As a combat veteran of the United States Marine Corps Philip McTigue of NY can attest to the fact that being a Marine is tough, but it is also extremely rewarding. There’s a reason the Marine slogan is “The Few, The Proud,” and the reason is not everyone has what it takes to be a Marine. One valuable lesson Philip McTigue of NY learned during his enlistment with the Marine Corps was how to improvise, adapt and overcome. Unfortunately, not everyone who wants to enlist in the Marine Corps are prepared with all the relevant characteristics and traits to be a Marine. Today, Philip McTigue of NY will provide some helpful hints for those considering becoming a U.S. Marine.
There are of course several basic requirements to becoming a member of the U.S. Marine Corps. First a person must be a U.S. citizen, a legal permanent immigrant, or living within the United States with a green card. When it comes to education, the Marine Corps requires a minimum of a high school diploma or those with a GED or home degree, although the latter are limited. Even with a high school degree a military entrance exam must be taken, and the Marines do not accept entrants who score less than a 50 on this test. The Marines mostly recruit within the age range of 18-28. Those who enlist will need to be able to do pull-ups, push-ups and long distance runs daily. There are physical fitness tests throughout basic training which will help determine whether a person can truly be called a Marine. Philip McTigue of NY suggests that those with tattoos talk to their recruiting station representative to see if they are still eligible to join the Marine Corps. Those with large tattoos on their hands, face, or neck can be disqualified from enlistment eligibility.
Those who are considering joining the Marine Corps and have not done their research may be surprised to learn the Marine Corps is a service branch within the Navy. During his time with the U.S. Marine Corps Philip McTigue of NY reiterated the importance of close coordination of military operations between the Marines and the Navy. This close operational coordination between the Marines and the Navy is stressed in Marine ‘boot camp’ as an important part of the history between the Marines and the Navy particularly during World War II.
Philip McTigue of NY points out during a recent conversation that nobody can be completely prepared for what they will experience during Marine basic training or ‘boot camp’. This is when being able to improvise becomes a necessity. Having the ability to perform under stress and without any preparation is going to be a key to success in boot camp. Of course, as Philip McTigue of NY points out, this inevitably leads to a person finding themselves in what seems to be a foreign or uncomfortable situation. That is precisely what the Marine training is trying to accomplish, and it is why having the adaptive characteristic is essential to success to boot camp. A Marine must be able to think, respond and follow orders in stressful and foreign environments which is what will ultimately lead to a Marine overcoming obstacles and hurdles. This ability to improvise, adapt and overcome will not only make a person a better Marine in combat, it will also make a better person who has the skills to be successful in life.
If a person wishes to become a Marine, Philip McTigue of NY suggests that honing these skills and having a clear understanding of the requirements will certainly provide an increased probability of success at ultimately becoming one of ‘The Few, The Proud’.
