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.

Fr_Chuck

Why don't you want to be an officer, the pay is much better, and they still teach you to kill. ( seriously they teach you to kill)

Your parents don't beleive in the war we are in, and perhaps not in war at all. Sadly if too many people beleive that way, soon we won't fight and end up being taken over by some other nation.

So why not go into the ROTC program, you get your college paid for and graduate an officer and in the military. As a Lt you will be right there with your troops in the fight.

No matter if you are an officer or enlisted, after so many years you will promote up to a rank and also get too old to be active in the front with the troops. My son is about there now, After about 12 years he has saw about every where the Middle East has to show, He was on the ground in Bagdad when they went in and went door to door. But a time comes when you can't, and if the only skill you have is kiling, living off the land and following orders, not much of a choice.

so I would say if you can get into a ROTC program go for it.

I was an officer and you can't ask for a better position in service.

bizygurl

Hi Patriot87-Im sorry to hear about the situation your in. On one hand I can empathize with your family in not wanting you to go, but I would be more concerned about you being killed rather than you killing someone else or being labeled as a "jar head"--that notion I dont understand.

But despite what your families feelings are about this, you are an adult and someone that can make adult decisions. You obviously know what becoming a Marine is going to entail and it sounds like your ready to do it. Its your life,hun, if this is a strong desire that you have in your heart than do what you need to do even if it means having your family disappointed in you. This is for you not them. College will always be there. You can go back anytime you want.

All Im saying is if this is torment for you then you won't be happy until you do this. Good luck to you, I hope it works out in the end.

tkrussell

Wow! What a question. My jaw is on the desk. Not because of the context of the question, but because of the maturity of the concept.Well delivered. A bit shocking, or maybe more sombering, but filled me with pride of our youth.

I feel the need to cut to the chase. Ask all the advice you can, look hard at all sides, weigh the pros and cons, collect every piece of info available, and ask for opinoins. But the fact is the descision is solely up to you.

Make a descision based on the path that will satisfy you. That is what is great about this country, the freedom to do as you see fit, legally of course.

I am a bit envious also, I was not , shall I say, wide awake enough to see the opprotunities available to me at that age. But I do feel sorrowful that you must deal with emotions over the parents. Cannot say I blame them. Consider what their sacricfice will be for them.

Being a dad for three myself, I cannot imagine the pain a parent feels losing a son or daughter, or maybe I never think about it intentionally.

The choices that have you waiting seem to have their benefits, however your insistance to start from the bottom is refreshing, and admired. We need to remember that the pictures we have in our minds of our young adults are the minority and the majority are fine young men like yourself.

Since no matter which path you take seems to end up with you in our military, I salute you. I hope I have helped a bit to at least get you to think it out the best you can, and take the path makes the most sense to you.

klmgb

Partiot87
I can understand, believe me. I dropped my son off at the MEPS just a week ago for his journey to Parris Island. Even though I have retired from the military I (and his mother) were dead sent against him going. I fear for him in these times. But, as he told me " I don't want to grow old and wonder WHAT IF", so he's gone. With our full support. YOU DO NOT have to join the military to show your patriotism. It is a noble calling, but not for everyone. You can learn a trade in the Marines, but ususally if you want to join the Marines (versus a different branch of the military) it is for reasons other than learning a trade. And I don't mean to learn to kill. Usually something inside just make it feel like its the right thing to do. William (my son) had the same feelings about wanting to advance from the bottom up, felt he'd be a much better leader that way. There are programs to advance to officer from the enlisted ranks, not easy, but can be done. PM me if you have any questions. I do not want to you to think that I THINK JOINING IS GREAT. Each person has to make their own decision.

Patriot87

Thank you all for your replies.



I can see that my parents are very worried about me. Some days they had tears in their eyes on the thought of me joining. I haven’t said a word about it for a month or two now, and to tell you the truth I am terrified of bringing it up again, very terrified.

klmgb ~ "YOU DO NOT have to join the military to show your patriotism."

My dad has told me the exact same thing, and I know it is true Being patriotic is much more than just military service, it's just the manner I myself want to do it.

tkrussell,
My father had me speak to some military guys he knew. One was an Army officer in the Airborne, another was an enlisted Marine who went to college and became an Officer in the Rangers, and he also became a Ranger helicopter pilot who just so happened to be apart of the Mogadishu conflict. All of them were very interesting and I took their advice seriously. Basically what it boiled down to was there are more opportunities as an officer, which didn’t surprise me. This didn’t change me though.

Fr Chuck,
The reason I don’t want to be an officer is because;

My college does not provide a Navy ROTC where I can pick the Marine option, it only has Army ROTC. I honor the Army as well, I know they are just as honorable and yes they don’t get enough credit, but I want to be a Marine.
I'm really not planning on joining the Marines for the benefits. No doubt going the officer route is smart, like Fr Chuck said, better pay, and it is just as honorable as enlisting. Although If I was going for benefits I would go Air Force and there would be absolutely nothing wrong with that. I want to go for the service, the experience, and adventure. I know some days I may be cold, hot, wet, tired, hungry, fet up, wish I never joined, but that wont matter, I know some of these thing will come, its apart of "service".

bizygurl, I feel exactly how you described it, I will be tormented until I do it. I do believe disappointing my parents is the way this will go. Trying to speak in a logical manner with them doesn’t work.

Thank you all again on your insight. This stuff has been building up inside me and it feels like I’m releasing a little pressure.

jc105

I personally think this war, and just about all of them are a little rediculous.

Do you worship money? Is it your God? Will money guide a war that thousands die in? Remember what your fighting for when it comes to Iraq amigo. (Note: My brother is in Iraq for the 5th time right now).

My point is that currently our country fights for things that are loosely defined and commonly lied about. I live in NY and felt 9-11 just as hard as anyone, but Iraq DID NOT BOMB US! Whatever your reasons for fighting are they are not why we are there.

Personally if you do want to join, go to school first so your an officer when you get in. Look into tuition re-imbersment and what-not, or reserves.

So conclusion, really...REALLY look at the reasons we are at war and decide if out gov't is in this war for the good of the people (Oh and I mean the people of our country, which if true, means we should've left Iraq before we got in) Our national debt cap was just raised to $9 TRIL. because of Katrina and Iraq. That doesn't sound like good of our country.

Oh and Chuck I think it was...

We don't have to invade other countries to stop ourselves from being taken over. We could've spent all the money that we wasted in Iraq on paying for domestic security and NOT going to war. Imagine paying 30,000 troops everyday to guard our planes, trains and buses. Doesn't that sound more secure than sending all those resources to another country?

Yeah, thats how you don't get taken over, by making intelligent decisions and our commander-in-chief is in no position to make decisions on lunch let alone national security.

JC

phillysteakandcheese

I must have missed this question when it first came out ....

I believe that military service is never a mistake (in a free country, anyways!).

Others point out the benefits of education, learning a trade skill, and advancement opportunities that are available.

I believe that the military is the only place some people can learn the skills to become a “person of quality”. Self-control, self-respect, team building, honor, courage, sacrifice … These are skills taught through military service.

A standing military force – especially like the US military – is absolutely necessary and a stabilizing factor on the world. The particular situation in Iraq, you may or may not agree with.

fredg

HI,
At 64 yrs old, married 29 yrs, with 3 college degrees, and now retired, I would personally advise anyone to go to college first. College is a place of growing, learning who you are, making friends, becoming more wise, in the sense that one learns more, being able to make better decisions.
After graduation, you would then be in a better position to decide what to do.
There is absolutely nothing wrong in wanting to serve your Country! Serving one's country can be done in many ways, not just joining the Military. At any rate, please wait to join the Marines, until you have a little more "life" under your belt.

Patriot87

Hi all,

I thought I would give an update on my situation. Not one day has passed without me thinking about military service.

I plan on enrolling in Army ROTC at my university, and also being apart of the Marine PLC program in the summer, both which are officer programs. I will get a feel for both services and take it from there.


jc105, I thank your brother for his service. Geezz 5 times, is he a Marine?

I agree with you that this war is not right and seems to have made the hate for the U.S. grow. But... I have always wanted to join the military.
what almost all of the guys, and gals serving in combat say is they are fighting for eachother. They aren't fighting for Bush or the politicians, it's for the guy next to you. So I guess why I want to join is for the brotherhood and to support those poor guys stuck over there like your brother.

"Imagine paying 30,000 troops everyday to guard our planes, trains and buses. Doesn't that sound more secure than sending all those resources to another country?"

(According to Bush...) We invaded Iraq for WMD's. We were'nt worried about being over run, we were worried about Saddam giving a nuke to a terrorist to come here are kill Americans. Now obviously a mistake was made, which is incredibly unacceptable. Using National Guard troops to guard isn't a bad Idea, but you just cant be in every spot. Sometimes you have to fight at the source.