My 16yr son want's to join the Marines

Done, now check your's. I would love to say that my son really wants to go to college, but as on today, that's just not him. He rather, fight 2 or 3 guys in a dark alley, play football all day, box in the middle of the street (peeps lined up waiting) or eating. So not sure if that's a good thing, but that's my kid. So knowing him, the idea that he wants to do something to secure his furture, and not screw himselft. Go to the Marines, fit's me just fine. Just as long as he does'nt come home thinking he's going to whip is pop's (not today, not tomorrow, nope not never).

Ee

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Originally Posted by Elias B

Done, now check your's. I would love to say that my son really wants to go to college, but as on today, that's just not him. He rather, fight 2 or 3 guys in a dark alley, play football all day, box in the middle of the street (peeps lined up waiting) or eating. So not sure if that's a good thing, but that's my kid. So knowing him, the idea that he wants to do something to secure his furture, and not screw himselft. Go to the Marines, fit's me just fine. Just as long as he does'nt come home thinking he's going to whip is pop's (not today, not tomorrow, nope not never).

Ee

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Hahah, I hear you man, they can NEVER kick pops butt!!

I will check my email in a few, he sounds like he would be a good Marine one day, he just needs some direction and he will get that for sure in Bootcamp.

Hey, I was just thinking (which I never do, so this might be good), what do u think would be a good MOS for a kid like this?

Ee

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Originally Posted by Elias B

Yes, he is 16 (5'10" 205lbs) and I know he needs to be 17 with diploma, which is what he is working on now. I'm putting him in a program to let him graduate sooner, he dislike school and want to move on with his life.

But as a dad of a 16yr. old boy (17 in 7 months), I love the idea. And know that it's what he wants to do, but should I make him wait another year? I know as of now he doesn’t want to go to college, even though he is a really good football player (LB/FB). And our neighborhood is not the greatest, and I don't want him getting a taco bell job, and hanging around.

I just want to make sure that I'm asking all the right questions and covering every corner, because once you sign, that's a rap

I enlisted at 17 and turned 18 before I graduated boot camp. Things were
different in 1953 ,the Korean war was still on and they were drafing 18
year olds. We had some dumb kids in our High school who failed a couple
of grades and I had classmates who disappeared like alien abductions. They were drafted in the Army. The Air Force hand a 2 yr waiting list and the Navy 18 mos. waiting list. The Army and Marine Corp were taking
you immediately. I personally wanted to get it over with rather than wait to get drafted. Me and my high school buddy were big John Wayne fans so we opted for the Marines. I was 5'11- 160 lbs and my buddy was 6'2
185 lbs. ( He stayed in the Corp for 22yrs.) I was in 3yrs. Neither one of
us had any idea how tough Parris Island would be! I had a mindset that
you finish everything that you start and I would rather die than quit.
" I can honestly say that the Marine Corp was one of the most proudest things I accomplished in my lifetime and I'm 73yrs old now " If your son
Ee

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toughs it out and doesn't quit he will join an elite special band
of brothers who can say SEMPER FIDELES. :iwo:

First, good for him. Second, I went through almost the entire Recruit Training at age 17, turned 18 a few days before graduation.

It will do him a world of good, and you'll be DAMN proud!

As far as his MOS, well I am biased and I said in the PM...I'd go Air Wing. We are all basic riflemen however.

You said he likes to fight? If he does go in and makes it through bootcamp, (Bootcamp isn't just physically tough, he has to be mentally tough as well and when I was in bootcamp I saw more than one physically tough guy fail and not make it thorugh), see if he can try out for the Marine Corps Boxing team.

Remember the first guy to ever beat Muhammad Ali? A Marine named Percy Price. There was a whole thread about this guy on here.

http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/ar...p/t-12301.html

I can't tell you what you should do; all I can do is relate my experience.

My son turned 17 04-14-08 (20080414) at present he is 1 week out from graduation from SOI (School of Infantry), he's a 311 (grunt).

At 16 he came to me and asked if I would sign for him to enlist when he turned 17. His plan was to graduate H.S. early so he could enlist. I was proud of him for his decisions and concerned. Like all parents I Love my son as well as his older brother, but I'm also acutely aware of his short-comings. It wasn't so much his size (5’-6" / 98 lbs) that bothered me, it was his mental outlook. He would quit most everything he started if it got too tough, he wouldn't take direction, thought he knew everything and he was ALWAYS right. He was truly my problem child, so much so that there isn't enough room here to detail it.

12 days after his 17th birthday he took his oath 20080426, the first week in May he graduated H.S; he was planning to ship 20080816 but couldn't take it so he told his recruiter to get him in the first available slot, which was 20080622.

My son and I were always at odds with each other all of his life, now I get more letters than his Mom and he always calls me just to chat. The first thing he wrote me was how he now understands my motivation in how I was raising him and to thank me for everything I did for him. When he got his EGA I told him how proud of him I was and that now besides him being my son he was also my brother a Marine.

Proud...I can't begin to express. He has excelled in everything he's done in the Corps; he Loves it and looks forward to every new day with anticipation.

Should you let your son go?? I did and it was and is the greatest thing to happen to us our family and to him.

I hope this has been some help for you...Good Luck!!

pi 53 and BHABIT, thank you for sharing your stories, and your words of wisdom. As I said physically he's ok, mentally it's 50/50, but you might have to choke him out to make him quite (which I've done, once or twice).

I think with talking to my family, pastor, friends, and now reviewing the post here on this website. My decision to allow him to attempt to join the Marines, sits allot easier.

Thank you everyone that has replied with their story's, and please if you have more continue to post. I love to hear what people have gone through to get to where they are now.

Ee

My best friends dad joined the Marines at 15 and he was off to WW1.

Elias B Sounds like your son will be ok physically. In Parris Island 1953 I would break it down as 65% mental-35% physical, but you should ask some newer Marines how they would rate it. "The Marines are superior for their mental toughness, that is why
they are the worlds best warriors". They purposely try to break you mentally. We had
about 10 recruits out of our platoon receiving a Section 8 discharge as mentally
unfit. It would be unfair to your son if he isn't aware of that. Best wishes Pi 53

amen to that Sgt

My son graduated boot camp in 04 and he said it's mostly mental stuff, so it doesn't sound like much has changed in that respect.

Hi counterchick------I'm glad to hear that from the younger Marine.
SEMPER FI TO HIM :yes:

Ok, so I had him what Full Metal Jack, which he liked allot, also told him about the mental trips, so he up to speed. Look's like he's good to go, just need to get his deplomia and hit 17 (in about 7 months).

I can't wait to see how much he will change, and to see food in my cabinets, lol.

What do do recruit make in boot camp?

Ee

My son started talking about the Marines in the 8th grade. I tried selling him on college. He constantly said how much he hated school. He is currently in combat training at camp Lejune. He left one week after his 18th birthday. He loves it. Funny thing is he will go to Pensacola and be in school for over a year.
We have a bad OC/herion problem in our area. I was not happy about his choice to become a Marine but now when I look and see that one of his old friends is shooting herion others are selling pot, and doing OC's I thank god that he's in the Marines. He's moving forward with his life not sitting around with a crappy job getting drunk and using drugs. We let him sign up for the delayed entry program and that kept him away from the drugs before he left. He went and worked out on Saturday mornings and did other Marine events rather than hanging out and getting wasted with his so called friends. If your son wants to do this bring him to a recuiters he will have to keep clean and out of trouble. I truely beleive my son would be doing the same as his friends had he not wanted to become a Marine. It was his dream and he did what he had to do to get there. Once he became a senior and I knew I couldn't change his mind and saw he was heading down the wrong path I gave him all my support and let him join the delayed entry program. I have no regrets. If they don't want to go to college Imho the marines is the best choice.