Sgt Grit Marine Forums

So I met with my recruiter and I am signing tomorrow.  My question is what is the next step?  I am being put into DEP until like september because I have some obligations to fulfill before I leave.  What exactly is the DEP process?  I am going to be working out extensively to prepare myself.  Any advice would be helpful.

Thanks!  By the way my name is Ryan, 19, from Fort Collins Colorado.

Good to meet you, fill out your bio and read the previously written posts. 

 Once you pass your physical you will meet with the Marine Liaison to discuss the program you are enlisting in.  You will then agree to serve 8 years.  The active duty portion of your enlistment will be for 4 or 5 years depending on the program you agree on.  The remaining 3 or 4 years will be in the inactive reserves, the time between tomorrow and your ship date will count as part of that inactive reserve time.  You will then interview with the MEPS staff to go over your contract and swear in to the DEP (delayed entry program).  While you are in the DEP you are required to improve your physical fitness and study the information that your recruiter gives you so as to be better prepared for recruit training (boot camp).  Each Recruiting Sub-Station (RSS- where your recruiter works) has thier own schedule as far as their monthly meetings (or more often if necessary).  I am sure your recruiter and his NCOIC (supervisor) will explain all this to you also.  Good luck to you. 

Great thanks.  So will I have to take the physical tomorrow?  I dont meet up with my recruiter until 7 pm so I dont know how long that physical will take.  What all is involved in the physical?

rkidd4:

 What all is involved in the physical?

Beware the Doc with the knobby fingers.  LOL

 Yes you take a physical, it will be similar to any sports physical you ever took.  Just slightly more involved.

If he is meeting you at 7pm, most likely you still have to take the ASVAB.  Generally they schedule the ASVAB the night before, put you in a hotel for the night and you get a physical the next day.

What field are you looking at trying to get into?

 

Haha thanks for the doc advice....But my recruiter said we have to go to Denver so I can take my physical which is about an hour and a half away so I dont know if we will do that tonight or not...but I am getting into infantry.  I love guns I would love to be paid to use them lol.  Hopefully it will all work out for me.

 lol its a weapon not a gun but keep up the motivation, just for kicks what is the muzzle velocity of the M-16A2? 

haha I thought the Marines made me into the weapon and the gun was my accessory lol well i signed my papers and I go to Denver tomorrow for my tests and MEPs by the way the muzzle velocity is 2800 feet per second :)

wrong, asthe Colt website says it is aproximately 3,110 ft/sec (I was 10 ft/sec off, I thought it was 3,100 so we were both wrong) here is the link for the M-16A4 http://www.colt.com/mil/M16_2.asp

just for kicks what is the Max effective range for point and area targets for an M-16A2? 

Well shows you how accurate google is lol.  Hopefully this answer is a little more accurate: Point - 550 meters Area - 800 meters

excellent

Alright everyone...Just got back to my house after the longest 31 hours of my life lol.  I took my ASVAB yesterday and got a 94 on it.  I took my physical today (took around twelve hours total) and became qualified so I am ready to go.  I havent sworn in yet b/c my recruiter is doing it at a later date at some special ceremony I think.  On Tuesday I am scheduled to pick my job and finalize the job contract.  I have been thinking about it and I really want to try and become a sniper.  How would I go about doing that?  I think I want to try and get into infantry first but my Marine liason told me that my test score was too high for infantry.  Is this true?  If so what are some interesting fields that may be available to me?

Congratulations on a great ASVAB score and completing your physical.   I have a pretty good idea what that special ceremony is.  And since I was very generous in giving you an answer to your question earlier, which by the way was probably pretty accurate to what exactly to place, I would like for you to tell me this. 

 

When are you scheduled to go back to MEPS to sign your contract and swear in?  I am pretty sure I know when it will be. 

 As far as MOS choices, you can be infantry if you like.  Anyone can (except women), there is no such thing as having scores too high.  However, you are quite intelligent and it sounds like your recruiter is looking out for your best interests in the long run.  Keep in mind that every Marine is a rifleman first, you will always have the opportunity to fire your weapon, why not go into an MOS that will give you a good start at a good career after your enlistment - the first one that comes to mind for me in Air Traffic Controller - the US is going into a phase where it is loosing a large number of ATC's over the next few years, qualified ATC's make an amazing salary (just some trivia for you).  You decide what you want to do, and make it happen.  Until you raise your hand and swear in (at MEPS, not in some bogus 'special' ceremony in the recruiters office) you are in charge of what goes into your contract.  Select the MOS you want to do, not what your recruiter wants you to do. 

You don't just become a sniper.  First you have to prove yourself and then you have to earn it.  

indians56:

wrong, asthe Colt website says it is aproximately 3,110 ft/sec (I was 10 ft/sec off, I thought it was 3,100 so we were both wrong) here is the link for the M-16A4 http://www.colt.com/mil/M16_2.asp

just for kicks what is the Max effective range for point and area targets for an M-16A2? 

Okay now whats the tracer burn out distance for 5.56mm ?  If you ever want to play 20 questions  just try me , as Company DM , Master Gunner and  Armorer I will make you use you Brain Housing Group.

 900 meters? I'm really not sure on this one.

DaffysMom:

You don't just become a sniper.  First you have to prove yourself and then you have to earn it.  

Correct it just seems to find the person, I havent spent one day in the MOS I was trained in since I went range in the lane next to the CO .

indians56:

 900 meters? I'm really not sure on this one.

Correct , now what type of firing pin does the M16a2 have?

fixed firing pin?

By the way, do you have any tips on how to get the retaining pin out of the bolt carrier? My fingers are to fat and I had to use the tip of a knife.

indians56:

By the way, do you have any tips on how to get the retaining pin out of the bolt carrier? My fingers are to fat and I had to use the tip of a knife.

  First the M16 has a free floating firing pin the hammer strikes the end of it it has no springs.

And for the retaining pin , use either a cleaning rod or brush end other than that always carry a pen. Also the charging handle assembly works great to press down the buffer/spring retainer.

kilo1:

indians56:

By the way, do you have any tips on how to get the retaining pin out of the bolt carrier? My fingers are to fat and I had to use the tip of a knife.

  First the M16 has a free floating firing pin the hammer strikes the end of it it has no springs.

And for the retaining pin , use either a cleaning rod or brush end other than that always carry a pen. Also the charging handle assembly works great to press down the buffer/spring retainer.

 

I knew I couldnt be right all the time. :-(

And thanks a ton for the advice that helps alot! 

FYI

A lot, not alot, it is the opposite of a little, thats how I remember it.

Oh yeah, and Ryan, the guy that started this thread, should be swearing in this week.  I figure his recruiter already had made mission for February and was holding him until March.  Unless the RS needed him for mission, in which case Ryan swore in on Friday - I wonder if we will ever hear from him again......