One of my employees has a son who just enlisted in the Marines

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

He's 18 y/o, she had been very worried about this, however, he decided that's what he wants to do. Yesterday, during a meeting, I received an urgent page from her. (she is one of our receptionists). Her son had been scheduled to go to boot camp, in San Diego, the end of next month. Well,the recruiter had just called him and told him to pack his stuff, the recruiter was the on the way to pick him up immediately and send him to boot camp that day. He called his mom, who was understandably distraught and needed to leave work to go home and say good bye. My heart just broke for her, it's such a scary time to be a parent. MKJ

[mmonk]

1. A story that will be repeated

quite a bit I'm afraid.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

4. We've had a few parents come to our office with their recently enlisted

kids and they ask the doctors to look for anything that might physically prevent them from serving in the military. One of those kids was scared to death at what he'd done, however, there was nothing wrong with him that would allow his physician to provide this documentation. Other kids we've seen are not worried, they think it's cool and some sort of glorified real life video game.
MKJ

[yzf_flyer]

14. I am new here and...

really do not want to step on any toes, but kids who enlist have plenty of opportunities to back out. At MEPS you can back out at any time before you are sworn in. Also, if you have already gone through MEPS, their doctors have already given you a complete clean bill of health.

I am proud of every kid who makes a decision to serve. Kids watch the news, they know a war is going on. How stupid must a kid be to believe that they can be gauranteed that they will not go to war. If you do not want to go to war, do not enlist.

I served with 3rd Ranger Battallion (Ranger Class 13-87) and was shot in the face in 1993. War is not pretty. Go to see it up close and I will never be the same.

I may wind up on the wrong side of this, but if a kid does not serve, I really do not hold anything against him. The service is not for everybody. But someone who joins and deserts? I see this as nothing less than cowardice deserving of permanent exile. Stay in Canada!

[goddess40]

2. I'm so sorry

Everyone needs to sit down with their kids and have a heart to heart about this. These young guys hear enough crap about joining up and sometimes their testosterone gets the better of them. Taking them to F9/11 might be a good place to start.

[Not Me]

3. She has a long road ahead of her...

Continue to be there for her.

As an aside, I was in college at the end of the Vietnam war. Although I was deferred while in school, I did not have a particularly high draft lottery number, and was considering enlisting after graduation so that I might have some choice in where and what I did.

One weekend I was coming home for a visit on a Greyhound bus, and sat with two guys who were in the Army and talked with them about it. Both of them said they had been outright lied to repeatedly in the recruitment process, and one of them outwardly swore that if he ever saw his recruiter again he would beat the crap out of him.

I graduated, and as it turned out the war wound down and I wasn't called up. But I was determined, after talking to them that I would not enlist.

(Strange...now that I am 'out' they wouldn't take me anyway!)

[luaneryder]

5. Recruiters lying! Nahhhh

My ex got a note from his parents in 1969 (he was 17) so he could join the Army. He went to the mall where all the recruitng stations were at the time, saw a guy in uniform and told him that he had come to join the Army. The guy in uniform said, "Come with me son." As my ex was signing the enlistment papers he said, "I don't want to go to Vietnam." The recruiter replied, "No way will you go." My ex ended up in the Marine Corps and within 7 weeks of enlistment was in VietNam where 80% of his company was wiped out. Recruiters lie?!

[Johnyawl]

7. somebodies spreading a load of bullshit...

I was in the Marines from 1968-1971. There's two BIG lies in that story:

1) to get from enlistment to Vietnam was AT LEAST 23 weeks. 8 weeks of bootcamp, 4 weeks of BITS (Basic Infantry Training), 4 weeks of AIT (Advanced Infantry Training), four weeks of Staging, and at least 20 days of leave prior to shipping overseas.

2) there was no battle in 1969 that the Marines were involved in where we lost 80% of a company.

Yeah, recruiters lie through their teeth, but so do a lot of veterans. I'd quit retelling your ex's stories, he's not a reliable source.

John
USMC 1968-71

[Zech Marquis]

6. whaaa?

Neve heard of THAT...doesn't sound too assuring either :-(

[recidivist]

8. Tell her to be proud of her son, support his decision, and ...

... make sure she is able to go to his graduation.

Her son has made an honorable choice and is embarking on a bigger challenge than most kids are willing to accept. I wish him well.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

10. I was active duty Army for five years, during mid 80's

and served honorably. I have great affection and respect for soldiers, and have some understanding of their sacrifice. When I joined, the Cold War was at its peak, and Germany was a front line, as well as, always, South Korea.

I was on alert for Honduras twice, however, I was not sent to any combat zones, but I met many who were combat vets (primarily Vietnam), and can't express the depth of my admiration and gratitude to all who served, and serve now.

That said, the ONLY reason I enlisted was because a couple a charming, charismatic recruiters got ahold of me during a period in my life when I was wondering what direction I wanted to take regarding education, career, etc. I did not join due to some higher calling, I joined because the recruiters did their job and cajoled, charmed and convinced me this was a great life decision and my chance of seeing combat was minimal. A lot of "promises" they made were complete falsehoods and that is what concerns me about recruitment tactics today.

I will support this young man's mother, but I share her anguish, and don't know if I can put a positive spin on this for her.MKJ

[Longhorn]

13. Thank you. I agree.

My son graduated from Marine boot camp in San Diego in January and is finishing his job training (tactical data network systems) at 29 Palms next month. We don't know where he's headed next.

We weren't thrilled about his decision to enlist since we do not at all support this war but we are proud of his desire to serve his country. He does not support the war, either, and I believe that's one reason he chose not to go into the infantry. He's going to go see F9/11 next weekend and I'll be very curious to find out what he thinks about it and his decision to be a Marine.

[ignatius]

9. My 15 year old nephew is taking summer school. He told me

last night that next week army and marine reserves were coming to talk to his class. He was excited about this.

I told him this war is real not video games and young men are dying. I cannot believe that the propoganda is starting to such a young audience. Nazi brownshirts, I am infuriated.

[proud patriot]

11. Oh dear lord

:cry:

[ShaneGR]

12. Today the Army announced they will be calling back....

Retired and disabled personnel when and if, at all, possible.