Rogue USMC Recruiter?

16 Jan, 2003 | Bodacious

[Bodacious]

OK all you military FreePers......Has the USMC reduced its recruiting requirements? There appears to be a recruiter running around locally telling High School Seniors to drop out of school and he'll have them in Boot Camp within 2 weeks of signing the papers.....

Is he legit or someone who's afraid of loosing a stripe for failure to fill his quota?

[Bodacious]

Any help would be appreciated..USMC.com still states that a GED or High School Graduation is required.

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[AirmanAlaska]

My guess is that testing for a GED is involved in that two weeks of paperwork the recruiter is touting. This military is all volunteer and as such, posts definite requirments. If this recruiter really is trying to buck the system, he won't last long.

That having been said, 17 and above can sign up with parental consent, and seniors in high school (at least any halfway intelligent ones) would pass a GED without blinking twice. So it's very possible this guy is legit. I'm a big supporter of the Corps, but as my name suggests... I chose a different way. Bullet Sponge Marines have a little bit less of a need for Calculus or advanced Electrical Engineering if you get my drift.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I am harboring serious doubts that a USMC recruiter would be telling kids to drop out of school to join the Marines. It is my understanding that a high school diploma or GED is required.

This sort of tactic would be unnecessary anyway because the services have a Delayed Entry Program (DEP). I signed up with the Navy DEP when I was a 17 year old senior in high school. Then, after graduation, I went off to Navy boot camp.

I don't believe that the USMC would be telling kids to drop out of school to join up. This is probably an urban legend.

[org.whodat]

You know anyone can say just about anything they want, but untile you have proof of your statement I'll just keep flying my test plane. If you will lend me your ten foil hat.

[VaBthang4]

The latter.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Ping!!

[VaBthang4]

No...the recruiter is telling the truth.

He can have'em in the Corps if they drop out. Not hearing all of the story I would give my Marine Brother the benefit of the doubt and assume he was answering a question from a student asking if he could drop out and go fight terrorists.

[Servant of the Nine]

Marine Corps PING

So9

[Paleo Conservative]

That having been said, 17 and above can sign up with parental consent, and seniors in high school (at least any halfway intelligent ones) would pass a GED without blinking twice.

Bad idea! What's wrong with finishing the semester and getting a high school diploma? While the armed forces might accept a GED, there are quite a number of universities that only accept applicants who have high school diplomas. While some potential recruits don't plan on going to college, they might change their minds later. It would be a serious mistake to not get a high school diploma first and then decide whether to enlist in the Marines.

[JeeperFreeper]

Sounds like B.S. My son just enlisted in the Corps. He leaves for MCRD 0n Feb 17. You gotta have high school diploma if still in school to get in. If a dropout, gotta have GED. Further, these recruiters are picked from the some of the best of the enlisted, so its unlikely a recruiter would be saying this stuff.

[erinjohn]

I think that a High School Diploma is required for the USMC. I doubt a Marine Recruiter would be passing that scuttlebutt.

[VaBthang4]

Naahhh I dunno.

I know a Guy [~wink~] who was kicked out of high school and then got his GED...then joined the Corps...after getting out went to College [If I am not mistaken all Colleges accepting state funds must allow applicants with GED's] and now has an IT degree.

Where there is a will...there is always a way. Especially for Marines.

[VaBthang4]

Incorrect.

[RaceBannon]

you need to be a high school grad last I knew, this aint the 60's or 70's!

[VaBthang4]

Yep. You really have to get into the internal schooling. Alot of courses to take that are actual college credit and transferrable.

[VaBthang4]

Another incorrect.

[Procyon]

My nephew is on the Delayed Entry Program going into the Marines after HS graduation. If he flunks out of HS, he's not screwed. Maybe the alleged recruiter mentioned in this thread is saying he can still get the GED (and if it's just a series of lame tests) the kid can pass them fine. When he gets out of the Corps he'll be mature, motivated, have the G.I. Bill and in no mood to waste his time in some politically-correct cesspool university that doesn't accept his G.E.D. and his advance placement credits he'll be sure to be earning while he's in the service.

Semper Fi

[dpa5923]

Just spoke to one of my prior recruiters. The Marine Corps will accept applicants with a GED if the recruiting station has been allowed to accept GED applicants. What that means is, when recruiting is good, the requirements go up. When recruiting is poor, requirements go down.

This is directed by the Recruiting Station for the region. Most recruiters work out of sub-stations. (The recruiting station at the strip mall is a sub-station).

Also the applicant who only has a GED must recieve a waiver from HQMC. He is therefore looked at a little tougher than a high school grad.

Finnaly, there is more paperwork and time involved for a GED canidate than a high school grad.

So with all that said, is it possible the recruiter was telling the kid to just drop out and get a GED. Possible but not very likely. Can the kid get in with a GED? Yes but his carrear choices are limited.