Joining the Marines

[Dan629]

Well I have decided I would like to join the Military. My g/f recently broke up with me and I am not where I want to be career wise so I am deciding to make a change in life and join the Marines. My problem is my family. They are so against it that I feel so bad. I have not signed anything yet and I am not "officially" in but I plan to this week. I know it is extremely dangerous and not the best time to join the Marines but it just feels like something I need to do. My father and brother were both Marines but neither of them support this either. I always wanted to be a Marine and now that I don't have my g/f begging me not to do it anymore I figure I would go through with it. I am nearly 21 and I don't have the time to wait for it to calm down to join. I don't want to join at the age of 22+. It may be a bad time but I cannot help that this war is going on right when I am ready to go in and I don't feel it should stop me. My family doesn't really know how serious I am yet. I haven't broke the news I just hinted things here and there. I know my mother is going to be crushed and my father will probably go into a panic mode. I feel so bad to put my family through this but I cannot live my life to please everyone else all the time. I feel like sometimes I have to do things for myself. If I get sent to Iraq and die then it was Gods plan. Being a Marine is something I will be proud of for the rest of my life. I just hope my parents will be able to deal with it. Also my best friend is talking about how if I join he will too. He doesn't want me to leave him alone in civilian life. But this is another thing that makes it hard because I know he is only doing it for me. If something happens to him I would feel responsible. I am so stressed out. Of course I am scared but I want to do this really bad and I have absolutely no support at all...

 

 

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[BellaDonna]

I admire people who serve their country, but I must admit- if my son or daughter came to me with this decison I would discourage it too. I think it's a parent's instinct to want to protect their child, no matter how old their child is. With the current state the U.S. is in, your parents are very scared. Joining the armed forces used to be good a way for kids to get college money, or into a career, but now most kids are being sent into some of the most dangerous situations on the planet and may never live to see any future.

 

They are worried about you, and they are being realistic.

 

My advice to you would be- don't just talk to recruiters who sugar-coat everything and make money from how many people they bring in. They are business people and honestly don't care about YOU as a person. You're just a dollar sign to them. Talk to others, who have been to war and who have seen the dark side. They will tell you the real deal. If after doing so, you still want to join, then go for it.

 

You need to do your homework and not make any hasty decisions. Keep in mind, once you join- they own you. So you want to be sure you know exactly what you're getting into.

 

Also keep in mind that it is possible to attain and education and a good career without having to go into the armed forces at all. The yare not your only option.

 

BellaDonna

[rusty_boi]

Ok having explored this avenue myself not long ago i have some things you should know.

1) There is a good chance that if u do return from a war u may return missing limbs or having horrific injuries

2) If you do come home pefectly safe you would have witnessed horrific deaths and injuries

3) It will be a long time until you can have a girlfriend

4) You can't leave when you like

 

These are some points for you to consider when deciding. In saying this make ure decision purely on what u wanna do not what your family says. Another avenue you may wanna look up is policing (Maybe S.W.AT) or firefighting they are very honourable jobs aswell with a bit more breathing room. Let us know what u decide to do

[sophie274]

I agree that you should do some more research to make sure you really want to do this - as others have said, there are risks involved, especially since you sign for several years and no one knows what the situation will be like then. Also make sure you are not doing this to get away from your girlfriend, though it sounds like you have been considering this for some time.

 

Good luck to you! I admire you for wanting to join.

[jsx730]

In the end, only you can decide what you need to do for yourself.

 

With that said, I have a friend who's served through two deployments. One into Fallujah, and I'm not sure where they other one sent him.

 

He came back a different person then he left. He's much more serious, and is very blunt and callous about normal everyday things. His sympathy for other's is pretty much gone, because of what he has gone through.

 

Physically, he is broken. He's not missing any limbs, doesn't have any holes in him, nothing like that, however is back is completely shot. He lives in constant pain, is on lots of meds, and requires lots of physical therapy. Not to mention the constant headaches...

 

Just know that if you do go, "coming back alive" and "surviving your tour" doesn't mean you come back unaffected.

[FortunateOne]

Hey buddy I'm proud of your willingness to serve the greatest military in the history of the world. Remain positive and don't let other's negativity get you down. We all make choices that reflect who we are in life. I have many friends and love ones in the armed forces. A couple have died and I'm proud of their sacrifice for our beliefs. This is a very honorable and unselfish decision you've made, so go out and take hold of an awesome future that awaits.

[RayKay]

I would just advise, don't rush into on basis of wanting to "escape".

 

Research, research & research. I used to be in the military, and it is a very different way of life - that affects not just YOU; but your family, future family/marriage/children. Not only in terms of time, distance; but also emotionally and physically in some cases too.

 

Just make sure you are making an educated decision to join, and be objective....don't believe everything the recruiters tell you.

 

I am in Canada, but had many friends in the US Military (reserves, regs) and there are a few of them whom are now terribly injured, emotionally scarred, and some did not even make it home. Many of them joined for fun, and the escape too, and without knowing what they were getting into.

 

Of those I know up here whom have gone to Afghanistan, Bosnia....it too is very costly, and deadly for some.

 

As another poster said; even if you are one of those whom come back alive and uninjured - it does not mean you are not changed...in very deep, negative ways. Seeing your buddies killed, children maimed, and sometimes being totally helpless, worrying about people killing you just going for a routine patrol....you cannot help but be affected.

 

With all that, it is normal your family will be very concerned.

 

That all being said, for some people, it really can turn their life around, and give them perspective, drive and goals....but just make that choice with as much knowledge from others whom have been there and so on as possible.

 

And remember too; you said you cannot live your life to please others all the time - when you are in the military; whatever form, you DO give your life over to them. I am not trying to discourage you; just make sure you do make a very informed decision.

 

Whatever you choose, Good Luck!

[Day_Walker]

As long as you realize the risks involved and the stress that it will cause your family then it is your decision what you want to do with your life.

[amtjrtcet]

Hi there. My brother joined the Marines when he was 18, straight out of high school. It was a goal of his, ever since his freshman year of high school. He is now barely 19 and is leaving for Iraq soon. It takes a certain kind of person to be a part of the military, but especially the Marines. My father was a Marine, my step-father was in the Army, and my step-brother was Army Reserve. The USMC is by far one of the toughest, if not THE toughest. The training is like NO other. All I can say is pray about it, and make the choice based on what YOU truly want. Once a Marine, always a Marine.

 

SEMPER FI

[easyguy]

Like the others have said, do your research. Never believe what the recruiters say. They are just trying to get you to sign up and send you off ASAP.

 

My best friend is thinking about going into the Marines, a hopeful of being a JAG officer. A lot of his family has been in war, in the Army, the Marines, Navy. Boot camp for the Marines isn't just physical stress, but extreme mental stress as well. Even if you don't end up fighting on the front lines like you see on the news, you still have to go through that.

 

Many years ago my uncle was in the Navy, and he had signed up to be in the kitchen, but they shoved him in the boiler room instead.

 

All I am saying is, accept your reality and realize at least some of what you are getting into. Someone can describe their war experiences to you, but I am sure it is much more powerful to be involved with it first-hand.

 

Also, you may want to give it some time just to think about it. This isn't something that you would want to commit to if it ended up being just a fleeting thought; a cry for help. If this is your way to "escape", perhaps you should look into other options, as it may end up not meeting your expectations.

[forza2]

its probably related to the fact that your GF left you, my friend's GF broke up w/him and he said he was gonna do that and now he thinks he's crazy. But do alotta research, talk to people who came back.

 

Rusty_boi had a point:

1) There is a good chance that if u do return from a war u may return missing limbs or having horrific injuries

2) If you do come home pefectly safe you would have witnessed horrific deaths and injuries

3) It will be a long time until you can have a girlfriend (I dont get this one)

4) You can't leave when you like

 

Good luck

[Dan629]

Thank you all for your advise. I am not only doing this because my g/f broke up with me. It is something I always dreamed of doing and she kinda helped push it over the edge. I have done a lot of research. This is something I have been looking into for years and I have talked to a lot of people and been browsing the net for the last few weeks. But what makes me better than the other men and women in Iraq who are dying for their country? I want to do something I will be recognized as. If people think I am an idiot for defending their country with my life then shame on them. This isn't something I just came up with this week. I have wanted to be a Marine since I was about 13. My Grandfather, my father and my brother were all Marines. I won't lie that if I could get into the Air Force I would probably take that route at this time in the war but I cannot. I don't have a high school diploma. Only a GED. But anyway I do appreciate all the advise and I will take time to make a decision. It is a shame that I am ready to go in right when this is going on but am I supposed to wait a year and hope things are more calmed down? What happens if I meet a new girl six months from now and she begs me not to go when the time comes? Or what happens if I get someone pregnant and have a child on the way? So many things can happen in the next year that will not allow me to join. Right now I have nothing going for myself. So I really don't see a better time. Also my recruiter is not making this decision for me. I know a lot of them lie and all but he has been pretty blunt and honest with me. He told me that if I join there is a good chance I will go to Iraq and a good chance I will have to kill a man to save my life. He didn't BS me about what its like over there. How can he? I watch the news I am not an idiot. I see the mental problems men have when coming back and the lost limbs and even deaths.

[Jetta]

Why not join the reserve force instead. I'd be listening to your brother and dad, both of whom have served. There's a lot of stuff that goes on that never gets mentioned. War isn't pretty. But again if you feel strongly about doing it then you should.