joining the US army or marines...

ElSeano93

well, i was orignally wanting to join the irish army but i want to join the US marines or army now! my granny and aunt have american passports, so it wouldn't be hard for me to get a green card. but anyway, i'm stuck between the two! see, the US marines, they're elite warriors and trained to the highest standards, whereas with the army, there is so much you can do and s many interesting jobs. well anyway. i'd love to join the 12th marine expeditionary unit or in the US army join the 101st airborne division. but im wondering would you need to be an american citizen to do the airborne qualification course... i can't really choose! oh yes, and i heard that if you're a foreign national in america during war time, your time of waiting for citizenship is shortened to 2 years... is this true? because i wouldn't want to be waiting 5 years to be able to do an officer or special forces course which is what i'd personally like to go for. i really like the idea of being a green beret or a nightstalker, it looks like a very action-packed job, i know it would take alot of effort ya don't have to tell me that but still.... so can you answer my questions? thanks.;)

ElSeano93

well, either/or the 101st airborne or 82nd airborne, because the 101st airborne don't conduct parachute operations on a division level. just the thing is again, would i have to be a citizen to get the training to become an 82nd airborne paratrooper y'know?

eroo

Marines..elite warriors?

Victor

Wrong forum. Go here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1008

US marines, they're elite warriors

They are assualt troops, not elite, elite has a specific meaning.

trained to the highest standards,

No, most are trained as infantry men.

i'd love to join the 12th marine expeditionary unit

Love away, you might get to choose your specialisation, you are unlikely to get to choose your unit.

but im wondering would you need to be an american citizen to do the airborne qualification course...

You don't even have to be in the military. Just get your Dutch Parachute Wings.

i really like the idea of being a green beret or a nightstalker, it looks like a very action-packed job

99% pure boredom, 1% pure fright.

How about talking to a recruiting officer, whether here or in the UK or USA, I'm sure the embassy can help you?

wanabmodel

hahaha....imagination takes you a long way...:p

Manic Moran

ElSeano93 wrote: »

well, i was orignally wanting to join the irish army but i want to join the US marines or army now! my granny and aunt have american passports, so it wouldn't be hard for me to get a green card. but anyway, i'm stuck between the two! see, the US marines, they're elite warriors and trained to the highest standards, whereas with the army, there is so much you can do and s many interesting jobs. well anyway. i'd love to join the 12th marine expeditionary unit or in the US army join the 101st airborne division. but im wondering would you need to be an american citizen to do the airborne qualification course... i can't really choose! oh yes, and i heard that if you're a foreign national in america during war time, your time of waiting for citizenship is shortened to 2 years... is this true? because i wouldn't want to be waiting 5 years to be able to do an officer or special forces course which is what i'd personally like to go for. i really like the idea of being a green beret or a nightstalker, it looks like a very action-packed job, i know it would take alot of effort ya don't have to tell me that but still.... so can you answer my questions? thanks.;)

Good Lord, man. Stop drinking so much caffeine.

I believe there is less ability to choose one's job in the Marines as there is in the Army: Army you can get your MOS in your contract, Marines are more usually distributed 'to the needs of the Corps'

No, you don't need to be a citizen to go to jump school. It does help, however, to be in an MOS in which it is useful. Being infantry is far more likely to get you to jump school than being in an asphalt paving platoon. Even that can be unit specific: Mechanised infantry units generally have fewer funds available for jump school, preferring to spend the money on fuel and gunnery.

Yes, citizenship in return for service is in effect. I can't recall if it's two years or three, but it is certainly a lot shorter and easier than the long way. Assuming you survive, of course.

Before you can go to a comissioning course, you must have at least two years of college, three years by comissioning, and four years by the time you hit Captain. You must also have citizenship to be comissioned, but you need not have it to enter the comissioning program.

NTM

Dub13

There is a military attaché in the US embassy,if you are serious about this get in contact with them.

cp251

Get your green card first and go live there. That's half the battle. When you're there go to a recruiter and find out what jobs are available.

I don't mean to be rude or anything but saying you want to be a Green Beret or Nightstalker makes you sound like a Walter Mitty fantasist. Go easy on that.

Oilrig

Dub13 is on the money, chances are that the Mil Attache at the Embassy is USMC.

The US Mil structure is very different to the European or rather the Irish/UK structure.

The training for a Marine in terms of a personal challenge would equate roughly with our infantry training, but the resources are hugely different.

They shoot to 500 meters... as std range training, take that with a pinch of salt...

Oilrig, best buddy (RIP) in a previous posting was an ex USMC Col.

foxshooter243

Go to th eus embassy tell them u want to join us marines and youll be bleedin in iRAQ IN NO TIME -cant get enough eejits thats why they are planning to recruit in eastern europe- there are 300 000 non us soldiers in us army.:cool:

Manic Moran

foxshooter243 wrote: »

Go to th eus embassy tell them u want to join us marines and youll be bleedin in iRAQ IN NO TIME -cant get enough eejits thats why they are planning to recruit in eastern europe- there are 300 000 non us soldiers in us army.:cool:

You pull that number out of your arse, or do you have anything to support such a claim?

The Army and Reserves of the Army all told tally about a million personnel. Of the Active Duty side, some 2% (about 30,000) of the Army are foreign nationals, in a military which has long-accepted foreigners.

The last census in the US showed some 6.5% of the population to be non-citizens.

With a ratio like that, I don't think your point holds much water.

NTM

minidazzler

Manic Moran wrote: »

You pull that number out of your arse, or do you have anything to support such a claim?

The Army and Reserves of the Army all told tally about a million personnel. Of the Active Duty side, some 2% (about 30,000) of the Army are foreign nationals, in a military which has long-accepted foreigners.

The last census in the US showed some 6.5% of the population to be non-citizens.

With a ratio like that, I don't think your point holds much water.

NTM

Will someone (some one being Moran please) please clear this up for me.

Can an Irish citizen just go directly over to the US and enlist in their military without waiting for citizenship?

Manic Moran

No.

You do not need to be a US citizen to enlist in the US military.

You do need to hold a green card.

From the US Navy website. http://www.navy.mil/navydata/questions/foreign.html

Enlistment into the U.S. Navy, or any branch of the U.S. military, by citizens of countries other than the United States is limited to those foreign nationals who are legally residing in the United States and possess an Immigration and Naturalization Service Alien Registration Card (INS Form I-151/551 — commonly known as a "Green Card"). Applicants must be between 17 and 35; meet the mental, moral, and physical standards for enlistment; and must speak, read and write English fluently.

Note: The U.S. military branches cannot assist foreign nationals in obtaining admittance into the United States. Questions concerning immigration to the United States should be asked of the U.S. Embassy. Only after immigration procedures are completed and an applicant is legally residing in the United States may an application for enlistment be accepted.

NTM

cp251

Getting a green card is the hard part.The only realistic way is to enter the annual green card lottery and hope.

SpAcEd OuT

foxshooter243 wrote: »

there are 300 000 non us soldiers in us army.:cool:

lol

Just wondering OP is there any reason you want to join the USMC i.e do you believe in their current war or are you just excited by the prospect of combat

foxshooter243

Manic Moran wrote: »

You pull that number out of your arse, or do you have anything to support such a claim?

The Army and Reserves of the Army all told tally about a million personnel. Of the Active Duty side, some 2% (about 30,000) of the Army are foreign nationals, in a military which has long-accepted foreigners.

The last census in the US showed some 6.5% of the population to be non-citizens.

With a ratio like that, I don't think your point holds much water.

NTM

That policy is in place so as dilute the number of dead americans returning
home they accept all comers and train them up and send them into battle
these guys are essetially non persons-if killed in battle they arent going to be buried in any small town in america-therefore their death doesnt fuel
the anti war debate -the true number of dead can be manipulatedin the
eyes of the public. The american public dont like their men coming back in bodybags-the war in vietnam being an example.
dfo you realise that if you signed up and were killed that your body will
not be buried in arlington cemetry-there was a recent court case fought
by a mexican mother to have her son buried there.[IMG]and he didnt have a green cardhttp://static.boards.ie/vbulletin/images/icons/icon5.gif[/IMG]

Einstein

Oilrig wrote: »

Dub13 is on the money, chances are that the Mil Attache at the Embassy is USMC.

It's army.

USMC only guard the embassy.

Manic Moran

That policy is in place so as dilute the number of dead americans returning

Oh, dear God. Who has been brainwashing you?

dfo you realise that if you signed up and were killed that your body will not be buried in arlington cemetry-there was a recent court case fought
by a mexican mother to have her son buried there

Yes. I do realise it. I've done over 400 funeral details for the Army, of which about a dozen have been KIAs. Most were not even in National Cemetaries, there's an issue of space. Eligibility does not automatically translate into approval. Whatever the reason for the court case, citizenship wasn't it. Perhaps if you provided a link, I could explain a bit better, I've not found one after a fair bit of looking.

There is no requirement for citizenship for burial in Arlington, and there are a reasonable number of persons buried there who were only granted citizenship posthumously. Further, there are currently some 60 non-citizens in Arlington, most from WWII, including a British civilian, Mr Stewart Emeny, killed in 1944.

The full list is

Australian 1
British (U.K.) 24
Canadian 4
Chinese 1
Dutch (Netherlands) 2
French 13
German 1 (POW)
Greek 1
Italian 4 (2 POW)
South African 1
South Vietnamese 9
Unknown Origin 1

Of those sixty plus foreign nationals, 30 of them never served a day in the US military, most foreign service being Royal Navy, RAF or French Army, and three of them even wore the uniform of the enemy. I think this rather shoots down that argument.

there any reason you want to join the USMC i.e do you believe in their current war or are you just excited by the prospect of combat

When others ask me about joining, they are often, somewhat justifiably, concerned about Iraq. However, they are making the mistake of focusing solely on that aspect, not bothering to realise that the US military does a whole hell of a lot more in the world than go to Iraq and Afghanistan. One should be prepared to be sent there, but one should also look at all the other places that one can be sent, jobs that one can do, and also bear in mind that you're only young once, and over the length of a military career, an Iraq tour or three is relatively small change. Waiting for Iraq to be over before joining just means you've wasted a few years.

NTM

expediateclimb

Ever consider the French foreign legion

Flying

Should this be in the Walter Mitty Section as I have never read so much comic book crap in my life

Dave!

gotta agree...

SpAcEd OuT

Just FYI I think the poster is 14 as he has 93 beside his name which I take it means 1993 year of birth,

eroo

Flying wrote: »

Should this be in the Walter Mitty Section as I have never read so much comic book crap in my life

here here

smcgiff

The only reason I can think of for joining an army is if your country was under threat. This is subjective, but as an example I don't the war in Iraq qualifies for US citizens.

But, there will always be those that want to play soldier and end up actually being a soldier. I'd imagine the novelty would wear off fast.

Dub13

smcgiff wrote: »

The only reason I can think of for joining an army is if your country was under threat. This is subjective, but as an example I don't the war in Iraq qualifies for US citizens.

But, there will always be those that want to play soldier and end up actually being a soldier. I'd imagine the novelty would wear off fast.

Thats your opinion but I don't think you will find many around here agreeing with you.The Military can be a great career choice and lead to many qualification's,this is especially through in the US were the Dept of Defense has put maybe millions of people through collage over the years who may never have gotten this opportunity.

Manic Moran

smcgiff wrote: »

The only reason I can think of for joining an army is if your country was under threat. This is subjective, but as an example I don't the war in Iraq qualifies for US citizens.

You're thinking reactively. If everyone waited until the country was under threat before joining the military, you'd have lost before everyone got out of training. Even if you don't believe that Iraq is in the national interest, there's nothing saying that next week there could be an operation which is, and someone's got to carry it out.

NTM

smcgiff

Dub13 wrote: »

Thats your opinion but I don't think you will find many around here agreeing with you.

Seeing as it's in the Military section, you think?

smcgiff

Manic Moran wrote: »

You're thinking reactively. If everyone waited until the country was under threat before joining the military, you'd have lost before everyone got out of training. Even if you don't believe that Iraq is in the national interest, there's nothing saying that next week there could be an operation which is, and someone's got to carry it out.

NTM

I agree with you, my stance is reactive and idealistic. However, my views are tainted somewhat with the view that most countries' militaries will be shown to have abused the very citizenry they're sworn to protect.

Manic Moran

Whilst this may be true statistically speaking (There are almost 200 countries in the world, after all, the majority of which are not exactly total democracies), I don't think anyone here is really considering joining the Sudanese Army.

NTM

MajorMax

If you're joining the corps you'll have to decide whether you want to do your basic in either MCRD San Diego or MCRD Parris Island, enlistees west of the mississippi go to California, which is where I went, and east go to South carolina.

There is a lot of rivalry between "real" Marines and "Hollywood" Marines, but i was proud to be a hollywood marine and you get to go to tijuana on liberty so I would reccomend San Diego where 3rd MEU is based.
I was with 2nd battalion, 5th Regiment "Retreat hell"

But don't join the Marines unless you are 110% sure that it is what you want, it's as brutal as hell and a real culture shock but at the other end you will always be a Marine, until the day you die