| Life in the Marine Corps is in many ways like a civilian | | | | known as "the Fleet" or "FMF", the Fleet Marine |
| job once you have completed all of your training and | | | | Force! |
| schooling. In a typical civilian job, most people work | | | | Once you are in the FMF, your real job begins. In the |
| from about 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. They show up for work | | | | FMF your life will be very similar to a civilian's life. You |
| in the morning grab a cup of coffee and often start | | | | will be paid a salary, and will work from about 5:30 |
| their day with some sort of regular routine before | | | | a.m. to 5:00 p.m much of the time. In the infantry, |
| focusing on more specific tasks that need to be | | | | you will often start your day with a healthy dose of |
| completed. Around noon a one hour lunch is taken | | | | PT (physical training). The PT will often consist of a |
| and in the afternoon specific task's are focused upon. | | | | multi-mile run, combined with other exercises like |
| Life in the Marines is much the same way! | | | | push-ups, sit-ups, side-straddle-hops, etc. When you |
| I was an infantryman in the Marine Corps for four | | | | are "in the rear" or not out in the field training, you |
| years from 1993 1997. The first 6 months of my | | | | will often have classes about such things as how to |
| four years as an active duty Marine were much | | | | read a map, how to do first aid, how to call in mortar |
| different than a civilian job. The first six months for | | | | fire, and how to conduct a patrol. Other times you |
| me consisted of boot camp, and formal infantry | | | | will be preparing for the next field exercise by |
| training at what is known as the School of Infantry | | | | packing up your gear and getting briefed on what |
| (SOI). We all are pretty much aware of what boot | | | | type of exercise it will be. As a boot, you will be sent |
| camp is like. In boot camp, nasty civilians are | | | | on "working parties". These are odd jobs that need |
| transformed into one of the few, the proud, a | | | | to be done around the base and within your unit. You |
| Marine! You will get yelled at a lot, you will PT | | | | may be asked to help sort gear at supply, help build |
| (physical training) a lot, and you will either lose or gain | | | | wooden tank targets for a firing range, or you might |
| a lot of weight! You will learn how to fire a rifle with | | | | just be out picking up trash. Whatever you are |
| pinpoint accuracy at 500 yards, learn how to wear a | | | | asked, do it and do it well you will be rewarded for it. |
| uniform correctly, and will learn about the many | | | | The rest of the time, you will be performing your |
| traditions and customs Marines live by. You'll also learn | | | | job. For an infantryman, that means conducting field |
| a lot about Marine Corps history, first aid, and how to | | | | exercises. This includes attacking an enemy position |
| do basic warfare. In three months you will be | | | | at a live fire range, shooting live rounds and throwing |
| transformed into one of the Few. I won't lie; boot | | | | live grenades in a house made out of tires, and |
| camp is tough, very tough. Once you get through it | | | | rappelling of the side of a 100 foot rock wall. When |
| though, you will be a much better person for it and | | | | you are done with these field exercises, you'll return |
| will be bursting with confidence. | | | | to "the rear" and the cycle will begin again. That's the |
| After boot camp comes your formal schooling. It is | | | | very bare bones basics of what it is like in the |
| at this point that you will attend some sort of school | | | | Marines as an infantryman. |
| to learn the skills needed to perform your job well. It | | | | Of course, there is much, much more to it than what |
| may be communication school, the school of infantry, | | | | I have just described here. If you have a question |
| or some kind of avionics school. Whatever it is, it will | | | | about what life is like as a Marine Corps Infantryman, |
| be much easier than boot camp and you will have | | | | find your way to this free Marine Corps Community |
| much more freedom than in boot camp. At this point, | | | | where there are hundreds of members willing to |
| you will be considered a "boot" a Marine who has just | | | | answer your questions! I'd be more than willing to |
| completed boot camp. Boots still have no idea what | | | | answer any question you may have myself! |
| the "real Marine Corps" is like. The real Marine Corps in | | | | |