Need Help From Current or Former Marines That Have Been Through ROTC...

[jjames001]

Forgot to mention ROTC in that last post of mine...

Probably a dumb question but... what is better?

Going through ROTC, becoming an officer in the Marines?

OR

Joining the Marines as a private and working your way up?

BTW to get this off my chest, i would not join the Marines for college benefits or other such, I want to join because something about me has made me attracted to the military...I have especially been inspired by the battle at Debecka Pass... 30 Army SF soldiers and 80 Pershmerga insurgents taking on 1000 some Iraqi regulars...

That's something i want to be a part of...Except i just hear the marines would be a better way to go...

[coconutt2000]

ROTC if you are in college and plan on finishing before you join the military.

I'm not sure how the marines do this, but enlisted personnel without degrees have a hard time breaking into the officer ranks. At least that is the reasoning that was given me before an injury forced me out of AFROTC.

[Reagan79]

ROTC all the way! Semper Fi!

Get a degree and become an officer it really is the best of both worlds.

[RedQuill]

Marine officers are commisioned through Navy ROTC units as Marine Option Midshipmen (USMC is in the Department of the Navy). At my ROTC unit (U of WA), there were enlisted Navy and USMC members who were completing degrees to be commisioned as well. The programs were NECEP and MECEP. I forget what exactly the acronyms stood for. If you're not hot for a certain specialty like being a pilot, or if you're not sure college is what you want to do, you might think seriously about enlisting. I have worked with a ton of remarkable enlisted guys that did very well both in and outside of the military. Officer or Enlisted, I think it's a great life. Feel free to freepmail me sometime and maybe I can address specific questions. Best of luck to you.

[MCFujiTanker]

I was commissioned a USMC 2LT by NROTC, I had a scholarship. You can still join NROTC, get a monthly stipend your last two years of college, and go to OCS between your Junior and Senior years, without a scholarship. My brother was commissioned through PLC (Platoon Leader's Class), he received a stipend his Senior year at college. You could also graduate and then apply for OCS. If you just enlist without a degree, you can work your way up, it's tough going to school at night, and end up in the ECP (Enlisted Commissioning Program) or be oicked up for MECEP or even Annapolis, another place to get a commission. I retired in '96, so there might be different programs out there I'm not aware of. Good luck and Semper Fidelis!

[RonHolzwarth]

NECEP = Naval Enlisted College Education Program

[RedQuill]

That's it. There was also a program when I went through called NAVCADs. Naval Aviation Cadet? Anyway, it was the funniest thing because these guys in the program got almost nothing while they went through flight school, had to go finish their degrees after they got their wings, and heaven knows what happened to them if they washed out. But it was kinda funny-- I remember about five of these guys had to pool their money just to get one car to share. It was a heinous piece of junk that they decorated by arc-welding "VOLKENSTEIN" on it, and all five of 'em piled in and went everywhere together.

: D

I think NAVCADS have gone the way of the dinosaur now, though.

[opbuzz]

http://www.marines.com/

Click on the officer options or on the dropdown box.

Your local recruiter will have info on Officer Candidate School (OCS), although the recruiters don't actually handle the processing.

[Non-Sequitur]

Going through ROTC, becoming an officer in the Marines...OR...Joining the Marines as a private and working your way up?

Actually the best is going through ROTC and becomming an officer in the Navy.

[elfman2]

" Going through ROTC, becoming an officer in the Marines? OR Joining the Marines as a private and working your way up? "

Back in the 80s, going from enlisted to officer was rough.

I was assigned to mentor a guy with a BA who was told by his recruiter that he’d be offered a path to becoming an officer in a year if he signed up for 6. Fat chance. They had him for 6, so why promote him immediately. As he began to see how he was being strung out, he got a real bad attitude. All he wanted was out, honorable discharge was secondary.

[bad company]

Damn proud to be on the same forum with you bump!

[military cop]

I went through a program called "Green to Gold" with the army.

Served 17 years, did DS I and just returned from Iraq in December. I'll tell you what I tell anyone who asks:

The Marine Corps is the right call.

Their officers CONSISTANTLY take care of their troops and their NCOs haven't forgotten what they exist for. Once you get out of the Special Ops realm, the army has forgotten that.

My recommendation is this:

If you're in college, finish and enlist. You'll walk in as an E-3 or 4 and triple your chances for OCS but, do your time. Mustangs are held in much higher regard by those you lead than those without enlisted time.

If you're not in school, enlist for four years, then go to NROTC. You'll get the same effect.

Either way, you're making a fine choice and I'm glad you're taking the challenge.

RLTW