Hey GB community,

Long time fan of the site, been around since its inception. No, literally, I put the idea for this site in Jeff's brain while he was dreaming.

Anyway, I'm a young male on my way to earning the title of United States Marine. Many people have the misconception that stepping into a recruiter's office automatically signs you up for the Armed Forces. The truth, for better or worse, is that with the state of budget cuts to the military in America (yeah, even the military is getting downsized, Military Industrial Complex be damned) that it is a fucking mission and a half to try and get into the military now. While going through the process (which is a completely disorganized nightmare), I filmed some clips chronicling the journey of trying to sign up.

This was both self serving (as something I can look back on, and something to learn some Premiere skills with), but even more than that, I hope to be able to be looked at as a resource to be able to help any fellow young men and women who may be trying to get into the Armed Forces in America, or for people who may be considering the military as a strong option in their future.

Not trying to youtube spam here, or simply rack up the views, but rather expose this, as in the two months since I've had this video up I haven't gotten many views at all from it. If I can help out someone through question and answers, or simply through the videos themselves showing what it's actually like to go through this, I think it would be great to help out other people at a crossroads in their life.

A lot has changed since I filmed this...I've sworn in, been given a ship date and a MOS, and even more interesting than those things, I've been put up (after being meritoriously suggested to by a Captain) for the NROTC scholarship ($180,000 for college and 4 years as an officer following, starting at 2nd Lieutenant). I'm in a sort of Rocky underdog-training montage push now as I attempt to get this scholarship, and I will certainly write about this as well, as I think it's another facet of the Armed Forces that a fortunate few are able to pursue.

So follow me if you're interested for future updates, or subscribe to my channel, and I'm gonna keep pushing these out as interesting information pops up. If anyone has any questions, or knows anyone who might have questions, please feel free to ask away, and I'll do my best to answer with my limited knowledge. Though I may not know everything about the inner workings of this process, I do have the unique position of going through it as anyone who will be interested will have to. Or, simply watch it for the exposure for the info on what this is like, and what the military people you know have gone through/are going through.

Giantbomb may not be the right forum for this, but if I can reach someone in this great community that I can help, it would be awesome to give back to a site and a community that has given me some great belly laughs and hours of dinner-time entertainment.

-Spartacus714

@Spartacus714 said:

[I]t is a fucking mission and a half to try and get into the military now. While going through the process (which is a completely disorganized nightmare), I filmed some clips chronicling the journey of trying to sign up.

Yep, this is probably one of the most difficult times in our history to serve in the military, especially for officer candidates. I myself am under an Air Force ROTC scholarship right now (I'm studying Electrical & Computer Engineering), so I can sympathize with at least the ROTC scholarship process in how difficult it is to get into and retain good standing in the military. While our careers with our respective branches are likely to be vastly different, it's awesome to see a serviceman in the GB community.

I'd say that this is a good community to post that in, too, considering how one of Giant Bomb/Whiskey Media's former interns is in the military and had to leave abruptly due to deployment from what I remember. So I'm sure there'll be a lot of people in GB who'll check this out.

You sound like a really funny and smart guy, just stay home and play video games.

It's not the path in life I decided to take, but anyone who tries to make something more of themselves is a fine fellow in my books. It seems you really put in some effort into getting this far, so best of luck Duder.

@EquitasInvictus: That's great man, it seems to me from the context that you already got it. If that's correct, congrats on being one of the very best and good luck with your studies.

@AhmadMetallic: "Stay home and play video games" is actually the MOS I'm shooting to get, it takes some high-ass test scores to get it though.

@ReyGitano: Thanks man, good luck in whatever path you do decide to take.

Congrats man, I'm working hard to enlist myself, was in the DEP but thanks to some domestic troubles and other complications I haven't earned a HS Diploma yet, so I've been focusing on that while still studying up on the basics (check out my recent wiki edits and you'll see I've been putting that studying to use in bettering GB's wiki. All of those pages were practically empty when I went in to edit them, save for the USMC page, which has a lot of poor language. Surprising, but it turned into a great bit of motivation to learn more about all that stuff and flesh out the wiki at the same time.

I'm glad I'm not the only one seeing how much of a pain joining can be. Between difficult/unorganized recruiters and bullshit from my high school and my very liberal family, it's been a challenge just getting where I am. But hell, I can't give up now. Good luck man, and good on you for striking out on your own.

There is certainly a lack of information out there, especially about the process of getting into the service, so it's good that you're doing this. I've been trying to do the same with my blog but my experience has been so fuckin complicated that it's hard to keep it up/ give a consistent idea of what it's like to go through the process for others.

God, I hated MEPS. They didn't have anything for me to piss in before we left, so I woke up to a S Sgt. banging on my door and waking me from a very deep sleep, and then I had to drink until I could piss into a cup.

I'd wish you luck bu in my experience people who go as far as you have already don't need luck. Semper Fi and kick some ass.