national guard or marines?

Question

I want that title of a Marine, but the National Guard have so much better benefits and pay. You don't even get a bonus when signing with the Corps. I know they are the most Bad*** out of the bunch, but I can't decide. Which do you think? What are the pros and cons of each?

Answer 1

Go where you can get the better benefits.

Answer 2

The "bad ***" title the Marines have is a very effective marketing campaign. That is it! The reason they are the few, the proud is becasuse DoD only allotted a few of them (50-60 thousand). Their training is very similiar to the Army (Guard).

I should know. I am a Recruiter for the Army Guard. Now that you know I have a dog in this fight, I will tell you that the majority of the prior military people I recruit into the Guard are former Marines. They are great people.

If you want to join the Marines because they have a cooler looking dress uniform than the Army Dress greens, than go for it. However, the Army has phased out the Dress Greens and went to using our Dress blues that have been around long before the Marines were even born. Actually, the Marines copied our Dress Blue Cavalry uniform.

I don't know why people think the Marines are tougher when we (Army) have a harder physical fitness test, spend more time in a combat zone (Marines 6 mos, Army 1 year) and you can be fatter in the Marines too. So it is all a great advertising campaign you are about to buy over the educational incentives the Army Guard will give you. I think we call that person a "SUCKER".

You can be just as proud when you are called a "SOLDIER"

Good luck in whatever you choose.

Answer 3

I have done both and I say go Marines first and then go to the guard. The marines have the standard benefits that all military personal get, and if your joining for the bonus you need to reexamine your reasons. There are more occupational specialties in the guard than there are in the corps, but because the marines are so small it is a very close knit group and you will make some of the best friends you will have in your life there. Also as an active duty marine or active duty soldier in any branch it opens up alot of oppurtunity in your future if you were interested in law enforcement type work. The downfall of an active duty career is it takes away alot of time for education, based on your occupational choice. I was Marine infantry and I was trying to go to school but due to the training we were constantly doing it made that very diffucult for me. Hope I was able to help.

Answer 4

The National Guard isn't a full-time job. They do the "one weekend a month, two weeks a year" thing. But, when something goes wrong they might pull you into full-time for an indefinite amount of time. So, if you have a job, or go to college that all goes on hold until they're done with the problem. The Marines is the most hard-core the the branches. If you want to roll around in the dirt and carry a gun, then go for it. But, there's still the Army, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard. They're all good, it's up to you.

Answer 5

In this day and age when you enlist in any military branch it is almost a given that you will spend some time in Iraq or some hostile area, that being said the Marines have the BEST overall training. Another plus, is the National Guard and the Army spend alot of time in Iraq, their rotations are around a year, the Marines rotation is 7 months. Once you've gone through Marine Corps boot camp there's nothing you can't do, and anyone else's boot camp would be a piece of cake. I hope this helps.
Semper Fi

Answer 6

I come from a family of marines.. the so called bad a$$es..lol

Bro - ret capt USMC - Gulf War - 2 navy Crosses in 25 yrs
Uncle - Ret - Gen - Gulf war
Son - ..gunney sgt. active duty 1st marine div. just completed 2nd tour in iraq.
family tradition..

The exception - father - deceased '62 tet offensive, v.nam - Lt. - Army
None of them would tell you they would not welcome any other soldier of any other branch watching his 6. My son came home because of an army ssgt that was in the right place when my son needed him. Thank God.

One of the most important things the marines teach you is teamwork.. not just within your unit.. but with anyone wearing the US flag on their arm.

The N.Guard plays an even more important roll as far as I'm concerned.. The Guard trains at home.. alomst like readiness drills, so when or where they are needed, they are only a phone call away. Any as any N. Guardsman will tell you, sometimes that exactly how it works... a phone call.. and "be here". They are .... like our secret weapon... lol

And remember, when you passed history class, the red in our flag was chosen to represent the blood that would be spilled in our fight for freedom against the british. Every branch of our military bleeds red.

I really think you should keep your head in the game.. and benefits is a pretty shallow reason to make a decision like this. If it is your only reason, please get an MOS in clerical.

I've worked with people like you.. you like titles... VP, CEO.

If you ask any member of any branch of the military they will tell you that "soldier" is a verb... an action word... not always a noun.

You, my dear, want to be a noun!

Answer 7

To the guy who said the Guard is the "third tier army."

If that is the case, why are 55% of the Army's combat arms units in the National Guard. The Guard has a bigger budget than the reserves (both state and federal), is almost twice the size and has combat arms MOS's opposed to support MOS's. The guard has Green Berets, Airborne units, as well as Infantry and Armor. The reserves have none of these.

The Guard is definitly a tier above the reserves as far as RC goes. Most guardsmen are former active duty and I would place the level of experience, education, and maturity in the Guard higher than the active army as well.

Answer 8

Please spell Marine with a capital M. It's not a job, it's a well-earned title. Those of us with a Marine in the house like to see that capital M.

With all due respect to the Army recruiter, USMC boot camp is still 13 weeks long, the longest of all our military branches... with no family contact except through the mail. No phone calls, no email, no IM'ing, no cell phones. Marine recruits aren't allowed stress-cards like the Army allows when things just get too stressful (I'm still wondering how that works in combat situations!), and the Marine Corps minimum rifle qualification standards match that of Army Rangers. The USMC has their own martial arts training program, and all recruits meet rigerous physical training requirements while in boot, and all during their enlistment.

Oh... and Marines are known as the Few and the Proud because 30% of recruits who put their feet on those famous yellow footprints wash out during boot camp. Those that earn the title ARE few.. and ARE proud. uuUUUuu-RAH!

Answer 9

The National Guard isn't full time.They do they one weekend a month or 2 weeks a year thing.They can pull you into full time job when something goes wrong.so if you have a job or go to college that can be a problem since it all goes on hold.The Marines are the badest of the bad.They are skillfully trained,etc.As a Marine significant other I say go for the USMC.

Answer 10

I am a Marine and always will be. Can the national guard say that? I am proud to claim the title United States Marine UUUUUUUrah.

Answer 11

marines are not the "biggest and baddest". the national guard is the third tier army. (active, reserve, then guard). go active army. be airborne, ranger or sf. get a huge *** bonus and be bad *** at the same time.