Marine Corps Reserves

Anthony96

5-Year Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2013
Messages
49
I'm considering enlisting as a back-up option. I was just wondering if the Marines had a Split Option Program like the Army? Also, I heard that the Corps can deploy you while in college; I have no problem with being deployed, but I would prefer that my education not be interrupted.
 
I'm considering enlisting as a back-up option. I was just wondering if the Marines had a Split Option Program like the Army? Also, I heard that the Corps can deploy you while in college; I have no problem with being deployed, but I would prefer that my education not be interrupted.

I would think very carefully before enlisting in the Marine Corps since you are applying for both USMA and the AROTC scholarship. I would wait until you have gone completely through the process and exhausted all your options.

If you join the Marine Corps Reserves you can count on missing some school at one point or another during the 4 years, it won't necessarily be a deployment but it will be a stint away from school.
 
I'm considering enlisting as a back-up option. I was just wondering if the Marines had a Split Option Program like the Army? Also, I heard that the Corps can deploy you while in college; I have no problem with being deployed, but I would prefer that my education not be interrupted.

Anthony96: "enlisting as a back-up option" to what?

I am running out so I will be brief and less than thorough but it will get you going on looking at this properly...

If you want to be a Marine Officer there are several other options besides NROTC. PLC and OCS are the two primary ones.

If you enlist you will go to Boot Camp and off to serve. No college.

Yes, there is a "Delayed Entry Program" (DEP) but this isn't meant to defer boot camp until after college. It is sometimes used to wait for a buddy or to finish high school. This has recently become a hook with recruiters. They suggest you sign up (enlist) promising you can get out if you get the NROTC scholarship. Is this what you are considering? You will see many posts on this forum warning against this approach.

I recommend you do a lot of questioning and research before you go too far down this road. Sorry I can't be more thorough but I am sure some others will be.
 
I meant enlisting as a back-up option to the academies. My cousin enlisted in the Army Reserve while in college (he had to defer a semester to finish AIT) and participated in ROTC at the same time. I was just wondering if I could do the same thing but with the Marine Corps.
 
Why does everyone want to enlist while participating in ROTC? I never get why some people risk so much for such a trivial gain..... :confused:

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Groucho Marx
 
I meant enlisting as a back-up option to the academies. My cousin enlisted in the Army Reserve while in college (he had to defer a semester to finish AIT) and participated in ROTC at the same time. I was just wondering if I could do the same thing but with the Marine Corps.

For Army ROTC your talking about the SMP program.

NROTC Marine Corps Option does not such a program.
 
I meant enlisting as a back-up option to the academies. My cousin enlisted in the Army Reserve while in college (he had to defer a semester to finish AIT) and participated in ROTC at the same time. I was just wondering if I could do the same thing but with the Marine Corps.

Anthony I am still not clear on what you are trying to do - I apologize.

Can you enlist in the USMC and go to college and participate in ROTC? Sure. Could you be called up into active duty? Absolutely. Many reservists have seen multiple activations over the course of their enlistment. Things may be winding down but you never know what is coming next.

Enlistment is not a back up to the academy. Most people who wish to become an officer see ROTC, PLC or OCS as the back up plans. There is a path to becoming an officer where someone could enlist and then earn a spot in a MESCEP program. Then they go to college and become an officer after graduation.

There are officer paths and enlisted paths. They don't cross over in too many places.

There is one bit of advice I want to offer: Regardless of what any recruiter or anyone else tells you, the contract you sign is what is legally binding. Recommend you google and get a copy of DD form 4/1 and read this over. Pay particular to this phrase on the bottom of page 1:

"The agreements in this section and attached annex(es) are all the promises made to me by the Government. Anything else anyone has promised me is not valid and will not be honored."
 
Grunt nailed it. There are many options. I went USMCR and went to college. My best friend also went USMCR and also did NROTC. he had some time commitments that i simply could not fulfill due to also needing to work.

6 months after we signed up, about 90% of our unit deployed to Desert Storm/ Desert Shield and our compadres had their school interrupted by this thing we signed up for, knowing full well that it was a possibility. At the time, reserves hadn't been deployed since Vietnam, I believe. I was single and wanted to go on deployment. I asked if I could go in the place of one of my friends with the same MOS who was married with kids and didn't necessarily want to go. We were patently told, "NO!"

Whatever is discussed, get it in writing, just to alleviate any misunderstandings, if the recruiter is being a pain. In the end, make sure it is what YOU want to do and that you are willing to fulfill that commitment. When that call comes, you had better be prepared to do it.
 
Grunt nailed it. There are many options. I went USMCR and went to college. My best friend also went USMCR and also did NROTC. he had some time commitments that i simply could not fulfill due to also needing to work.

6 months after we signed up, about 90% of our unit deployed to Desert Storm/ Desert Shield and our compadres had their school interrupted by this thing we signed up for, knowing full well that it was a possibility. At the time, reserves hadn't been deployed since Vietnam, I believe. I was single and wanted to go on deployment. I asked if I could go in the place of one of my friends with the same MOS who was married with kids and didn't necessarily want to go. We were patently told, "NO!"

Whatever is discussed, get it in writing, just to alleviate any misunderstandings, if the recruiter is being a pain. In the end, make sure it is what YOU want to do and that you are willing to fulfill that commitment. When that call comes, you had better be prepared to do it.

I don't care what one get's in writing, if it isn't in the contract being signed, it doesn't exist.

To my knowledge, if you do NROTC on scholarship, or even getting Advanced Standing, then your going AD after college. I suppose there might be some exception I'm unaware of for folks who are already in the Reserves.
 
Flat out, the Marine Corps Reserve has the worst educational benefits of any of the other reserve forces. Keep that in mind.
 
Flat out, the Marine Corps Reserve has the worst educational benefits of any of the other reserve forces. Keep that in mind.

But they totally make up for it in the numerous opportunities to slay dragons in your dress uniform.
 
I had 3 friends enlist in the USMC after our senior year in HS. All 3 were easily very good candidates for ROTC, one very likely would have gotten a 3 or 4 year AROTC scholarship had he finished his application. They joined the marines because the recruiters and the internet told them they were the most "badass" branch that saw the most action, and that officers never do anything "cool". I also recall how much cooler the uniforms look coming up often in our conversations.

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Sir Ernest Benn
 
I had 3 friends enlist in the USMC after our senior year in HS. All 3 were easily very good candidates for ROTC, one very likely would have gotten a 3 or 4 year AROTC scholarship had he finished his application. They joined the marines because the recruiters and the internet told them they were the most "badass" branch that saw the most action, and that officers never do anything "cool". I also recall how much cooler the uniforms look coming up often in our conversations.

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Sir Ernest Benn

My son wanted to enlist in the Marines along with a couple friends at least in part for the same reasons. Thank goodness we talked him into NROTC MO. He's much more mature about the whole thing now, but the whole family agrees that in the end the Marines is the right place for him... but as an officer.
 
But they totally make up for it in the numerous opportunities to slay dragons in your dress uniform.

Haha how could I miss those commercials interrupting my Sunday football.:rolleyes:

Next commercial will be about destroying the one ring and saving middle earth!
 
My son wanted to enlist in the Marines along with a couple friends at least in part for the same reasons. Thank goodness we talked him into NROTC MO. He's much more mature about the whole thing now, but the whole family agrees that in the end the Marines is the right place for him... but as an officer.

As an Army guy, I make fun of the marines a lot. I still think enthusiasm is no substitute for capability (gets 'em every time :D ). But if you want to serve in a military branch that specializes in amphibious warfare, or can't decide between land or sea, of course I'll recommend the marines to a peer considering the military. I respect their stringent standards and how they do indeed fight for a say in things among the big 3 branches. But I don't like it when friends of mine, who all 3 of are now miserable, are conviced to join just so they can wear some nice duds.

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Sir Ernest Benn
 
As an Army guy, I make fun of the marines a lot. I still think enthusiasm is no substitute for capability (gets 'em every time :D ). But if you want to serve in a military branch that specializes in amphibious warfare, or can't decide between land or sea, of course I'll recommend the marines to a peer considering the military. I respect their stringent standards and how they do indeed fight for a say in things among the big 3 branches. But I don't like it when friends of mine, who all 3 of are now miserable, are conviced to join just so they can wear some nice duds.

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Sir Ernest Benn

I absolutely agree. Dumbest reason I ever heard of to join anything... even if they ARE nice duds.
 
I absolutely agree. Dumbest reason I ever heard of to join anything... even if they ARE nice duds.

You've no idea how much I've debated figuring out how to go about getting ASU's redesigned with high collars and a leather waist belt around the service jacket :D

"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies." - Sir Ernest Benn
 
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