Sgt Grit Marine Forums

The first step is always the hardest. I was a Junior in high school when I got the crazy (and unpopular) idea to join the military, and it stuck just long enough for me to step up to a recruiter and pick his brain about the military. You see, I was 17 and I had no clue what the differences were between the branches of the military. I didn't know the first thing about discipline, rank, responsibility... so after chatting with the Marine recruiter, I decided to take the challenge. The only thing left was for me to convince my italian mother!

Sure enough, after battling it out with her countless times and with a little help from my recruiter... I eventually won. When I showed up to bootcamp I was 5'6" 196 lbs. Bootcamp helped me get down to 163, two months after that I got down to a trim 155 and it's stayed that way ever since. The Marine Corps will prepare you to accomplish things you never thought you could. You will become smarter, faster, and stronger than you ever thought you could be.

Here I am, 4 years later and I've done things that many of my old schoolmates will never get a chance to do in their lifetimes. I've met thousands of people from all walks of life, from all over the world, and many of them I still keep in touch with.  All of the things that I have done and all the adventures I've been on have taught me an awful lot - but if I had never took that first step... that very first step to meet with my recruiter, god knows where I would be today.

If you're reading this and you're still wondering whether or not you want the title, go take that first step. See where it takes you.

-Sgt Adams-

I am not a Marine but I am proud to be part of the Marine Corps family.

There is something about becoming a Marine that is forever lifechanging and will stay with you forever.  I remember volunteering at the USO in Pensacola and we would play a game to "guess" which passengers arriving were Marines.  We could always pick the Marine out of the crowd --young or old -- by their bearing, their confidence....their aura. 

I am currently living on a military base that hosts all branches of the military, as well as civil servants and foreign military.  There is an undeniable difference between the Marines and the other military servicemembers.  The Marines are a group apart, whether on base in uniform or out in the community in civilian attire.  They carry themselves with confidence and polish.  I am proud to report that the Marines, in a mixed group, more often than not, distinguish themselves as the Honor Graduate in school.

The Marines that I know don't see obstacles as roadblocks, but challenges to be out-thought and overcome.  Earning the title Marine is a set of life skills that will stay with you forever, regardless of how long your tenure in the active duty Marine Corps is.  Unspoken is the sense of fraternity.  I can not begin to express the countless times I have benefitted from the largesse of the "devildog hookup".  The Marine brotherhood stepped in and took care of our family when my Marine was deployed, and likewise, we endeavour to help Marines when our paths cross.  It is a family that has ties and bonds stronger and more faithful than even blood relations at times.

Joining the Marine Corps will challenge you, but I have never heard a Marine say they regretted stepping up and accepting the challenge.