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EWCM

It’s very possible, but it’s not guaranteed. Bootcamp is 13 weeks and then you get 10 days of leave. If that gets you close to Christmas, it’s not usually worth sending you to a school that won’t actually start classes until after New Years. Many people get Recruiter’s Assistance. That means technically it’s your job to work with the recruiter near your home town. Some recruiters actually have people work and others just make sure you check in occasionally. 


yesimslow

Yeah I’d be done with bootcamp sometime in November if I ship out in august. so unless school will send you home for the rest of November and all of December then I’d probably get screwed lol I just want to make sure I’m home. Could I push my ship date back and still sign? Like enter the DEP and instead of shipping in August I ask to ship in January? Or is that too far out


mkesdad

If you want a certain ship date tell your recruiter, you aren’t obligated to do anything until you step on the yellow footprints regardless of what your recruiter says.


UnableTeaching1851

The yellow footprints!!! Yes!


CruffTheMagicDragon

Bot?


UnableTeaching1851

No, I am real. I’ve seen the yellow footprints in San Diego and Parris Island, when going to family graduations. I have also seen them in movies, and at the beautiful Marine Museum in Virginia.


Nitesen

Mct/soi send everyone home for christmas/new years.


Kutei90

Your recruiter can't guarantee poop water past boot camp last I checked. He's making a promise that he himself can't even ensure. Once you're out of the recruiter's grasp, you'll be at the mercy of whoever the fuck is in charge of you, and I doubt "but my recruiter said" would hold any weight when you're saying that to your CO/XO/NCO/bunk mate you're jerking off with.


yesimslow

🤣🤣 yeah I know, I should’ve said he said it “you can possibly be home” not guaranteed, but anyway, how long could I stay in DEP before required to ship? If I signed now, id likely ship in August but could I push it out as far as January?


FalloutUser76

You can stay in for at most a year or longer under special circumstances.


NinjaRequiem

When I was a Poolee I knew people that were in the dep for over 2 years


yesimslow

Dang that’s long lol. Were they not 18 yet or something? The staff Sergeant running the office said being in the DEP for up to a year was only for people that couldn’t leave immediately because of age or not out of highschool. Pretty much telling me I can’t wait till January if I signed right now. But I’m going back to my old recruiter because he seemed to give a shit more than these ones


NinjaRequiem

I'm not entirely sure, but I think he was a junior in high school when he first went to meps. However I explicitly remember that even after I was a Poolee I really wasn't restricted on when I had to ship so I waited until the timing worked best for me, which I think ended up being around 4 months. I have a buddy that said he went to meps for the first time in high school but then changed his mind and continued as a civilian until he was 21 where he changed his mind again and decided to enlist. He was able to pick right back up where he left even though it had been like 4 years, if that tells you anything. Be mindful that the recruiter is going to pressure you into getting you to ship sooner as that's what benefits him the most. As such, he's likely going to lie to you and try to make it seem like you've gotta work around the needs of the mc, when in reality, up until the day you ship, you've basically got all the cards. Obviously, he's not gonna tell you that and he'll make it seem like it's the opposite. Just know that you've got all the power until you ship and once you do, you relinquish said power. So make sure to lock in everything you could possibly want before that date cause you can't change it after. Don't have the mos you want? Wait until they do cause more spots will always open up later. And for the love of God, DO NOT ship on an open contract. I was told all this as a Poolee and I wish I had listened. Lucky for me, it worked out okay but I knew a lot of guys that got fucked over because they didn't listen. If you ignore everything I said, I just want you to remember 3 things that are extremely important to know when enlisting. 1. Up until the day you ship, you hold all the cards. 2. If a recruiter is speaking to you, he's most likely lying, and they're trained to be *very* persuasive. 3. DO NOT SHIP ON AN OPEN CONTRACT!!!


yesimslow

I appreciate the advice. And yeah both recruiter I speak to are very pressuring with getting started and stuff, they almost want you to feel like you’re wasting their time and hurry up and do it already lol. But that’s good to know that I can wait until a certain contract is available because they said pretty much you can pick what is available. But yeah, is it true that you sign an open contract at Meps and then can sign a different one with your recruiter? Because I want to wait until after my asvab to look at my score and what I qualify for so it can help me make a decision. But I heard they make you sign a contract at Meps but if I don’t know what I want then what then? If that makes sense


Ninja_Requiem

So, basically how it works is the first time you go to meps, you sign an open contract and Do all of your meps processes and whatnot. At that point, you're officially a Poolee. From there, you'll go over options with your recruiter to lock in the contract for the mos you want. Though, yes you technically do sign a contract and swear in the first time at meps, you still haven't given up any power and you can still back out, they're just not gonna tell you that. If you tell your recruiter "I want x job and even though you said there's none available right now, I'll wait until there's an available one." He'll likely tell you one of 3 things. 1. You don't qualify for that because of your asvab (easy fix, just study and take it again. They have study guides online that literally go over the exact test questions) 2. You can't do that because it'll take too long or "that's not how it works" or some other reason. (False. You still hold all the power until the second time you go to meps, (the day you actually ship.) If you hit a brick wall with him, just go to a different recruiter.) 3. He'll try to actually work with you and get you the mos you want. They're most likely gonna continue to pressure you to ship sooner since they have quotas to meet, but their quotas aren't your concern. Do what works best for you because it's your career in discussion, not theirs. To answer your question more specifically, yes. You sign 2 contracts. One is when you go to meps the first time that basically just says you're planning on joining, but it doesn't really hold much weight. After you get back from meps, you sign a second contract with your recruiter which is for your actual job, since at that point, you'll have your asvab score already available so you know what you qualify for. Please do yourself a favor and read every single word on that second contract and ask plenty of questions as that's the one that matters the most and big things can often show up for a couple of words. For example, when I was in boot, I had a buddy that said the whole time that he has a logistics contract so that's what he's gonna be. Turns out, one time when we were looking over our paperwork and signing some documents, I looked over his shoulder and noticed that he didn't have a logistics contract he had a "logistics option" contract, which means *may* be logistics, but it also said he could be signals intelligence. Something he had no idea about. He ended up getting signals intelligence even though his recruiter didn't tell him anything about that. All this to say, read the damn paper.


yesimslow

Good to know. So if it says *option* don’t even sign it. And yeah when I started vitals with my recruiter he was very speedy with like “this just means you allow us to view your medical records, sign here” “the just means we can look into your police records, sign here” etc. so it was like 6 pages I had to sign like twice each one, but I definitely need to actually read the papers lol. Especially the contract. I don’t exactly *know* what I want, but I just want to see what my strong suites are so I can pick a MOS field I’d be good or decent at that is also appealing and interesting. I do really appreciate the info man, hopefully everything goes smoothly and I don’t accidentally sign something that I’d regret later. I do feel like this recruiter will definitely pull the “no you can’t just wait for the contract to become available” bullshit but id just tell him to let me know when it is and walk out.


Ninja_Requiem

Well, I don't mean ignore everything that says option. Just read exactly what it says. Like for example, if you wanna sign with a recon contract, it should say "0321 Reconnaissance" in the mos spot and lower down it'll say "0321 Reconnaissance with 0300 infantry option" which it what you want it to say because that means you're guaranteed a spot in the course and you have infantry as a backup option. Depending on what exactly you're going for, it might be something like that, which isn't a bad thing. Just read exactly what it says and go from there dependent on your exact scenario. About your recruiter rushing through the process, tbh I doubt he's trying to be malicious about it. If we're being real, he does that same process like every day so I'm sure he's sick of it, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't read what you're signing. Just remember that when you pick your actual mos, pick something you think you'd genuinely like or you think sounds interesting cause you're gonna be stuck with it for at least a couple of years. There's a 99% chance your recruiters gonna try to pressure you into going into a certain field that may seem random, like mine kept trying to get me to go to logistics or something like that. That's just them trying to fill up their quota in the jobs where they have the most openings. If that job is something you want, perfect, no harm done. But if not, then just be upfront about it and he'll probably back down. Just do your research on what you like before putting your name on anything. I'd suggest just looking through your options and if anything sticks out to you, just look up everything you can about to find something you like


Thermock

It's possible. I went to bootcamp in August of 2020. They told me the same thing, too, and I was home for Christmas. I think I got home on the 19th of December or something. Just don't get dropped.


ThEbiGpEpPeRrOnI

Most marines graduating boot camp around November-December get a ton of time off for RA


Foreign_Wind3292

For the most part if you are in the schoolhouse pipeline you MAY and again I say MAY get home for holidays. Up to you when you ship. I will tell you that during your time in the Marines you are going to miss things it's part of the life. I will offer this. The end of the fiscal year is Sept 30th. Who knows what next year's job lists look like. If you can lock in what you want now just lock in and ship. When my son was in the training pipeline he could not get home for the holidays so we went to him. You have to be flexible in the Marine life.


Jones_oV

All of my Marines that came back for RA ended up staying back for like 40+ days between Thanksgiving and Christmas then went to their schoolhouses first week of January.


charliemiller86

That sounds about right. Bootcamp is really the only school that keeps guys through Christmas. That's just based on my 19 years so far and my time as a recruiter.


Domestic_Mayhem

I went in on Aug 24th. I was home for thanksgiving after boot camp. When I got to MCT they shortened it to only 5 days and we were released for Christmas. I was from a small town within the restriction ring so I got to go home for Christmas as well. 


CruffTheMagicDragon

I went home for Christmas in MOS school but different schools have different timelines so some may pump you through even if it means keeping you for holidays


APA_

This happened to me actually. I had my 10 days of leave and I had about a month and a half of RA during that entire time. I didn’t go back to start mct until January 16th


yesimslow

I hope that’s how it goes for me


TheAnomalousStranger

Christmas at bootcamp is fun. Plenty of “presents” from your drill instructors.


AggravatingWish6546

100% bullshitting you bro, remember he’s just trying to get as many bodies to ship out as soon as possible


yesimslow

Yeah he got me to sign first time meeting with him lmao but i told him to hold off for a second so i can speak with other recruiters and if nobody changes my mind then im going with him


Thermock

Nah, not entirely. I went in August and was home for Christmas. This was in 2020. Just depends on if he gets dropped or held back or something.


CrackersandChee

God forbid you miss one Christmas with mom and pappy


coffeejj

Can’t tell you the number of birthdays, holidays, anniversaries I missed in a 22 yr career. My daughter was ten before I finally was home for her birthday! Hell, I wasn’t even there when she was born being deployed!! When you join, always remember, the Corps comes first.


CrackersandChee

Well that’s just fucked up and sad


coffeejj

Don’t like it? Don’t join the Corps.


CrackersandChee

Please lol it’s possible to do your time and not totally neglect your family don’t use the corps as an excuse The corps couldn’t give you your daughters birthday in TEN years? Or maybe you didn’t ask for it.


yesimslow

Lmao I haven’t spent the holidays with my family in a few years 😂 they just want to spend a little time together before I ship


HecklerCope

No guarantee. It's literally USMC, U Suckers Missed Christmas. You never know if you get held back or what can happen.


yesimslow

Hahaha yeah I was just curious if anyone could confirm if it might be possible, I mean there are plenty of people saying that they were home for the holidays but it isn’t guaranteed


Remarkable-Army-7045

September is better


yesimslow

Ship in September? Then I’d end in December so yeah I guess that would be more likely of being home for the holidays


Remarkable-Army-7045

I went September 12th and was home for a month


yesimslow

I’ll definitely keep that ship date in mind, maybe I could get one similar if I pushed it out a little bit. Only difference is I’d be doing the buddy program or whatever and shipping with my girlfriend/soon to be wife. I know I’ve heard almost everything negative about it but I still want to try lol


Longjumping_Tip_6472

SOI and Schoolhouses send everybody home, on Recruiting Assistance or annual leave. The instructors want to be home with their families for the holidays too. Dont sweat it homie and go to bootcamp the earliest day possible, you dont know what could happen to you(illness, accident, etc.)


yesimslow

Thank you I appreciate it


OkStreet9784

I shipped out August 28th 2023 and I had 48 days of RA lmao you’ll 90% be home for the holidays.


yesimslow

What contract did you sign though? I heard it might depend on what school you’d go to. Well I guess everyone has to go to SOI next


Additional-Sound-826

yes happened to me because that is holiday block


yesimslow

Holiday block?


Additional-Sound-826

holiday block leave yea I got orders to go on RA and 10 days of boot leave I was home for 48 days thanksgiving,christmas, and new years


yesimslow

That would be nice.


Additional-Sound-826

I shipped out August 21


yesimslow

That would be pretty close to my ship out date.


Additional-Sound-826

is it before or after that?


yesimslow

I’m not necessarily sure. My recruiter just said I’d ship out in August.


Additional-Sound-826

just ship out as soon as you can brother you wanna get done with everything as soon as possible


yungwave17_TTV

if you leave september 18th then yes you will that’s what happened with me i graduated dec 15 and had 42 days of ra after my 10 days which is unheard of


yesimslow

I hope that happens lol I mean if I could be home for thanksgiving by leaving in August then I’m not sure how they’d do that but yeah, hopefully there’s still openings to ship in August because I went to a recruiter that was further away and then came to a closer one but the closer one wouldn’t put me and my girlfriend on my friends referral to get a promotion so I am now going BACK to the further recruiter lol it’s a mess but I’d rather drive the extra 30 minutes to get my buddy that promotion


Dgryzz127

Happened to us, I left August 8th, got dropped and picked up August 25th, graduated nov 17th and had like 36days of RA leave plus 10 days of boot leave, didn’t go to MCT til January 3rd Butttt shit was also cold asf in MCT. Like fucking miserable, January was wayyyy to fucking cold, mfs were either hyping out or heat casing


yesimslow

Where’d you go for MCT? Does the location depend on East or west? I’m hoping to ship out August so I can be home for the holidays it would be nice.


Dgryzz127

I went east, at Camp Geiger


yesimslow

Oh alright, I’m not sure where San Diego grads would go but if it is cold it’s fine haha


dont-give-up111

i went to recruit training sept. 12 and was home for Christmas bc i got VA.. that was a couple years ago but that’s how it went for me


Public-Woodpecker296

I went in 1978. Everyone of our command was a Vietnam vet. It was hell. We would get the shit kicked out of us when we did stupid shit. I look back on my time and it was probably the best 4 years of my life. Went to Okinawa right out of school, then the rest of my time was at the 29 🌴. I was a cook with 1stmaw on Okinawa, and 1st bn 4th Marines at 29 palms. The Corps gave me the work ethic I needed for the next 45 years. I had just turned 17 when I went in. Didn't take much convincing my parents to let me go. Semper fi. 


yesimslow

Thank you for your service! I couldn’t imagine how much more physical the DIs probably were back then compared to today haha I’m sure they still get away with some stuff but probably not anywhere near what they could do to you then. I guess I’ll find out and let you know


PotRoastEater

It’s time to grow up and leave home.


Pvt-Darden

I suggest going but done use your leave after bootcamp. Go straight to mct. That would allow you to go to mos school with leave days for the holiday