The Marine Corps operates as a separate service within the Department of the Navy and its commandant is a full member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. During a recent year the corps consisted of approximately 17,000 officers and 154,000 enlisted women and men. From an organizational point of view, it comprises of two principal sections: the operating forces and the supporting establishment.
Marines' top priority is combat readiness. Their traditional peacetime role is to serve as a force-in-readiness. The corps has a global outlook, for marines are ready to be sent to any part of the world on immediate notice to carry out assigned missions. The marines emphasize physical fitness and intensive training. Thus they are ready for an emergency. They have a tradition of being on the alert and ready at all times. Thus they maintain three rapid response air-ground task forces, elements of which are continuously deployed in the Mediterranean Sea, the Western Pacific Ocean, and in the Indian Ocean.
Do these far-flung operations of the marines interest you? Have you always wanted to travel and live in exotic places overseas? If so why not read on and see what the marines have to offer in the way of careers with the possibility of travel thrown in too.
THE ENLISTED MARINE
Signing up for the Marine Corps starts with your contacting your nearest marine recruiting office. If none is listed in your telephone book under U.S. Government, write USMC, P.O. Box 2360, Chatsworth, CA 91313-9779.
Your testing and other preparation for entering the corps is similar to that conducted by the other services and described elsewhere. The marine enlistment options program assures you an assignment in a field where your interests lie even before you enlist. If you are qualified, you could train in one of thirty-five occupational fields.
As with all the other services, once you are in the Marine Corps, you go for your basic training. The corps has little to say about this phase of your training except: "It all starts in boot camp. That's what being part of a proud military tradition demands-physically, mentally, and emotionally." Basic training has already been described in the case of the army. Although the marine boot camp program has had a reputation for being anything but pleasant, remember that most enlistees get through it satisfactorily. Otherwise, there would be no Marine Corps.
There is no typical day during boot camp; however, to give you some idea of the general framework, here is a rough schedule:
At 6:00 A.M. reveille sounds. You rise, wash, make your bed, and may have light physical exercise or training, followed by breakfast and then a "police call" to clean your quarters and around the barracks.
At 8:00 A.M. the flag is hoisted and the band plays the national anthem. The balance of the morning may be devoted to drills, inspections, and other programs.
At 11:30 A.M. dinner is served.
At 1:00 P.M. until finishing time there are more drills, training, and perhaps other programs.
At 5:00 P.M. is dinner, followed by free time unless training or other programs are scheduled.
At 10:00 P.M. is bedtime.
If you honestly question your desire or ability to stand the discipline and rigorous physical training necessary to complete boot camp successfully, you may not be psychologically or physically ready to be a marine. Don't jump to conclusions though. Investigate and get all the facts. Talk with the marine recruiter, who can help and advise you. Be fair to yourself and to the Marine Corps.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Undoubtedly the average American has a mental image of a marine as a good looking, rugged soldier who is either wading ashore under gunfire, fighting in a dense jungle, or raising the American flag on the peak of a hill following a deadly battle.
There is no question about the infantryman-be he a rifleman, machine gunner, or mortar man-being the "guts" of the outfit for he (women are excluded so far from combat duty) is the one who does much of the actual fighting and winning, whatever the military objective may be. Nevertheless, the corps must have other men and women to provide the infantry with everything it needs. As is the case with all of the services, a wide range of specialists is required for a variety of essential jobs both in the field and in the shops or offices.
One way to obtain a picture of the job range is to sample the courses open to enlisted marines at over 100 vocational schools where you can gain valuable skills and train to become a specialist or technician in over 300 jobs in various occupational fields. Here is what the Marine Corps says about education: "It is the Marine Corps's attitude that a better educated marine is a better marine. It is the expressed philosophy of the Corps that no marines should have the opportunity for education foreclosed just because they didn't get it before they enlisted."
The following course titles were picked at random, one from each of thirty-five occupational fields. The school locations are shown at the right.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR MUSICIANS, TOO!
Music has been a tradition in the Marines from the very beginning when drummers and fifers were enlisted in the first and second battalions of the Continental Marines, which were authorized by Congress in 1775. Then, in 1798 the United States Marine Band was established by President John Adams as an aid in enticing young recruits to join the corps. Three years later in 1801 the band played for President Jefferson's inaugural and every inaugural since that time. It is interesting to note that the world-famous John Philip Sousa directed the band from 1880 until 1892.
Today, there are twelve Marine Corps Bands located in the United States, Hawaii, and Japan. In each of these units there are fifty highly qualified musicians led by a band director. Each band averages three hundred performances a year as they provide music for official military and state ceremonies.
You will find a Marine Band in a variety of settings. The musicians perform in concerts that vary from traditional military ceremonies to combo performances for officially hosted receptions. The Marine Band appears in Tournament of Roses, Cotton Bowl, and Mardi Gras parades. You can hear the band at Independence Day and Armed Forces Day celebrations, to say nothing of popular sporting events. Smaller ensembles often perform for recruiting and community related events.
If this branch of the service interests you, you must be qualified for regular enlistment, pass a musical audition, and successfully complete Marine Corp Recruit Training (boot camp). If you have unusual talent, here is an opportunity worth investigating!
MARINE PROMOTION REQUIREMENTS
To private 1st class (E-2) six months active duty.
To lance corporal (E-3) eight months time in grade and nine months time in service.
To corporal (E-4) eight months time in grade and 12 months time in service.
To sergeant (E-5) twelve months time in grade and 24 months time in service.
To staff sergeant and above (E-6 through E-9) various time in grade requirements based on the needs of the Marine Corps.
SPECIAL FIELD TRAINING
In addition to the courses listed here, you may find several special courses that prepare you for the following duties that are somewhat out of the ordinary.
Sea Duty: This involves serving aboard ship with a marine detachment; this duty is open only to males.
Advancement is determined by the manner marines perform their duties and demonstrate leadership potential. The top ten percent of privates graduating from basic training may be meritoriously promoted by their commanding general.
Embassy Duty: This involves guarding and providing security for more than 100 United States embassies, consulates, and legations throughout the world.
Barracks Duty: This involves many cities and countries throughout the world. One example is the famous marine barracks in Washington. Marines are assigned to this facility to help guard the president of the United States and provide honor guards for state functions and other special occasions.
Inspector-Instructor Duty: This involves helping run units of the Marine Corps Reserve and taking care of administrative details.
Recruiting Duty: This involves becoming the Corps's representative in the community as an information specialist and career counselor, meeting with and advising those who are interested in learning about the corps.
Drill Instructor Duty: This involves being in a position of leadership as the drill instructor. Drill instructors shape the future of the corps by training all of its new recruits.
Preparation for these careers requires varying lengths of time. Courses are usually given at San Diego, California; Parris Island, South Carolina; and Quantico, Virginia.
To be eligible to join the Marine Corps as an enlisted man or woman, you should be between seventeen and twenty-eight years old and a United States citizen. You must be able to pass the physical examination and be of good moral character.
The Marine Corps believes that the more education you have, the better marine you will be. The corps wants you to finish high school before becoming a marine, but if you don't have your high school diploma or a recognized equivalent; your marine recruiter will explain the ways that the corps will help you get it.
If you qualify, you will be guaranteed training in one of the marine option programs. You choose the occupational area most desirable to you, and the marines make the guarantee before you enlist. The guarantee is in the form of a written contract that requires on your part a four, five, or six-year enlistment, depending on the option program you choose.
OFFICERS IN THE MARINES
The relation between officers and men should in no sense be that of superior and inferior, that of master and servant, but rather that of teacher and scholar. In fact, it would partake of the nature of the relationship between father and son to the extent that officers...are responsible for the physical, mental, and moral welfare as well as the discipline and military training of the young men under their command.
So reads the first statement in the Marine Corps booklet about opportunities for officers.
Regardless of the program you have entered to train for an officer's commission, you will attend the officer's candidates school at Quantico, Virginia. All commissioning programs require that you have at least a bachelor's degree. At Quantico you will experience weeks of some of the hardest physical training in the world. You will negotiate an obstacle course you never thought you could handle. You will learn to take and give commands, tell the difference between tactical and non-tactical marches, and identify every tiny detail of your rifle and pistol. You will become proficient in concealment and camouflage, combat signals and formations, and the operations of fire teams in defensive and offensive positions. The emphasis will be on leadership whether you are female or male. You will have temporary leadership positions so your appearance, speech, command presence, strength, agility, coordination, endurance, and intelligence, as well as your moral and physical courage can be evaluated. Most important of all, you must be able to lead other marines under conditions of extreme stress. Actually you will be evaluated in two areas:
Graded events: Military knowledge and skills as measured by written examinations and practical application in land navigation, technique of military instruction, rifle and pistol qualification, and the physical fitness test.
Leadership: Leadership evaluation conducted by means of two command evaluations and a written exam. You are measured by your instructors in terms of acceptance of responsibility, attention to duty, use of authority, attitude, judgment, common sense, cooperation, initiative, and command presence.
This is just the beginning. Every career officer, either ground or aviation, can reasonably expect to participate in five basic forms of duty: student instructor of other marines, command of tactical units, special assignments like sea duty, naval attaché or recruiting, and staff assignment with major marine units or other services.
Here is what can happen if you make a career in the corps. During your first five or six years, you will be training in an occupational field and obtaining varied experience with promotion to first lieutenant and perhaps be selected for captain. During the next five or six years you will have additional professional training as an officer with an assignment as a commanding officer of a company or executive officer of a battalion or squadron. You are being groomed for better jobs ahead.
By the time of your twenty-first or twenty-second year, you will be a lieutenant colonel-a headquarters staff officer, an inspector-instructor in a marine reserve unit, or a member of a joint service staff. During the rest of your career you might be a colonel or general. Now you are a top-level executive, a policy and decision maker, a leader of men and women at the peak of your career, an officer of the Marine Corps.
AND FINALLY
If the prospect of becoming a marine officer, or
If aviation is your greatest interest and you are eager to train as a pilot or flight officer, or
If you are looking for money for college, or
If you'd prefer a full-time civilian career combined with the excitement of a part-time opportunity in the Marine Reserve and the chance to attend college, or
If you have any questions about how you might fit into the Marine Corps,
Contact the nearest marine recruitment office that is listed in most telephone books under U.S. Government.