The few, the proud, the Marines. This is the exclusive group that some Americans strive to be a part of.
At the end of 2020, there were about 172,000 active Marines in the United States.
You may be a young kid with a dream to join the Marines. However, you may not know the first thing that it takes to become a Marine.
What do you have to do? What are the benefits of joining the Marines?
This is your guide.
Requirements to Join the Marines
The first thing that you have to do is go through testing at a Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) to see if you are even eligible to become a Marine. To be eligible, you have to pass a physical when you first show up. On top of this, you also have to take an ASVAB test.
If you pass both of those, then you will be allowed to go onto the boot camp assuming, you have the proper paperwork to prove your eligibility. The main two things that you need here are to prove that you are between the ages of 17 and 29, plus prove that you are a citizen of the United States.
Why Is the Marines My Best Choice?
One reason why the Marines can be a great choice for you is that there are about 180 different jobs available in the Marines. So, people from many different backgrounds may find a job that fits them well.
Look over the list of jobs available and choose carefully what you wish to do. There is anything from getting involved with artillery, combat, technology, medical assistance, and more.
If that is not enough, you can test these skills and test yourself in boot camp. This is going to take 12-13 weeks and is generally divided into three main phases.
The first phase goes over the history of the military, any first-aid information that you need to know, plus leadership and core values.
Then, the next phase will start getting into your physical skills. One week is dedicated just to teaching you how to survive in the water. On top of this, there is a team week for potential Marines to work as a team with tasks around the boot camp, plus a hiking week where recruits learn more about marksmanship.
Finally, the third phase teaches recruits combat skills and at the end of this phase, commanding officers will test recruits on the academic and physical skills that they learned in boot camp.
How to Find My Local Marine Recruiter
These are the things that you will have to do if you want to join the Marines. Make sure you pass a physical and have the proper paperwork to be eligible. Then, choose the job that you want to do and make sure that you complete boot camp.
Do you want to learn more about Marine Corps career opportunities? Find a local Marine recruiter to help you out today.