Semper Fi

[TerminalVelocity]

Well...this isnt venting really...

but

I have had the thought of armed service for some years now....and having had many friends in different branches and family, I have finally made a decision to look into it. I spent time studying different MOS, the differences in each brances boot, the benifits and advancement oppertunities.

Ive decided on joining the USMC, and right now I want to be part of an Abrams crew. 4 years active duty....

this means though that I leave all my freinds for 4 years, and my girlfriend...the best woman I have ever met.

also, I am afraid I will enjoy it or be good at it to where I will want to keep in the corps, re-enlist for a few more years and maby do something like EOD.

My friend who only has 5 more months and his 6 years are up is training me for it, pushing mke further than I ever thought possable.

I am studying for my ASVAB, and trying to find reasons not to so I can make sure I wont have any regrets.

I guess Im just getting it out especally sence I havent been able to tell many of my friends.

And my parents always say shit like "10 more marines died today" dosent help....dont need their support, but it would be nice you know?

anyway...whatever

[AlmostStock]

You obviously are putting a lot of thought into this decision as well you should. How long have you and your girlfriend been together? How does she feel about it? Peoples feelings often times change after being apart for so long, which unfortunately is something else you need to consider. Good luck.

[thrasher]

Yeah, it's a pretty big decision, both your life and you will be irreversibly changed...which could be a good or bad thing I guess. Do you know for sure why you want to do this? And is it so important that you would risk losing a potentially very importat person to you? (Not to say that you can't keep a girlfriend during the course of your enlistment, but it certainly makes things harder) It's tough when your parents don't support you. Just makes sure you don't ship out to Iraq, boy would that ever suck.

[Rally Sport]

Sucks that your parents dont support you on this, but all they ever see is people dying on the news, so you really cant expect much unless you have a family member that has already done a tour and came back.

Know also that when you go off to basic and then come back, your girlfriend might not be free anymore or might have done something that will definately piss you off, like cheat, if you guys decide to try and stick together. Thats what happend to my friend and he was only gone for 2 months, so you gotta really consider not being with her if you plan to do it. Your friends will always be there and who knows you might be stationed close to em if you get lucky. Good luck with whatever you choose.

[fredjacksonsan]

If you're thinking about going EOD, do so from the start. It's usually very difficult to change MOS once you're in.

Also, in EOD you will get good training that can be used once you get out of the service.

[oneillchick]

At least spell semper fi right.....no offense, but the marines will tear you a new one for misspelling that. Anyways, you sound like you want to join, but you have too many ties at home, and not enough people supporting your decision.....you seem kinda shaky still...sit down and think about it, decide what the most important thing is to you right now....