I obviously do not know what current policy is. I can say this: In the past, a marine would complete bootcamp and then go to their PRIMARY MOS training-in your case, SOI. Then, if they had signed up for a secondary mos,in my case, security forces, then that marine would go to that training and then that duty station. After the tour is up and the marine did not extend for that same job, they would then go to a unit for their primary mos, in my case, 1st bn 7th mar. for 0351... I would suspect that after boot camp, you will go to SOI and then get assigned to a unit and once there, after some time, you will get a shot...As to when, that will be up to your unit commander and the number of slots open..... But remember: You will get a shot at the INDOCT. Most pass this. From here, its who they choose that will go to actual recon training-a very, very long process during which many(most) wash out. Then if you pass that,they will still decide if you will be an actual recon marine. Then and only then will a person get to wear the title of Recon. -a little comparison. In high school, the football team is having tryouts. Almost anyone-not all, but most can try out for tryouts. If you pass tryouts, then the coaching team decides who will be on the team. But just because you were chosen, does not mean you actually get to play. You might turn around and get cut. Then if your one the team, it doesnt mean your good enough to start. -Clear- In the early 90s a wm was allowed to do the indoct. She kicked butt and passed with flying colors(I think). well, since she was a wm, she could not be accepted for the recon training-she might have passed!!!! One thing I would encourage is to ask your recruiter about the entire process. He/She might not know, but THEY CAN FIND OUT. IF THEY TELL YOU THEY CANT, THEN THEY ARE FREAKIN' LYING!!!!. -Its like buying a car and the car dealer tell you they cant tell you any history or specs. on the car.....CRAP!! and dont settle for a propaganda tape they pop in. get specifics-like the answer to your question. "Sgt Jones, when will I get a shot at marine recon?" "will it be after bootcamp, or do I have to go through soi first?" "Or will I have to go to a unit first, and if so, when would I be able to get the shot" quetions like that....also find out what the specific indoct is....IF I remembe correctly, a large part was swimming with gear/500yds, a 1 hr float..etc...Find out and then pratice and pratice so you can kick butt WHEN you get the shot.... -You have or will sign a contract. If it is not in writing, it DOES NOT MATTER WHAT YOUR RECRUITER SAYS!! That means, if you sign for 4 yrs, or 6 yrs, they can wait till the LAST WEEK of your contract till they give you your shot. It will depend on what slots are open after you go to boot camp, and then if you have to go to your primary unit, when your unit commander decides he can "spare" you...... good luck with bootcamp and keep your head up and screwed on straight, and for when it is appropiate: SEMPER FI

well, i found out what's up. because this enlistment option is relatively new, well, it just became available yesterday (dec. 1st) my recruiter was unsure on how it worked exactly. This is how he said it works... i'll go to bootcamp, and must qualify as a first class PFT scorer, and a second class swimmer. After bootcamp i'll go to SOI (some skills learned in soi are necessary for RECON indoc.) ...after all that is said and done i'll be into an RECON indoc class, assuming i pass, i'll continue the pipeline to becoming apart of battalion RECON, then force RECON. i also found out, there's an $8k bonus for those who qualify under this new enlistment option :O. had no idea about that

thanks for all the info as well, bunker, i didn't listen to the tapes or whatnot... i've done a lot of research myself... but becuase this is a new enlistement option, hardly anyone knows of it, and it's not on the internet yet. I talked to my lieazon(SP?) today at MEPS and he said i was the first he signed into this MOS.

good deal..... not to be a negitive nell, but remember, if it is not in your contract, your not guarenteed it. I'm not saying your recruiter is lying, but keep an opened mind if it does not work out exactly like that. It might actually change in the 20 some weeks of bootcamp and soi.... Do you know what a classII swimmer is? If not, learn and pratice if you can...cant afford to make a mistake as your trying to qualify to go to indoct. also, VERY IMPORTANT: classII is not hard. Swim qual for Recon IS VERY VERY HARD....just dont settle for being able to pass class II..Swimming endurance is very important(500+ meters at a time with boots and uts and a 1 hr float)...so be over prepared if you can.... Be good with your running-esp with a 40-60lb pack for 3-5 miles MINIMUM. Running in bootcamp is easy. It is so those inshape can complete it/get up to pace. Indoct is much harder and so is becomming a reconn. I would recommed you be able to run a min of 5 miles in 35 minutes, or 3 miles in 18-20 minutes....If the Pft is the same-part of it 3 mile in 18 min. you get max points, well, to get 1st class, you dont have to do 3m in 18min. If you max on pull ups and situps....I cant stress enough your running/running with a pack/ENDURANCE If you have time, I would recommend trying to strengthen up-esp in your legs and upper body..to be able to handle the heavy pack and the legs to keep you going lugging 40-60-100lbs -I dont know what your military intentions are, but on a side note, I would like to put in your mind the seed of education....Get all that you can while you are in and TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MONTGOMERY GI BILL....just speaking....but you might not be interested in college now, but later in life you might and it is good to have. The military gives you a hell of a lot for college. Take advantage of it.... Good luck. Get strong Get fast. Get there. Get some. Semper Fi

Actually special units have been offered as an elistment option for a while, although it may have been off the table at times. When I did bootcamp in early '70 there was a UDT company that was going through their bootcamp for people off the street. They used to run around GLakes with their rubber boat which made them obvious. It had to be bad. They did an early morning 3 mile swim in lake michigan in March, just to "harden" them. Poor SOBs. By the time I left in June it was over 95 degrees and they were still running around with that rubber boat.

EW3, i think you're right about it always being there. i don't know why they would act like it's a new offer, but i did look it over and it's everything i want, so, doesn't really phase me as to why. I did see it in my contract... attached as annex B or something. Bunk, i've been running and just started swimming recently... becuase it's swim season for the highschools right now, i have to go early in the morning, since they're using the pool in the evening. Took me a while to get myself out of bed and into the pool, but i like it now... leaves me energized for school and work. I've been running too with weight too, but now that it's icy out where i live i can't run with a pack outside, and my tredmill is too cheap to withstand the weight... it barely supports me and i weight 140lbs. once it starts to thaw out i'll start running with a pack again. When my ship date gets closer, i have the stew smith book "12 weeks to BUD/S" that has a really good exercise program in it, which i plan to follow till the day i leave... until then i just try to run and swim at least 4-5 days/week along with calistetics and weight lifting...not a strict schedule right now. i do plan to take advantage of the montgomerey GI bill, and i did get the 50k attached aswell, my recruiter pushed for it from his gunny since i scored 88 on the ASVAB, and also because i've had a clean crim/drug record. Also, how does that montgomerey GI work exactly? I give money from my first few checks or something? He explained it to me briefly but i didn't quite catch exactly how it works. Anyway, thanks to everyone for your input. Bunk - Did you go through recon? Or are you recon?

no recon....could only qualify s-2....if I could have swam, then yets. For me, the land/air part was cake..I'm just not a fish...A few buddies loved it.. The closest I came was ranger school-canned by somolia deployment. As far as the Gi bill, unless they changed it....for the first yr, they take out 100/month=1200. In return, generically, a person gets 36000+-roughly 1000+ a month for 36 months for a full time student-it is based on 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and a full time student. They send you the check. If you go to a community college, and say take 12 hrs-full time, and it is cheap-say 80/credit hr-its 960.00 and then say books are 340 more=$1300.00 bill. Under the montgomery GI bill, for those 5 months(semester) you should get a little over $5000.00. Not a bad deal. The excess is yours, so you have 3700.00 extra!!! And all a person has to do, in most cases is sign the dotted line for 36 months and forfit 1200 their first yr in... While your in, you can go to college as well. I'm not sure how it works, but I doubt it is different, though I dont think a person would have to much time in a recon unit. Even if you dont like college, that is a heck of alot extra money to help you when you get out(if you dont stay in) Stick with it, pack on the strength(weight is not all important) and ENDURANCE, ENDURANCE, ENDURANCE....

bad reenlistment option if you ask me. Zack, if you fail recon indoc, what do you get? Where do you go? according to your contract? Since about 98 every 03 recieved a recon screening at SOI. Pass the Screening You go to Recon Bn, They get you up to speed, do the indoc then go to BRC (or whatever they call it now). At Camp Lejeune, recon has screening every saturday. Any MOS welcome to try.

Sam - To my understanding, I go to bootcamp, SOI, RECON indoc, if I wash out of indoc then I choose from an 0300 to be put into. My original plan was to sign up for infantry and try out for RECON at some point, but with this MOS it'll all come right away, bootcamp, SOI, RECON indoct, and so on. All I have to do is make sure I'm as well prepared as I can be come Augest 13th when I ship out for Paris Island. Not that it really matters, money is not what I want out of this, but on the contract it says I'll get an 8k bonus if I complete the RECON pipeline. I guess that is the advantage of this contract, but like I said, I just want to do it cause it'll be smooth and I'll be good to go right after SOI. I think it's for kids who just want to be special ops. and they use the 8k for signing motovation, then the kids see what RECON's all about and drop out and they've still got them as a grunt. I don't plan on washing out.

If you want to be in the 03 field than you made a good choice. And I'm not trying to infer that you will fail BRC. Just a few things that I would check on first. Do any of the other 03 MOSs have an enlistment bonus? If so I would sign up for one of those if you want the money. Everyone at SOI, in an 03 course takes the recon screening, so you would still get the chance at that. You would get your money faster, and its guaranteed. One of the big problems on the scope in 2002 and 2003 with the 0321 field that may or may not be fixed yet. recon Bn is responsible for getting those Marines that come from SOI up to speed before sending them to BRC/ARC. They wern't doing a good job and most were failing. Recon school is all about fieldcraft and endurance. Its very hard to get someone that hasn't been doing it up to speed to complete school. As opposed to a Marine thats been busting bush for awhile. As for having an 03 bonus and going recon. last I knew (2002) you could keep your bonus for any MOS if you were filling a 0321 billet. Thats one of the ways they can get comm guys without screwing them on their money. We do the same thing for DI and recruiting.