I was at Pendleton and then Barstow. When I finished my enlistment I stayed in the active reserves for 18 months before I went on an AF commissioning program.
It seems that around 1969 when I enlisted the number of guys dropping out of college and enlisting shot up for whatever reasons. I later read a study done by the Marines that documented that phenomenon. Today, and for at least the last 20 years the level of education went way up for enlistees and the numbers who pursue a degree while on active duty has grown. One of my collegue’s sons who had a master’s degree and taught for us as an adjunct decided that he wanted to be a Marine and while he could have gone to OCS wanted the “full” Marine experience and enlisted. He is older, more mature and as I experienced is a little ahead on promotions because of that.
Up until early 1970, the Marines still drafted and part of the report they did indicated that going all volunteer was a large part of the reason why the education level went up.
Yeah, I knew guys who could barely spell their names but many more who came in from about 68 on were levels above those guys.
When I dropped out for financial reasons I wanted to be a part of the best, so enlisting in the Marines the only choice.