Boyfriend is enlisting into the Marines, what do I expect?

â™¥Marineâ™¥Wifeâ™¥

A special thanks to your boyfriend, to join in such a time. My boyfriend, but husband now joined and I was lost as well from what I should expect. I have been married to my husband now for 7 months and I have seen him a total of 2 weeks, because he got deployed. I guarantee he will be deployed more than once. I do not regret my decision to be with him throughout this whole experience! Its a lonely life, but I am greatful throughout every minute, my husband is my hero! Your boyfriend will learn lots of things and when he comes home he will be so greatful for you! He will not take for granted anything! Be sure to write him always while he is gone! If you love your boyfriend stick by his side! During bootcamp he will go through a lot of things, that us as civilians will not understand, its kind of like you have to join to understand. My husband, since he joined in May 06, has been home at total of four times. But I flew out to see him a lot! At bootcamp you will stay in contact through letters, I received a total of 2 calls in 3 months. Afterwards he will come home for 10 days leave. Then he will be off for the SOI (school of infantry) and my husband called every weekend. You will meet a lot of people too, such as other marine girlfriends/wives. Its an awesome experience. I'm loving every minute of it, (even though I'm lonely, but when he comes home its the best!) Distance makes the heart grow fonder! Good Luck. and Good Luck to your Recruit

jake_rules6

well, he might sent over seas, but he might also be gone is for more training, so he might be gone a lot.

patriotwww

Dear Girlfriend,
I enlisted in the Marine Corps thinking it was cool and to serve my country. That was 40 years ago. Thinking back, it wasn't the brightest thing I ever did. If your boyfriend scores high enough on his aptitude testing, encourage hism to take a job as a cook or in supply or a technician. Anything but a ground pounder.

bob1442

you can expect a man istead of a boy.......he will be more disciplined , and more responsable. While in boot camp he will need all the support you can give. after boot camp he will be allowed leave before going to next assignment. as far as visiting it will depend on how far you are seperated, there aren't many marine bases located in US. Be proud of him because we are.

wingshooter08

Good for him, I hope he does well. Boot camp is not all that difficult anymore and I am sure he will be deployed where needed more than once in four years. Boot camp is strictly discipline, and learning everything that's needs to be learn to be a Marine(shooting, tactic, physical fitness, history, academics, and so on). He will be able to come home once out of boot at least once a year on leave, he will get 30 days every year, whether he takes it all at once or splits it up. You can write him wherever he is stationed or call if not in a combat zone! Be proud of him!

USMC Vietnam 67-68

Echo5Papa

You listen to what the Marine wives and other girlfriends are posting here--ignore the comments of those who have neither served nor know anyone who have served. I recently returned from Iraq, and have been in the Corps for 10 years. A lot of what the aforementioned individuals have told you is true--you can expect some heartache and you can expect some tension in your relationship. It will be up to you and your boyfriend to maintain the bond that you currently have through separation; he will be experiencing physical and psychological stressors that you cannot understand, and though you may ask and he may try to explain, you will not fully grasp his meaning--and that's just boot camp. Write to him, and often (and a drop, just a drop, of your perfume on the letter)--he may not get to write to you as often as you write to him but believe me, getting mail at mail call keeps a man going. After boot camp, he'll have a 10-day boot leave, after which he'll go to MCT (Marine Combat Training) and then he'll go to SOI(School of Infantry) if he's Infantry or on to his MOS School, and then on to the FMF (Fleet Marine Force), where he'll join his unit. As some of the others referred to, he'll receive 30 days/year paid leave, granted to him by his command at their discretion (they have to approve when he can take it). When he deploys, and he will, the scenario will be the same, physically and psychologically (but much more intense) as in boot camp. I'm not saying this to worry or frighten you--it is merely a fact; nobody goes through Marine Corps Basic Training or combat and returns to their home and is exactly the same person they were as when they left--nobody. That is not to say that we all come back brainwashed and howling at the moon; they are experiences in which individuals are thrust into an unknown and potentially dangerous arena and expected to overcome adversity, injury, discomfort, pain, and survive. In both, some are lost along the way--albeit in combat, it is a more severe and permanent loss, and the pain, suffering, and injuries can last much longer. This is the truth, young lady--ugly as it may be. I hope that you are of good and strong character, and do not let it sway you from supporting your boyfriend in his decision to join our beloved Corps. Stay strong, Semper Fidelis!

rocksteady

lucky you! Marines do it better!! All of that stuff is easy. He will be in iraq. Then he will get sent back to iraq, if he was lucky enouph to visit home in between deployments that is. He will be gone alot. It is all worth it in the end. He can give you his address. You can write. In basic training he will learn the rules of combat!!! all kinds of neat ****. After boot camp he will go to school for his MOS. However long that takes depends on what his MOS is. Stick with him and Most importantly....DONT CHEAT ON HIM WHEN HE LEAVES!!!!!!!!! That is the worst thing to find out about when your a thousand miles from home. MARINES are the BEST!!!

TG79

violette...u r wrong,

you should expect to get real lonely and hope you can endure a long distance relationship. Most new Marines lose or dump their girlfriends before during or right after boot camp/MCT.

Hope he gets stationed near you so you two can visit.

When he gets back he will be a changed person. He will stand taller and be much more disciplined. He will write to you a lot while at boot camp and you should write a lot too.

it will be difficult but if you can endure and if you stand by him then you will see that this is probably one of the best decisions he could make to secure his future.

do not let the naysayers ridicule his choice, he is obviously a patriot. they could learn a lesson from him.

good luck.

Richard P

expect him to bring honor to his family and country, and to emerge a better man.

ms.jackson...

After basic training, the marines have to go to MCT, sometimes there is a gap between the two and they are able to come home, sometimes the ship form boot camp to MCT.... the MOS he gets determines how long he will be away training after boot campe. After awhile while he will receive liberties, and you may then go visit him. He get 30 days of paid leave a year... he may use it all and he may not. He may get sent to Iraq as soon as he is done with school, he may not get sent for a year or two... but he will get sent! That will probably be the toughest time for you. My family had a difficult time when my brother went to the first Gulf War... It was harder than anything, he had been stationed in different states and different countries but nothing compared to him going to war. Be prepared for it! You can right him letters while he is in boot camp. one he gets out of boot camp and into school he can get his cell phone back at least that is how air force and Navy works, Marines may be more strict about that. If you go to USmilitary.about.com you can get all the information you want about this... you probably won't here from him much while he is in boot camp. but keep writing him anyway it will help a lot!

patriot4913

watch jarhead

bruce b

He should be commended for the saccrifice he is making and should be supported at every corner...he cannot be blamed for poor governement management of the troops as none of us should attack the men who join to serve and protect...it is not the brave young men and woman who set the track they are forced to follow...he will go from a decent human being to a war machine through brain washing...why can a person not serve without being dehumanized...and when he returns, be prepared for an ever vigilant man, his head pivoting and unable to realax for even a second...he will jump when the baby drops something...he will be suspicious of even the remotest movement..and for what do we owe this...him being a patriot..god no...him being brave..god no...him wanting to defend his country..god no again..we owe this to a group of rich men protecting their interests...he, unlike your governent, has all the love and respect and I wish him well and that the two of you have a long and healthy life..just be patient with him...
AND to the guy who made the "limb comment"...don't listen to him because he has to be one sick dude....a definite candidate for the future draft.

USMC Wife

I appreciate what your boy is doing, and you appear to be ready to support this decision, even though you understand it will be difficult.

When he goes off to boot, you need to write him as much as possible. Be happy for every single letter he sends you. As you have no idea what kind of stress he is under and how tired he is. My husband made a phone call when he first got there (it was him reading something, it was not an actual conversation, and it only lasted a few seconds...it was over before I realized what was happening.) He also got to make like a 5 minute phone call on Christmas Eve. My husband went to Parris Island.

This is your boyfriend signing his life away for the next few years. You have to be able to understand that. The Marine Corps comes first. It's a lot of "hurry up and wait" and plans are always changing. When he gets out of boot, he will be more mature. They will break him down to build him back up, ready for combat. He'll get 10 days leave following his boot graduation, possibly more if he is able to get Recruiter's Assistance. Then he will go to SOI or MCT. If he goes to MCT, he will go to his MOS after that. That time frame and where he goes for his schooling depends on his particular job.

Tiny T

13 weeks is that all, I did 6 months with the Royal Marines Basic training ,, and then had to do specialist training . What a woos.

latrailera2000

Unless you are willing to support him fully while he is gone(and not whine and *****) you need to let him alone SORRY! There will be alot of times when he will not be able to contact you, phone write or e-mail for extended periods of time. He will be concentrating on his service to his country. and won't need the added stress.
Thank You

John L

Yeah I hate to tell you but if he's regular and you don't happen to live close to a Marine base he's stationed at you might as well start shopping for a new boyfriend.

the-man

expect him to come back with missing limbs...........oops did i say that LOL

jswnwv

He will definitely not be the same person you once knew.

Expect him to be arrogant, macho, and a braggart with an invincible personally.

When his is out on the town, expect him to be rude and a womanizer.

Alcoholism and drug use could also be in his future!

lily-of-the-valley

expect him to become more and more macho, go to iraq and come home with post traumatic stress disorder. he will not be the same person you once knew

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