Becoming a Marine?

[SAhopefulABQ]

Does anyone know what a midshipman at KP has to do over their four years attending to become a Marine Officer? I do understand that the best route for becoming a Marine Officer is going to the naval academy- I am just curious as to what the process is.

 

[KPEngineer]

The best thing would be to ask the Marine Corps rep once you get there but you can ask pretty much any member of the Commandant's Staff since I'm pretty sure they are almost all former Marines these days.

 

[kpjoe]

I haven't done research on a topic like this but I do have a couple of friends now graduating college, starting OCS this summer, and going on to become officers for the Marines. Wouldn't attending a regular university and going onto the marines after be the better option? I say this because technically the main goal of USMMA is have graduates come out as Merchant Mariners to serve the DOT and not Marines. Also considering the fact that they invest that much money into each student they probably expect you to serve the DOT after graduation.

Again, I haven't done extensive research on what you are asking but from what I have talked about with my friends it doesn't make sense from my eyes to attend USMMA and then go onto becoming a Marine officer. If I don't receive an appointment from the USMMA attending a university and applying for the Marines once I graduate will probably be an option I will be exploring.

Hope this helps.

 

[SAhopefulABQ]

I haven't done research on a topic like this but I do have a couple of friends now graduating college, starting OCS this summer, and going on to become officers for the Marines. Wouldn't attending a regular university and going onto the marines after be the better option? I say this because technically the main goal of USMMA is have graduates come out as Merchant Mariners to serve the DOT and not Marines. Also considering the fact that they invest that much money into each student they probably expect you to serve the DOT after graduation.

Again, I haven't done extensive research on what you are asking but from what I have talked about with my friends it doesn't make sense from my eyes to attend USMMA and then go onto becoming a Marine officer. If I don't receive an appointment from the USMMA attending a university and applying for the Marines once I graduate will probably be an option I will be exploring.

Hope this helps.

kpjoe,

Thanks, it does help. This question is not necessarily one that applies to my ambitions, rather it stems from something my cadet guide brought up last week that I forgot to ask him to elaborate on. I am definitely considering DOT myself. Good luck on admission!

 

[jasperdog]

As KPEngineer notes on the USMMA campus there is a representative of each of the various service branch's including USMC. There is also an organized program led by the USMC rep on campus that at least the current members of the regiment refer to as "Marine Ops". This is a conditioning program and also exposure program to USMC led by the USMC on campus rep, Further the current Commandant is a USNA graduate who is a retired USMC Aviator (Col.).

Each year for the last 15 plus, at least a couple in the graduating Class went on to commission as Active Duty USMC 2nd LT. USMMA is at least as good a path to a USMC active duty commission as "attending a regular university and going onto the marines after.." and IMO likely far better.

Additionally a point of clarification, upon graduation from USMMA when you go "into the Merchant Marine" you don't serve in DOT - you do so working on US Flag Commercial Vessels or working as a "CIVMAR" - Civilian Mariner working for the US Navy's Military Sealift Command.

Good Luck in your pursuits.