corp with the more specialized units. That's just a fact. I wouldn't trade anything for my time in the 101st Airborne. Now "higher quality of life?" well, I have many Marine Corp buddies not counting the ones here and I can tell you, they ALL hated the fact that the Army had a better quality of life than they did. According to them, now Marines correct me if I'm out of line here, the Army had better equipment, gear, living conditions and means of transport than they did. In other words, Marine Infantry are suckin waaaay more than Army Infantry is in most cases.

[Twizted875]

I'm gonna jump in here too, as a former Army Airborne Infantry grunt, I can tell you I still TO THIS DAY live my life by the code of Honor and Morality that being Infantry taught me. I am STILL Airborne Infantry and will be til they put me in a box. You say you want Esprit De Corp? Don't be a POG. Go Airborne, Ranger...hell, join the Air Force and be a frickin' PJ! You'll get a more intense Esprit De Corp with the more specialized units. That's just a fact. I wouldn't trade anything for my time in the 101st Airborne. Now "higher quality of life?" well, I have many Marine Corp buddies not counting the ones here and I can tell you, they ALL hated the fact that the Army had a better quality of life than they did. According to them, now Marines correct me if I'm out of line here, the Army had better equipment, gear, living conditions and means of transport than they did. In other words, Marine Infantry are suckin waaaay more than Army Infantry is in most cases.

Agreed but I am told it builds character!

[HAVOK]

Also, while I understand that your intentions weren't to insult anybody here, you did anyway. The intense Esprit De Corp that we feel towards our choices in our Military careers makes us what we are today. While the grown up inside all of us knows that none of us are better than any other, our training has taught us differently. We all feel we are the best. We, collectively, are the finest fighting force on this planet. We are all brothers. Yea, Army will say their better than Marines and Marines will do the same, but any one of us will fight to our dying breath for each other. THAT is what makes us ALL the Best.

[HAVOK]

Agreed but I am told it builds character!

Yes it does, and we need those characters!

[KaNtSt0PMeH]

All this stuff is foreign to me. The Air Force lacks espirit de corps. Lol... however what we lack in that we gain in Air Conditioning and sexy ladies. +2 Air Force lol...

SPARTAAAAAAAAAA!

[HAVOK]

All this stuff is foreign to me. The Air Force lacks espirit de corps. Lol... however what we lack in that we gain in Air Conditioning and sexy ladies. +2 Air Force lol...

SPARTAAAAAAAAAA!

Well played sir.....lol

[iamthesgt]

All this stuff is foreign to me. The Air Force lacks espirit de corps. Lol... however what we lack in that we gain in Air Conditioning and sexy ladies. +2 Air Force lol...

SPARTAAAAAAAAAA!

Good one Kant

[SAPPER USMG]

Also, while I understand that your intentions weren't to insult anybody here, you did anyway. The intense Esprit De Corp that we feel towards our choices in our Military careers makes us what we are today. While the grown up inside all of us knows that none of us are better than any other, our training has taught us differently. We all feel we are the best. We, collectively, are the finest fighting force on this planet. We are all brothers. Yea, Army will say their better than Marines and Marines will do the same, but any one of us will fight to our dying breath for each other. THAT is what makes us ALL the Best.

Thank you sir....all day I have been trying to find the tact to say this without uncorking....Airborne!

[SAPPER USMG]

All this stuff is foreign to me. The Air Force lacks espirit de corps. Lol... however what we lack in that we gain in Air Conditioning and sexy ladies. +2 Air Force lol...

SPARTAAAAAAAAAA!

Haha...gonna have to agree with you there Spartan...and how about those Air Force chow halls (probably call em' restaraunts)...used to take ol' girl there for date night.lmao...

[dustham]

Thought I would step in here - new guy who was just poking around reading the forum and read this...

I think the basic problem you have is one from "lack of experience" which is not a bad thing, but you have some people who have a lot of experience answering your question, but you are coming from the point of view where you believe an officer to lead soldiers has to be X and Y.

X and Y in your opinion I am guessing is guts and glory and "combat" smarts.

I think from what the recruiters are saying and most people who are vets, are get a good education and work your butt off to get the highest GPA you can get, and then you can get whatever you want.

Whether it be from any branch of service - the military wants the best and brightest to lead troops. If you have a 2.0 GPA then I suspect you will not get what you want in terms of slot.

You made the comment about cadets pulling rank etc, I was in the reserves for a short time when I came back overseas, and dealt with cadets from ROTC - and remember people are people. Learn from people who have experience and earn respect.


I guess what I am saying from years of experience both Military and Civilian - is you are basing your choice on your enthusiasm for a certain branch of the service as you want X from your choice.

My advice is kick butt in school - do the best you can in whatever you choose. You will be noticed and rise up to the top.

Then you will be a leader of soldiers and one that your troops will respect.

( not sure why I decided to throw this out, I suspect from to many officers who came in to my armor unit and frankly the best ones we had were the guys who were enlisted, went back and went ROTC and came back)

[KaNtSt0PMeH]

Thought I would step in here - new guy who was just poking around reading the forum and read this...

I think the basic problem you have is one from "lack of experience" which is not a bad thing, but you have some people who have a lot of experience answering your question, but you are coming from the point of view where you believe an officer to lead soldiers has to be X and Y.

X and Y in your opinion I am guessing is guts and glory and "combat" smarts.

I think from what the recruiters are saying and most people who are vets, are get a good education and work your butt off to get the highest GPA you can get, and then you can get whatever you want.

Whether it be from any branch of service - the military wants the best and brightest to lead troops. If you have a 2.0 GPA then I suspect you will not get what you want in terms of slot.

You made the comment about cadets pulling rank etc, I was in the reserves for a short time when I came back overseas, and dealt with cadets from ROTC - and remember people are people. Learn from people who have experience and earn respect.


I guess what I am saying from years of experience both Military and Civilian - is you are basing your choice on your enthusiasm for a certain branch of the service as you want X from your choice.

My advice is kick butt in school - do the best you can in whatever you choose. You will be noticed and rise up to the top.

Then you will be a leader of soldiers and one that your troops will respect.

( not sure why I decided to throw this out, I suspect from to many officers who came in to my armor unit and frankly the best ones we had were the guys who were enlisted, went back and went ROTC and came back)

How about we get you verified before you step in somewhere crazy lol...

Please fill out an application and someone will you squared away.

SPARTAAAAAAAAAA!

[toby2533]

suggestion lock this thread before it splits some people in the clan

[David_3033]

well, I have many Marine Corp buddies not counting the ones here and I can tell you, they ALL hated the fact that the Army had a better quality of life than they did. According to them, now Marines correct me if I'm out of line here, the Army had better equipment, gear, living conditions and means of transport than they did. In other words, Marine Infantry are suckin waaaay more than Army Infantry is in most cases.

This ^. It always seemed to me that the army has better equipment.

[HAVOK]

This thread seems to be deviating from its intended purpose. I don't think Charlie was trying to insult anyone here intentionally, he's merely trying to get help. I know some of you felt off-put by his views/opinions(myself included), but their his, and his alone. We wont debate who's better, we simply WON'T. That being said, contribute to this thread appropriately or I'll ask for it to be closed. There's no point in it.

[KaNtSt0PMeH]

Yeah... Mods please lock thread... fanning the flames is a bad idea. Before this gets dragged out. Both services are badass and way cooler than what I do in the Air Force lol...

SPARTAAAAAAAAAA!

[SSG_Guillermo]

All branches are bad ass in one way or the other...

GUILLERMO SMAAAAASSSSSHHH TAPATALK 2!!!

[River_Rat_459]

At the request of several individuals, I am locking this thread. I don't necessarily agree that it needed to be done, but as I stated it was requested.

I'd like to recommend everyone just step back from this subject for a day or so. If the discussion needs to continue, please do so in the Captains Cabin, which is out of view of non-members.