Privacy Policy

Sections of our Privacy Policy

I. About This Privacy Policy

II. How We Collect & Use Your Data

III. How We Share Your Data

IV. How We Secure Your Data

V. How We Use Cookies & Other Technologies

VI. Your Recruitment Marketing Options & Rights

VII. Contact Us

VIII. Privacy Policy Changes and Updates

I. About this Privacy Policy

This is a U.S. Government Website owned by the United States Marine Corps Recruiting Command (“we” or “our”). We take your privacy very seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how we intend to use any information you provide to us through the Website. By using and/or accessing the Website, you acknowledge your consent to our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to the collection, use and sharing of your information as set forth in this Privacy Policy you are not authorized to access and/or use this site. We reserve the right, at our discretion, to change, modify, add, or remove portions from this Privacy Policy at any time. However, if at any time in the future we plan to use personally identifiable information in a way that materially differs from this Privacy Policy, including sharing such information with more third parties, we will post such changes here. Your continued use of the Website following the posting of any changes to this Privacy Policy means you accept such changes.

Pursuant to Section 503 of Title 10, United States Code and Section 531 of the FY23 National Defense Authorization Act, the information requested by us, including on this Website, may be used in connection with recruiting people interested in serving in the Marine Corps (including but not limited to providing the information you submit to recruiters or officer selection officers), for registering for the site, and for sharing content from the Website via email. Disclosure is voluntary, although declining to provide information may prevent you from filling out a lead form ("Lead Form") for recruitment purposes, accessing certain areas of the Website or sharing content via email. Filling out a Lead Form may result in you being contacted by a recruiter or officer selection officer. Declining to fill out a Lead Form may result in not being contacted by a recruiter or officer selection officer.

Use of this Website is also governed by, and subject to, the Terms of Service contained at https://www.marines.com/terms-of-use. This Privacy Policy is incorporated into such terms. Your use, or access, of the Website constitutes your agreement to be bound by these provisions. If you do not agree to these terms of service you may not access or otherwise use the website.

II. How We Collect & Use Your Data

Marine Corps Recruiting Command collects data that falls into two categories: Non-Personally Identifiable Information and Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Non-Personally Identifiable Information (Non-PII or NPI) is data that cannot be used on its own to identify a specific individual. It's information that doesn't directly reveal a person's identity. However, when combined with other data, it might become personally identifiable.

Examples of Non-PII that we may collect, aggregate, and anonymize for statistical purposes:

Demographics: Age range (e.g., 25-34), gender, zip code, high school or college graduation year, grade currently enrolled in, citizenship, marital status, household composition, or veteran or military status.
Online Activity: Website browsing history (without user accounts), search queries (without user accounts), device type, browser type.
Technical Information: Browser type, operating system, internet service provider.
Statistical Data: Statistics about groups of people, like the average income in a city.

For example, for management of the Website, certain non-personally identifiable information is collected by us, through the standard operation of our Web servers and through use of "cookies" (described more fully below), for statistical purposes, including for market research activities. This Website uses software programs to create aggregated, anonymous statistics, which are used for assessing what information is of most and least interest to the Website visitors, determining optimal technical design specifications, and identifying system performance or problem areas so that we can work on improving such areas of the Website. We also use Non-Personally Identifiable Data collected by us to improve and enhance our users' experience on the Website.

Personally Identifiable Information

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is any data that could potentially identify a specific individual. This includes information that can be used on its own to identify someone, or information that could be combined with other data to identify someone.

Examples of PII that we may collect that is specific to you as an individual include:

Directory information including full name, email address, phone number, and street address
Online identifiers such as IP address and online handles/usernames

Demographic details provided by you, such as date of birth, place of birth, gender, and race/ethnicity
Audio or video information including social media content, photographs and videos shared on recruitment digital properties, images and likeness captured at events
Fitness activity data, for example, exercise length, duration, activities
Login and profile information, including screen name, password and unique user id for recruitment digital properties
Pseudonymized Data: Data where identifying information has been replaced with pseudonyms or unique identifiers, making it difficult to link back to an individual without additional information.

Participation in the Website features or from physical events (including fitness tests) is totally voluntary. Beyond information that is collected automatically when you visit our Website, you are under no obligation to provide any information and/or personal data to us. However, in order to utilize some of the services or features, you may be asked to provide certain personally identifiable information ("PII") about yourself. PII can include, without limitation, your name, address, email address, rank, unit and service information. You may also be asked to submit PII about other users so that you can share content from the Website via email. You are not authorized to submit any such PII of another user unless you have consent from such user to submit such PII to us. You hereby represent and warrant that you have the necessary authorization to submit any such PII about any such other user. Your PII will never be publicly viewable on the Website.

In addition, for registered users of the Website, we may store information from your account and your activity on the Website in order to customize or personalize your experience on the Website. Previously stored information will be used to customize your experience when you use the Website after logging into your account, and the information will not be available to other users. The collection, use, and retention of a citizen’s personal information shall be reasonably necessary and proportionate to our military recruitment objectives.

III. How We Share Your Data

We do not share any PII you submit through the Website with any third party other than our agents, contractors, recruiters, officer selection officers and affiliated websites in connection with recruitment or the operation of the Website, unless it is necessary to respond to your inquiry, or to comply with applicable law. Agents and contractors who have access to PII are required to protect this information in a manner that is consistent with this Privacy Policy by not using the information for any purpose other than to carry out the services they are performing for the United States Marine Corps. We will never sell your PII to any third party.

We may share Non-Personally Identifiable Data with unaffiliated third parties, such as business partners, manufacturers, distributors and retailers, in an aggregate, anonymous form, which means that the shared information will not contain nor be linked to any user's personally identifiable information.

IV. How We Secure Your Data

The security of your PII is very important to us. When we collect your PII, we use reasonable efforts to protect it from unauthorized access. However, due to the inherent open nature of the Internet, we cannot guarantee that your PII will be completely free from unauthorized access by third parties such as hackers, and your use of the Website demonstrates your assumption of this risk.

We expressly disclaim any liability, and you expressly release us and the United States Marine Corps, Department of the Navy and Department of Defense from any claim relating to access through shared networks or workstations.

Protection for Children

This Website is not intended for, and we have no intention of collecting PII from anyone who is not at least 17 years old (or 16 years old and a junior in high school or equivalent). If a child who is not at least 17 years old (or 16 years old and a junior in high school or equivalent) has provided us with PII, that child's parent or legal guardian should contact us at Marine Corps Opportunities, P.O. Box 5185, Des Plaines, IL 60019-9032, if the parent or legal guardian would like the information submitted by the child deleted from our database that contains information submitted by users of the Website. If we are so contacted or if we otherwise become aware that personally identifiable information from a child who is not at least 17 years old (or 16 years old and a junior in high school or equivalent) has been collected without such child's parent or guardian's consent, we will use all reasonable efforts to delete such information from our database.

Links to Third Parties

This Website may contain links to third party websites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites. We encourage you to be aware when you access any such third party links and to read the privacy policies of each website that you access. This Privacy Policy only applies to information collected by us from this Website.

You should be aware that PII or any other information which you voluntarily include and transmit online to third party websites (including but not limited to blogs and social media sites) may be viewed and used by others without any restrictions. We are unable to control such uses of your PII or other information, and by using such services you assume the risk that the PII or any other information provided by you may be viewed and used by third parties for any purposes. Therefore, you are cautioned not to offer any information of a personal or of a sensitive nature.

Jurisdiction & Governing Law

Our servers are maintained in the United States of America. By using the Website, you freely and specifically give us your consent to export your PII to the USA and to store and use it in the USA as specified in this Privacy Policy.

This Privacy Policy and our legal obligations hereunder are subject to the laws of the United States of America regardless of the location of any user. You hereby consent to the exclusive jurisdiction of and venue in the federal courts located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States of America in all disputes arising out of or relating to the Website.

V. Use of Cookies and Other Technologies

For Website security purposes and to ensure that this Website remains available to all users, this Website employs software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change user information, or otherwise cause damage.

When you visit a page on the Website, the internet browser on your computer may download and save a small file from the Website (commonly called a "cookie"). We employ what are known as "multi-session cookies," for the purpose of generating aggregated statistics about how the Website is used, and to optimize website functionality and user experience. Users can choose not to accept the use of these cookies by changing the settings on their local computer's web browser. We also use similar technology provided by third party advertising partners, e.g., pixel tags, to help manage and tailor our online advertising efforts to your interests and measure the effectiveness of these campaigns. Most browsers are initially set up to accept cookies. If you prefer, you can set your browser to refuse cookies, however, you may not be able to take full advantage of the Website if you do so.

This website also uses Mouseflow, a third-party analytics tool, to track page content and click/touch, movement, scroll, and keystroke activity. You can opt-out at https://mouseflow.com/opt-out.

We have also implemented Google Analytics Demographics and Interest Reporting (more information here) on our website. You can manage your preferences by opting out of Google Analytics for Display Advertising and adjusting your Ad Settings. Additionally, you can use the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on to disable Google Analytics tracking entirely. The non-personally identifiable data gathered from Demographics and Interest Reporting helps us tailor our website and content to align with our users' interests.

VI. Your Marketing Choices and Rights

Website

The USA.gov website, https://www.usa.gov/optout-instructions, provides general instructions on how to opt out of cookies and other commonly used Web measurement and customization technologies. Opting out of cookies still permits users to access comparable information and services; however, you may not be able to take full advantage of the Website if you do so. Additionally, it may take longer to navigate or interact with the website if a user is required to fill out certain information repeatedly.

Email

If you no longer wish to be contacted by us, you may unsubscribe by following the instructions contained at the bottom of any email communication you receive from us or clicking the following link http://usmc.marines.com/unsubscribe. Please note that there might be a brief delay between when you submit your request to unsubscribe and when it is processed and reflected in our systems; accordingly you might continue to receive communications from us for a limited time after you send your unsubscribe request. From time to time the United States Marine Corps will send emails to subscribers that have previously opted into email communication. If you prefer to be removed from the United States Marine Corps email list, opt out by clicking the following link http://usmc.marines.com/unsubscribe.

SMS

If you subscribe to an SMS Service (Text Messaging) through this website or otherwise, you thereby agree to receive SMS Service messages at the cell phone number you provide for such purposes. SMS messages will come from the United States Marine Corps and its third-party recruiter partners using automated dialing systems and/or manual dialing systems. Participation in our service is free of charge but standard carrier text messaging charges may apply. The United States Marine Corps will never rent or sell your phone number to any third party, nor will we use your phone number to initiate a call or SMS message to you without your prior express consent. Your wireless carrier and other service providers also collect data about your SMS usage, and their practices are governed by their own privacy policies. You acknowledge and agree that the SMS Service is provided via wireless systems which use radios (and other means) to transmit communications over complex networks. We do not guarantee that your use of the SMS Service will be private or secure, and we are not liable to you for any lack of privacy or security you may experience. You are fully responsible for taking precautions and providing security measures best suited for your situation and intended use of the SMS Service.

The parties agree that to revoke consent to receive SMS messages a recipient must reply “STOP” to an SMS message sent by the United States Marine Corps and its authorized recruiter partners. You may also contact us at 800-MARINES in the event you encounter any issue submitting such a request or you do not receive an SMS opt-out confirmation in response to your request. The parties agree that this provides SMS recipients reasonable methods to revoke consent for SMS messages. To revoke consent to receive telephone calls from the United States Marine Corps and its authorized recruiter partners using automated dialing systems please contact us at 800-MARINES or advise the recruiter calling you.

VII. Contact us

If you have any questions, comments or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy and/or the practices described herein, please email us at webmaster@marines.com or write us at Marine Corps Opportunities, P.O. Box 5185, Des Plaines, IL 60019-9032.

VIII. Privacy Policy Changes and Updates

Effective Date: April 5, 2021
Last Updated: Nov 5, 2024