Does Being in the Marine Corps Suck?

I saw this posted on a forum recently and I felt like I should answer it here.

First and foremost, everyone’s experience in the Corps is different and unique to that person. Second, it all depends on your experience.

In my case, I have been through some times where it sucked, and other times it was great. But they don’t call the Corps, ‘the Suck‘ for no reason. There are certainly times that can just suck the life out of you. Maybe it is a 20-mile land navigation exercise in the middle of the Everglades, being led by the new Lieutenant, which translates to either you are going to surely get lost or you will be leading the exercise, not the Lieutenant. Maybe it is qualification day with your rifle and it is in the middle of a tropical storm with 50 mph winds and sideways rain. I have been there and done that with each of them and thankfully they canceled qualification day on the range because the targets kept falling off the frames.

Maybe it is standing watch in the winter and you are freezing your ass off and it is time to make rounds. How about sweating your nuts off, standing in formation in full MOPP gear on one of the hottest days of the year? And every Marine favorite is standing at attention for hours at a change of command ceremony. But maybe it is helping people who desperately need assistance, or maybe it is meeting a famous Marine like R. Lee Ermey at the Marine Corps Ball. Maybe it is getting to see the world and it isn’t costing you money to do so. How about blowing shit up or shooting at it.

Believe it or not, the easiest part for most Marines is boot camp. I personally thought it was way too easy for me, but I do know some Marines that struggled. Whatever your path is, it will be the one thing in your life that sucks, but you will miss it the most!