My son is considering joining the Marines next year. What should we be asking recruiters?

[haele]

69. Look for an MOS that has a real world application -

Communications, Loadmaster/heavy equipment handler (crane and forklift operators make good money on the outside), cryptologist/CyberSecurity, foreign languages (analyst).

Basically, don't go in without a tech or other school waiting for you after boot camp. Which means score high on your ASVAB and have a documented skill or even hobby you can bring to the recruiter (like mechanic, computers, RC drones, music, languages) as proof of a skill. This also gives your kid a jump up for a career, which will be critical going forward, as having a pretty much guaranteed 20 years of a job with a ton of benefits and opportunities to figure out what he wants to be when he gets out. After 20 years, he can also have his retainer/pension, GI Bill, and guaranteed health care to help him through the rest of his life.

All he has to do is keep his nose clean, do what he's told (as long as it's safe and legal), and use those months of boredom to get some college or technical training under his belt.

Pro tip from a retired Marine Corps honor grad I knew - the first couple weeks in basic, don't kill yourself physically trying to be the best the first two weeks. You are expected to get better during basic, so stick to the middle of the pack in the beginning and turn on the afterburners at the end of basic.

Also, the blue and purple crayons have a better flavor than the yellow or "flesh" colored crayons.

Haele (Retired USN)