Emergancy!!!

[GearheadJLM]

Alright, sorry for this pathetic bull ****, but I need some advice, and I need to know if I'm getting bull **** from my recruiter or not. Alright, I was ready to ship and just had my contract switched over to reserves so I could do PLC. I was ready to ship, and had my ship date changed from July 17 to July 10. However, I have not recieved my diploma yet, I had one test left to take, however, my recruiter says that I passed without taking the test, and that my diploma will come while in boot camp, or I may need to take the test after basic. However, I am extremely uncomfortable with leaving without my diploma in hand. Also, my little sister was hospitalized last night and is somewhat dependant on me now. I want to leave as soon as possible, but just not without the diploma, and I would also feel even better if I could atleast help my sis through her first few days of recovery. Now my recruiter says if I don't ship then I will be discharged and unable to ever be in the military. I need advice, and really quick...

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

I can't say for sure, but it sounds like the recruiter is being less than honest. To begin, I can't see how he can decide if you pass or fail a course. Unless he is the instructor he doesn't control that. And, unless you've finished your year in the DEP I cannot see why you would have to ship on that day. Tell him you want to talk to the SNCOIC if you don't get an answer from one of the recruiters here. Hopefully Sixguns or another person with recent recruiting experience will see this post and answer quickly.

[GearheadJLM]

The NCOIC of the Recruiting station told me that I would be discharged and not able to have anything to do with to military what so ever. My recruiter (who has proven to be irresponsible, unfaithful, and simply an *******) and the NCOIC clams that they talked to the school about my finial test and that my average grade, even without the final, was passing, however, I have been trying for about two weeks to get intouch with somebody at the school, and have been unsuccessful. I'm really trying to watch my ass and make sure I can line things up for a successful future with college and the Marines. My plan is PI, MOS (food service specialist) training, start college second semester, get into PLC, earn degree, get commissioned, then serve my active duty time, hopefully 20 years. Several of my family members, one of which was in the Air Force and the other in the Army, both told me to wait for my diploma. I just don't want my future to get ****ed because of some jackass recruiter, who has already lost my respect get some ****ing number....

[GearheadJLM]

At this point I wish I could just say screw this, find a new recruiter, and tell him exactly what I want to do, under what terms and start over. My recruiter has done nothing but **** me off. I needed to earn 9 high school credits this last school year so that I could go, but not only that, but I was homeless for part of the year, had some issues with my housing situation, and all this other BS, I busted ass and did it, I was ready to take my last test and ship out, then I couldn't get in touch with my counsler...My recruiter, in my eyes, is completely out of line. I busted ass to get referrals, set up time for him to speak to class rooms, he would call me and tell me he couldn't come, I would give him numbers, Hell, he didn't even come to my school once this school year, the other day on my way up to MEPS he handed out beer to the poolees, and drank one himself while driving like a ****ing ass hole. Not to sound like a ****ing adult or anything, but that does not show me a responsible, disclipined, mature Marine, or civillian for that matter. This may not matter, but god damn I just want to make the right damn decission and don't want to get ****ed, how the **** hard is that?

[GearheadJLM]

I know it sounds like I'm just getting nervous about shipping, but I may want to tell you that thats not the case. I cannot wait to ship! I've read books, talked to countless people, and done my research. I went from not being able to run a 1/2 mile at a time, to now running 3 miles solid every day before I work 12 hours laboring. I have grown up in a house hold, getting beat, yelled at, and cussed at were nothing was good enough. I'm more then ready, just want to get started right....

[junker316]

Check on something else...you stated that you talked to his " NCOIC ". There are higher ranking than that in charge of him and his NCOIC. Ask to speak to one of them even if you have to go as far as to speak with his Commanding Officer. You will have to voice your concerns and let theem hear it from your mouth. I wouldn't go anywhere without Diploma in hand and have taken the test. Passing is one thing but to pass with a higher average is something different. I think that your recruitor is full of it and trying to pressure you into going sooner than you really want to. Don't let this get to you and make the right decision.

[GySgtRet]

YOU ARE SPOT ON MARINE. Chain of Command. It has to be done that way till everything else is exhausted.

[GearheadJLM]

I just told the NCOIC my decission to stay. I requested the 24th or as soon as I get my diploma in hands and I get at least a week to help my sister through recovery. He said he'll tell his CO my decission, and that I will be discharged. I asked him if I could speak to the CO, and he said "no, that's my job." I'm not sure who to talk to from this point, or how to get in touch with them. Should I try to call the Gunny at MEPS in the morning and explain my situation to him? Something tells me that he's not gonna tell that CO about my diploma or sister being hospitalized, and that I just ****'d out. But I don't understand why he would tell me that, when they are willing to go so far for their numbers, or can I exspect him to come back to me soon and tell me that he worked things out with the CO and I can ship later? Or is their anyway I could just go through somebody higher up? I highly appreciate the advice and you for taking your time to help me out, as I told GySgtRet, I'm just watching my back and trying to line thing up for my successful future involving the Marines, college, and career. My goal is to get my diploma, go to basic, go to MCT and job training, start college and get accpeted into PLC, get my degree, get commissioned, go active, hopefully until I retire. My recruiting station has been making this hell for me.

Thank you, for your time and advice, as well as what you have done and continue to do for our country,

Joe

[GearheadJLM]

A Gunny just called me, asked me about my situation, I explained, we compromised on the 17th, so I'm happy with that, I'll at least be able to talk to my school counsler to see if what my recruiter and the NCOIC is telling me is true. Also it'll give me a week to help out with the recovery of my sister. Thank you guys again for the advice!

Joe

[GySgtRet]

You are very Welcome future Devil Dog. Please take care of your sister and other problems so you won't have as many to deal with when you get to Parris Island.

[Echo_Four_Bravo]

Leave it to a Gunny, busting his butt on the weekend.

[Marine84]

OK - I'm a little confused here.................I mean I understand the sister thing unless there are parents that are taking care of this already- it's the diploma thing that's got me doing the puppy look (you know, when you say something to a dog and he cocks his head?)

When I graduated, we had a ceremony and my diploma was handed to me right then - are you like going about graduating a different way or something? Even still son, it's only a piece of paper and a recruiter can't tell you whether you've graduated high school or not.

Could you give me a little more info?

[GearheadJLM]

Alright, here's the break down:

During high school I decided school was less important then work, screwed up, and got behind on credits. Come the end of my junior year I wanted to get my **** together and started to think about my future. So I started looking into the military. After doing my research I decided I wanted to be a Marine. Come the begining of my senior year I was 9 credits short of graduating. The only way to get it all done was to have a full schedule and take three correspondence courses (kind of like home schooling) on top of it. Not only were they just credits but I needed three english and some other major subjects. Also I don't come from a very well housing situation. By second semester I was homeless, and taken in by a family of a girl I dated since 8th grade. This is the girl I called my sister. This family help me get back on my feet, and with out them I would have been able to get as far as I did. Now I finished and passed all my classes, and finished all my correspondence, except for one 15 minute test. Now for the last three weeks I have been unable to get in touch with ANYONE about taking my last test. Now even without the test my average should be able passing. This is what the NCOIC says. He clamed that he talked to somebody from the school and that they said that I graduated, just haven't received my diploma yet. Now I have no idea how they talk to anyone in the school because I have not been able to and when I went there the sign said that they're closed until the 10th. Basically the NCOIC said that my diploma will come while I am in basic and worse case scenerio I will have to take the test when I get back from basic training. Now, I am due to ship on the 17th, and hopefully I can get it by then, Michelle my "sister" is home and we are taking care of her, and by the 17th I will feel comfortable leaving her, cause she will be fine. Now, if I don't get my diploma over this week what do I do, cause I really don't want to break another committment on time, should I tell my recruiter tomorrow that I'll leave as long as I get the diploma, so that it's not a surprise, and maybe he'll help me get in touch with somebody, or do something? I'm anxious as hell to go, I just worked to hard for that diploma, and don't want to get screwed. Other then that I think I got a good contract and plan.

Also let me ask you guys what you think about this and if it not some BS my recruiter and NCOIC are giving me. Alright, now, I ship, the go staight to MCT then MOS training, come home, start college, get accepted in PLC, and my recruiter said I get the choice to be a active (deployable) reservist, or an inactive (not deployable) reservist as long as I get into the PLC and remain in it. They gave my the options of infantry or food service specalist, and I didn't want infantry, so I took the 3381. They said something about that my MOS wouldn't matter once in PLC, which I didn't understand, because I'll probably be an active reservist during the school year.

[tkmac58]

Alright, here's the break down:

During high school I decided school was less important then work, screwed up, and got behind on credits. Come the end of my junior year I wanted to get my **** together and started to think about my future. So I started looking into the military. After doing my research I decided I wanted to be a Marine. Come the begining of my senior year I was 9 credits short of graduating. The only way to get it all done was to have a full schedule and take three correspondence courses (kind of like home schooling) on top of it. Not only were they just credits but I needed three english and some other major subjects. Also I don't come from a very well housing situation. By second semester I was homeless, and taken in by a family of a girl I dated since 8th grade. This is the girl I called my sister. This family help me get back on my feet, and with out them I would have been able to get as far as I did. Now I finished and passed all my classes, and finished all my correspondence, except for one 15 minute test. Now for the last three weeks I have been unable to get in touch with ANYONE about taking my last test. Now even without the test my average should be able passing. This is what the NCOIC says. He clamed that he talked to somebody from the school and that they said that I graduated, just haven't received my diploma yet. Now I have no idea how they talk to anyone in the school because I have not been able to and when I went there the sign said that they're closed until the 10th. Basically the NCOIC said that my diploma will come while I am in basic and worse case scenerio I will have to take the test when I get back from basic training. Now, I am due to ship on the 17th, and hopefully I can get it by then, Michelle my "sister" is home and we are taking care of her, and by the 17th I will feel comfortable leaving her, cause she will be fine. Now, if I don't get my diploma over this week what do I do, cause I really don't want to break another committment on time, should I tell my recruiter tomorrow that I'll leave as long as I get the diploma, so that it's not a surprise, and maybe he'll help me get in touch with somebody, or do something? I'm anxious as hell to go, I just worked to hard for that diploma, and don't want to get screwed. Other then that I think I got a good contract and plan.

Also let me ask you guys what you think about this and if it not some BS my recruiter and NCOIC are giving me. Alright, now, I ship, the go staight to MCT then MOS training, come home, start college, get accepted in PLC, and my recruiter said I get the choice to be a active (deployable) reservist, or an inactive (not deployable) reservist as long as I get into the PLC and remain in it. They gave my the options of infantry or food service specalist, and I didn't want infantry, so I took the 3381. They said something about that my MOS wouldn't matter once in PLC, which I didn't understand, because I'll probably be an active reservist during the school year.

First of all let me understand the situation: 1. You joined the Dep program in your senior year, was it during the summer? (school closed) , did your recruiter obtain your transcripts with a will-grad letter? did that letter reflect the difficulties you were having in school? as far as shipping w/o a diploma and finishing it when you return, it doesnt matter, the Marine Corps has room for non-grads, tier 2s, and tier 3s, we call them. Not allot of room but some, especially in the reserves.. As far as your recruiter and NCOIC there concern is to make there ship mission and put you in boots. As far as your diploma that your friggan job, you not graduating or being credits shorts is your own fault. Its not up to the recruiter nor the Marine Corps,, its your baby if you wanr it. As far as PLC.... WTF, you struggled in High School, do you honestly think you could ever make it or for that matter be even qualified for PLC, OCS, give me break I dont care how smart you are. As far as an MOS between a cook and a grunt, a grunt is the only way. If by some miracle of god you become an officer your MOS is chosen by us, and most become ground officers,, ie infantry, artillery etc. You have no choice its about our needs that support us. My advice is look at why you joined to begin, get the officer idea out of your head until you successful finish something and as a reservist, infantry is def the right route. Besides youll be deployed anyway unless your not saying everything. As far as college its good to have but if you couldnt hang is HS , college is a MF, even after Marine boot camp. And your diploma go get it when you get time. Honor your commitment, ship to boot camp and quit f...king worrying. If you find this e-mail threatening you dont belong in the Corps dude..../

TKMAC58

[GearheadJLM]

First off, I understand I had trouble with high school, but my test scores are all high enough for PLC. I have the right mind set to make it through college, through PLC, and to become an officer, after that I could give a rats ass weather I'm a grunt or a cook. I've made up my mind, I told my recruiter today that I'm not leaving without that diploma in my hand. I'm going to college and will become an officer, that's what I will do, and I'm not gonna get ****ed by some recruiter trying to make a number.