The “Title” “Marine” is Given, not Earned

As a teen in highschool, I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I graduated. So I decided joning the military would give me some time to decide and maybe even some money for school, or possibly even making it my career. I lived in a large military city of mostly Navy personnel so after seeing those cool marine commercials I decided to “challenge” myself and “try” to become one of the few & proud instead of just another sailor. I went to the recruiter and said I wanted to join when I graduated and the process began. I entered the dep program 5 months before my ship date. We didn’t have computers and internet at the time so it was done the old fashioned pen and paper way. I took the asvab. If I remember, I scored around 66 and the minimum is 35. I then went to the meps for the physical eval & such. It was determined that I was a good candidate since I was a normal healthy kid with just a few extra pounds. Finally after months of waiting, my ship date arrived. One last stop at the meps and it was off to basic training. When I first arrived, I fully expected the games and BS to happen. As I progressed through the different phases I came to realize that the “few” and the “proud” was just hype. I noticed many recruits who just couldn’t make the grade. Dropping out of runs, failing knowledge tests, unking on the range, etc but they were always given multiple chances to redo them. Several tried to quit but they were told they had to honor their contract & that was what really made me think. Anyone with half a brain, and a few minimum requirements could be given the title.
From the corpse FB page:
Anonymous asked, “How do you prepare for boot camp?”
To be a Marine is to become an elite and strategic warrior.
An “elite” and “strategic” warrior? Hmm. Let me see…..what does it take to “earn” the title and become one if the “elite.”
18 years of age
Legal US citizen
High school diploma
Minimum asvab score of 35
Reasonably good health
Sign the dotted line and swear an oath
3 pull ups
50 crunches in 2 minutes
Run 3 miles in 28:00 or less
Hit the target 75% of the time
Tolerate the bullshit for 90 short days and presto, The title of marine is given to you. (I kind of took Ninjas words where he said the title is really given & not earned)
If you fail any of these at boot camp you are given multiple chances to try again. Why would an “elite” force want that? Maybe its all just marketing BS to lure unsuspecting kids to something where they really just need warm bodies to perform grunt work. I fell for the hype. Recruiters don’t necessarily lie, but they’re not exactly Paul Harvey who will tell you “the REST of the story.” So there. The title is given. Its harder to quit than graduate. For those motards that call people pussies, non-hackers, wimps, quitters etc, maybe so but they quit and or got out because it was nothing like what they were told by their recruiters and other marines. I’ve also asked this question a few times. If the corpse is so great, then why do so few stay in and become lifers? My platoon graduated 63 and to my knowledge, only 3 served for 20. A few reenlisted once but the vast majority served their 4 and got out. Most of the ones I keep in contact with have very successful lives and families yet we were told we wouldn’t amount to anything by the corpse. I challenge anyone to prove me wrong that the title is given.
Submitted by: MasterLcpl