What should be my realistic expectations of being a USMC Reservist and running a small business?

Conner Fleury — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 23:14:55 -0500

(sorry this post will be all over the place) This is my second post on here. And i really need an experienced outsiders thoughts on this. I before explained my situation and what my delema is. But im at a major prodicament with myself on what todo. I think its because of my lack of knowledge and not knowing what to expect. Before i start hears my situation(to see more check out my last post). I am 18. I am rounding off my final months at my vocational high school. I have started my own excavation company. But im in a tough bind. Because i need to run my business but also want to be in the Marines as a reservist. But I think i found away to pull it off without having to ignore my company and be able to accomplish my dream of being in the USMC. So where im from obviously theres winter. But we get snow. which means the ground gets hard which means no more digging. So this is if you will the slow season. But come spring we are on like donkey kong banging out jobs we already have lined up. So I figure run my company for this year 2018. And come next winter i can either keep working and get a plow job or presue the usmc. So heres my thought. Late October to early November I goto boot camp. Thats 13 weeks. So for the sake of numbers lets say i leave October 10th. That means January 10th is when ill be done with basic. Than from what I hear you graduate and then go home for about 10 days or so. So thats January 20th ish. Than head to some sort of infinitry training for 3 weeks. That leaves me at Febuary 14th. Typically in MA where im from the snows pretty much gone by the end of March. So that leaves me with just about a month or so to goto MOS school. But i cant find anything online about MOS school. Do you have a 10 day or so break to go back home like you do when you graduate boot camp? If no than is it shorter or do you typically get shipped off right to your MOS school from infintry training. Also what MOS school takes the least amount of time? How long does a typical MOS school take? is there a minimum amount of time that you have to goto school for. Being in the excavation business as a regular job. It would be pretty cool to be doing the same thing for the USMC. Is there any MOS for stuff like this. If so what are they and how long does it take? Could being in the trade and having all my licenses already shorten up MOS school at all? Do I have todo all my MOS schooling all at once or can I do a little and come back and maybe pick at it throughout the year or do i have todo it all at once? Keep in mind time is a big factor for me so anything I can do to shorten time and get everything done I will need todo. Is their anyway i can go right from boot camp to inifintry and right from infintry goto MOS without going home. Or do i have to go home for 10 days and all that. I have also heard that the minimum time you can do is a 8 year contract. Is this true. I thought it was 4 and than once your four was up you could re enlist or retire. Or is the 4 year only avaible for active marines. Sorry for rambling. I just want to find away to make this work so that come spring time. Late march early april if possible I can be done with everything I need go back to running my company and do my drills every month and PT annually.

Response by LTC John Mohor made Jan 27 at 2018 11:22 PM

LTC John Mohor — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 23:22:27 -0500

Conner it'll certainly depend on what business and how good a business partners you have being a Marine Reservist. I've had friends that had to sell or close their businesses due to mobilizations. I gave up any desire to run much less own my own business because I understand the sacrifices it would require! Good luck!

Response by SFC Christopher Perry made Jan 27 at 2018 11:25 PM

SFC Christopher Perry — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 23:25:36 -0500

I suppose that depends on what you intend to do. In my case, it would not have worked in the beginning, as it was just me. The advantage, or disadvantage as it may be, is that you do set your own schedule.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 28 at 2018 1:52 AM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 01:52:55 -0500

Conner Fleury I love your desire, but you must have realistic expectations. Review all the literature that you can, and then talk to a recruiter. I would make plans to have someone capable that can run your business when you are not there. Being a Marine can not be only when it fits your schedule. When you start training, you can not complete training in increments so that you can run your business. The Marine Corps has a schedule that you will adhere to. You can be deployed no matter what your MOS is, and then what are you going to do? If you can not find someone to run your business in your absence, do not join the Marine Corps. Again, you do not set the schedule, the Marine Corps does. Join as a fully committed recruit, or wait and join after your business is better established, and you have capable people to run it when you are absent.

https://rmi.marines.com/request-information/g_mc_district_12_2511?gclid=CjwKCAiA47DTBRAUEiwA4luU2b3Zk_Er3K46TsKlU6po8fAZ2FSfuUcl_4Vq95BT0BE5ZO14gXUl5BoCFNAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CKOc4PmG-tgCFRNtfgod65QAOg

Marines.com - Request for Information

The information you provide does not imply an obligation to serve. Additionally, you may be contacted by a Marine Recruiter or Officer Selection Officer (OSO).

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 28 at 2018 2:03 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 02:03:12 -0500

In the Marine Corps the Corps always comes first. We are still in a somewhat moderate tempo so deployment is a possibility. There is no guarantee that you will get 10 days between boot camp and your school. That all depends on when a school has openings. A job in the Corps that would be similar to your civilian job would be a Combat Engineer.

Marine Corps Enlisted Job Descriptions

MOS - - 1371 Combat Engineer
Type of MOS : PMOS
Rank Range: MGySgt to Pvt
Job Description:
Combat engineers construct, alter, repair, and maintain buildings and structures; lift and move heavy objects and equipment by setting up, bracing, and utilizing rigging devices and equipment; and perform various duties incidental to the use of demolitions in construction projects and destruction of objects. Personnel assigned this MOS are taught carpentry and other construction skills as well as demolitions, specialized demolitions for urban breaching and land mine warfare.
Job Requirements:
(1) Must possess an MM score of 95 or higher.
(2) Complete the Basic Combat Engineer Course, Marine Corps Engineer School, Camp Lejeune, NC.
(3) Non-MOS qualified Reserve Marines unable to attend the regular formal school course may be certified for MOS 1371, as an AMOS-only, by the unit commander upon successful completion of the Alternate Training Instructional Program (ATIP) of the Marine Force Reserves. The ATIP for MOS 1371 Marines is found in Force Order 1535.1 and consists of two phases of Reserve Basic Combat Engineer Course, including a minimum of 6 months MOJT while assigned to a 1371 billet. Completion of Engineer Operations Chief Course is recommended upon promotion to GySgt.

In both Afghanistan and Iraq, as a result of the War on Terror, Marine Corps Combat Engineer specialists have been used heavily to help rebuild vital infrastructure, and facilities such as schools, clinics and other industries. Operational Combat Marine Corps Engineers work to perform a wide variety of different jobs. They work to perform different engineer and construction tasks, all the while being a fully qualified and ready Marine.

https://www.marines.com/being-a-marine/roles-in-the-corps.html

roles-in-the-corps.html

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Jan 28 at 2018 9:04 AM

Cpl Jeff N. — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 09:04:20 -0500

You will have to find a way to cover your business when you have duty/drill etc. You need a good number 2 you can trust to manage things while you are away. Keep in mind, in the reserves there is a chance your unit could be deployed to a hot spot around the world for many months. That is a possibility you must have a plan to cover.

The more technical the school, typically the longer it is. That is a general rule of thumb. Your recruiter knows exactly how long each school will take. You may need to add some extra time for processing, getting picked up for class etc.

There are jobs in the Marines that operate heavy equipment in the engineer units. Tying in what you like to do with your Marine Corps MOS is a good idea but you need to remember, the needs of the Corps come first. You don't always get what you want.

Response by SPC Eric Davis made Jan 28 at 2018 9:11 AM

SPC Eric Davis — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 09:11:30 -0500

There no 10 day break unless it maybe was around Christiana or New Years when basic ended and you won’t know when you leave until you join cause different mos start at different times. So you might enlist today as 11b and be shipped off Monday to basic but 12b and be shipped out next month to basic cause Of the AIT.

Response by LtCol Robert Quinter made Jan 28 at 2018 10:15 AM

LtCol Robert Quinter — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 10:15:52 -0500

Call your local Marine Corps Reserve unit and make an appointment to see a RESERVE recruiter/career planner. Regular recruiters concentrate on active duty recruiting and are not always conversant in reserve matters. The reserve wing and division both have recruiters that would be able to give you a realistic estimate of your time for Initial Active Duty for Training and specialty training. I join others in reminding you that there is always the potential for deployment overseas for extended periods of time. I used to be the recruiting and retention officer for the reserve wing, so I know of what I speak, but I can't pass on the current possibilities.

Response by Maj John Bell made Jan 28 at 2018 10:31 AM

Maj John Bell — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 10:31:36 -0500

The only time the Marines are known to be flexible and quick to adapt is when they make contact with the enemy.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 28 at 2018 10:45 AM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 10:45:23 -0500

I did it for 10 years but I opened up my bar after I was in for 6 years. Then my 9th year of owning my bar I deployed for 14 months. I came back changed and my family pretty much destroyed my business and I didn’t have the desire to fix it.
It’s tiring over drill weekends because you still have to work and get calls from employees when you are drilling. You get no breaks.
It’s not impossible but you have to have a great manager that will think like you and work as hard as you. That is tough to find. Good luck.

Response by Conner Fleury made Jan 28 at 2018 11:09 AM

Conner Fleury — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 11:09:50 -0500

Also is it a 4 or 8 yr minimum for the reserves.

Response by SFC Christopher Perry made Jan 28 at 2018 12:00 PM

SFC Christopher Perry — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 12:00:09 -0500

I don’t know about the Marines. I was active Army obviously. However, my twin boys are Army NG and Reserves. While you have a great plan set in your mind, things don’t normally (almost never) work the way you map them out. Prepare for the fact that in most cases this will be the case. If you can still make it work when you are down to plan C or D in your head, go for it.

Response by SMSgt Thor Merich made Jan 28 at 2018 12:36 PM

SMSgt Thor Merich — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 12:36:03 -0500

I appreciate your enthusiasm Conner. However I will give you the no BS answer. Which is probably not what you want to hear.

Running your own business and being in the Reserves is tough. First of all, in the military, you run on their schedule not yours. So in your case, for example, you would want to attend training in Winter when your civilian job is slow. However, what happens when the Marines say the only training slot available is in the summer? Your business needs to be flexible enough to work around the Marines schedule, not the other way around. The Marines (and the rest of military) are not a flexible organization. The 2 days a month and 2 weeks a year are not optional dates. You WILL have to show up when and where they say. Now, if you can work your business around their schedule, then you are good to go.

The other issue you have is deployments. What happens to your business when the Marines say you are being deployed for a year? Will someone run it for you? I have seen it happen to many folks. They either lost jobs or had to close their business. My entire Wing got activated back in 2001, we had a hospital in our Wing. One of the doctors had a civilian medical practice. He had to close his office and lay off all his employees while he was activated.

As far as your USMC job, it seems like the Combat Engineer (MOS 1371) is what you want. The school is at Camp Lajuene, NC. They also have alternate schooling for Combat Engineer Reserves, so you need to ask your recruiter about that. Also, how close is the nearest USMC reserve company to you? What jobs do they do? Is there even a Combat Engineer unit around you or is it several states away?

However, before you do anything you need to take the ASVAB test to see what jobs you qualify for. Every job in the military has a minimum ASVAB score that you must meet before you will be even considered. Each branch has minimum ASVAB scores too. I know several guys who were turned down by the Air Force because they didn’t score high enough. It was tough on them because their fathers were AF members.

The short answer to your question is that your plan has many issues and I don’t think it will work the way you want. A better plan is to go active duty for a few years, get educated and experience in the military, and then get out and start your company.

Good luck.

Response by SSG Edward Tilton made Jan 28 at 2018 3:50 PM

SSG Edward Tilton — Sun, 28 Jan 2018 15:50:26 -0500

What if you are deployed? Will your business survive without you for an extended time. I had a store and couldn't balance the two

Response by MSG Floyd Williams made Jan 31 at 2018 6:37 PM

MSG Floyd Williams — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 18:37:46 -0500

Conner Fleury...Deployments always a priority.