Looking for USMC Recon mentorship

[MichiganDutch]

I'm 16 years old and my dream is to become a Reconnaissance Marine. I know I'm just a kid still but this is truly one of the few things I'm passionate about in my life.
I'm in my final year of high school and I plan to enlist in the summer of 2026 when I graduate.

I'm joined my school's swim team this year to work on swimming. Before that I did cross country running. Currently I train 6 days a week to make sure I'm fit enough to become a Recon Marine.

My only concern is, I'd be the first in my family to join the military. I just want to make sure I got the right mindset and learn from those who have walked this path before me.

Any advice is welcome. Please message me if you could mentor me.

 

[Gen X Loser]

Well, my NAVY ass doesn't know much about the Marines aside from serving around a few. Still, I did make it through basic and then 4 years with an Honorable Discharge. I don't know if that's supposed to be capitalized but I did because I'm proud of it.

Still. Attitude is everything. It never even crossed my mind that I "wouldn't make it", and that's the truth.

It's a team effort. Help ( humbly ) the other guy first, and always. Even if you hate that sonofabitch. You can screw him over when you hit the fleet. But you won't, because by then you won't care enough to.

Understand that's it's all a head game. The instructors don't hate you. Hell, they might even like you.

Be good at your job. If that's gun stuff, and land nav, and... I dunno... Recon stuff... Be good at it. Care about it. It's not some BS you have to get through. It's the main thing, and being good at your job will go a long way toward being appreciated by your peers, and you will be proud of that shit later. It will be foundational to many things to come in life. That's sappy, I know, but still true.

Be yourself. And take care of yourself. And if shit is going south, talk to someone about it. We have all been there.

It's all good.

 

[amlove21]

I'm 16 years old and my dream is to become a Reconnaissance Marine. I know I'm just a kid still but this is truly one of the few things I'm passionate about in my life.
I'm in my final year of high school and I plan to enlist in the summer of 2026 when I graduate.

I'm joined my school's swim team this year to work on swimming. Before that I did cross country running. Currently I train 6 days a week to make sure I'm fit enough to become a Recon Marine.

My only concern is, I'd be the first in my family to join the military. I just want to make sure I got the right mindset and learn from those who have walked this path before me.

Any advice is welcome. Please message me if you could mentor me.

Hey man, thanks for the message. If you're looking for great selection prep advice (mindset, people trying to do the same thing you are, physical prep, family, etc) check out the Ones Ready pod. It's a bunch of AF dudes, but they have people on from all branches. Also, USAF has the highest attrition rate/hardest to get into, so if you train like you're trying to be a PJ, getting selected for Recon should be a walk in the park.

 

[MichiganDutch]

Well, my NAVY ass doesn't know much about the Marines aside from serving around a few. Still, I did make it through basic and then 4 years with an Honorable Discharge. I don't know if that's supposed to be capitalized but I did because I'm proud of it.

Still. Attitude is everything. It never even crossed my mind that I "wouldn't make it", and that's the truth.

It's a team effort. Help ( humbly ) the other guy first, and always. Even if you hate that sonofabitch. You can screw him over when you hit the fleet. But you won't, because by then you won't care enough to.

Understand that's it's all a head game. The instructors don't hate you. Hell, they might even like you.

Be good at your job. If that's gun stuff, and land nav, and... I dunno... Recon stuff... Be good at it. Care about it. It's not some BS you have to get through. It's the main thing, and being good at your job will go a long way toward being appreciated by your peers, and you will be proud of that shit later. It will be foundational to many things to come in life. That's sappy, I know, but still true.

Be yourself. And take care of yourself. And if shit is going south, talk to someone about it. We have all been there.

It's all good.

Thank you!