Telling My Parents I'm Enlisting

[Jmetal]

Hey all, I'm new to the community. I called my local recruitment office today and the first thing i said to the gentleman who answered the phone was, " I wanna be a Marine sir." He seemed to think I was screwing with him at first.
But on to why I'm posting here. I want to join the Marines, I'm prepared to deal with Parris Island in the summer. What i am not prepared for however, is my parents. My family is by no means a military one, the last soldiers in it were my great grandfathers, and their sons dodged the draft for Vietnam in a multitude of ways.
How do I tell my family of selfproclaimed New York Democrats, that i want to be a Marine.
Thanks for the help and support.
Semper Fi

[hbharrison]

First place to start is to fill out your profile.

[Jmetal]

Yessir!

[hbharrison]

Your 18 it is your life from now on, that being said they are your parents. Need be ferm in your resolve to join the Marine Corps just find the right time and try to tell them why and if you really want this they will not be able to stop you. I know when I told my parents Dad was not happy but he understood Mother on the other hand went off into left field on me would not talk to me until after I returned from boot camp. But when she got a look at me in those greens she changed her mind. So young man if this is what you want it is up to you to get it and just hope your parents understand. If they or just one of them does not, well you are going to have to deal with that.

[FistFu68]

Why not it's about time someone in Your Family had the Balls to Fight for their Right too Be Leftoff Righton...GoodLuck and GodSpeed

[TWebb89]

My parents don't want me to join the Marines, yet I am 20 years. But I am going to because it is my choice and not theirs. It is you life to decide what you want to do. You have to make the choice to do it with or with out your parents backing. You cannot let them control your decisions for you will regret it your entire life

[hillbillyjar]

How do I tell my family of selfproclaimed New York Democrats, that i want to be a Marine.
Thanks for the help and support.
Semper Fi

What worked for me was a time that I KNEW I would get undivided attention, and they would take me serious. In my parents home, it was just shy of sacrilege to speak at the lunch table, during the midday news.

I waited till Paul Harvey was on the radio, and said something along the line of...

"I have something I need to tell you."

Dad looked at me like he thought I was about to tell him I killed someone, and needed help getting rid of the body.

"I'm joining the Marine Corps."

It's the only time in my life I can recall of my Father turning off the noon news.

Truth be told, that was the most honest, straight forward, and direct thing I had said to them since I was a wee child. They saw the Marine Corps had made positive change in me, before I had even signed my papers. It took a few days, but they backed my choice.

I guess the moral to this narrative is if you want to be a Marine, act like a Marine.

[hillbillyjar]

And for Gods sake, don't call Butch Sir! You'll give the man a complex!

If he is out in his front yard teaching his horses close order drill in the morning, it's all your fault.

[Jmetal]

Thanks for the support guys. I'm probably meeting up with the recruiter Saturday.

[DrZ]

Just explain that they have done a great job of directing and leading you for these 18 years and you have determined you need to hone the skills they have provided to you. You have selected the Marines because of the discipline, self confidence, and leadership skills provided there. Tell them about the jobs that are available and the potential for putting away money for university when/if you get out.

Show them you are an adult and you have made this decision as the rational adult they have raised.

Really hard for them to argue with you after statements of that nature.

Good luck!

[hbharrison]

The ball is in your hands now young man, show your parents you are the man they rasied.

[hbharrison]

Hillbilly, DrZ and myself have given you some advice on how to get it across to your parents that this is what you want to do. Now the ball is in your hands, good luck!!! And like Hillbilly said, don't call me Sir I am enlisted not an Officer, OK?

[hbharrison]

And for Gods sake, don't call Butch Sir! You'll give the man a complex!

If he is out in his front yard teaching his horses close order drill in the morning, it's all your fault.

Had a mouth full of coffee when I read that and no have not tryed that yet with the horses. Now I said not yet!!

[Jmetal]

Well bit of an update, my mother seems to be somewhat supportive of my "thinking about it" haven't seen my father in a few days as he's in myrtle Beach at the moment. Thanks for all the support Marines... now if only i could do a d*mn pullup

[hbharrison]

Well good now you just have to see what your Father says. As for the pull-up, well all I can say is you got to work on it, when I went in it was very hard for me because of my size just d*mn big to do many never got more than six and that was hard to do.