To read a letter from our founder and executive director, Tracy Della Vecchia, about the various stages of your Marine's career, please click here.
Stages of Your Marine's Career
We're here every step of the way.
The mission of MarineParents.com is to provide support, information, and services to recruit and Marine family members and troops over the course of the life-cycle of your recruit or Marine's career in the Corps.
This sentiment is reflected in our Marine Corps Career icon. From the time your future-Marine is a poolee, through boot camp, the school of infantry and military occupational schooling, permanent duty stations and deployments. Then after your Marine's time in the Corps or if he or she is recovering from wounds or injuries sustained while serving, we have information for every step of the journey.
Whether you're brand new to life with a loved one in the Corps or you're an old hat, we strive to provide the most relevant, up-to-date information to help you know what to expect as your Marine navigates his or her career in the Marine Corps. Below you'll find information on each of our outreach services for each stage of the Marine Corps career and how we support you and your Marine. Our staff and volunteers look forward to knowing you and taking this journey with you!
Boot Camp & Schooling
Poolee
A poolee is an individual who has already signed up to become a Marine but has not yet left for the 13 weeks of recruit training at boot camp in San Diego or Parris Island. Each spring, Marine Corps recruiting stations around the United States hold a "Poolee Night" to bring poolees and their parents together to learn what to expect in, and how to prepare for, boot camp.
The poolee and parent event is important for soon-to-be recruits, as they will receive useful information. Its just as important for the parents, many of whom may be nervous and unsure of what to expect during their Marine's career in the Corps. Poolee Nights also provide an opportunity to bring in parents of recent boot camp graduates and parents whose sons and daughters are currently in boot camp so they can lend support and share information with poolee parents.
Recruit
RecruitParents.com is here to help you get through boot camp. The RecruitParents.com roadmap includes information about recruit training (boot camp), schedules, terminology, expectations, and perhaps most importantly, venues to talk with other parents-novices just like you, as well as "expert" parents who've been down this road and experienced the same uncertainties and pride.
School of Infantry
All graduates of Marine Corps recruit training attend the School of Infantry (SOI). Marines who graduate from recruit training at MCRD San Diego will attend SOI–West. Marines who graduate from recruit training at MCRD Parris Island will attend SOI–East. At SOI, they will train with one of two training battalions, either MCT or ITB. All non-infantry Marines attend training at Marine Combat Training Battalion (MCT), while infantry Marines (all Marines with a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) of 03xx) attend training at Infantry Training Battalion (ITB).
Military Occupational Schooling
After Graduation from the Marine Combat Training (MCT), Marines will attend schooling for their chosen MOS, or Military Occupational Specialty.
Your Marine has a 4-digit MOS number that corresponds with the title of his/her Military Occupational Specialty. Typically, your Marine will have selected an MOS during the enlistment process. The first two digits of the MOS are the OCC (occupational career code), plus two additional numbers which define the specialty.
During Service
Permanent Duty Stations
When formal training (boot camp, School of Infantry, and military occupational schooling) is complete, each Marine is assigned to a Permanent Duty Station (PDS).
Your Marine may be stationed at any number of permanent duty stations around the world, depending on his or her Military Occupational Specialty (the job that your Marine will do while in the Corps).
We also provide Unit Information Pages™, or UIPs. The UIPs are a searchable database exclusively from MarineParents.com, Inc. By searching the database for your Marine's PDS, you'll find a page full of helpful information, links, message boards, Family Readines Officer names, and phone numbers.
Deployment
The emotional roller coaster of your Marine's deployment may be more than tough—it may seem almost impossible to tolerate. You'll likely experience some combination of pride, fear, pride, anxiety, pride, worry, and more pride. The uncertainty of what is to come brings emotions and feelings that none of us thought would be part of our lives. But you are not alone. Thousands of other parents have the same emotions, and Marine Parents is "a Place to Connect & Share®" with those who are in your shoes and understand your emotions.
After the Corps
Warrior Support
MarineParents.com, Inc.® believes that the highest obligation and privilege of citizenship is that of ensuring that the brave men and women who have borne arms for our country are cared for and supported in an adequate manner upon their return to America and reintegration into civilian society. With that in mind, our Warrior Support Team™ strives to provide resources, peer mentoring, and fellowship to wounded, ill, and injured troops and veterans, including those living with post-traumatic stress, as well as provide resources and support to caregivers and family members.
After the Corps
After the Corps provides support, information, and services to post-9/11 Marines and their family members during transition into IRR, reintegration upon discharge, and as veterans.
Click here for more information on the what to expect after the Corps...
To read a letter from our founder and executive director, Tracy Della Vecchia, about the various stages of your Marine's career, please click here.
