How to Tell the Parents

Syrus The Virus · 07-04-2006, 01:59 PM

In my situation i have just completed 2 semesters at my college. i am studying to go into criminal justice. anyhow after completing this year i really have gained the want to join the marine corps more then ever. for 1 my discipline and confidence needs some working and 2 i really want to serve my country.

but the problem existed of how to tell my mom. parents are divorced and my mother (provider) hates my father who is the only one who supports me going into the military. but i owe it to this lady who raised me to be the man i am to tell her what is going on. she said her role in her life is to get me through college and get me into a career. when i bring up the marines, she totally flips out! but the problem is, i want to go into S.W.A.T. in law enforcement. well the major city S.W.A.T. teams require military service. this puts me in the situation that i need to serve at some point to get to the end goal of where i want to go. which is why my passion is into joining a FAST company.

Looking now i am turning 20 in october. so that means by the time my enlistement is up i will be 24 with tons of experience under my belt and i will have 2 years approximatly to work on my degree. but i figured i could join the police out of the military(which i dont think should be hard) and then work on my degree while i am serving with the police. that way i get police education compensation and the G.I. Bill money. so really it seems like this plan will work out like butter. but i have backups case shit hits the fan.

But the real question is, how would i tell my mom that this will be my last semester in school before i want to ship off to boot. i talked to a buddy of mine who joined the marines and he had a similar problem. he said tell em and watch the firework show begin. then a couple of days later crap cools down. i just wondered how i can tell her that i want to stop schooling and and go to the corps.

any feedback is good! lol i know these questions prolly get old. but advice from u guys means alot to us youngens! ty again

-SYRUS THE VIRUS

p.s. the reason i want to be in the marine corps is because i will gain the confidence and self assurance that i will make the right choice when it comes to a millisecond response. i feel to be the best S.W.A.T. officer i can be, the marines will help improve me the most to fit the job title. reason why i am thinking marines before college. plus i plan on getting married and getting military worked out before i get older and married, will help.

Panzerman · 07-04-2006, 02:03 PM

"Mom, I joined the Marine Corps this morning."

Worked for me. If she freaks out, whatever. She can't un-sign your contract.

Syrus The Virus · 07-04-2006, 02:06 PM

LMFAO!!! that is funny. i could just see the explosion of fury. but wasn't sure if i needed to be more in depth then that or if being blunt really is the solution. hehe

Panzerman · 07-04-2006, 02:17 PM

Why would you need to be more in-depth? No matter what you think, your mother already knows you, and if you tell her you joined the Marines, she's gonna understand regardless of how much it frightens her or pisses her off. Just get it out there.

AmericanGirl · 07-04-2006, 02:33 PM

Tell her just what you told us, that your career goals require military service and you want to be one of the best, a Marine and you have decided to enlist and that you hope she will support you.

USMCRET6391 · 07-04-2006, 02:53 PM

I agree with Panzer, but tell her before hand. Like on the way to the recruiting office. Take her with you and let her meet the recruiters, it might help some if she sees they arent devils with two heads.

Syrus The Virus · 07-04-2006, 04:28 PM

alright cool! i think that is what i should do then. just tell her what i said here and hope its enough to keep her at ease. but i guess in the end im not here to make her happy as much as i am here to make myself succeed. either way im sure she will be proud. ty again for ur guys' feedback.

-SYRUS THE VIRUS

p.s. its funny how sometimes we find ourselves trying to please other people and keep them happy that we lose track of ourselves sometimes. hehe

Bronco1986 · 07-04-2006, 05:16 PM

Quote:

but i figured i could join the police out of the military(which i dont think should be hard) and then work on my degree while i am serving with the police.

you may want to do a little mre research on that. Most departments require at least a 2 yr. associates degree and many now require a 4yr. bachelor degree. Military service, from what i have read and been told, is no longer a substitute for a degree. Plus, depending on the area, the job opportunites are pretty competitive. Dont "figure" on anything, check it out and make sure.

Quote:

so really it seems like this plan will work out like butter.

plans are great, but things change. who knows, maybe you'll stay in the Corps longer than predicted and never go back to school. maybe you'll never get the chance to go SWAT. wont know til your there. Your planning on stepping into a highly competitive world, the ball may not always roll your way.

Anyways, good luck, I do hope it all works out for you.

p.s. your mom will come around eventually.

Panzerman · 07-04-2006, 08:02 PM

Don't know where you heard that Bronco, but it goes against everything the police recruiters running around base here have been telling us for the last six months.

Syrus The Virus · 07-04-2006, 08:48 PM

yeah i can totally agree with what ur saying bronco. that was one holdback to me deciding whether to go marines first or after college. i am thinkin that i want to be in the corps at a earlier age and work with that and use the G.I. bill to help pay for college after i get out. i figured there are 2 options after i get out.

1. i go into the police straight out of military and work on degree while in police.

2. i go to school full time on g.i. bill and then go police.

benefit to being police and going school same time, is that i can use the G.I. bill and the police education fund to help pay for school and whatnot.

but yes i agree i will do a little more research and make sure those facts are straightened out.

anyhow i do appreciate ur feedback. if you have anymore feel free to shoot it at me!

also i figure having a plan is better then having no plan. my real dream is to be a S.W.A.T. officer. so to compete in a competitive world i need a plan and have a course of action to beat them out. im working with a lot of variables but i am young and invincible

hehe but still keeping open minded.

-SYRUS THE VIRUS

AmericanGirl · 07-04-2006, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Don't know where you heard that Bronco, but it goes against everything the police recruiters running around base here have been telling us for the last six months.

I know Houston PD is screaming for police officers, the city is growing faster than they can hire. I think you may have to go through some training, and meet an age requirement but I dont think they require a degree right now, although that may change.

Panzerman · 07-05-2006, 12:01 AM

I know the guy who heads tactical team for the department back home - he told me they'd take me for their SWAT team in a heartbeat just because of the combat experience.

I think I'm gonna apply with Blackwater instead, though. That should leave me with enough free time to go back to school - can't get that while working as a cop.

**SGRock** · 07-05-2006, 07:06 AM

Syrus-
first and foremost, Capitalize our title and our service, Marine Corps. Simple mistake for young civilians.
Secondly, talk to the police department. Make sure it is not one of those small southern town police departments where they want YOU to pay for your own police training before they even consider hiring you.
The police departments around here (Georgia and South Carolina) are very particular. They don't care if you have three MOH's, saved the world and got g