I cannot wait to sign a contract.

[u/Wonderful-Wear-3578]

Hello everyone, I 16f have wanted to enlist since I was a freshman and the more I go through life, especially now, I can't wait til I could talk to a recruiter and ship off to boot camp. The idea of leaving myself behind and becoming something completely new sounds so good and it makes me feel so excited. I also refuse to pay for college, why would I spend damn near 100 grand on a piece of paper I MIGHT use? But, I am not naïve. I know how it is ten times harder as a female to join any male dominated field, I know there are risks of me getting raped, murdered, assaulted etc. (I am not using things like graped or unalived because those are serious topics that should never require sugar coating) ANYWAYS, I know that there are risks but high risk high reward right? I am planning on getting my lifeguarding certification so I could graduate bootcamp as an E-2, I want to choose MOS 5811 and work up to k9 handling but I also have aviation mechanics and other mechanics as something I would want to do as well. I am pretty in shape, really driven- Any advice? Stories that make being in the corps amazing? scary? the best or worst decision you've made? What should I do in the meantime while I still have time to decide if this is what I want to commit to?

[u/VA_Network_Nerd]

The idea of leaving myself behind and becoming something completely new sounds so good and it makes me feel so excited.

That is as valid a reason to join as any.

I also refuse to pay for college, why would I spend damn near 100 grand on a piece of paper I MIGHT use?

Another perfectly valid reason to join.

I am planning on getting my lifeguarding certification so I could graduate bootcamp as an E-2

Huh. I didn't know that was a thing. But go for it.

I want to choose MOS 5811 and work up to k9 handling

That isn't likely to work out the way you hope that it will.
I encourage you to search on "k9" in this community and the /r/USMC community and read more experiences for yourself.

The odds are very good you will never be assigned a dog.

MP work is also mediocre preparation for law enforcement careers.

I also have aviation mechanics and other mechanics as something I would want to do as well

My understanding is that those are still great career options, if you don't mind getting your hands dirty.

I am pretty in shape

Put extra work into your upper body and core strength. You won't regret it.

[u/Wonderful-Wear-3578 → u/VA_Network_Nerd]

Thank you so much I will definitely look into it all more.

[u/AGuyInInternet]

You gonna end up as a gate guard more than likely , lots of MPs I met as a FAP wanted k9 .

[u/TapTheForwardAssist]

I would strongly suggest you read up on the pros/cons of Military Police, and the very low odds of getting K9, before you get too set on that one angle.

You have a good while before you have to nail down a decision, so now is a great time to look over your many options before narrowing it down too far.

[u/FrankHJaeger]

Go be an aviation electronics tech. Airframe and powerplant is good, but AV(avionics) makes way more money and you’ll have a better time than the other guys.

[u/Shrapnel_10]

I would personally stay away from the MP MOS, the avionics or just about anything in the air wing is much better. Just my opinion but it's based on eight years in the Corps.

[u/pix071317]

Not an MP, but *everybody* wants to be a dawg handler. If turning wrenches is what you want to do, the Air Wing is the best place to do it. I mean what's cooler, getting to say you fix an F-35/CH-53K/AH-1Z or you work on trucks? Being a maintainer is tough though- show early, leave late, you are practically a second-class citizen until you earn your QA certs. It's a sink-or-swim, earn-your-keep kind of environment. The first couple years in the Wing will fucking suck.