On Sun, 01 Jul 2007 23:11:27 -0400, BAR wrote:

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Sun, 01 Jul 2007 19:34:32 -0500, Maynard G. Krebbs
wrote:

Sometimes it doesn't pay to stand out. LOL

Heh...

It's a little different that it was in my day, but basically you enter
through several programs - PLC (Platoon Leaders School), NROTC -
Marine concentration, OCS or through USNA.

After that, it's to what they now call The Basic School where they
have basically 6 months of Basic Training but with concentrations on
officer responsibilities.

The basic military training is provided by the base courses in college
or at USNA, then TBS, then operational speciality if that's an option.

Pretty cool actually.

http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/TBS/default.htm

If you walk in off the street and want to be a Marine Corps Officer you
go to OCS, Officer Candidate School, which is officer's boot camp and it
lasts about 11 or 12 weeks just about the same length as enlisted boot
camp, which is about 12 weeks. OCS stresses leadership enlisted boot
camp is all about discipline and following orders.

I have two cousins, first cousins, who are now 2nd Lt's in the USMC. One
fresh out of the USNA and the other one year out of BC and who went
through PLC. Damn kids weren't even born when I got out of the Corps.

My kids keep asking me if they should go into the military. I tell them
to wait until they graduate from college, officers have a much better
life in the military.

I wouldn't say that - it's just a different type of service. A lot
more responsibility, the decisions you make affect/effect a lot of
people and you still have to deal with higher ups that can be less
than perceptive.

I wouldn't trade my time as enlisted for anything in the world. Made
some life long friendships including the two guys who married Mrs.
Wave and me. :)