SCREEEEEEECH! My little brother is joining the Marines!

[Padraig18]

Jesus, Mary and Joseph! :scared::argh::wtf:

[southerngirlwriter]

1. Um, WHY????

:wtf:

[Syncronaut Seven]

3. Why does anyone go in?

Why to kill them some <insert racial epitaph here> ass!
:shrug:

[Padraig18]

4. He says...

... for school money, and to 'mature' himself. *sigh*

[greatauntoftriplets]

2. That's how I felt when my nephew joined the Army....

...and the National Guard upon discharge.

sorry to hear that, Paddy.

[Padraig18]

5. It took all I could do to not go ballistic on him.

*bangs head on desk*

[IronLionZion]

6. Then lets make sure Kerry is commander in chief

[Padraig18]

8. I just became an ENTHUSIASTIC Kerry supporter--- INSTANTLY!

I do not want that evil, manipulative neo-fascist swine Bush anywhere NEAR the chain of command if Liam's in uniform.

[TacticalPeek]

7. Today, probably the best branch of the services.

Sub-branch, actually, I guess. And probably any prior day, for that matter.

Precedes the Constitution, in fact.

I mean, if one must do these things. :)

[EXE619K]

9. Did he sign the contract?

If not, tell him to consider the DA or the DN, if he wants to join for benefits.

Marines offer terrible benefits along with horrible duty assignments.

Joining the service is a good thing.

Although, his timing is terribly bad right now.

Tell him to wait another two-years or so.

[Padraig18]

10. I think he did.

He told me he'd 'signed' for a 4-year enlistment, because that gave him his preferred MOS, etc. .

God help me< i don't know if I want to slap him or hold him more.... :scared:

[EXE619K]

11. That's too bad.

Tell him to ask for a duty assignment lock for Okinawa or some place safe.

I know it's probably too late for contract negotiations but, It's worth the try.

Yeah, Okinawa sucks, but it sure beats going to Iraq.

[Catch22Dem]

13. No way does Okinawa suck

I lived there for 4 years. Had my wife and daughter with me too. NO WHERE have we felt more safe. It was a dream assignment.

[DS1]

14. It's not too late

The first signing doesn't mean dick, it's just there to give the kids something to latch onto.

The second one, at the processing station, after a very intensive physical and moments before being shipped to bootcamp is the only one that counts.

[jmowreader]

17. The physical and the bootcamp departure can be separated...

by up to one year.

It's called the Delayed Entry Program, and everyone goes in under it.

An example from my week at Fort Leonard Wood as to why it's necessary: Bridge crewmen. They simply must have a certain number of soldiers before they can start a Bridge Crewman training class; you need a lot of men to carry the bridge around. By enlisting troops under DEP, those guys can stay at home (not taking up barracks space or seats at the chow hall at the reception station) until they have recruited enough Bridge Crewmen to carry the bridge.

I think an Army Org section on how soldiers are acquired may be in order...coming up.

[DS1]

18. Exactly, I remember the DEP very well

and then I got down to MEPS before shipping out, and realized the entire time thinking I was enlisted was just a farce and I could have walked any time. I wasn't about to walk, but the option had been there all along.

[Semi_subversive]

12. A woman who works for me

has two boys in the Marines. One is leaving Okinawa (or this fucking island, as he refers to it) for S. Korea and the other just finished boot and is off to Pendelton. And she's a hardcore Reep, too.

[GreenPartyVoter]

15. :( Hope all will be well

[cally]

16. If what DS1 says is true,

try to convince him to join the Navy or Air Force. Both seem much safer these days than the Marines. :hug:

[Tinoire]

19. I agree though I will vote Air Force- they take MUCH better care of people

than the other 3 services. In the Air Force, he'll still feel human and as if he retains a few rights.