View Full Version : Signing My Contract Question?
Good evening MARINES. I plan on signing my contract with the MARINE CORPS this week. I have a very close family friend who is a MARINE LT. Colonel who i have been consulting during my decision process. He said to me that he wants to be there with me and meet the recruiter and all that when i go to sign my contract. I thought this was very nice of him and didn't see a problem with it until i talked to my buddy who is a Corporal. He thinks it would be weird if i brought a LT. Colonel in with me to sign my contract because he is of such a higher rank. My question is, would it be weird or not right if i brought a LT. Colonel in with me to sign me contract since he already told me he wants to be there when i do go to sign?
Thanks for your time MARINES.:flag:
TRosa06
10-25-09, 08:00 PM
I don't think it would be weird. You would know exactly what you were signing since you had someone experienced with you. Things can change it did for me, worked out for the better though.
hbarcus
10-25-09, 08:15 PM
If you have a Lt. Col. who wants to come in and give you a hand then if I were you, I'd damn well accept that offer. Thats a very generous offer by someone, whom I'm sure, has better bigger more important things to do.
So yes, call him up and have him come along. Besides with that kinda pull there, you don't have to worry about getting the once-over by your recruiter like a lot of Marines have (or at least claim to have). It can't hurt anything, and if your recruiter is doing his job properly he won't find it weird or awkward in the least to have a Lt. Col. there.
firedog974
10-25-09, 08:21 PM
It sounds like he wants to look out for you, and my GUESS is he would be pretty disappointed if you did not bring him. Don't listen to your buddy, let the Lt. Col. come along.
Lisa 23
10-25-09, 08:23 PM
Whatever happened to having someone fill out there profile first before giving them an answer?
And yes, it is a big deal. The Marines here who are going to give answers should know who they are talking to.
Lisa 23
10-25-09, 08:40 PM
JMS738....Thank You! :thumbup:
echo3oscar1833
10-25-09, 08:43 PM
Im 50/50 on this, one it could be taken as a sign of favoritism. On the other hand, having a Senior Marine with you when you sign the contract, can be a good thing. Now I'm not accusing the Lt. Col of any favoritism, as I'm sure his only intention is just to be there, maybe be the one to be able to give you your oath. That is probably his intentions, however don't let a Lt. Col helping you out go to your head. Nuff Said I suppose, give the Lt. Col our best, and a Semper Fi. :D
Well, if he is a very close family friend, then I'm sure the Lt Col likes the kid... Never heard of a Lt Col DI, so I'm sure it doesnt matter :P
Probably just wants to make sure your contract is good and all. Same as having someone more experienced helping you buy a car/house/boat/whatever.
I would take him along if I were you.
Wyoming
10-25-09, 11:18 PM
No.
Favoritism.
Word will get to PI.
I saw it happen.
Kid in SD, answered that his Dad was a LtCol.
He was rode hard.
Used to puke in his tray at chow.
Tried too hard.
Everyone expected him to make PFC, etc., etc.
Barely qualed at the range, (nerves), and went home a Pvt.
So, what you're saying is he made it through bootcamp ? :P The pros (contract you want), out weigh the cons (possibly get ridden a little harder at PI).
And this isn't his dad, or uncle, or anything. I mean, my family has friends that are high ranking military. Doesn't mean that I have to acknowledge their existence.
Wyoming
10-26-09, 08:21 AM
So, what you're saying is he made it through bootcamp ? :P The pros (contract you want), out weigh the cons (possibly get ridden a little harder at PI).
And this isn't his dad, or uncle, or anything. I mean, my family has friends that are high ranking military. Doesn't mean that I have to acknowledge their existence.
Very astute there -
Barely qualed at the range, (nerves), and went home a Pvt. Yeah, he made it through boot.
There weren't a gross of PFC'c coming out of boot, as there is today. He came out an E-1 and you could see the disappointment on the faces of his family.
Existence? We were specifically asked, and had to even write it down, that we had senior officers in the family, or ranking friends that may attend.
look, the Lt Col will not be able to influence his contract, what he's wanting to do is to see him swear in. You can have guests watch you swear in, it's normal.
But if you're gonna do that then make sure you tell you recruiter ahead of time. No one (commanders included) likes having field grade officers on deck without their knowledge. So, if it is just to see you swear in then sure, it doesn't matter.
If you think he can get you something you want then you and he are sadly mistaken as he's not part of the command so his orders would mean squat. And if he did give them hell then I can assure you they will call down to your SDI and inform him of your attempt.
Wyoming
10-26-09, 09:00 AM
Yep, what he said!
slimmy07
10-26-09, 03:18 PM
look, the Lt Col will not be able to influence his contract, what he's wanting to do is to see him swear in. You can have guests watch you swear in, it's normal.
But if you're gonna do that then make sure you tell you recruiter ahead of time. No one (commanders included) likes having field grade officers on deck without their knowledge. So, if it is just to see you swear in then sure, it doesn't matter.
If you think he can get you something you want then you and he are sadly mistaken as he's not part of the command so his orders would mean squat. And if he did give them hell then I can assure you they will call down to your SDI and inform him of your attempt.
This is by FAR the BEST response.
Zulu 36
10-26-09, 07:14 PM
It isn't going to hurt anything for the Lt Col to come along. I'm sure he knows the game just as well as anyone else there.
As for recruits with senior officers as relatives or family friends, it happens frequently and usually the recruit puts more pressure on himself than the Drill Instructors do.
My father had only been a Corporal of Marines, but I felt tremendous self-pressure to perform well in order to make him proud. I was fortunate to get one of the few PFC meritorious promotions (they only promoted a MAX of 10% then, so we had six, plus one contract PFC).
slimmy07
10-27-09, 04:30 AM
It isn't going to hurt anything for the Lt Col to come along. I'm sure he knows the game just as well as anyone else there.
As for recruits with senior officers as relatives or family friends, it happens frequently and usually the recruit puts more pressure on himself than the Drill Instructors do.
My father had only been a Corporal of Marines, but I felt tremendous self-pressure to perform well in order to make him proud. I was fortunate to get one of the few PFC meritorious promotions (they only promoted a MAX of 10% then, so we had six, plus one contract PFC).
Unless that Lt Col. was on recruiting duty in some capacity I doubt he "knows" the game as well as anyone else. Like I said before, SSgt Petz response is the best by far. I see no problem if the Lt Col. wants to see this applicant swear in, but if he feels there is something to gain by bringing a Lt Col. into the recuiters office, he is highly mistaken.
Alisium
10-27-09, 04:40 AM
If he's family, he probably just wants to see "the moment".
Let him be proud of you and for you.
Zulu 36
10-27-09, 07:36 AM
Unless that Lt Col. was on recruiting duty in some capacity I doubt he "knows" the game as well as anyone else. Like I said before, SSgt Petz response is the best by far. I see no problem if the Lt Col. wants to see this applicant swear in, but if he feels there is something to gain by bringing a Lt Col. into the recuiters office, he is highly mistaken.
I wasn't talking about the "recruiting game," I was talking about the "military game." It is all the same thing, only a few of the small details change.
He wouldn't be intimidated by the recruiters like the polee would be, so he could make sure his contract is straight. I'm not saying pull rank, I'm saying look at it and make sure it's good, like people do when buying cars and ****. 4 years instead of 5, a bonus or something. You don't swear in until MEPs right ? Not the recruiting station, right ?
Hotel4341
10-27-09, 03:19 PM
Favoritism is a myth. The nephew of BGen Salinas (the CG of San Diego when I was there) was in my platoon, and he didn't get IT'd any more or less than the rest of us (although every drill instructor on the depot had a comment for him :evilgrin:)
Take the offer. Most recruiter's don't have to do anything shady nowadays to make quota, but having the Lt. Col there will just make things a little more legit. Just remember that he is a high-ranking officer, and treat this as the huge honor that it is.
Thank you MARINES for your input. My dad is also a former
First Sargent but its hard to get information out of him because I feel like he keeps things from me. I know he supports my decision to become a MARINE, but I'm his son and hes proud but he knows the reality and he doesn't want to see me get deployed, and get injured and feel responsible. So he doesn't push me to join nor does he tell me not to. So instead, the LT. Col. has stepped up and made him self very available for any help and information I need.
Thanks Again!
slimmy07
10-29-09, 11:12 PM
I wasn't talking about the "recruiting game," I was talking about the "military game." It is all the same thing, only a few of the small details change.
Again, Unless you have been on recruiting duty in some capacity it is NOT the same. Recruiting duty is a different beast.
it's a huge numbers game, just like the drill field (but different).
I can back slimmy, it's a huge monster with tenticles that have sharp swords fused at the tips and it's trying to get you at every turn. It's evil man, just evil.