Sir,
I'm ready to sign my active duty enlistment papers. I want to be able to take college courses while serving. Is there anything that I should get in writing from my recruiter before I sign? Any information on this topic is appreciated.

Nope. Your recruiter doesn't put anything like that in your contract. College credits are earned on your off time....I hope that's clear to you. You won't be attending full time college and serving in the Corps. Night and online courses are what you'll be able to do while serving.

Plenty of laptops over in the sand....

You might check out these sites:

"SOCMAR is the Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC) degree program for the Marine Corps. It consists of colleges that offer associate and bachelor's degree programs on or accessible to Marine Corps installations worldwide."

http://www.soc.aascu.org/socmar/Default.html

Military training often counts toward degree:

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/careers/college/militar...llegecredits_070424/
[edit: repaired link]

I personally racked up credits for advanced training in my MOS, Non-Commissioned Officer Courses, and even for time being in a leadership position. Don't know how many credits, weren't never much interested in a piece of...nm.

All the best in your decision.

I'm sorry to dig up a nearly two month old thread here but it deals with some thing I've been contemplating as of late.

I've been struggling mightily with a decision between enlisting in the Marine Corps or enlisting in the Air Force. My primary focus is of course serving my country, 100%, but in doing so I would also like to take advantage of the financial opportunities that military service provides towards education.

I aspire to enter the military for a career, I want to be a part of our services for the rest of my life. However, education is extremely important to me and I very much plan to earn at the very least a Masters, preferably a PhD, in History or Anthropology. But right now I'm just focused on getting my Bachelors to earn a commission in the Marine Corps as I very much want to fly. I currently have 23 credits towards an Anthropology degree but I no longer have the funds to attend.

Would it be a better decision to enter the Air Force to earn my degree, as there are a multitude of opportunities in the Air Force to do so, and then make the move to the Marine Corps afterward?

It's also a bit of an issue trying to refute the negative ideas people have about the Marine Corps for one reason or another. My parents are extremely opposed to my decision to join the Marine Corps. I also have family tradition in the Air Force, my grandfather was career Air Force, retired as a Master Sergeant in 1962. However, the Marine Corps' tradition and history seems to hold a great value to me despite having no prior family history with the service. This is why I truly want to be a member of the Marine Corps, but as I said... my dream is to fly and I want to take the path which best allows that opportunity. Which leads to the question which I have so long-windedly stumble around...

Would it be a better decision to go Air Force initially as, from what I've been told by enlisted Marines and enlisted Airmen as well as the Air Force recruiter (but take that with a grain of salt, of course), I would have much more time to earn my degree as an Airmen than I would in the Marine Corps?

Thank you in advance for your answers and I apologize for my rambling.

Truthfully? You're probably better off in the Air Force if you want to go to college.

The reasoning behind this is tied to the very reason you are attracted to the Marine Corps. Marines are taught to be totally dedicated to The Corps and to be the consummate military professional. College courses come in a distant fourth (at least) as they care about their fellow Marines, their current mission/training, and the Marine Corps itself.

That's the reason it took me 20 years to get a degree. It just won't ever be a priority in your life. Now, many Marines are able to do it (many got their degrees much sooner than I). But, it's my experience working with the Air Force that you will be much more able to complete your degree in a more timely manner in the USAF.

Thank you for the response.

Do you think it is a reasonable plan on my part to want to enlist with the Air Force initially to earn my degree and then, after my four years in the Air Force are up, making the move to the Marine Corps?

As you said, I am very attracted to the Marine Corps for the reasons you detailed and I don't want to seem like it's unimportant to me by choosing the Air Force as my initial enlistment option. It's just that an education is very important to me and I do aspire to be a pilot. I've been told by anyone I've asked or spoken with that it simply isn't nearly as serious a focus in the Marine Corps as the Air Force. I've had friends tell me you're actually somewhat looked down upon in the Air Force if you aren't at least taking a few classes, not taking advantage of your educational opportunities.

I do very much want to be a United States Marine, the tradition and culture... it's everything I could want and more. But I want to fly and I don't have the ability to attend the university anymore on my own dime. Thus it seems like this is the most direct route I can take to becoming both a pilot and a United States Marine.

Getting out of one contract, and then rejoining another service is not unheard of. Though, I think USMC is the only service that makes you go back through basic training (or in officer's case, OCS) even if you've been through that training in another service.

I've known people that served in three of the armed services.

Tyler

Go with the Air Force. I'm sure you know, the Air Force has plenty of tradition and history behind them. Meet your stated goals, and keeps the peace within the family.

Obtaining a degree while in the Marines is not unheard of, is very difficult considering that being a Marine is pretty much a fulltime job. (by fulltime think 24X7) I was able to get my A&P License during my enlistments.(Airframes and PowerPlants) which allows me to work on civilian aircraft. I kind of fell into a differnet line of work after I retired from the Marines and have not used my A&P since it was issued.

My dad was career Air Force and I was the first in the family to become a Marine, odd now that I think of it, I'm still the only one in the immediate and even extended family that is a Marine. Anyway, when I made my decision and announced it and they subsequentially got over it, they accepted it and provided full support for what I was trying to do. Personally I think that only occurred because it freed them up to focus on my remaining 5 brothers and sisters! That and they got a free car and bedroom back in the deal.

Go with the AIR Force.

I spoke with the Marine Corps Officer Selection Office yesterday about what the odds were of a person leaving one branch of service, earning their degree while enlisted, and then moving to the Marine Corps to attend OCS and their only response was, "It's just paperwork." They then called the Marine Corps Enlisted Office and told them I was on my way there... and then told me that they called them... so I went over to see those guys and I was promptly rushed out the door as they were "too busy at the moment." Interesting stuff.

I went to see the Air Force dude again but he was out of office and I ended up speaking with an Army recruiter who was standing outside the door (their office is next door). The simple fact that I could be in basic training with the Army before Summer and I'm looking at months and months and months before I can get into the Air Force is a bit intriguing. I just want to get back to work, I hate being without a job, and I hate being out of school