Reenlist vs getting out?

Don't stay in the Corps because you're scared of getting out. Stay in because you enjoy what you do and to take care of your Marines. Also don't judge the Corps based on your first duty station.

When I reenlisted, I didn't have a set path for my future, but I wasn't afraid of staying in. I chose to reenlist to give myself time to figure out what I wanted to do when I got out. This gave me enough time to use Tuition Assistance and complete my Bachelor's Degree and start working on education towards the career I'm interested in. Now I have my GI Bill available for medical school, and was led to a career path by the atrocities I've experienced in military healthcare. Find your calling, and then make a plan.

The economy sucks. I have a masters and keep losing out to people with a PhD for jobs that require a bachelors. Then again, I live in Tucson and you have to be bilingual to get a job flipping burgers. I initially joined for 4 years as a grunt and was overseas for my first tour as well. That can be rough for a lot of people. I've also seen a lot of unhappy former Marines making the transition into the Army, the ones that make it bring a lot to the table. OCS is going to require 90 semester credit hours, but since you are young there are programs like Green to Gold, or you could just go to ROTC. I'd caution you about staying in if you are unhappy/just nervous about getting out since that might make you resent your decision, BUT you really have to at least have a solid plan/back-up plan/alternate plan/supplementary plan/and money in your savings. There is also reclassifying into some other job. I went thru the gambit of combat arms and ended up in aviation. My aircraft meant that I would always be in the air cav and that was a perfect fit for me given all my other jobs. If you like helicopters, I'd recommend the Army and become a 15R (Apache repairer) since they have just doubled up on their mission. They took over the cavalry mission (don't get me started on that nightmare) and that means a lot of room for progression and upward mobility. The youngest Sergeants Major in aviation are essentially all Apache crew dawgs. Time for some serious praying for guidance. Regards, Uncle Mark.

When I was 18 graduating high school I didn't know what I wanted to do. When I was at the crossroads you are at regarding reenlisting, I still didn't know what I wanted to do. After getting out and I landed a career job at 23, I still didn't know what I wanted to do. When I retired at 55, I finally realized while I still didn't know what I "wanted" to do, I did it very well. The fear, while well grounded and experienced by many, many who have traveled these roads before you, is not something that you should let rule your decisions. What to do is an individual decision. What works for this person or that may or may not work for you. What does your heart tell you? Whatever decision you make, commit to that decision 110% such as you did in becoming a Marine Cpl.

While in Vietnam, I heard that Apollo 11 had landed on the Moon. At the time, I thought that working on the Space Program would be a good career. I very much like being a Marine, but my last two years were spent at 29 Palms. There were serious problems with drugs at the time, and I though the Marine Corps was not doing enough to solve the problems. After I left, the Marine Corps did fix the drug problems. After working civilian jobs, I found out that the Marine Corps was not as messed up as I had believed. I had a firm goal in mind when I separated from the Marine Corps. I would obtain a degree and then work for the Space Program. I found a high paying chemical plant operator job while I obtained my degree. Five and a half years later, I had my degree, and started working on the Space Shuttle program. I stayed with that program for 33 years, until one month after the last Space Shuttle flight. Before you leave the Marine Corps, have a solid plan in place. If you need a degree for your desired job, what job will supplement your G.I. Bill while you obtain that degree? Decide what you want to do, and then research that career field as to duties, required skills, education, etc. Plan, Plan, and more Planning, will produce better results. Best wishes on making a well informed decision.

You might want to consider getting your degree while you are in and checking out what kind of tuition assistance is available. You will need a degree to become an officer in the Air Force, I don't know about the other services.

It is not a good assumption that babysitting adults is only a Marine experience - there are levels in the civilian world that will make your military experience seem like a cake walk, and you will not have the medical or living expenses provided anywhere as inexpensively as you have now.

If you have a dream of becoming a PT you can start your education now and then move into the career field once you have your degree - in either the military or civilian career field.

Don't assume that getting out will solve your problems - it generally only makes your problems bite harder with no support and nobody giving a damn whether you succeed or not. The civilian world is a jungle that eats the slow or the weak for breakfast.

Suck it up and stay!!! You have already stated you do not have a degree. You should know that there are tons of guys and gals with Bachelors’ and Masters working for far less money than they are worth. Further, to be honest (unless you have a highly transferable skill set) something like McDonalds is on the horizon for you. I don’t mean to sound negative; I’m just being honest. Start and finish a degree program before you get out! Simper Fi!

The decision to stay or to punch out is very personal. It can be dictated by many factors. However, fear should not me one of them. The simple liberties that you speak of come at a high price. Reentigrating to civilian life can be a difficult thing to over come. Things in a civilian job are not structured like you are used to and a college education doesn't mean that you will get a great job or even one in your field of study. If you are comfortable where your at in your life stay there for now start working on your education before you leave. College in an environment such as yours is hard but now is much easier with the introduction of accredited online programs. I waited to get my college education till I left the military and used my GI Bill while working 50 hours a week it is not easy. But if you wanted easy you would not have chosen a miliary lifestyle. Leaving was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. Looking back I wouldn't have it any other way but those were for personal reasons. I do not enjoy my work it is not even in my field of study but it pays the bills and affords some down time. It's not easy out here but the a the breaks. I would offer one peace of advice, set yourself up for success before you leave. Do not walk blindly into the night.

I read a couple of other posts and it is the same recommendations that we give our Soldiers. If this is in fact your first duty station do not judge your time there as BEING the Corps (Army, Navy, Air Force). On to the next thought, how long have you been in? Are you getting out just because of....what?
Personally here is what I tell my Soldiers when they are thinking about this decision (besides the first point), look at what the military offers you. You have no degree, HOWEVER there are two COAs for that. Use your GI Bill and get that, because honestly you need it so that you are not going to end up working in a "past the time" job. Your other COA would be that if you re-enlist, you NEED to use the education benefits while you are in (Tuition Assistance) and GET that degree. I also agree with what SGT Morgan said, don't stay just because you are afraid of the outside. Make sure that you are getting from the service what you give. USE the benefits that are available to ENSURE that you are ready for that transition. USE your time wisely though if you re-up. All that time you have off after work you need to INVEST in school and getting prepared. There is no excuse for leaving without some kind of education (AA or Bachelors). You just have to invest that time and energy.
I wish you the best of luck in your decision, look at all possible sides because all too often people rush out and then they want back in. Right now, is not the time to try to get back in if you are P.S.
Just my .02 on it.

Getting out from overseas is probably not a great idea. It's really hard to get settled and start school or work when you're away like that. I'd at least extend to rotate back to CONUS first.

You can use your GI Bill benefits to go to college. In addition, there are VA Work Study programs available so you can do some VA related work, and get paid and get some college general credit at the same time. This helps you out as well. Or, conversely, if your work schedule allows it, pursue some of the courses for the degree you want while you're still in...

Talk to your career counselor about commissioning programs. The Marine Corps has a pretty good one...