Marine Corp, Mission, or both

[blkcloudrain]

Can I join the Marines and Still serve a mission?

[Dravin]

I think the Guard can get a 2 year sabbatical of sorts to serve a mission but I don't know how common it is and the one I knew on my mission knew he could be recalled if his unit shipped out. Since the Marines don't do a guard I imagine you only chance to go into the Marines and then serve a mission is to go in for a short stint and get back out before you hit the age cap. I recommend serving the mission first and then going into the Marines.

[GeneC]

Go on a Mission first then God will guide the rest of your life.

[cynthia_ann]

Agreed, mission, then military. Same advice I gave my brother, also what my husband did. You'll be blessed...if you follow all the rules and you're sincere about wanting to go on a mission. It'll change your life- in a good way! :)

[Just_A_Guy]

I had a former Marine as a DL, and he was amazing. If the Spirit guides you towards the Marines, I'd say do it.

Just don't take anything the recruiters tell you at face value. Once you sign the papers, you belong to Uncle Sam. If you later go on a mission, you go at his pleasure. Cousin of mine was assured up and down that he'd be able to take time for an LDS mission right after basic training. Three years and one stint in Afghanistan later, he still hasn't gotten the green light.

[hordak]

I had a former Marine as a DL, and he was amazing. If the Spirit guides you towards the Marines, I'd say do it.

Just don't take anything the recruiters tell you at face value. Once you sign the papers, you belong to Uncle Sam. If you later go on a mission, you go at his pleasure. Cousin of mine was assured up and down that he'd be able to take time for an LDS mission right after basic training. Three years and one stint in Afghanistan later, he still hasn't gotten the green light.

Recruiters, and their doublespeak, they're almost as bad a lawyers.

[pam]

Oh snap...JAG are you going to sit down and take that? :)

[Just_A_Guy]

Well, I don't know how one becomes a recruiter, but it takes three years of law school to completely extricate a lawyer's soul.

[GeneC]

I think lawyers and recruiters used to be paired up - 3 lawyers to get 1 recruiter into Heaven.

[Just_A_Guy]

Yup. Takes three lawyers to successfully plead the recruiter's case at the Final Judgment.

(Reminds me of the story about the great lawyer who dies, and God demands he argue why he should be allowed into heaven, and the lawyer says:

"Well, I was always better on rebuttal. So, how about you argue why I shouldn't be allowed in, and then I'll show you why you're wrong.")

[Blackmarch]

Can I join the Marines and Still serve a mission?

if you decide to join the forces first and you want to serve a mission makes sure to get in the contract that you get a 2 year leave for religious duties (or some wording to that effect).

It can be done.... Personally I'd say wait till after you do your mission before joining the forces (said without knowing anything about your situation however).

[GeneC]

Go on a Mission first then God will guide the rest of your life.

The reason I say this is that there are many distractions in the Military. I was in the Military for 7 years and the lifestyle was not conducive to maintaining the Spirit which is needed to accomplish a mission.

I'm not saying it can't be done, I'm just saying why tempt fate when the most important of the two goals is to go on a Mission.

You might not partake of the worldliness of the Military but then you can't really get away from others partaking either.

[Guest]

Or if you really feel like you need to go join the Marines before going on a mission, you can serve the marines and then set your sights to a mission later on in life - maybe with your wife.

[MichaelCraig]

Lawyers have souls???? :0

[shdwlkr]

Decades ago I had the same choice and went military. Should have gone on my mission would have been much better off. The military taught me many bad habits that I am working on correcting today. It is not so much the military but the way you have to change to deal with things that go on there. Did I learn skills yes none of them work in the civilian world though.

I feel I have been on a mission ever since I got out of the military to get me back to the simple naive person I was before I went in.

If I had to do it all over again I would take a 4 year mission and then look at the military. The military is never going away it will always be there but a chance to go a mission is very limited time span in your life.

One final thought the Elder who brought me into the church was killed while serving in the military after his mission. Was it the right thing for him or you to do only you can answer that question. But you have one vet's idea on the subject.

[wbrisett]

First off, I am not a member of the church. I consider myself a friend of the church. I am a Marine (once a Marine, always a Marine). When I was in basic training, one of the members in my squad was attending the LDS services, I joined him. He was actually baptized while at basic training. It was wonderful seeing him get baptized in the pool at Camp Pendleton.

Here are some pros to joining the Marines first:

1 - You can mature before your mission

2 - You can be that person that other members of your squad/platoon look to for guidance.

Are there downsides? Absolutely. As shdwlkr mentioned, there are a great many things that go on in the Marines (and other services for that matter) that will test you daily, so you must remain vigilante and strong at all times (easier said than done at times).

As previously mentioned, the Marines are always looking for a few good men. I would recommend you pray on this and see what guidance the Holy Spirit provides.

Wayne