I signed up for the Marine Corps in November of 2005 and left for Boot Camp less than a month later. I sadly let my ego make the decision as Marines are called the best of the best. I don’t regret joining the Marine Corps, I just prefer that I would not have made the decision on emotions alone. Especially, since it was pride that was the defining factor. I was supposed to leave in February of 2006 however, I received a call the afternoon of December 13, 2005 and my recruiter told me if I didn’t leave the following day, he could not guarantee the MOS (military occupational specialty or “job”) I had chosen. I found out several months later that this was a lie and he had another recruit that backed out and he needed to fill the spot.
After being told I would not be allowed the job I chose in the Marine Corps by my recruiter if I did not leave to go to boot camp two months ahead of schedule, I was given four hours to decide and I would have to leave in less than 12 hours. No warning. No ability to get my finances in order or fill out a power of attorney, no time to pack and get my things in storage and only a few hours to say goodbye to friends and family. All that and I found out later that he lied just to fill a spot another recruit backed out on. Regardless, I agreed to go and only a few short hours later and I was standing on the “yellow footprints” in San Diego, California at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot with drill instructors screaming at all the new recruits.
