All great advice. I spent 4yrs in the USAF. My advice-

TAKE THE GI BILL!

Do NOT get married in your first or second hitch!

Don't screw off! Study hard, become as ate up as you can. Don't drink and drive, don't do drugs(it is there more than you would think!) and don't fall in love!

You will make mistakes. Take responsibility for them. Nobody likes or respects a puss who blames others. Take the risk to make a decision and take responsibility for the outcome.

Do your job as hard and as well as you can when you are on duty. I looked at my day as I get paid to be here, no how crappy a job is that day tommorrow it won't matter. You senior NCO's will respect you more for being a hard worker and will give you the jobs that they need done right.

Save your money. Invest while you are young. Buy bonds, mutual funds, anything and keep at it.

If you are already married, get your wife involved. Don't let her feel like she is on the outside. The corps will take care of her too if she lets them!

Most of all, ALWAYS BE PROUD TO BE A UNITED STATES MARINE! You will run into situations where civilians DO NOT LIKE YOU for no other reason than you are a soldier and have a secure future. Don't let anyone make you ashamed of who or what you are.

Boot camp- it is all a mind game. It will be tough physically, and mentally. They need to weed out the physically and mentally unfit. Realize that your DI's do not hate you, are probably all athiests, and will try to break you down. You may hate their guts while it is going on, but when you graduate you will find out that they all of a sudden are pretty cool guys and it is all a game.

Most, and I say most of all, make us proud! If I were smart and stayed single and enlisted, I would now have 18 years and be a CMSGT by now and retired in two years fishing everyday! Time flys my friend, before you know it the decisions you make in the next few years will be affecting your life. Make the best of it and plan for your future. Most guys in the military think they are still in high school and don't care about tomorrow. Make a point to care!