In need of advice

[LCpl Lamm]

Howdy,
Becoming a Marine and an Officer of Marines is my life goal and dream.
I am right now and will be 17 years of age when I graduate High School. I am going to college after High School and want to be in the USMC Reserves during college. My Dad won't sign the contract for me, so I have to wait to enlist until I'm 18. My birthday is September 21, a day before college starts in the fall, here in Oregon. I wanted to go to boot camp right after High School, end of June,then to SOI and just skip one semester of college, and start college in the Winter of 06, instead of the Fall of 06. But, since I have to wait until I'm eighteen, September, boot camp and SOI would make me skip two semesters of college, so I'd start college in the Spring of 2007. I don't know if even skipping one semester of college would be a good idea. So, I was thinking about the split option program. Would someone explain to me the split option program for me? And, if you'd recommend it or not?
But, now that I think of it, from the time I enlist, I'd ship off to boot camp 11 months later, since the local recruiting station is so small, and they're getting jam-packed with polees. So, if I enlist next September, I wouldn't be able to ship off untill 11 months from them, the August of 07.
So, to make it my point clear...
1. Could someone give me some advice as to what I should do as far as my Dad goes? How can I convince him to sign the contract?
2. Would someone explain the split-option program? Recommended or not?
3. Could it be possible for me to go to a bigger recruiting station and enlist, though its farther away? ( But, if it gets me shipped to boot within a month or so of enlisting, the extra gas is worth it).

I know some of you are gonna think I'm another kid wanting to go be Rambo. But, I know a lot of you know my intentions, as far as the Corps goes, so you know wy I want to join. I know the consequences of being the USMCR while in college. This is what I want to do. If I get deployed, I can always go back to school and finish getting my degree and become an Officer of Marines.
Thanks for any and all help.
Lamm

[Bronco1986]

1. what are the reasons your dad does not want you to join? if you give us those, then we can better answer your question.

[LCpl Lamm]

My Dad was a rifleman in the Army during Vietnam, a Drill Sgt in the USA Reseves, and a Training NCO in the USMCR. He's been around the block and knows what war is like. He does't want me to get hurt or killed, especially in a war like Iraq. He thinks its a BS war.
He doesn't want to "sign my death warrant", as he puts it.
Thats why.
I need help, I want to enlist and being the USMCR during college. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Lamm

[dvldogcandidate]

First of all, this war is quite a bit different than Vietnam, just look at the casualties. I'm sure your dad knows this though.

I know a lot of people that have been to Iraq and have come back alive both in the Army and the Marine Corps. It's not like signing a death warrant. I guess I have been lucky to not know anyone who has gotten killed or injured there, knock on wood.

It sounds to me that you're planning to spend some time in the Marine Corps, as you want to be an officer after enlisting. No way around it, if you join the Marines, you're accepting an amount of danger. The longer you're in, the greater the chance that you're going to be in some type of conflict.

Anyway, one way you could make yourself non-deployable is to get a NROTC scholarship with the Marine Corps. I really don't know the specifics, but I know they're hard to get. If your grades are good, it might be something to look into.

[ASUMarine]

All right this is info coming from and Marine Reservest going to school myself. First, my dad served in the Corps during Vietnam, and when I TOLD him that I was enlisting he was pissed. He always said that I should join the Air Force. Your dad doesn't want you to be in a potentially bad situation but thats because he cares about you and doesn't wanna see you get hurt. It does come down in the end to the fact that its your decision. As for the Reserves the first thing to look at is going to be what your local reserve unit's job is. Are they 03 infantry, 1300 engineers, 0600 comms, this makes a difference because it means weither or not you'll get deployed. The grunt units are going for their third and forth tours, however the other units aren't. My unit is Bulk Fuel Co. C they spend 7 months in the middle of the Iraqi desert during the initial invasion haven't been back and probably won't. There just isn't a use for bulk fuelers in Iraq since its all civilian contracts now. Also my unit is the largest unit in the entire Marine Reserves so to activate us is quite expensive. Next there are porgrams that you can do in the reserves that make you undeployable. There is what is called the Incremantal Reservest or 92-Day Reservest. This means that you goto boot camp once summer graduate then goto college, and drill with your unit like regular. The next summer you goto your MOS school, graduate go back to school and drill with your unit. Your third summer you goto MCT then go back to school and to your unit. You are not deployable unit you graduate MCT. That means that 2 years of your 6 year enlistment are non-deployable. If your unit does get acitivated while you are undeployable then the Corps will send you to make up any training that you haven't done yet and send you back home to your reserve base to paint rocks. (it happened to guys in my unit when it was activated). The catch to this program is that it isn't offered to high school students that means that you have to graduate high school and goto school (anywhere) for a semester before you can goto boot camp. Plus, you have to be enrolled somewhere too. In the reserves there is also the PLC program that will get you your commision.

Go talk to a recruiter. They are lying bastards but they have the info. Tell him that you are going to enlist but you want the following things. Just remember that your recruiter works for you and you own him not the other way around. If you think he's lying then get a new recruiter. Talk to the people in this forum too there are some great resources here.

[Covertness]

How to deal with your dad is a question of your relationship with him. Proceeding from the assumption that he was drafted I'd ask him why he just didn't get out when his time was done. The answer to that question is likely to be the very reason you want to join. Unless he's willing to admit that his service was a mistake.

You've decided on your course in life. It will happen. He is only delaying that action. Doesn't want to sign your death warrant? Did he sign for you to get a driver's liscense? How many kids die each year on the roads? Bottom line, you've decided on your path in life. He can help you or hinder you. His refusal to sign will only serve to delay your path by a couple of months. As a Soldier, he should understand. I would appeal to the inevitability of your decision and your committment to service. Time for him to cut the apron strings and let you leave the nest.

good luck

[Ram0528]

Well said Covert.

Lamm, worst case scenario is that you wait a few months.

[LCpl Lamm]

Thanks for the advice. Worse case scenario, yeah, I'll have to wait another year to join the Corps. Its well worth the wait.
My recruiter said to start talking to my Dad nightly about me joining the Marines. He said just keeping bugging him until he breaks and realizes how much I really do want to be a Marine and an Officer of Marines, and hopefully when does, he'll sign the papers.
And, about my recruiter lying to me, I've already been thinking about that. He told me there's only Engineer Reserve Units in Oregon, which I think is true, because I did go to the Marine Forces Reserve website and only Engineer Units show. But, a buddy of mine said his sister's boyfriend is in the Reserves up here and is in the Infantry. And, that kid is about the sign the papers to be in the USMCR here in Oregon, Infantry. So, I don't know who to believe. But, maybe I misunderstood my recruiter, but I did ask him 3-4 times. So, I am thinking of calling up a bigger recruiting station here in Oregon, and 1-800-MARINES, to confirm any information I'm given. And, ofcourse, I am going to ask y'all to confirm the information I get too.
I really want to join after High School, go to boot camp and then SOI, and start college. But, I'll just have to wait, go to college right after High School, and enlist when I turn 18, and go to boot camp and SOI as soon as I can.
And, hopefully, when I do that, my Dad doesn't refuse to sign any papers I need him to sign for college, financial aid, and that stuff.
About my Dad, he knew he was going to get drafted, so he enlisted. Army Rifleman during Vietnam. Army Reserve Artillery and Drill Sgt. after Vietnam, Radio Comms in the Air National Guard, and a Training NCO in the USMCR. As far as my relationship with him, its good for the most part. He's impatient which can make it very difficult to talk to him about things he's not very fond of.
Thanks for all you help,
Lamm

[Vulture6]

But, a buddy of mine said his sister's boyfriend is in the Reserves up here and is in the Infantry.

Now there's a trail of information that is bound to be trustworthy...

Seriously, a reserve engineer unit may well find many 03s among it's ranks. The difference is that these Marines were 03s on active duty, got out and joined their local reserve unit. They are then assimilated into engineering duties. The opposite is rarely true - they don't bring you into the reserve unit at the entry level and pay to train you in a different mission. The Corps may be a little screwed up, but not THAT screwed up!

[Vulture6]

1. Could someone give me some advice as to what I should do as far as my Dad goes? How can I convince him to sign the contract?

No doubt, the discussions that you will have (and have had) with your Dad will be tough.

In order to understand some of what is going through his mind, and better understand his concerns, go read this Journal beginning to end (all three pages). After you read it, go to this thread and read it beginning to end, and definitely read all of it (all three pages). Before you say - "I know I could die and I'm okay with that" - read it all. Death is only one possibility, as is being permanently maimed, physically crippled, or emotionally crippled. All I am suggesting, is that you look at it from your Dad’s point of view, imagine walking in his shoes, and you will better understand and empathize.

Lamm - I know that you've read this in many of my posts -- it isn't necessarily about you. If you are going to take on a role as a leader of Marines, you have to put a lot of other people and their concerns ahead of your own. Your father's included.

After reading these, you'll better understand some of your Dad's spoken and unspoken concerns, and that may make your discussions more coherent, better thought out, and more productive.

[LCpl Lamm]

Vulture, I'm at school right now, so I'll read the two links you gave me after school.
But, as for your first post, as far as I know, my buddy's sister's boyfriend is at an Infatry Reserve Unit, here in Oregon. I'm gonna have to do some more research on the whole Infantry here in Oregon. Like I said, the recruiter said there are none, and the Marine Forces Reserves website doesn't show any Infantry Units. But, then there's my buddy's story...not sure what to believe.
Thanks,
Lamm