The Military...

[tabsmonsters]

My DH is a Marine and he is in Motor T. He will hit his 13 yr mark in August and I have been with him since he shipped off to boot camp. I don't know what to tell you that can convince your parents you are doing what is right for you. I have 2 sons and one of them wants to be a Marine like his daddy. It scares the crap out of me (he is only 10) but I certainly wouldn't try to talk him out of it. I do want to wish you the best of luck. The military certainly isn't for everyone.

 

[KyleD.]

Quote:
I agree with that i certainly do! I have a friend in Parris Island right now he was supose to be home march 4, well after phnemonia (spelling?) and then he went out and started phase 2/3 and broke his hip he's beginning to realize the Marine thing just isnt for him.

P.s Tell you husband a little Devil Pup says thanks for all that he does and can not wait to be sworn into the brotherhood!

 

[jholler]

I spent 4 years active duty as a Marine Infantryman, and have been a Combat Engineer for the last 12 years in the Army National Guard. I have been to Iraq, among many other places, and what I've gained is this: I will never have to wonder if I've ever done anything worthwhile, or if my life has been meaningless. I have a huge sense of pride in our military, (yes, even the Air Force)

and am very proud to have served my country and paid a small bit back of what it has given me and my family. In 4 years, I will retire at 40 years old, and I will know that I have accomplished something. I have lived on a ship for over a year, slept in the desert, seen parts of the world they don't even show on the Travel Channel, eaten things I didn't know were edible, hunted (and found) IEDs, survived combat, medevac'd close friends, lost some, and have known the joy of coming home to my family after a long deployment 4 times now, with another one very possible before I am done. I told my wife that I wouldn't be able to stand it if I quit this close to retirement, but I sure am ready to be done. If you crave a sense of pride, a sense of accomplishment that can never be taken from you, and something to tell stories about to your grandkids, do it. If it sounds sorta cool, but all you really want is college money and no discomfort, don't. The quickest way out of boot camp is to graduate...the ones who decide they can't hack it and start finding ways to try to get out are usually still there when their classmates graduate.

Watch the news, look at the rest of the world, and decide if you are willing to pay a small part of the price of our Freedom for the rest of us. If you are not, you may still reap the rewards, that's what we're here for. If you are, however, welcome, and Godspeed on your journey.

Semper Fidelis.

 

[conny63malies]

KyleD. :

As the Recruiter thing....Recruiters will talk to anyone/ say anything to anyone just to get you to sign the dotted line, Its their job. I have a cousin who has been in for 3 years and now says he hates a Recruiter. As a recruit they ssound amazing and make you believe everything so yeah my parents know what i just told you and are iffy about the whole thing.

I take this as an personal insult.My DH is a recruiter. THere is NO reason to call them all liars just because one does something wrong . MY DH works very hard 14 hours a day for six days a week.
He is a active duty soldier just like a sldier that is in Iraq or on post/base and a recruiter deserves equal respect. If you think it is so easy i invite you to come here and do is job maybe you would change your mind.
If you have a " God bless the american soldier" or I support our troops"sticker please take it off your car. Because you mean i support them as long as i dont need to do anything and the recruiter doesnt call my house.

there i am done.
If you havent noticed i am a xtremly proud spouse of a 79R that is in the army for 13 years. His rank is E7. An d with a little luck he gets to go to school in the fall and can go the sandbox. Yes, he would like to go eventhough he is on a P2 profile, but in his heart he is a Cav Scout and a sniper(he actually was the spotter) and i support him in his desicion to go there.​

 

[KyleD.]

Quote:
I take this as an personal insult.My DH is a recruiter. THere is NO reason to call them all liars just because one does something wrong . MY DH works very hard 14 hours a day for six days a week.
He is a active duty soldier just like a sldier that is in Iraq or on post/base and a recruiter deserves equal respect. If you think it is so easy i invite you to come here and do is job maybe you would change your mind.
If you have a " God bless the american soldier" or I support our troops"sticker please take it off your car. Because you mean i support them as long as i dont need to do anything and the recruiter doesnt call my house.

there i am done.
If you havent noticed i am a xtremly proud spouse of a 79R that is in the army for 13 years. His rank is E7. An d with a little luck he gets to go to school in the fall and can go the sandbox. Yes, he would like to go eventhough he is on a P2 profile, but in his heart he is a Cav Scout and a sniper(he actually was the spotter) and i support him in his desicion to go there.

I did not mean that in that tone, i am very sorry for insulting you. I respect any branch of the Military in ANY job. i am grateful for what they do and i know they ALL work hard. Someone had just pointed out that if it sounds too good to be true dont belive it, i was just stating that i know how recruiters are. I wasn't calling them liars only saying they will do just about anything to get you to join, now i do realize not all are like this. I do appologize again and thank your DH for all that he does!

 

[turney31]

I have a son in the Marines. when he told me he wanted to join , I told him I was very Proud and would support him in any way. It was not a hard decision as I had put him in Gods hands a long time ago!

 

[bumpershoot]

I spent four years in the USMC driving 5 ton and loved it. Every stinkin' minute of it. But then, I am one of the few people I know that enjoyed boot - except the running. As a girl, running sucks. Ah, and the chiggers at PI I could have passed on. Do yourself a favor, bring a bottle of clear nail polish. If they let you keep it, they'll give you hell over it, but painting that stuff on top of a chigger will kill it.
If you are going to do the Marines as a career do yourself a favor and get a college degree and be an Officer. They get paid better and have the more interesting stuff pass by them. Bottom line, do you want someone deciding things for you or do you want to have more control over your life? Officers have more control because the USMC thinks of them as the adults and the enlisted (until you are up to Gunny) as children.
As others have pointed out, the military sucks for the dependents. It sucks slightly less for those of an Officer. Still, if the military had wanted you to have a family, they would have issued you one. They are better about that, but it is the nature of the job.

 

[yotetrapper]

I don't have any advice based on experience, I just wated to say that if your motives are pure, do it, regardless of what family says. I think that although your Mom may not want you to now, it's out of fear, and that once you are in the service, she will be proud, I dont see how she could be otherwise. My husband did two tours a long time ago, and although it was before I knew him, I am still VERY proud of him. If you do join, thanks in advance for risking your life to keep all of us safe.

 

[beak]

Quote:
I always regretted not going in the Air Force vs the Army. I might have stayed even with the bad pay. I have 2 BIL's that did 20 years in the AF. The AF is almost like a civilian job. You even get to call sergeants by their first name. I didn't even know any of the sergeants first names in the Army.

Your right about Officer vs Enlisted. The officers do have more responsibility but they don't have all the crap duty. Make more money and have better housing.

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

I had not seen this post before posting what I did about attending the funeral yesterday. At the funeral I saw a young man who had already signed up staring at the potential results of his decision.

I am a Navy brat, DH was in for 6 years, I joined (They wouldn't keep me due to an injury in basic) my sister is still active duty.

But, now this is a serious decision. We are at war and the consequences could be your life. I don't say don't join. I do say if you do decide to serve choose your branch wisely. You need to be able to get a marketable skill out of the deal, and you want to look for something that at the very least lessens your chances of being killed over there.

I am incredibly grateful to those who choose to risk their lives in this way. I just wish more was being gained for the price they are paying.

When I see an article that three soldiers were electrocuted due to faulty wiring by KBG contracting I am furious inside like I have never been. Those responsible for those deaths should be put alone and naked in a room facing the mothers and wives of those men. Negligent homicide is too mild a term for what they have done.

If you were my child I would honor your decision but request that you wait until you have your degree and then go in as an officer with more options. And choose your branch and its employment options carefully.

Good Luck.