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View Full Version : How to convince parents?



will1226
07-21-11, 03:17 PM
I am almost 15 and I am a freshman in high school. I have wanted to be a Marine since 5th grade. I know Freshman year is a little early to worry about enlisting, but I have a Dad who hates the idea completely, and my Mom is like 50/50. I know for a fact that if I enlisted, my mom would support me, but my Dad is acting like he would disown me. I will certainly enlist when the time comes, but I would like to introduce them to the idea appropriately. My Dad only respects officers and he thinks enlisted are like trash and only join to go to college and other bs like that. I know two SSGT's and they are fine people, NOT TRASH. Would any Marines out there have any advice for convincing my father that enlisting is ok?

03Mike
07-21-11, 03:19 PM
Will - please fill out your profile if you expect Marines to take time to answer your question / offer advice.

Once you do that, please try utilizing the search function at the top of the page, as we have all written volumes on this subject in the past couple of months.

GreenRam
07-24-11, 03:11 AM
Hey buddy, you're 15. I knew I was ready to be a Marine when I was 12 but I also knew things could change. That's great you have goals and a plan, a lot of 15 year olds just want to smoke weed and party and throw away scholarships. For right now, keep your nose clean and stay out of trouble, stay in school and out of trouble. 2 years will go by in a flash, you can enlist at 17 as a junior. I did. Haven't looked back since. Still a lot of my old friends still working at the local burger shack and doing drugs.

Yonkers
07-24-11, 07:30 AM
Think long and hard about it and when you're 17 go to your parents and tell them that you're signing up either way and it would be more benefitial for them to sign the papers for consent at 17 as it gives you the opportunity to go through all the training at a young age and then be in the fleet at like 18 years old..
I'm 19 right now... finally in the fleet after a year of training... and I love it... I got my parents consent by sitting them down and telling them I've already made up my mind about this and them not signing for me really doesn't matter... cause guess what? At 18 you can make your own decisions.

CplLakota
07-24-11, 01:32 PM
Will, as my fellow Marines have said what your doing right now is the best thing for you. And then at 17, with your folks signature, Delayed Entry Program, is the best the Military has to my knowledge. As for the enlisted ranks, and your fathers attitude, with all due respect to your father. Most smart Officers will tell you that NCO's and SNCO's are the backbone of the Corps.

will1226
07-24-11, 01:55 PM
Thanks for all the advice, I appreciate it.