Best thing I liked about the 6 year programs was the time-in-rate waiver for advancing....I got out as Petty Officer 1st Class, most of my friends only made it to Petty Officer 2nd class in their 4 years....
Joined the Marines at 18,
Why? because I always knew I would be in the military
and always knew I'd never join the Marines,
they were last on my list after the Coast Guard, I got turned down by every other service and someone (The Navy recruiter) tossed my name to The Marine recruiter, he went into the boondocks (literally) to get me, (I was stuck in a swollen creek with the family truck frame deep in mud, and he showed up in WHITE jeans, a RED USMC t-shirt, and spit-shined combat boots and pushed out the truck,)
after that I could not say no.
My biggest regret, not re-enlisting for longer when I had the chance, it might have prevented me from being cut via a budget cut that eliminated 6000 Marines.