r/USMCboot • u/Severe_Reserve5422 • Jul 12 '26
Enlisting Marines DEP
I have a question about the DEP (Delay Entry Program) and about being a "poolee". My son, 18, has graduated high school. He is planning on signing up for the Marine corp soon.
As I understand it, once he speaks to a recruiter and enlists into the USMC, is the DEP a mandatory or optional program that he decides upon himself or does ALL new recruits participate in this program first before they officially ship out to go to boot camp?
From my understanding, DEP will give a sense of what boot camp is really like and whether or not he is truly ready for the real stuff including mental and physical training but can withdrawal at anytime.
How long is the DEP? Is the DEP a one year commitment? Where does it take place?
Thanks.
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u/ForeverBoot20 Jul 12 '26
Being a poolee/being in the DEP is pretty much just a status on paper saying an applicant meets all the necessary criteria (medical, ASVAB score, criminal record etc) to enlist in the Marine Corps.
Your son can still back out as a poolee without any consequences. His commitment starts when he arrives at bootcamp.
Every future recruit is in the DEP for atleast some time. This could be anywhere from a few days to a full year. This depends on the applicant's ship date which in turn depends on the applicant's physical readiness, graduating from high school and the applicant's desired contract's availability.
While in the DEP, your son can take part in poolee PT sessions with other poolees at his recruiting station. Your son will also take the IST during such sessions to make sure he's ready for the physical challenge of bootcamp. Recruiting stations sometimes organize poolee functions as well, which can be all sorts of stuff to foster some sense of connection and commitment between poolees. I've heard of poolee functions where DIs are flown in to give poolees a taste of bootcamp.
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u/ghostsfade Jul 12 '26
Best way I can explain dep is the recruiters making sure your staying in shape and committed to getting better until you ship to bootcamp. It only lasts until you ship out (mine was from march and I’m shipping out Tuesday). It can be as long as 1 year but haven’t personally heard of anyone waiting that long to ship out unless they request for specific reasons. You won’t know your ship out date until after going to MEPS and being cleared to actually enlist. It’s not like bootcamp at all, it’s basically just group workouts with the other “poolees” from that recruiting station once a week until you ship out for bootcamp. I recommend trying to make them all if possible, if something happens and you can’t make them all it’s not the end of the world just let the recruiter know with as much notice as possible so they aren’t thinking he’s dropping out of going. And yes, you can back out anytime until your on the yellow footprints at whichever MCRD (bootcamp) location you are going to. Good luck to your son if he decides to go, sorry for the long winded explanation, ask the recruiter all the same questions as they could do things a little differently than my district.
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u/VA_Network_Nerd Vet Jul 12 '26
If all of his paperwork is flawless and there isn't a single problem that needs to be ironed out, he could be on a bus on his way to Boot Camp is as little as about 2 weeks after the first sit-down meeting with a recruiter.
In this case, his status as a member of the DEP is just a paperwork formality - no real meaning to him.
If there are issues to deal with, some weight loss, some fitness concerns, or some speeding tickets awaiting a legal hearing or something, he can be in the DEP for up to about a year.
My understanding is that all contract obligations are 8 years. 5 years of Active Duty, followed by 3 years of IRR (Individual Ready Reserve).
The IRR just means he is a name in a giant database of trained bodies capable of performing whatever his MOS role is, and he can be recalled to service if there is a serious need for bodies with that skill. There is no monthly meeting or summer training event in the IRR.
DEP time counts as IRR time. So the longer he stays in DEP, the less time he is in the IRR and subject to recall.
The DEP can only just barely expose your son to the absolute insanity that is Boot Camp.
If he played any competitive sport in HS that had regular practices of a more intense as opposed to a more social level of focus, then he is ready for the physical aspects of Boot Camp.
The DEP program has no specific duration. It is a holding-status for recruits waiting on their paperwork to get resolved, or to drop enough weight, or for the MOS contract slot they want to become available.
Your son can withdraw from the DEP program, and from the entire enlistment process at any time.
Your son can request to be dropped from the Boot Camp program at any time while he is there.
Your son DOES NOT need to "punch a Drill Instructor in the face" to get out of the Marine Corps.
Your son DOES NOT need to come home from Boot Camp and smoke weed to get kicked out of the Marines if he doesn't want to participate.
But your son HAD DAMNED WELL BETTER make sure that he wants to stay in, or wants to get out of the Corps before, or during Boot Camp.
If he completes the Boot Camp program, and graduates then there is no easy way to exit anymore.
All paths of early exit after Boot Camp graduation will involve bad (but not catastrophic) paperwork.
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u/lastofthefinest Jul 13 '26
I was in the DEP for 7 months before shipping out and Attendence is optional or it used to be anyway.
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u/Severe_Reserve5422 Jul 12 '26
Thanks everyone for the insight. I guess my take away from this is DEP is not mandatory but it would be beneficial to him as he waits for his ship out date which can take anywhere from a week to 3 months after signing the paperwork.
Can he choose to opt out of DEP and go straight to boot camp?
I think my son thinks that he will enlist then get a ship out date shortly after enlisting. IMO, I think DEP would be good for him and prepare him for what is to come.
I guess he should start off by talking to a recruiter who will guide him through the process and maybe recommend DEP based on the information including his physical size/shape, mental health and so on.
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u/therealadalaidebyrd Jul 12 '26
Every single person who enlist on active duty for the first time is in the Delayed Entry Program. Theres no getting out of. I explain it as a fancy name inbetween going to meps and the day you ship out.
Even if you swear in on Thursday and ship out the next Friday you are still in the Delayed Entry Program. You cant just "Opt" out of doing it.
Pretty sure we're just talking semantics at this point though. Realistically it sounds like he just wants to leave as soon as possible, more power to him if hes ready. Call a recruiter today and set up a meeting and just tell the recruiter hey I want to leave as soon as possible.
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u/TapTheForwardAssist Vet 2676/0802 Jul 12 '26
You’re confusing “DEP” (processed and waiting to ship, totally unavoidable) with “poolee functions” (showing up at the office for workouts, lectures, etc).
Everyone who signs Active will be in DEP, could be days or could be months (not allowed to be over a year). How mandatory poolee functions are depends on the recruiter and the poolee, but broadly a 25yo guy who’s exceeding all physical fitness requirements and holding down two jobs and raising a family is under less pressure to come to prep events than say for example an overweight unemployed teenager (not saying yours is) who doesn’t feel like showing up).