if a person graduates from Army basic or USMC boot camp but gets discharged?

[green papaya]

before he completes his MOS school would you still consider them a soldier / Marine?

what if they washed out or got discharged on a medical? are they still soldiers / Marines if they were only in long enough to complete basic / boot camp?

 

[JimWagner]

I would consider that to be someone who trained to be a soldier / Marine but didn't quite get there.

 

[Romy Overdorp]

My father was discharged so I consider him not a marine. He gets seasick all the time

 

[dhermann1]

As an ex marine, I feel that if somebody raised his or her hand and was sworn into the service, then they are marines. I knew a couple of guys who washed out of boot camp for medical reasons, and were extremely disappointed about it. I personally never held that against them. To me, they are veterans. Now, on the other hand, if that person was discharged during basic training for disciplinary or criminal reasons, I would not consider them a marine.

 

[Romy Overdorp]

So you would call my dad a marine? He can't help it that he get nauseous at sea. Kinda ironic to join the navy and than realize you hate sailing.

 

[Martinis at 8]

I would consider that to be someone who trained to be a soldier / Marine but didn't quite get there.

Agreed.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

before he completes his MOS school would you still consider them a soldier / Marine?

what if they washed out or got discharged on a medical? are they still soldiers / Marines if they were only in long enough to complete basic / boot camp?

Medical or any other honorable discharge I would consider him a Marine. Dishonorable, I don't know.

 

[ex812]

well when I went through basic training there was a ceramony at the end of the final Field training excersice. It was at that point that they said you were a soldier. I believe the Marines have a similar experience where they are given the eagle, globe and anchor. I would call anyone who makes it past that point a soldier or marine. Unless they have a dishonorable discharge because the title is stripped at that point.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

In basic training (Army)trainees are in 'training' to become a soldier. After basic 'training' is concluded..AIT..or OJT which is 'advanced infantry training' or 'on the job training' is all in preparation to becoming a soldier. Once completed a trainee has become trained for a specific general MOS(or job title)...and duty as a trained soldier. He can be assigned a duty station as a soldier. Something like becoming a doctor. A 'doctor' in med school isn't really a practicing 'doctor' or hold that title until certain training is complete...although some may be addressed as one while in training. It's been so long since I was a DSGT..I can't remember if a Trainee gets full Vet benefits if medically discharged during training or not..or if there was a time period to recieve 'full' benefits. If just 'washing out' of basic..or failing to pass the training..an Army trainee was either reassigned to take basic over with the next upcoming basic training unit...or assigned to a STC (Special Training Company) for a more fasttrack training. A dishonorable discharge could be given in extreme circumstance..but usually a general discharge or medical if training can't be completed. A general discharge is not dishonorable....but falls short of an honorable discharge. If I recall correctly..a General Discharge offers no Veteran benefits. In my view(from serving in the 1970s)a trainee could recieve a stripe or promotion right out of basic(I did)...so,perhaps.he could then be considered a soldier...but actually I hold to the opinion that until 'basic' training..and 'basic' advanced training for job title is completed he/her hasn't yet achieved soldier status to perform as one.
HD

 

[Pompidou]

I wouldn't consider basic training any different than any other career-specific training. Simply getting the training doesn't make you the career you trained for. It seems different because most of the time, employment after completion is 100% guaranteed, whereas for other careers, training simply allows you to begin sending out resumes. A person who completes basic training but gets discharged and goes on to do something else is a person who could've been a soldier but went on to do something else.

 

[Marcus]

Unless something has changed, if you complete boot camp you are considered a basic Marine with no MOS code applied (actually there is a code, but I would have to look at an SRB to know for sure). Once you graduate your MOS school, that's when your MOS code is applied. A stated above, there are some benefit issues with certain discharges, obviously Dishonorable gets you a whole lot of nothing except a hard time getting jobs in the future.

So to answer the question... if you graduate from Boot Camp you have attained the title of Marine on paper. As to getting a discharge after that fact..well, you still would have been a considered a Marine with a very short career. If I were someone who got discharged for any reason shortly after boot camp I probably wouldn't go around saying I'm a Marine, vet, etc. Just because I would feel that I didn't really do anything in the Corps, but on paper... I would have been considered a basic Marine.

I know at least two guys that were in that situation...one for medical reason and one because of fraudulent enlistment (age technicality without proper paper work) and neither of them try to pass themselves off as former Marines. They simply say...yeah I graduated boot camp but was discharged because of XYZ.



Marcus
SSgt, USMC 1996-2004