| If you're seriously thinking about going into the | | | | deployed in any part of the world, you won't even |
| Marines, you have to gather as much information as | | | | have the chance to choose. The average "boots on |
| you can because once you're already in the boot | | | | the ground" deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan is 8 |
| camp, you can't just back out. The USMC is the | | | | months. |
| smallest military service and it only needs to enlist | | | | Another important thing that you have to consider |
| about 38,000 new recruits every year compared | | | | when thinking about going into the Marines is your |
| with the US Army's 80,000 recruits each year. For | | | | physical and mental fitness. You will do a lot of |
| you to enlist, you should have a minimum ASVAB | | | | running and marching during your 13-week rigorous |
| score of 32 but over the past few years, about | | | | training so if your body is not ready for this, it will |
| 68% of all new Marine recruits have scored 50 or | | | | break down. Don't let this be the reason why you |
| above. This means that new recruits are really | | | | would fail because you can do something about it. |
| preparing to exceed the standards. | | | | Develop a Marine-like workout plan to prepare your |
| What's the first thing that others fear about when | | | | body to the physical stress it is not used to. Don't |
| thinking about going into the Marines? It's not the | | | | focus on bulking up, focus on strengthening your |
| combat situations but deployment. The Army and the | | | | body and in improving your endurance. You also have |
| Marine Corps make up the bulk of the ground forces | | | | to be mentally prepared. Your drill instructor will chew |
| deployed in dangerous countries like Iraq and | | | | you alive so if you've never been yelled at before or |
| Afghanistan. This means that if you're not ready to | | | | never been embarrassed, you have to ask yourself if |
| be away from your family and be stationed in places | | | | you are really prepared to face such meanness. |
| like Iraq, don't join the Marines. Get ready to be | | | | |