comrade-z
Unverified
Hey all, here are a few questions that, between reading and the search function, I have not been able to find answers to, or at best have found vague, implied information on. Some of this is just curiosity, some are on things that very well could influence pre-enlistment decisions. I don't mean to sound like I am thinking too far ahead - as I have said elsewhere, just about all my questions are mostly related to decisions I will have to make sooner, rather than later, even if some of the information I am asking for is definitely more tangentially rather than directly related.
First off, I have looked at MCI's course offerings, and at the list of online/distance-learning schools that the Marine Corps' has accredited. Between these and other methods, has anyone here tried learning a language while in the military? Not necessarily *through* the military, but just on your own, via online schools and friends who speak the desired language. For example, I am starting to learn Spanish, and was curious as to how difficult (due to time constraints) or easy (due to all the resources available) people have found learning Spanish/a foreign language on their own time in the military, to be.
Next, while I have found it pretty easy to find most acronyms that people on this forum have thrown around, one phrase that has come up here and there is "organic weapon" - for example, some SO training involves the use of organic weapons. This is for personal understanding, as when I google this, all that comes up is a comic book type community and the Resident Evil series, which I am guessing are not related to the "organic weapons" meant here.
One question I had was about martial arts - I very much enjoy whatever time each week I can spend learning and practicing martial arts (I kind of suck at them still though), and was wondering whether infantry do martial arts practice regularly. I have searched, and the only thing that I have been able to find that is certain, here, wikipedia, or elsewhere, is that Marines do martial arts at boot camp, and then can take martial arts intensives at other points. However I have seen articles/people's posts hint that Marines in combat MOS's might do martial arts more often. I would love for this to be true - do Marines indeed make MCMAP part of their regular training, even if only a few times a week? Or were these implications false/my reading incorrectly?
Related, I figure that Marines have easy access to a shooting range, regardless of their MOS, when on a base, given that they are required to maintain a minimum shooting score. Should I join the Marines (90% likely) and make it through whatever training, I would love the chance to be able to explore with various weapons. Do the ranges have a larger inventory than standard issue gear? Is this a possibility, to go to the shooting range on the weekend and experiment with one weapon or another?
Second to last, I have seen people mention using non-standard issue gear, primarily things like flashlights/headlamps, knives, and boots. What is the Marine Corps' policy on this? Can this be done for running shoes as well? I am not too concerned about this, but found it interesting. If the Marines do allow this for those going into the field, what are the limits to the level of customized gear one can use?
Lastly, I have read about the numbers of Marine MSOB/MSOT's, Recon teams, and so on, however I have also read about the various other SOCapable units the Marines have. Just how many SOCapable Marines are there? Do they all require things like BRC/ARC/Combatant Diver? I don't need a full breakdown - just curious, really.
I hope this isn't too much, or that any of it comes off as pretentious/thinking too far ahead. As said, I am curious, and some of these things might influence my decision about in what area I enlist. Thanks in advance for any and all answers!
First off, I have looked at MCI's course offerings, and at the list of online/distance-learning schools that the Marine Corps' has accredited. Between these and other methods, has anyone here tried learning a language while in the military? Not necessarily *through* the military, but just on your own, via online schools and friends who speak the desired language. For example, I am starting to learn Spanish, and was curious as to how difficult (due to time constraints) or easy (due to all the resources available) people have found learning Spanish/a foreign language on their own time in the military, to be.
Next, while I have found it pretty easy to find most acronyms that people on this forum have thrown around, one phrase that has come up here and there is "organic weapon" - for example, some SO training involves the use of organic weapons. This is for personal understanding, as when I google this, all that comes up is a comic book type community and the Resident Evil series, which I am guessing are not related to the "organic weapons" meant here.
One question I had was about martial arts - I very much enjoy whatever time each week I can spend learning and practicing martial arts (I kind of suck at them still though), and was wondering whether infantry do martial arts practice regularly. I have searched, and the only thing that I have been able to find that is certain, here, wikipedia, or elsewhere, is that Marines do martial arts at boot camp, and then can take martial arts intensives at other points. However I have seen articles/people's posts hint that Marines in combat MOS's might do martial arts more often. I would love for this to be true - do Marines indeed make MCMAP part of their regular training, even if only a few times a week? Or were these implications false/my reading incorrectly?
Related, I figure that Marines have easy access to a shooting range, regardless of their MOS, when on a base, given that they are required to maintain a minimum shooting score. Should I join the Marines (90% likely) and make it through whatever training, I would love the chance to be able to explore with various weapons. Do the ranges have a larger inventory than standard issue gear? Is this a possibility, to go to the shooting range on the weekend and experiment with one weapon or another?
Second to last, I have seen people mention using non-standard issue gear, primarily things like flashlights/headlamps, knives, and boots. What is the Marine Corps' policy on this? Can this be done for running shoes as well? I am not too concerned about this, but found it interesting. If the Marines do allow this for those going into the field, what are the limits to the level of customized gear one can use?
Lastly, I have read about the numbers of Marine MSOB/MSOT's, Recon teams, and so on, however I have also read about the various other SOCapable units the Marines have. Just how many SOCapable Marines are there? Do they all require things like BRC/ARC/Combatant Diver? I don't need a full breakdown - just curious, really.
I hope this isn't too much, or that any of it comes off as pretentious/thinking too far ahead. As said, I am curious, and some of these things might influence my decision about in what area I enlist. Thanks in advance for any and all answers!
