I am a 16 yr. old female & have just recently started talking to a recruiter about joining the USMC.
I have looked into the other branches & they all hand things to women just because we are women, No - I want to be treated just as the other men in my battalion & I want to earn my rank, etc. I have heard many good & bad things about the United States Marine Corps. Call me hard-headed but none of it seems to really phase my want to join. I either want to be a firefighter or automotive mechanic as my M.O.S. ;; But just for more knowledge & help I would like your opinions on females in the Marines ? & Just the Marines overall. I know they are the hardest branch, That's why I want it - I want the most challenge. I want to serve my country & I want to do it to the best I can. :]
Please tell me what you think of my joining for the information provided & just your opinions of the Marine Corps period. Pros ? Cons ? Debates ? Whatever, Just post what you feel on this topic. -However, Please no bashing of the Corps. They do serve your country for YOUR freedom. If all you can muster up to feel for a response is anger, hatred, disgust, or foul things please spend your time elsewhere reading other posts & keep all foul opinions to yourself. Constructive criticism is always welcome though.

You wanted a branch that didn't "discriminate" against women, but oddly enough, you picked the branch that "discriminates" the most, I find it hard to believe that you did your homework.

-Only 20% of the Marine Corps jobs are open to women as oppose to 97% in the airforce, 59% in the Navy, and 52% in the Army. You have the most job oppurtunity, as a woman, in the airforce.

Females do not go to bootcamp with the males, and the physical requirements are different for the men and the women- so you will not be doing exactly what the men are doing as far as the physical requirements go, but you will earn rank. The Marine Corps and the Army are mainly about ground infantry and combat- which is not open to women anyway. As a woman in the Marines, you would be far less likely to become an officer than a man.

The Marines and the Army are the most "physical" branches. The Marines is challenging, and it will require your full attention. If you go active, you will be working a full-time job, so don't expect to go to school.

Do you want to be active, or reservist?

I have talked to many male Marines about their opinions on female Marines. All of them have replied with, "female Marines are disgusting." I didn't question them. I've seen, hung out with, and talked to female Marines. So if you're expecting to be spending time with the guys and getting their attention, think again, they'd rather hit up the strip club, which, are very prevalent on military bases.

The military is not as organized and structured as everyone thinks it is. I always looked at the military as- they're tough people who are fighting for our freedom. They live a strict life to do their job. Generally speaking, none of this is true.

There are several negative things I can say about the Marine Corps.

-My fiancé has been trying to go active for a year and a half, every recruiter he has gone through is too lazy to do his paperwork.
-3 Marines I know have been dropped from at least 2 deployments.
-The military decided to deny my fiancé his job (he's a deisel mechanic), leaving him homeless, and unemployed on a military base. For several days he slept in his car, until my aunt could take him in.
-Most Marines are not that serious. Just attend a USMC birthday party. It's open bar for a solid hour before the ceremony and by the time the ceremony starts, every single one of them is too drunk to care about what's happening.

I'm engaged to a Marine, and many of my friends have joined the Marine Corps. I lived on a military base for most of one summer. Overall, as a woman, I suggest steering away from the Marine corps. Of course, a recruiter will probably say differently- if they can get a female to join, they get extra points. I'd go for the Air Force, or the Army, as you would probably rank faster, but since I have experience with the military lifestyle and military personalle, I'm a little biased I guess.
Why not just become a firefighter as a civilian?

Do you have any thoughts, questions, comments, concerns? I can do my best to answer.

I have met a few lady marines in my life and my best friend is a man in the marine corp, lady marines are tough as nails, they have to be! If your determined, and its what you want to do, then do it, the military is rough, I was in the navy, all branches cut women some slack, not much though, you will be critizised more as a women in the marines, just because it is rare to be a lady marine, and it is more intense! I got medicaled out of the navy but if I were asked I would sure as hell be right back in! Look at all of your options, it's a hard life no matter what branch but in my opinion its well worth it! Feel free to message me if you have a question about something I have said

We actually serve in 93% of all occupational specialties. Each year, approximately 2,400 women just like you accept the challenge and eagerly take their place on the yellow footprints at Parris Island, SC. Check out http://www.wherethedifferencebegins.com where you can view over 1000 photos of recruit training from forming to graduation and connect with active duty Marines, reservists, retirees, veterans, poolees enrolled in the DEP and other women with an interest in the Marine Corps.

The first thing about the Corps, is that there are no 'Female Marines'. Everyone earns the same title, Marine. They go through the same physical training during boot, just on separate sections of the island (it's easier to discipline a sexually segregated group). You do get some slack in final PFT requirements. During MOS and other training, you will be working side-by-side with other Marines of both sexes. If you choose the USMC, you will find your DI's (who will be female) to be some very intimidating and respectable women, who definitely have their act together. If you want a challenge, USMC is ready to test you.

BanditJack:
Female marines do not go through the same physical requirements as the men, and the women and men are completely segregated. My fiancé didn't do bootcamp on an island, it was actually at MCRD California, the women go to the island. Again, they are very segregated. My fiancé is a mechanic, and during his MOS school he wasn't allowed to interact with the female marines... especially considering MOS school is not just school-you live there... the men and women are separated, they don't live together.

BanditJack:
female marines do not go through the same physical requirements as the men, and the women and men are completely segregated. .

Being's I just came back from bootcamp I will shed a little light on the subject. Females do have different physical requirements then males. I am not saying they are "slacked" by any means.

Here are the requirements for both straight out of the PFT and IST handbook.

MALES (minimum req)

IST PFT
Run 13:30 28:00

Pull-ups 2 3

Crunches 44 50

IST is a 1 1/2 mile run. The PFT is a 3 mile run.

FEMALES (minimum req)

IST PFT
Run 15:00 31:00

Arm-Hang 12secs. 15secs

Crunches 44 50

The reqs. Are different but still challenging to some. Secondly, Females DO go to bootcamp with males at Parris Island. As far as segregation there is some but not completely. Residency is segregated. Training is not. They do train side-by-side in "most" events next to the males. As far as SOI, it's the same way, housing is segregated for obvious reasons but a lot of training will be done side-by-side.

I respect all woman who join the USMC because it is tough. Not only physically but mentally as well. They are facing an up hill battle due to the views and beliefs of a lot of male Marines. I for one respect all Marines regardless of sex. I hope you take the time to think about it and make a decision based on what's best for you and remember that this is your decision and you shouldn't easily be influenced by those around. Especially those who don't know what they're talking about!

God Bless and Semper FI

PFC Rick Brown
USMC

I want to serve my country & I want to do it to the best I can. :] Hello Tray:

You go, girl. Live your life YOUR way.

excon

I must correct myself on a post I made earlier. SOI is not sexually segregated because females aren't allowed to choose Infantry as their MOS. Therefore females do not go to SOI/ITB just MCT.

Rick

Hi I am with a girl in the usmc boot we planned to be married but I think the it will be hard since she is going to be a field eng which means being in the field with 100 to 1 guys right