View Full Version : Family or Marine Corps first?
jeffsnff89
08-26-08, 11:27 PM
I have a question that I have to get insight from Marines on because you guys are the only ones that would know this and other service people alike.
My girlfriend and I got in a serous conversation today about our future and the Marine Corps and family. And I told her no matter what I'm sorry but the Corps comes first. She doesn't understand this and she asks me then "well what about your kids", I told her I would love them to death but again the Marines would come first. Well this went on for about 15 mins. until I told her enough that she would never understand until she signed up for the service, and tried telling her that the military is just not a job its a way of life, and when you sign that paper for X amount of year(s) you are Goverment property. No one seems to understand this but my cousin who is married to a Marine and my grandmother.
Am I out of line here? Do I have this whole idea twisted up inside my head or am I right and she will just never understand my point of view how do you guys veiw this?
And I'm sorry in advance if none of this makes sense. Thank you for any and all responses.
Wyoming
08-27-08, 12:30 AM
God
Country
Family
Oh yeah, what kids are you two talking about?
Isrowei
08-27-08, 07:17 AM
It's your family. Perhaps you should read what our Commandant has to say about the importance of the family in the life of a Marine.
Bottom line: You're young and that is a wholly immature attitude. Grow up.
Think about this: The average lifespan is about 70-80 years. At the VERY most, you only get 20-30 years you can serve in the Corps. After that, they kick you out. Your family, your children, your wife... they will stay with you a whole lifetime. Don't focus on the wrong thing in your life. The same characteristics of a good father and a good husband are the foundation for a good Marine.
If you haven't figured this out by the time you head to Boot... then don't go. The Marine Corps doesn't need any more screwed up people who can't figure out the basics.
MyCorps
08-27-08, 08:32 AM
Well said, Isrowei.
jeffsnff89
08-27-08, 09:47 AM
It's your family. Perhaps you should read what our Commandant has to say about the importance of the family in the life of a Marine.
Bottom line: You're young and that is a wholly immature attitude. Grow up.
Think about this: The average lifespan is about 70-80 years. At the VERY most, you only get 20-30 years you can serve in the Corps. After that, they kick you out. Your family, your children, your wife... they will stay with you a whole lifetime. Don't focus on the wrong thing in your life. The same characteristics of a good father and a good husband are the foundation for a good Marine.
If you haven't figured this out by the time you head to Boot... then don't go. The Marine Corps doesn't need any more screwed up people who can't figure out the basics.
Well thank you very much for putting it straight for me and preventing me from doing something stupid. Thanks for the reply s.
It's all about the balance and understanding.
Your spouse/or significant other will have to be equally strong because there will be times when the mission dictates what has to be done and they will have to become 2nd.
As you progress through the ranks you not only have the responsibility of your family but a responsibility to those under you.
UsmcMotorT
08-27-08, 08:31 PM
Family is very important. The Marine Corps is just as important. But remember, if you put the Corps over your family you may not have a family to come home too.
A good book to read would be Marine! The Life of Lt. Gen. Lewis B. (Chesty) Puller, Usmc (Ret.) (http://www.amazon.com/Marine-Life-Lewis-Chesty-Puller/dp/0553114204/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219888037&sr=8-9). Some of the letters he wrote to the woman that became his wife in the first half of the book indicate how he handled that situation. It's a good read, regardless. Anyway, I'm not saying you should model your life around Chesty, just one particular point of view.
Gary Hall
08-27-08, 09:27 PM
It's your family. Perhaps you should read what our Commandant has to say about the importance of the family in the life of a Marine.
Bottom line: You're young and that is a wholly immature attitude. Grow up.
Think about this: The average lifespan is about 70-80 years. At the VERY most, you only get 20-30 years you can serve in the Corps. After that, they kick you out. Your family, your children, your wife... they will stay with you a whole lifetime. Don't focus on the wrong thing in your life. The same characteristics of a good father and a good husband are the foundation for a good Marine.
If you haven't figured this out by the time you head to Boot... then don't go. The Marine Corps doesn't need any more screwed up people who can't figure out the basics.
Thanks Isrowei & MyCorps, I don't believe there can be a more important thought than contained in this thread. Since my life's choices were misdirected, I wasted too much of my life. This in spite of being reared in a devout, Christian home. As I look back I can determine nearly to the day when things began to deteriorate for me and I made some corrections & therefore the appropriate rankings for the priorities of life (The Lord, The Family & lastly, the job). I believe in life everything can be compartmentalized into these 3 considerations. Needless to say, and regretfully, as a civilian, I didn't stack them up in the aforementioned order, until much later. I don't consider myself competent to advise in this sensitive area of human endeavor however I believe there is nothing more important to get right in life, early as possible. I would appreciate reading the Commandant's thoughts, and perhaps will come across them, I don't even know who he is now. I have always believed devoutly in the Military and especially the USMC. I always appreciated in particular these words attributed to JFK: "...If you cannot spend some quality time in the Military, then anything else you do in life won't amount to much..." Gary Hall.
Gary Hall
08-27-08, 09:44 PM
A good book to read would be Marine! The Life of Lt. Gen. Lewis B. (Chesty) Puller, Usmc (Ret.) (http://www.amazon.com/Marine-Life-Lewis-Chesty-Puller/dp/0553114204/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1219888037&sr=8-9). Some of the letters he wrote to the woman that became his wife in the first half of the book indicate how he handled that situation. It's a good read, regardless. Anyway, I'm not saying you should model your life around Chesty, just one particular point of view.
Yut, I have the book "Marine" and know the material well. Asking understanding in advance and hope I don't come across as a braggart, I worked for Col. Puller as a pack mule in W-3-1 (8-1950 - 9-1951), the best job I ever had, before or since. And I admire Newt Gingrich, mainly for just one of his lines : "... I read books, you know...". Gung Ho, Gary Hall.