Son wants to join the Marines

[Fausto]

Join as an officer

This. Get him into VMI or something.

 

[Texashiker]

WHY does he want to join my Corps?

My sons exact words were "he wants to make something of himself"

I find military a retarded idea if the alternative is college with good grades and you can pay for it.

Serving your nation is retarded?

Your comments are probably a good example of the majority of kids these days. There was once a time when serving in the military was an honor. These days its retarded?

Were the people that died in the revolutionary war retarded? Were the people who died at pearl harbor retarded?

 

[ichy]

This. Get him into VMI or something.

VMI != joining the military.

 

[Patranus]

What other career opportunities does he have and if he is planning on going to college, how is he going to pay for it?

The military is a GREAT way to pay for education as well was get practical jobs skills.

 

[Fausto]

VMI != joining the military.

You get a solid education and you walk out the door an officer. All I'm saying is that this is the way to go about a military career in my opinion.

 

[dainthomas]

My sons exact words were "he wants to make something of himself"

Nothing wrong with that. Worst case scenario, he figures out what he wants and goes to college four years later with the resources to pay for it rather than going into debt for decades.

Still say you should talk him into Navy though.

 

[ichy]

I know that the Navy worked out pretty well for my girlfriend's brother. He was an aircraft mechanic in the service, and when he got out he got a good job fixing planes for a military contractor. A middle class living without a college degree is nothing to sneeze at nowadays.

Obviously it doesn't work that way for everyone, and if you're smart make sure you get it IN WRITING that you'll be sent to some kind of meaningful technical training. Seriously though, you should ask this on a more military oriented forum.

 

[Texashiker]

What other career opportunities does he have and if he is planning on going to college, how is he going to pay for it?

He is talking about going into engineering.

If he does go to college, it will probably be at the local community college, because we can not afford to send him to an expensive school. Or rather, I do not want to send the family into debt for college.

 

[Fausto]

He is talking about going into engineering.

If he does go to college, it will probably be at the local community college, because we can not afford to send him to an expensive school. Or rather, I do not want to send the family into debt for college.

So do the CC and get him into the ROTC program (assuming they have one)?

 

[ichy]

You get a solid education and you walk out the door an officer. All I'm saying is that this is the way to go about a military career in my opinion.

VMI is not run by the US military, and while many of its students do do ROTC and then become officers it's not a requirement. The service academies are a much better choice than places like VMI or The Citadel, although getting in is very competitive. It's also possible to go to a normal college and become an officer through ROTC without putting up with all the BS that comes from a place like VMI.

 

[Fausto]

VMI is not run by the US military, and while many of its students do do ROTC and then become officers it's not a requirement. The service academies are a much better choice than places like VMI or The Citadel, although getting in is very competitive. It's also possible to go to a normal college and become an officer through ROTC without putting up with all the BS that comes from a place like VMI.

Is this your opinion based on personal experience or otherwise? Just curious.

 

[soulcougher73]

Why would he want to defend this screwed up country?

<-- ex military, didnt know better at the time

No way id do it now or again.

 

[Texashiker]

So do the CC and get him into the ROTC program (assuming they have one)?

CC??? As in credit card??

My son took a couple of ROTC classes at high school. I dont know if that means anything in the real world.

 

[Fausto]

CC??? As in credit card??

My son took a couple of ROTC classes at high school. I dont know if that means anything in the real world.

Community College. Keep it cheap, do the ROTC, if a military career ends up not being his cup of tea, he's got an education to fall back on for a civillian career.

 

[ichy]

Is this your opinion based on personal experience or otherwise? Just curious.

The latter part is my opinion. The first bit (about VMI not being affiliated with the military) is fact.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Military_Institute#Military_service

VMI cadets have to participate in ROTC but about half don't go into the military.

 

[Fausto]

The latter part is my opinion. The first bit (about VMI not being affiliated with the military) is fact.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Military_Institute#Military_service

VMI cadets have to participate in ROTC but about half don't go into the military.

Ah. I just threw VMI out there as my wife's grandad was an alum and went on to become a full-bird Colonel. His badassery is my frame of reference for that particular school.

 

[ichy]

CC??? As in credit card??

My son took a couple of ROTC classes at high school. I dont know if that means anything in the real world.

High school is JROTC (which is meaningless nonsense) not ROTC.

ROTC is kind of pointless unless you're actually joining the service.

 

[ichy]

Ah. I just threw VMI out there as my wife's grandad was an alum and went on to become a full-bird Colonel. His badassery is my frame of reference for that particular school.

There are plenty of badasses who go there, but I never quite got the point of a place like VMI. If you want to put up with all the hazing and other stuff that goes on at a military university you might as well do the real thing and go to one of the service academies. Academically West Point, Annapolis & the AF Academy are head & shoulders above VMI or The Citadel.

 

[SP33Demon]

ROTC so he gets his education first.

 

[DominionSeraph]

Some basic things:
If a school/job isn't in the enlistment contract, there is no weight whatsoever in that direction. The Marines may not even contract for those. (When I joined neither the Army nor Air Force could guarantee any sort of advanced training. The Navy could, and with my 99 ASVAB I had the pick of the litter, so that's what I went with. [We had no local Marine recruiter so I have no idea about them])

He should be prepared to have pretty sucky pay at the start. Especially the first paycheck -- your seabag comes out of your pay, so he may see something like a $20 paycheck after being run into the ground for two weeks (and those first weeks of boot camp seriously feel like months).
Base pay for an E-1 with less than four months looks to be $1379. After taxes, FICA, GI Bill, and SGLI, he's probably looking at around $400 every 2 weeks. (Better than the $197 I was clearing back in '97, though)

(Definitely teach him some fiscal responsibility. It was standard at NTC Great Lakes for military kids that age to get paid on Friday and be penniless on Saturday. They do nothing but impulse buy)

He should be prepared for pay inequality. The military does not believe in equal pay for equal work -- a married E-1 with a few kids back home will likely be getting paid 5 times as much as him.

When I joined Texas gave free tuition at state schools to their resident ex-servicemenbers. Do they still do that?

 

[al981]

My 17 year old son wants to join the Marines. This is something he has talked about for over a year.

When I was 17 and 18 I wanted to join the Army and try out for Special Forces, but my mom and dad had nothing but bad stuff to say about the military. Plus, I planned to get married and I do not think the military is the place for a married person.

Now that I am grown and facing the same dilemma that my parents faced, I do not want to discourage my son like my parents did me.

I guess there comes a point when a parent has to let their children go, and hope the best for them.

Any Marines out there that can offer advice to a parent?

if he's alright with fighting for oil, go for it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFbpKKOEnAE

good luck to your son.

 

[Baked]

Even if you join as an office, it won't prevent you from driving over a landmine and have shrapnel shoot up your butt and into your guts, tearing thru all your tissues and nerves, and making you a cripple.

 

[Fausto]

Even if you join as an office, it won't prevent you from driving over a landmine and have shrapnel shoot up your butt and into your guts, tearing thru all your tissues and nerves, and making you a cripple.

Someone has to carry a gun so you have the freedom to bitch about your property taxes on the internet, bro.

 

[dr150]

Not a Marine, my advice is to talk to him and ask him his reasons for joining, and have a discussion about it.

Also, remind him to take what the recruiter says with a grain of salt, and if promises are made, get it in writing.

QFT.

You should advise your son that whatever promises he's been made are worth shit.

Once he signs, his pound of flesh is theirs to use in ANY way they deem fit. You are basically cattle to their fickle whims and desires.

As someone who's joined the military (2 different branches), they ALWAYS break any promises made to you at some point....to you and your fellow military colleagues. Frustration is high and is a reason why many don't reenlist--especially the gung-ho non-thinking man's culture of the Marines.

If he wants training/job options that he can transfer to the real world, with less chance of injury to his person, then the Air Force would be his best bet by far.

 

[Baked]

Someone has to carry a gun so you have the freedom to bitch about your property taxes on the internet, bro.

... All I was saying is that being an office will not keep you safe on the battle field. Way to take everything out of context.