My Fellow Female!

[THATFEMALE]

Marines I need some advice. This female from my hometown and I joined the Corp at the same time. She got pushed back in bootcamp but we ended up going to the same unit somehow. It seems she has gotten herself in trouble and is days away from being discharged. Apparently she was caught stealing from her roommate twice. She has told me and some of her NCO's claim that her roommates owed her money and they refused to pay her back so she just took matters into her own hands. She claims her NCO's told her not to tell anybody but them. My issue is that I feel responsible for this Marine. I've been looking out for her from Day 1. Her father was in for 24 years and this is breaking his heart. Honestly, their screwing her over as far as not being able to talk to anyone of rank. As a dedicated lifer I know how serious this charge is but I still feel like I should do something? As a LCpl I know I can't do much but I can at least try, right? I know her heart and I want to help her out if possible. I have always recieved good advice on this site so please give it to me straight. Maybe it's time to let her go. But we take care of our own don't we?

[hrscowboy]

A THEFT IS A THEFT THATS THE BUTTOM LINE. she never should have taken the matter into her own hands she should have went right up the chain of command and got things done thats the way its done you dont work as an individual in OUR CORPS she chose to go it on her own and now she is going to pay the price.

[THATFEMALE]

I understand where you're coming from Corporal I just feel like I could have done something to help. She was my Marine and I should have been watching out for her!

[Matt Starbuck]

If this is the only thing she has done she may be able to stay in with a reduction in rank or forfieture of some money. However, it is very important not to start off on the wrong foot and ruin your career (reputation) before it even starts. I have known people that couldn't stay out of trouble to save their lives, it was always someone elses fault, but after analyzing their behavior I noticed they cosistently made bad choices or used poor judgement. Your friend can recover from her "bad judgement" if this is an isolated incident. Remember your friend is an adult and while you are concerned for her welfare and can offer advice or a shoulder to cry on, she is ultimately responsible for her choices. If she is being screwed over she can "request mast"etc.. she always has choices, it's the consequences that she will have to live with.

[CAR]

TF,
Matt makes a very good point. If your friend truly is being railroaded, she could "Request Mast". That would be a big statement if she did. Otherwise, she may be guilty as charged. No responsible NCO would say not to tell anyone else. She may be a friend but there are some things you can not help out on. SHE made a bad choice and She and she alone will have to live with it. Noone wants to see a friend come on bad times, sorry yours is. The best advise I would give her is: It's soul searching time, Have her really think on whether she wants to stay in the Corps or not and if being a Marine is what she wants then she needs to be completely honest. If she F'd up, suck it up and live with the consequences, the Corps will be more likely to allow her to stay and live through her mistake. If not... close the door as you leave please.

[yellowwing]

We have not heard what her NCOs opinion were. What advice did her Sgts and Cpls recommend? Besides to keep the advice between them.

If she went against their fleet wisdom, she made a doubly bad decision.

If you're squared away and in good with the NCOs. Talk to them and see if they would stand up for her before The Old Man.

From The Old Man's perspective, two counts of theft in his Command is a BCD and a Kick.

[GySgtRet]

THATFEMALE,

How is your freinds integrity? If she did not lye about other Marines owing her money then if the people she stole from have no integrity. This doesn't leave her off of the hook...!!! If the wisdom of the NCOs that are incharge cannot get to the bottom of it then I would advise your friens to try and get it to the command. It seems as though there is a little ring of theives her. If a Marine steals froma nother Marine I cannot say much for them at all. Of course you know that I am going to tell you that back in the day you could leave your wallett out. Well, there is no reason that cannot still take place. For some reason some people are more mature than others and cannot get along with other people. I do not think that you have gotten all of the facts in these matters. I say matters because there are alot of things going on here. You have your friend that has loaned money. (BAD Thing to do), Simular stuff when I was in woul be handlby the Marines tmslves, by whatever means it would take without the command even knowing it. I am not sure if this would be possible but if it is at all possible that is what I would suggest. Then walk away from it and do not mention it. If your freind dos walk away and just forgets it she would be the better person. I am not saying that the other Marines should get away with it, but that maybe she should mature a lot more that the other parties. Yellowing said it the way that it will probably windup being unless your freind with the burden of proof can find out a way to prove that she loaned money to them. Above all keep your nose clean. It sounds like you have your head and eyes straight to the front. Have a great tour in HI. (never been there)

Semper Fidelis

[bdfairchild]

To THATFEMALE,
My first impression is that you are being lied to and manipulated.

AsK yourself these questions:
1. Your friend got pushed back in boot camp? Why?

2. Got caught stealing from roommate the fist time. Why didn't she seek help from her NCO's if her roomate didn't pay back a loan?

3. Got caught stealing from her roommate a second time. After getting caught stealing the first time, her NCO's should have already counselled her on the correct way to get money from a bum.

4. Days away from getting discharged, and she hasn't talked to anyone of higher rank than a Sgt? She is lying to you big time, and you are wasting your time by believing it. If your friend is truly just days away from being discharged, she has already been talking to her SNCOS's, her OIC, the Sgt Major, and officers at Base Legal.

Her NCO's do not have the authority to discharge anyone. Before being discharged, the Marine Corps will do everything that is possible to straighten out a wayward Marine.

If her Command has taken all the proper steps, and I am sure that they have, it is better to let a thief be discharged than to retain her in our Corps.

You will soon learn who to believe in and trust.

[sm@@thrider]

Hey Monique listen to what the last two comments were.

[THATFEMALE]

Thanks MSGT and GYSGT for the advice. It's alot of stuff and all to deal with. On one hand I feel responsible because I should have been taking care of one our our own. As for having my command speak on her behalf they offered. They know me and my heart and will vouch for her if I think she deserves it. The friend side says let her have another chance. The military side says if she loves the corp how could she get involved in a situation like that? The unit is the shadiest on the base but that's no excuse. Alot of the so called people who told her what to do have either gotten out or are leaving to the next duty station. Her CO is gone now. I will tell her what you said and take it from there. Thanks once agin for the knowledge. Semper Fidelis forever!

[Lock-n-Load]

Looking in from the outside, I'm not blinded by your "loyalty" to this thief...there is a chain of command in all of our units...her irrational behavior speaks volumes about her character...the Commanding Officer or Top/Sgt could have straightened this whole distraction [from duty] out in time...NO, this person is the habitual foul/ball of the unit...she's in deeeep goo now...all I see from JAG is a BCD and brig time...no loss to the Government...once a thief always a thief...STEALING is never acceptable within a real USMC unit!!!....being a Marine is living in the real world; this is not a movie for "Lifetime TV".

[GySgtRet]

THATFEMALE,

It seems that all of the "Sea Lawyers" that have given her advise have left the command. What do you mean by a "shaddy unit"? Does the command there turn a blind eye? Please explain.

Semper Fidelis

[alanUSMCDEP03]

Thievery is one thing that ****es me off like nothing else- how many of u agree w/ the phrases everyone uses?

Gear adrift is gear a gift

Theres only 1 thief in the Marine Corps, everyone else is just trying to get their stuff back.

Semper Fi

[GunnyL]

This reminds me of the time I was chasing prisoners to a Courts Martial. The guy was bragging to me how he wrote $10,000 worth of bad checks and then told me how the Marine Corps Was F***ing him all on the same breath. Unbelievable some people!
THATFEMALE:
You shouldn't feel responsible because your friend makes bad choices. You can help guide people in the right direction but you can't walk the path for them. You can feel sorry for her if you want to but don't feel responsible for her problems, you didn't steel the stuff, she did.

GunnyL

[THATFEMALE]

Most of the Marines over here protect themselves before anything else. Thank you to everyone for the advice. On a lighter note I have my commands backing if I decide to help my fellow Marine out. As a young girl I always looked up to the Marines because we take care of our own. I watched my father, uncle, godfather, brother, and sister in law, recruiter, ect.. always take care of their Marines no matter what so that's what I did. I'll keep you posted. Semper Fidelis.