Like I said I'm thinking of going the U.S.M.C. I'm talking to Staff Sergeant tonight and I was think of going in a Grunt but I'm also looking at other jobs.

I was just wondering what you guys are mostly doing right now? Is this a good time to join do you think right now? The reason I ask that is because I was going to hold of until September to go to boot camp in Cal do to weather and stuff. Also this is to a Cal Marines when is the best time to go to boot camp weather wise? Thanks for the help guys

First of all, don't go to Ca for boot. Go to Parris Island where the real Marines are trained.  >gg<  The phrase "Hollywood Marine" follows all those who do basic in CA. Needless to say, it didn't apply to me.  >gg<

Secondly, why be a grunt??  Unless you have a strong desire to carry large weights of packs for many miles, I'd suggest a better MOS.

Or you could do the grunt thing for one hitch & then re-up for a better MOS, as I did. The best MOS's to get into are any dealing with the Air Wing of the Corps as they travel first class compared to the ground pounders of the 2nd Marine Division, etc.  >gg<

Above ALL: get whatever your recruiter says IN WRITING. What he says is less than worthless. Also remember that on the LAST page of the initial contract is the fine print: "To suit the needs & discressions of the US Govt." IOW, they can promise you the moon & after basic send you to cook school & there's NOTHING you can do about it. Does it happen? Not often, but on occasion it does.

Good luck & you'll never regret being a Marine.

First off Ca is where I would have to go do it being in IL. Next I want to do the grunt think because everyone told me in my family and friends that I could not hack it. I just like the grunt anyway there is a war going on and I'll be damed if I'm in the back. Thats just me.

There is no difference between Marines that come from either PI or San Diego.  You hear a lot of the junior Marine, read without much FMF experience, talk a lot of trash back and forth about which is harder. But in the end there is no differance between the two.

When most join the Marine they don't think about the wing or FSSG, what they know of the Corps is what the division does, the whole MAGTF is lost upon them.   If you go 03 than you are what the whole of the Corps works to support and what the Marine Corps is about.  But the other MOS are needed also.

What ever you do if you go to either the division or wing or a lesser extent the FSSG, you will pulled in a million directs.  The Marine Corps can never say no,  because of that you will be very busy both within your MOS and doing other things.  

The Corps is a very spur of the moment organization compared to the other services, it not unusual to go in the office and get a tasker to send some away for several weeks, and he has to leave that afternoon.

San Diego is rather nice, no insects, but you have hills to climb.
From what I saw (my MOSes were 7242 active and MP in reserves)...
the grunts get to shoot and play war more than everyone else, but Marine infantry humps a lot. Back, knee, and foot problems. Plus, they are in the field a LOT.
MPs...get to ride, shoot a lot, plus switch off from field MPing and LE work. Bad part is that even in garrison they works LOTS. Police work is 24 hours.
Cooking and warehouse sucks. Fuel is messy, boring, and a 24 hour job in the field.
Water is nice, lots of work during certain hours in the field, but not at others, and everyone is nice to you.
Intel...not James Bond, and not a lot of shooting, but you are more in the know.
Wing...lots of hours and no shooting in most jobs, but lots of good times and okay living (no where near as nice as the Air Force) plus the fmaily housing tends to be good.
Sensors is good duty.
Arty does a lot of lifting and digging to serve the tubes, not a lot else.
I was in the DASC, we ran the air side other than fighter attack. We gt to know what was going on, and only worked in the field (worked a LOT there) but shooting totally depended on the unit Sgt Maj. We had one that was way cool, lots of shooting with him.
The big problems are that the real manly and cool jobs are by tryout, recon, MSF, MSG. Even if you have an MSF contract you still have to pass the admissions.
The fleet anti-terror teams look cool.

Get everthing in writing on the actual government enlistment contract form that you sign. I know the recruiter seems like one hell of a man and Marine, but those that don't flat out lie mislead by careful word choice.

Armor---
tank is okay, but a lot of heavy work. same with amtracks.
LAV crewman (crewman, not infantry) gets to ride a cool thing with a cool gun. infantry is just infantry, crewman is what you want.
Just remember that the LAV is an armored car with a cool gun, not a tank.
even so, the tires are heavy but not as bad as a tank track.

the engineers get to do some cool stuff, but they do a lot of grunt (heavy lift) work and don't get to play with as many explosves and such as you would think.