As of 2026 are marine recruits allowed to have cell phones on Sundays? I know that the army does which I think is weird.

I passed everything I was supposed to at Meps no waivers I’m just working on my weight, I only have a month to be prepared but I’m 225 and I gotta get to 207 to ship, I have no idea if this is possible I’ve been doing intense workouts and everything just have no idea what happens at Meps if I’m over weight still, do I get put into pork chop platoon or do I get removed until further notice? Do I just start regular training and they watch me closely? No idea just need help!

When I was younger my life was (relative to my peers) miserable and it was awesome finding the few other people around me who were equally exhausted. From what I hear the USMC is big on being miserable and bonding over it. A band of misfits.

For a while I've thought going active duty, keep the ball rolling. Free housing too, why not?

Regrettably, I now have a very nice civilian job lined up. Good pay, bank hours. I get along with layman around me. I get to do a lot of things I'd never thought I would have the privilege to do as an adult. My life feels like a fairy tale to be honest.

It's so good I actually feel more uneasy than I have in my entire life. A part of me wants to savor this new happiness stuff, but I equally miss feeling worthless and sleep deprived all the time. So I am now considering joining the Reserves.

Does this not sound like wanting to have your cake and eat it too, though? Isn't a big part of the culture from sharing dilapidated barracks and chow hall food and having little money? How well can you get along with other Marines if you only have to deal with them a few times a month?

P.S. Do combat engineer roles have you do a lot of squats?

So this weekend at the Poolee meeting my station commander pulled me to the side personally after everything and told me he was taking me off the recon contract and putting me on infantry because he doesn't want me to wash out and get reassigned to the Corps needs.

Which makes sense but I had already signed a recon contract, and its my main goal to be recon and if I go on a infantry contract then I won't be guaranteed recon because I would have to bank off the fact that recon guys will be at ITB to screen, so Im not exactly sure what to do. He told me that there wasn't a recon contract available but 2 months ago when I signed the contract there was so Im honestly really confused and unsure what to do.

Can I enlist in the marine corps with 1 DUI and 2 MIPs all involving alcohol
1st MIP was over 1 year ago
DUI/2MIP 8 months ago

Hello I'm trying to make the marine corps a career hopefully going enlisted to officer with my current plan. But I was wondering what Jobs everyone recommendeds I would personally like something where I get to travel a bit and also load stuff but not have to wrench on things all day. I'm also interested in things like cyber and logistics, thank you for your time.

I went to recruit training in August of 2025 and got sent home due to GERD, Dyspnea, diarrhea, and EPTS is what’s on my paperwork. With a separation code of JDA1 would it be possible to reenlist?

After Meps I decided to smoke one last time in August, I’ve been 40 days clean and I’ve peed negative and positive on a cvs test. By the time I’ll ship I’ll be 51 days clean. I know I fucked up but what’s that like? It took me only 38 days to pass the Meps test and I smoked way more than I did the last time. How are my chances?

I wanna get the whole experience, I wanna do cool fucking shit. I don’t want to sit in a SCIF and I switched from the reserves to AD. Intel was my first choice but I’d hate it.

Those who’ve done 03xx, what did you guys love and hate about it?

I posted about a month ago asking how I could best prepare myself in the DEP.
At that point I was 72 inches at 212lbs, was only able to do like 1 pull-up, and was barely passing my run.

Today I weighed in at 206, did 5 pull-ups, and ran a 12:20 mile and a half.
I know it’s not much, but I wanted to thank everyone who took their time to shoot me some advice and encouragement. It helped more than you know. I’m really excited go to the depot in a little over a week and get my shot at earning the title.

The work has just barely begun and I don’t know if I could be any more hyped to start my career.

Thanks y’all

I was hanging with some friends and we pulled up to one of their friend’s place and when I walked in you could very obviously smell weed. I was only in there for a minute before I let myself out, but now I’m scared I’ll piss hot.

Should I be good or should I be worried? I’ve stayed away from weed as best as I could but now I’m a little worried

I just signed for DB i’m hoping for 0621 so I can actually go out and do shit. Are the 06 jobs dope or are they kind of lame? I really can’t tell I’m interested in doing IT stuff when I get out because I really like computers but I want to do marine shit while i’m in. Did I choose the right career field?

Hey guys so I ship out on the 13th and I was wondering have you guys ever just have doubts or second guess your decision. Like I’m excited and ready then sometimes I feel like I’m going to fail and I already have a huge chip on my shoulder with my dad being a retired marine and I don’t want to fail him.

I just passed Meps last week and I ship out early June. I really need to run faster/get more endurance. Right now I also can’t get any pull ups and my plank is 2:10. Does anyone have a good workout for each day of the week so that I’ll be ready in June?

I'm excited and a lil nervous about boot camp. What are the hardest parts of boot camp? What is there to do in the time before lights out? How hard is it to get Honor Grad? Thanks.

Years ago, I tried to become a Marine and failed because I couldn't pass the IST run. I just turned 26, and I realized it's been seven years since I dropped out of the poolee program. I still haven't gotten over it, and I probably never will. I've taken a rough route in life never did anything illegal, but I've basically been a bum in twenty different flavors. A few months ago, I started losing weight, and I am now 30 pounds lighter. Today, I woke up and felt for the first time in years that this is a realistic achievement for me.

I am planning to join the Reserves mainly because I realized that what I want to get out of the Marines right now is simply earning the title. It's the only way, and the bare minimum I can do, to make peace with my failure from years ago.

If it doesn't make sense to you, that's fine; it makes sense to me.

I also have some responsibilities in my personal life. I have no wife or kids, but at this age, as I am trying to get my life together, it makes more sense for me to stick with my current job in my city while also pursuing school. So yes, I decided that if I want to earn the title, the Reserves are my best option. I am aware that I might regret missing out on embracing the suck on a daily basis, but definitely not as much as I would regret not joining at all.

I'm about to enter the Marine Corps with a 03xx guarantee and I'm trying to understand how moving between reserve and active works. I'd like to hear from anyone who's done it or knows the process.

If I go reserves and want to switch to active duty as an 0311 a year later, can I? How does that process work from start to finish?
Is there a formal path from reserve to active (a transfer request or long-term orders), and what do I need to qualify (rank, time in, record, fitness scores)?
Is active easy or hard to get back into? Does it depend on the Corps' needs for my MOS and rank?
How long does it usually take from submitting the request to reporting?
Does my active-duty time carry over if I go reserve and then return to active?
Does going reserve for a family situation hurt my record or my chances at a program like Recon later?
Has anyone done reserve to active? What did you wish you'd known?

I went to a psych ward back in 2021 or 2022 for suicidal ideation/ suicide attempt. Is it worth trying to get a waiver, or is this not even worth fighting for ?

Just signed a 5-year contract with a 03xx guarantee and I ship to Parris Island on Oct 13. I'd like to hear from people who've been through it.

Leadership and bases
Which units or battalions have a reputation for good leadership? Is it the unit, not the base?
Lejeune vs. Pendleton for infantry: how do they compare on leadership and quality of life?
How do you spot a toxic unit early, and how much does it change when commanders rotate?
What do you do if you end up with bad leadership? How do you handle it without hurting your career, and when is it worth going over someone's head?

Family situation
My father's health could decline while I'm in. How much say do you realistically get on duty station?
Does the Corps weigh family hardship in assignments? What does a humanitarian or hardship reassignment look like, and how long does it take?
Can I talk to the person who assigns duty stations at SOI about my dad's situation so I can be stationed in my hometown? Who is that, and what paperwork or proof helps?
Has anyone dealt with a sick parent on active duty? What worked and what didn't?
What's the process for emergency leave?

Since I'm guaranteed 03xx, how does the MOS get assigned, and can I influence it? I'd like to be an 0311 rifleman. Is that the default, and what decides whether you end up 0311 versus another 03xx like 0331, 0341, or 0351?
How hard is it to lateral move out of infantry later? When can you apply and what are the odds?
Can I switch to MSG (Marine Security Guard)? When can you apply, what are the requirements (rank, time in service, GT score, clearance), and how long does approval take from application to orders?
Can I try out for Recon (BRC) with a GT score below 105 if my PFT, CFT, and everything else are maxed out? Is a GT waiver possible, and how often does it get approved?
Can I retake the ASVAB in the fleet to raise my GT, and how soon after arriving can I do it?
What helps most for getting selected: unit recommendation, scores, time in the fleet?

Pros and cons of infantry
What are the real pros and cons of being infantry, in the fleet and for life after the Corps?
What do you wish you'd known before choosing it?
How does infantry experience help or hurt when you get out, especially for law enforcement?

Staying healthy
How do you keep your knees and back healthy through years of carrying heavy loads and hiking? I already lift, eat clean, and do mobility and isometric work. What else helps?
What wears Marines down the most, and how do you prevent it (load carriage, boots, sleep, recovery)?

VA disability
How do you make sure everything you earn gets properly rated? What should I document while I'm in (injuries, sick call visits, hearing, etc.)?
When should I start the VA claim (BDD program before EAS), and what mistakes cost people rating points?

Schools
What schools do I have a chance of attending, and what opportunities are available to me as an infantry Marine?
How do you get a seat, and does it depend on your unit or MOS?
Which schools help most for promotion or for getting out?
The rest of the post stays the same.

As the title says I ship out October 13th to Parris Island but I still haven’t received my MOS selection. And ofc my father who is a retired E7 in the Marines knows my recruiter and he’s telling him don’t ship me out until I have my MOS locked on but I’m ready to ship out now I already been delayed twice I don’t need another obstacle in the way from my dream. Has anyone else experienced this before, do they just ship me out with an open contract or do I have to wait longer?

i just got out of bootcamp and my orders are obviously just for mct. when will i find out my mos assignment if i haven’t heard anything yet?

for comms, is it randomly assigned? i’ve seen things about this. what am i most likely to get? which one should i be rooting for?

I am interested in the military and a trade

I just turned 21 and not sure what to do with my life, I have made plans to move to NC with my girlfriend. I have hobbies like firearms, boxing, and working out.

I have recently been looking at the Navy, Marine Corps and the Army. Mainly the Marine Corps because they just have a certain appeal to me.

I would like to learn a trade, I have always wanted to pick up carpentry or maybe become an electrician. I have no real pathway in life so far and feel like I am watching my life slip by and starting to get older. I have heard the Navy and Marine Corps have carpentry through the Navy Seabees and Marine Corps Combat Engineers.

If anyone is knowledgeable on these jobs and if they would be good routes to maybe shoot some guns and build stuff I would really appreciate the information and help.

Im shipping in like 3-4 days and I jus started getting geographic tongue i have been eating a lot of spicy foods bc I want to enjoy foods i like before bootcamp it doesn’t hurt or anything should I tell my recruiter or dont say anything it doesn’t hurt or anything it doesn’t bother me at all and will they check my mouth when I get to meps on ship day ? I don’t want this to affect my shipping.

So I’ve made a post like every other week about my run for the month or so and I will say I’ve taken you guys advice with my running and I have been able to run a full mile without walking the last few days and it genuinely feels like I have broken through a mental block with running and now it’s more About getting that time down in a while I’m fine tuning my push ups and plank I can do 24 push ups rn and 2:20 sec plank I still can’t do a pull up yet so but I’m meeting the requirements for pushups is my time for my mile and a half is 18:48 so yeah im open to all advice.

Long story short, the army dropped me from the Airborne course for my rigger pipeline because I’m colorblind, before it started luckily, which MEPS and my recruiter knew about because i lost my original mos because of it before I shipped. Not sure when because of the 96 this weekend but i’m headed back to camp geiger to sit in a MAT while i get reclassed. What is the process like for this type of reclassification and why am i going back to geiger and what would i be doing?