Hello. I was wondering if anyone could give me some guidance. For the longest time I've wanted to serve my country, after September 11th my will became greater. I am a senior in high school and for the better half of the year I had been fixed on enlisting into the Marines right after I graduated. After months of arguing with my parents and relatives I just gave in and am now all signed up at the University of Northern Iowa. Every day I feel resentment towards my parents. It is my life and I seriously need time away from Iowa and academics. I've told them how I fell, but they dont care. All they say is, "they will train you to kill!" I dont want you dying for those ******. They are all brainless, that is why they call them jarheads, are you willing to take a bullet for them". And so on. it angers me very much. I want to serve becasue of the sacrifice previous generations and our own. I also want the title of Marine. What should I do? I do want to go to college and will. Its not like im not, I would just be waiting 4 years until im out of the Corps. I know I could wait until I graduate college, but I would be an NCO, plus I dont feel I can wait that long. Or I could go through OCS but I dont want to be an officer. I want to experience it from the very bottom, and work up.

Anyway this is eating me up inside. Do you know anyone who was in my situation and what course they went?

Thank you.

fredg

HI,
Thank you for posting back, and letting us know how you feel, and your decisions. It's very nice to hear from you.
Bush's approval rating is now lower and lower and lower; many different reasons; Iraq being one of the primary ones.
I sincerely hope you are not sent over there. Approx. 25% of those returning have mental problems, diagnosed by Military Doctors. But, unfortunately, only about 1 in 5 of those are actually called back for help by the Fed. Gov't, and doctors! This info from the CNN Network news.
Our Fed. Gov't Veterans programs are really, really bad; not doing enough; not paying enough, taking care of widows and widowers! If this is what you intend to go through, I do wish you the very, very best. I get brochures everyday, through the US Mail, asking for more donations to the Paralyzed Veterans of America organization, and I can only donate so much. Maybe you can make a difference in the way our Federal Government, and the top Military persons, treat our Veterans, of any war.

Captain_Brown

Don't listen to your parents about that. If you want to go in the Marines, do it. Do whatever you want to do.

Emily

Terryv

I have an 18yo son who is dermined to join the Marines. I am a former Marine. I'm sure that has something to do with his decision and the fact that his whole life he heard me speek highly of my service and the Marinc Corps. Our only SUGGESTION to him is to check out the other branches. They may have a better offer for him.
The way I see it. He is old enough to make his own decisions. I may not agree but I support him. The mentality that we(parents) need to forever giide our children is not entirely correct. I give advice and guidence when mt son asks. He has to learn how to make decisions for HIS life.
The hardest thing I found when I joined was that no one understood. They could not. They were unable and unwilling. Some of US have such a strong patriotic desire to sevive our country. I say to "Thank you for your patriotism".
Consider what our freedon would be like if everyone that got resistance for enlisting stayed home? Those around you would change their mind real quick and ask you to go out and get our FREEDOM back.....

I say YOU make an intellegent and well informed decison. Then act on it. EVERYONE will respect you in the end. (they di for me when I feturned.)

Semper Fi,
Terry

somebodys sister

Perhaps this story will help:

My little brother was battling the same decision after high school. He ended up going to college to study electrical engineering (like my father . . . ) but was never happy with the decision, and brought up joining the military every Christmas. Finally, after three years and no degree, he followed his heart and joined the Army.

At first, my family was annoyed, anxious, and confused at his decision. I was even a little embarrassed, thinking that military was 'beneath' my family. But now, I know that I couldn't have been more wrong. Even though I'm not 100% excited about the Iraqi war, I am so proud of the man that he has become since he joined up. He is so much happier and more focussed. My whole family is proud, waits for his letters anxiously, and brags about his experiences. He's currently training to be a green beret!

army4life

I would not Join the Military. I seen fellow soldiers that have been in tours of Iraq. If I could go back I would not of joined. I am in the process of getting out right now. Go to College and finish it man. If they bring back the draft dont be afraid to go then. I sure wont be. But I would never just free willing sign on a contact with any branch of the Military Execpt maybe the Air Force.

warmachine_11

Weigh your decision very carefully. There is nothing the military can offer you that you cannot get on the civillian side, except perhaps lies and half truths. Be a patriot and get an education at the same time. What do you want in the end? A family, a job, a career? Military srvice is usually a mistake, those in the military will not admit that they made a mistake and some probably have not realized it yet. If you join, don't let it be a mistake. Do some research on both sides of the issue, not what a recruiter tells you. Try Army National Guard and good luck.

s2tp

patriot87

As an Army veteran of 5 1/2 years, and now in Afghanistan as a civilian contractor... I first want to appreciate your desire to serve our country. I have that very same desire, and it hurts me deeply when others downgrade us, our soldiers and go so far as to say they are 'ashamed to live in America'. I am ashamed of those not-so Americans, who cannot look past our president and see what America and its ancestors stand for. I am a true patriot in the respect that I stand for my country through all of the mistakes we have made. No other country is perfect, and no other country gives the support to others like the US does.

ok now that I am done with appreciating you, hehe, I want to advise you to follow where your desire leads you. My whole life I have wanted to be in the military. My dad was in the Navy, but died when I was 4 so I never really knew him, but I wanted to follow him. When it came time for me to graduate high school I was unsure of what to do. This was back in 2000, so the war was not even in site, but people still down talked the military, saying it was for those who couldnt make it through college....whatever. Well I didnt have a desire to go to college, and i didnt want to work at restaurants my whole life, so I enlisted.

That has been the best choice of my whole life. I learned a very valuable and profitable job doing Air Traffic Control. But most of all I learned what it is like to be a soldier, to train and be trained by others with one thing in common- defending our country. I would like to say everyone is as patriotic, but as you can see from Army4life above, some come to hate it cause there is a lot more that goes on. you get lazy NCO's above you, you get discrimination, you get BS duties, and when you become an NCO you will get lazy soldiers and have to give them BS duties....but its just how it is. The Army gave me so much in terms of maturity, knowledge, leadership, confidence, life-time friends, and memories that I will proudly share to my children and grand children someday.

As much as I loved the Army, I realized it was not going to satisfy me for life, or at least I am trying to make sure I can live without it. I am 4 years old, and all of the moving around and others moving etc, its hard to hold a relationship. I know thats probable one of the last things on your mind right now, but as I was turning 23, i felt like I should look into finding a more steady job so that I can fulfill my ultimate dream of having a family. I got out of the Army 7 months ago. The first few months were hard...not having to wake up and do PT in the morning, no more formations, so saluting or giving orders...but as much as I missed a lot of it, I felt relieved that I got out when I did. Not because of the war, but because a lot of people become dependant on the military, and then they dont know how to get out.

Well I ended up taking a contract job with the military, so I am now in Afghanistan among soldiers again, but without all that other BS.

Ok I didnt mean to turn this into a novel...lt me get more to the point... I did what i desired at the moment, and I have absolute no regrets. by taking this job over here, I get to be side by side with my countrymen, yet still plan better for my future. When I leave here I have 50k for college and an excellent job, all from the Army... and with plenty of time to go to college. You can even go to college while enlisted 100% free!

I know the feeling all too well of wanting to have the experience, of wanting to start from the bottom up. Even though going to college first, and being an officer is the wiser choice for a more secure future, I would not give up my choices to change and do it that way. The experience and memories are what is going to make my life and future all that much more rich

So, my advice is; follow your heart, but whatever you decide be sure to give it 100%. If you dont think you can give college 100% cause you desire the military, then I would advise to give the military your 100%, we need true Americans like yourself to give motivation to the rest of the troops.

I would go into the whole dying and fear of war, but I think I have written enough here...

Hooah and Semper Fi

CastawayChris

I wonder how different your desire to enlist would be if you had no protest from your family?

You mention you want the 'title' of a marine - but in reality a marine is not a title. I wonder if what you want, and what you are aiming to do are in fact the same thing.

doordie101

as a junior in high school myself, and coming from a long family of marines, my brother who got out two years ago, i suffer from the same choice as you. I wish to join the marines to protect the ones i love and care about. sadly the one person who i love the most doesnt want me to go. in my opinion the marine corps and military life are a great thing. i was considering going to a military college(the citadel) but then i realized that no matter were i go to college it would not be able to offer me what i am looking for in my life.


P.S. any one who says the "marine" isnt a title is dead wrong. it is a life long brotherhood, that one should always be honored to be apart of.

Auttajasi

A Marine IS a title and don't let anyone ever tell you anything differently. And it is a proud one to carry. I was a 17 year old recent high school graduate when I went to Marine Corps boot camp. I wouldn't trade my experiences for anything. Yea, it was hard. Yea, it sucked a good portion of the time. Yea, they will teach you things that the civilian sector won't teach you. Yea, you may not agree with some of your leaders, or the way things are done sometimes.
Bottom line is that, given how passionately you write about your desire to serve in the military, you should go for it. Know, however, that it will affect you for the rest of your life; in good ways and bad. I have never regretted the 8 years that I spent in the marines. If you go, never compromise who you are and what you stand for (marines may be known to make questionable decisions under the influence). You are still very impressionable at this age. Choose good friends to spend your off-duty time with, and it will make your service time much more enjoyable.