Sgt Grit Marine Forums

I've got quite a big problem.

I recently came back from Iraq with 1st Battalion Eighth Marines, and during our SRB audit before we went on post deployment, I finally noticed that my enlistment was written as five years, and my EAS was five years past my Boot Camp date, as opposed to four. I brought it up to the Chief Warrant Officer in charge and he asked what I signed. I said I signed a UZ contract, but didn't even do the indoc, so I was put into infantry UH. He nodded, crossed out the five, put in the four, and initialed his name.

 Nearly two months later I look on MOL and still see it as five years. I asked around and I've been hearing more and more that the contract page where you promise to serve four years active and four years inactive are not really your enlistment lengths, but rather, the MOS page is the page that actually states your enlistment date [that's pretty misleading]. I've read the UZ contract many times to see the critieria to make it into recon, and I've never seen anything that explicitly states that the contract is a five year one, not four. 

 I don't know what to do. I'm going to see admin sometime this week and if it's true that Uncle Sam got me good, I'm probably going to go do something drastic. I've served my time honorably, and I'll gladly do this next tour I'm doing the work up for. But to cheat me? I'm not taking that.

 Any ideas/information?

Hey there Marine.  Sorry to hear of this latest episode of the Green Weenie strikes.  Are you aware that the total military obligation today is eight years?  When I was getting out it was 6: 2 active/2SMCR/2IRR that was back in the predawn of 1970.  However, my point is that your obligation is eight years and the Corps will have the final say in when they're up.  How exactly are you being cheated?  Will you be paid your salary and allowances?  Will you be free to come and go within the restrictions of your unit's needs?  Just where is the cheat?  You will not be hurting the Corps if you"go do something drastic."  If you wish to forfeit the honorable service you've already put in go ahead.  I don't think there's a Marine around who'll cry over your decision to f*ck yourself in an ill conceived plan to "get even."  Lot's of peole have had similar problems.  Have your talk with admin, request mast, etc. but don't shoot yourself in the foot.  Good luck.

Every one of us who enlisted and/or re-enlisted got a copy of the contract we signed.  Did you keep yours?  Did you read it before you signed it?  Naw don't worry it says what you think it says!  If your original contract that you signed says 5 years active and you signed it, who is really to blame?  Before you signed on the dotted line you should have changed it.  Next your LES, ID card, etc all have your EAS on it.  What do they say?  OH NO its the same five year date too.  Oh don't worry thats not right, I know when I am supposed to get out.  Sounds like to me you signed for five, have done your job honorably but now when all your buddies are getting out at four your stuck for another year and don't like it because your going to deploy again.  Don't blow 4 years of good honorable service that you can be proud of with one STUPID decision.  Be a Marine, man-up, suckit up and move on!  Semper Fi