Do you have a loved one who recently made a commitment to serve our nation in the Marine Corps? Watch this video. They're called applicants but this Marine Corps video boasts, “We don’t accept applications. Only commitments.”

Every Marine, in every Military Occupational Specialty (MOS), plays a crucial role in the overall mission of the United States Marine Corps.

Marine Corps Recruiters, MOS 8411, must be thoroughly familiar with the enlistment process from applicant prospecting to preparation for recruit training.

Their duties include, among others: screening applicants to determine eligibility relative to physical defects, moral character, criminal involvement, age, drug abuse, education, etc.; scheduling working applicants to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test at the MEPS; arranging for physical examinations of mentally qualified applicants; and preparing all required enlistment documents.

Above information found in the Military Occupational Specialties Manual. Click here for PDF.

As the parents and/or family of a Marine Corps applicant or recruit, you likely have many questions. You may or may not find your son or daughter’s recruiter to be helpful in answering your questions. Bear in mind, your son or daughter’s recruiter has a mission to accomplish and the recruiter’s duties are to the Marine Corps and the applicants. Don’t fret; there are plenty of other avenues through which you can find the answers you’re looking for.

The following four websites are great resources for information on the Marine Corps:

www.Marines.mil
Official site for the United States Marine Corps.

www.Marines.com
Marine Corps culture, eligibility, history, roles in the corps, benefits of service and more.

www.RecruitParents.com
Includes information about recruit training (Bootcamp), schedules, terminology, expectations, and perhaps most importantly, venues to talk with other parents—novices just like you, as well as "expert" parents who've been down this road and experienced the same uncertainties and pride.

www.MarineParents.com
Provides education and support for Marine Corps families, provides "a Place to Connect & Share™", provides support for Marines, and provides community awareness programs for troop support.