My situation

[sec9]

Alright, long ago ( a little over a year) I was 17 and a senior in High School. I had been talking to a recruiter down here, took the asvab etc. Back then I was enrolled to attend college in Washington, and I was planning on getting surgery done. However as some of you may know insurance companies make everything miserable so I had not yet been approved for my surgery. I was recommended by my orthodontist to get the surgery because my bite was never properly fixed as child going through braces. Now the way I bite is grinding down my back teeth and causing some pain in my jaw. The surgery is now scheduled to take place this July. Have not got a set date yet, but basically July. Since my jaw will be broken and repositioned by a few milimeters to correct my bite, I will need a few months of recovery time. I have already talked to my oral surgeon and orthodontist and told them of my desire to get the process done as soon as possible. My orthodontist being ex military himself is being really helpful and agreed to speed up my process as fast as possible, and should I get the surgery in July he said I could be ready to go by Spring/Summer 09.

Back in summer 07 I was talking to a recruiter and told him all of this, but when I went to college out of state I lost touch with him. I have no doubt he thinks I am a flake because if I was in his position I would think that too. Anyways I am back from school now. I decided that if I was to stay there I would be taking my life further away from a chance to become a Marine. Now I am dedicated to getting this surgery done and recovering as fast as possible then finally starting my life.

So far I have not made contact with the recuiters because I dont want to make the same mistake I made last time and lead them on to think I am ready to join right away. But since it is getting closer to getting all this stuff together I am wondering if I should contact the recuiter again to see what he thinks I should do, like when to DEP in etc. Also should I talk to the recuiter I talked to before I left for college (the one I lost touch with) or start fresh with a new one. Or do you think I should just wait till my surgery is all done and I am all healed up to start talking to a recruiter again?

I pretty much just sit around all day long and workout. I dont even want to get this surgery but have gotten so far a long in process and have been told over and over again by my doctor and orthodontist that Its better I get it done at a young age rather than wait till later in life when more sever problems may develop. I just want to get to boot camp as fast as possible and become a Marine. I kind of feel like I just wasting time right now sitting but dont have a choice at this point. Any advice on what I should do with the recruiters would be appreciated. I want to get things done right, and not waste the recruiters time again so I just wondering when would be the best time to talk with them.

[Big Jim]

If your Doctor's are advising you to get that surgery...then get it. Because there ain't no doubt when you get all set to go take your physicals for enlistment, the MEPS Dr.s will find the problem and DQ you. Then you'll have to start all over, which may or may not ever come again. You should have taken care of this surgery as soon as possible if you wanted to join the Marine Corps...sounds like a little cold feet on your part because if you were talking to a recruiter...why would you not make your decision then and there to fix your problem and enlist? Or was the Marine Corps a safety net for your life?

A far as the recruiters go...just wait until you're all healed up and given a clean bill of health by your Doctors and then go talk to a recruiter, any recruiter, and start the processing of enlisting, ok? regardless of what you tell the recruiter or any recruiter...it better be the truth and the WHOLE truth...so help you God, because once you're caught in a lie...the Marine Corps won't help you in any way, shape or form. Its good that you did tell your recruiter all this information. As long as your honest with your recruiter, everything is ok and the you won't have to worry about what he thinks of you. Besides, your recruiter is there for one reason only...to get you to enlist in the Marine Corps. Liking him and worrying about what he thinks really doesn't come into play here, understand? Just be totally honest with him and do what he tells you to do and you'll be respected for that if anything else. Good luck...

[sec9]

If your Doctor's are advising you to get that surgery...then get it. Because there ain't no doubt when you get all set to go take your physicals for enlistment, the MEPS Dr.s will find the problem and DQ you. Then you'll have to start all over, which may or may not ever come again. You should have taken care of this surgery as soon as possible if you wanted to join the Marine Corps...sounds like a little cold feet on your part because if you were talking to a recruiter...why would you not make your decision then and there to fix your problem and enlist? Or was the Marine Corps a safety net for your life?

A far as the recruiters go...just wait until you're all healed up and given a clean bill of health by your Doctors and then go talk to a recruiter, any recruiter, and start the processing of enlisting, ok? regardless of what you tell the recruiter or any recruiter...it better be the truth and the WHOLE truth...so help you God, because once you're caught in a lie...the Marine Corps won't help you in any way, shape or form. Its good that you did tell your recruiter all this information. As long as your honest with your recruiter, everything is ok and the you won't have to worry about what he thinks of you. Besides, your recruiter is there for one reason only...to get you to enlist in the Marine Corps. Liking him and worrying about what he thinks really doesn't come into play here, understand? Just be totally honest with him and do what he tells you to do and you'll be respected for that if anything else. Good luck...

Big Jim,

I appreciate the reply. As far as the "cold feet" goes I wouldn't call it that because joining the Marines has been something I wanted to do since I was 12, I don't consider the Marine Corps as a "safety net" or fall back, but rather my goal. However, it was my fault not making clear to the recruiter what the reality was at the time. I had got accepted to go to college and because the surgery was not a for sure thing back then, my parents did not want me skipping school just to sit on my as s and wait for insurance to approve surgery. I was just so ready to go that I under emphasized the reality that I had already made other commitments to college and getting this surgery and doing that probably led the recruiter to think I was in a position that I was not really in. Like I said, back then the surgery was not a 100% thing because our insurance was not ready to approve it. Believe me, if they would have approved I would have taken care of it then.

Should I at least contact the recruiter before hand and just tell him I am finally getting this done and its not a "we'll have to wait and see" kind of thing anymore, and once its done I will be ready to go?

[Big Jim]

Big Jim,

I appreciate the reply. As far as the "cold feet" goes I wouldn't call it that because joining the Marines has been something I wanted to do since I was 12, I don't consider the Marine Corps as a "safety net" or fall back, but rather my goal. However, it was my fault not making clear to the recruiter what the reality was at the time. I had got accepted to go to college and because the surgery was not a for sure thing back then, my parents did not want me skipping school just to sit on my as s and wait for insurance to approve surgery. I was just so ready to go that I under emphasized the reality that I had already made other commitments to college and getting this surgery and doing that probably led the recruiter to think I was in a position that I was not really in. Like I said, back then the surgery was not a 100% thing because our insurance was not ready to approve it. Believe me, if they would have approved I would have taken care of it then.

Should I at least contact the recruiter before hand and just tell him I am finally getting this done and its not a "we'll have to wait and see" kind of thing anymore, and once its done I will be ready to go?

No...just wait, like I said, a recruiter will tell you to come back when you get a clean bill of health from your Doctor...hence the "just wait." You'll have to get examined a multitude of times before you even swear in anyway...maybe even a medical waiver if there are difficulties with the surgery. You just never know whats going to happen so don't gamble on what you think you'll be prepared for...bet on what you KNOW you're ready for, understand?

As far as talking to a recruiter before hand...it sounded like you knew that you had other committments to college because of Mommy and Daddy, but you were still interested in the Corps. See, the fact that you're not in college anymore is why I said that you had cold feet or the "just in case" preparation of if college falls through, I'll just go in the Marine Corps. Just think how much further you'd have been in the Marine Corps if you exercised your desire to join then and there...even if on DEP!! That was my whole point of saying you had cold feet, understand? You have to make decisions and stand by them...good or bad while taking the pride for the good ones and accepting the responsibility for the bad ones. But its about honor.

[sec9]

Alright. I see what your saying. I am just anxious to get the ball rolling and get a ship date. But with this surgery in the way I guess its best to just get it all taken care of first.

[YMPfcDeremer]

In my opinion, and with all due respect to the Sergeant, I think it would be alright to go ahead and talk to a recruiter and tell him your situation. Then maybe you would be able to participate in some of the DEP functions even though you aren't in the DEP yet. I'd also suggest getting ready for Boot Camp in any way possible (running a lot, memorizing General Orders, Rifleman's Creed and stuff like that) especially if all you're doing right now is sitting around. Again, this is just what I would do.

[DBrown]

In my opinion, and with all due respect to the Sergeant, I think it would be alright to go ahead and talk to a recruiter and tell him your situation. Then maybe you would be able to participate in some of the DEP functions even though you aren't in the DEP yet. I'd also suggest getting ready for Boot Camp in any way possible (running a lot, memorizing General Orders, Rifleman's Creed and stuff like that) especially if all you're doing right now is sitting around. Again, this is just what I would do. He can participate in Poolee functions without being in DEP. By all means though Sec9 go talk to a recruiter let him know whats going on and what happened in the past. Tell him your getting the process sped up as quick as humanly possible but that you won't be ready to leave till '09. As YMPfcDeremer said get in shape in the meantime, run all the time, push ups, sit ups, pull ups, etc. and always stay in contact with your recruiter even if its by email, text message, once a month phone call, just stay in conntact and always keep him updated, that refelects greatly on your character and shows your recruiter that your serious about joining the Corps.

-Brown

[sec9]

The one thing I have been doing is staying in shape. I rarely run now though, because I need to keep the weight up as I will lose a lot of it the first few weeks after the procedure, but I do spend a lot of time in the gym lifting. Im just torn about whether I should start talking to a recruiter again sooner rather than later, or just wait till it is all done. I am ready to DEP in if they will let me.

[DBrown]

The one thing I have been doing is staying in shape. I rarely run now though, because I need to keep the weight up as I will lose a lot of it the first few weeks after the procedure, but I do spend a lot of time in the gym lifting. Im just torn about whether I should start talking to a recruiter again sooner rather than later, or just wait till it is all done. I am ready to DEP in if they will let me.
Don't be scared to talk to a recruiter and let him know whats going on. He'll tell you whats best. But you should be running even if its only for 5 minutes before you start lifiting. Best of luck Sec9.

-Brown