Honor, Courage, and Commitment. . .and Patience?
Those opposed to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have tried to discredit the military for the last seven years by making claims that recruitment standards are being relaxed in an effort to keep enough recruits going through basic training to keep the ranks full. BGen Angela Salinas, Commanding General of Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and the Western Recruiting Region, set the record straight in an interview with Military.com.
Formerly, a recruit who fails a drug test merited a 30-day postponement to allow the recruit to pass a new drug test. No longer. Fail a drug test now and the Corps isn’t interested.
The Marine Corps has zero tolerance for Marines who use illegal drugs. Now we’re expending that zero tolerance to our potential recruits. We don’t need those that have drug problems serving in the Marine Corps and possibly spread their addictions to those around them.
The Corps is also taking a harder line on tattoos. Too much ink, especially on a recruit’s forearms, could keep a potential Marine out of boot camp.
In short, if you’re serious about wearing the eagle, globe and anchor don’t even think about hitting that joint at the after-prom party and save the tattoos for well after your first combat deployment.
There was a time in the Marine Corps when it didn’t matter how many tattoos were decorating your body, but that time has passed. Marines have an image in the American mind that we must uphold. Would you be receptive to your son or daughter speaking to a Marine about possibly joining while he has ink up and down his arm? Not having tattoos on the forearms presents a much more professional appearance.
The most popular job in the Corps remains combat infantry – military occupational specialty 0311 – and that job has a lengthy wait, Salinas said.
“In the past, anywhere from 30 to 90 days was the average wait once you enlisted, if you are physically able,” Salinas said. “Now, if a high school graduate walks in the door right now, many [recruiters] don’t have a place for him until November or December.”
Another lie from the antimilitary camp is that young men are being forced into ground combat jobs. That is simply not true! I can’t tell you how many Marines I’ve talked to that WANTED to join the infantry, but couldn’t because all of their slots were full when the young man enlisted.
Recruiting Command is doing such a great job that a young man or woman that enlists today may have to wait until the end of the year to actually attend recruit training. If you’ve seen the size of a graduating company aboard MCRDs Parris Island and San Diego, you know that this much of a backlog is amazing. Even more amazing is Recruiting Command was able to complete mission for the month of June during the first week of the month!
I would love to see IVAW come out and attempt to refute how well Marine Corps Recruiting Command does their job in getting the best, brightest, and most highly qualified young men and woman to begin the journey to earn their Eagle, Globe, and Anchor. Their arguments are based on misinformation, twisting of facts, and all around illogical thought.
Great job, Marine recruiters. Keep it up!
