Life as a marine today?

I joined the Marines (infantry) in 06. I just got out in March. I hate these kinds of answers, but it really depends on how you deal with what you're tasked with and what you experience. Marine Corps for me? Boot camp was as expected, but School of Infantry was a bit of a let down because I was expecting to be treated more like a man by then, but overall for most of your time in Marine Corps, someone will likely be breathing down your neck and correcting or waiting to correct you. Or that's how it'll feel a lot. When you go overseas however, its a whole different experience, especially if you're in a combat zone, and you're unit is actually receiving contact (spent 7 months in Iraq, a combat zone, didn't fire my weapon once except to zero the sights. Afghanistan was a whole other story though) The best way I can sum it all up is, in the Marines, most of my days were shitty, I wished I was done with it and could do my own thing at the time, but in the same breath I'll say that given the choice, I'd do it all over again. I've met people from all walks of life, been places and seen things only few can say they have, and now I don't have a thing to prove to anyone except for myself. Plus the GI bill is pretty baller. So to answer your question : Yes life as a Marine can and will many times turn out to be extremely anticlimactic and boring, but no I don't regret it, not a damn bit.

As a Marine (with a capital "M"), you are pledging yourself to a service to protect the U.S. Constitution, your fellow Marines, the innocent, and the nation's beliefs. Some Marines don't see action (if your a paper filer or something like that), but that's highly unlikely. The Marines are the front force of the nation's Armed Forces. If you are a female, I have to remind you that only 62% of the careers offered by the USMC are available to women, but if you aren't, no worries. If you enlist for anything Special Forces related, keep in mind, you might not be capable of performing the duties required of those Marines. Yes, it's true. Some Marines regret enlisting because they weren't expecting the D.I.s to be so....agitated. Or maybe they gave up because they didn't feel like doing this anymore. If you ask me, they don't deserve to be Marines. The same goes for any Armed Force. Army, Navy, Air Force, even Coast Guard. Based on what you said here, you are totally dedicated. At least, that's what I think. Marine life is not all fighting, though. There's paperwork no matter what, and there's also a lot of waiting. But you do see action. For more info, you should talk to a recruiter. Semper Fi

It's hard to like being a Marine. They could make a paid trip to a whorehouse seem like hell. But. most people don't regret being a Marine and most would do it again. It has a big effect on your life in ways you can't imagine. It's nothing like any of the other branches of service. You'll be glad you did it.