Any military Officers out there?

**KD Burke** · 3rd November 09, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by Elijah B

Hey everyone, I am a college senior getting ready for graduation in May. I am currently looking in to joining the service when I get out of school. I have contacted every branch, and have decided to join either the Marine Corps or the Coast Guard. I have a girlfriend that is not too fond of the Marine Corps idea, but the Marine Officer recruiter was very convincing, compared to any other of the branches. I am mainly looking an intelligence as my MOS. I am interested to hear opinions from any former service members, officers or enlisted. Thanks!
-Elijah

I was a Surface Warfare Officer in the US Navy. I don't regret accepting a commisision. It was a good experience for me. I didn't make a career of it, somewhat to my own surprise. So, advice:

I have nothing but respect for the Marine Corps. That being said, a great many of them, particularly the young ones, are a bit too confident for their own good. Remember that EVERY Marine is a rifleman first. Any other job you have, whether intel, artillery, or supply is secondary. Expect to be deployed. Often.

I have nothing but respect for the Coast Guard. When I served (mostly peacetime), they were the one brance of service that spent more time DOING their job than TRAINING for it. It has a lot of facets that you may not have thought of, navigational aids, search and rescue, maritime law enforcement. Any intel effort they have going is likely to be focused more on smuggling than anything else.

Either branch will give you a good career and teach you things about yourself. I suppose in your shoes I'd ask myself if I thoght of myself more as a "warrior" or as a "rescuer." These labels are certainly not true of ALL Marines or ALL Coasties; the Marine Corps has dedicated SAR people, just as the Coast Guard goes in harms way much more often than the public realizes. But in my opinion they do represent the overall culture of the respective services.

OK....Marines, Coasties...Proceed to roast the lowly Squid for the egregious errors and misstatements!