helping a friend, need good advice on how to join [Archive] - Marine Corps

View Full Version : helping a friend, need good advice on how to join

Shipley

10-13-11, 09:10 AM

ok, well.

my best friend of almost 10 years has always talked about joining the marine corps, he talked about it so much that i am enisting soon because he talked about it all the time. but heres his issue, 1st when he was 14/15 he got assualt with a deadly weapon for not giving the real person responsibles name, 2nd has a couple decent sized tattoos on his arms, 3rd has a ged.

its not fair that he cant join please the best advice to get him to join is needed. i know telling you he is a great guy and say he would make a great marine wont matter but its true and this guy needs to be a marine

Shipley

10-13-11, 09:22 AM

The Marines initially told home back in 2009 that they won't take him and they actually escorted him to the armys recruiting office next door. He is actually trying to join the army cause he feels the Marines won't take him. I am trying to stop him from joining the army if there is a chance he can still join the marines

chulaivet1966

10-13-11, 10:17 AM

its not fair that he cant join

One must qualify and meet certain requirements to be a Marine.
If one meets those criteria then maybe one would be accepted as a recruit candidate.
"Fair" has nothing to do with it here....life is not 'fair'.
Becoming a Marine is not an entitlement...it's an honor and a privilege....so not everyone can be Marine.
He should be glad the Army will take him as that may be his only option.

Probably not what you want to hear hence the very old cliche 'the truth hurts'.

That's my take on it.....carry on.

Shipley

10-13-11, 11:00 AM

i understand life isnt fair, thats not how i ment to type it so that might have sounded like desperation. but i am just trying to get a professionals take on this with the information provided. people have gotten in with worse and i am trying to figure out how to go about doing that if it can be done.

Lisa 23

10-13-11, 11:46 AM

You can also do a search on the site as these topics have been covered many times before.

Don't take this the wrong way, and I do realize that you want to help your friend, but your friend should be the one asking the questions, not you. He's the one who got himself into trouble, has the tattoos, and with the GED. He's the one who needs to show a Marine Corps recruiter that he's worth the time and effort to see if they can get him the required waivers needed. And even if the recruiters do take the time and effort to do this for him, there's no guarantee that those waivers will be approved or not.

--1st when he was 14/15 he got assault with a deadly weapon for not giving the real person responsible name,

United States Navy and Marine Corps
Criminal History Disqualifications
Serious Offenses

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/marines/l/blcriminal6.htm

Medical/Mental/Criminal/Tattoo Waivers/Lying to MEPS...READ THIS FIRST

http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97158

--2nd has a couple decent sized tattoos on his arms,
Medical/Mental/Criminal/Tattoo Waivers/Lying to MEPS...READ THIS FIRST

http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97158

--3rd has a ged.

US Military Enlistment Standards

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/joiningthemilitary/a/enleducation.htm

chulaivet1966

10-13-11, 11:57 AM

people have gotten in with worse .

Really...

One last comment.....many here may wonder why this 'friend' of yours isn't here himself posing these questions.
Could it be he already knows he does not meet USMC standards based on past behavior.

To me....sounds like you want him to be a Marine more than he does.

Don't mean to sound smug but that's my take.

Shipley

10-13-11, 12:05 PM

yes, he should be asking them, and he has before. this is me taking this into my hands seeing if there is anything that can be done, there is nothing wrong with that. just saying, but just because he isnt here typing doesnt mean he hasnt tried.

but like i said i am just trying to find information on how to take the best route to help him increaseing his chances of being allowed to join, i know all the information you presented. which also tells me his chances are almost 0, but i also know people have gotten in with alot worse. and im trying to figure out how.

or maybe hear from people that have gotten in with ged and no college credits, that really the biggest hurdle in his situation

Shipley

10-13-11, 12:10 PM

Really...

One last comment.....many here may wonder why this 'friend' of yours isn't here himself posing these questions.
Could it be he already knows he does not meet USMC standards based on past behavior.

To me....sounds like you want him to be a Marine more than he does.

Don't mean to sound smug but that's my take.

lol why must people post their rants.

no, i dont want him to be one more then he does, you arent in my situation seeing what i see everyday. there is nothing wrong with me looking for the information for him. he doesnt know im doing this. he tells me how bad he wants to be a Marine all the time when i mention i am joining.

i am asking for your advice, not your rants please, dont take the wrong way just dont want drama on this thread

MOS4429

10-13-11, 12:19 PM

Did you read the links posted by Softballcatch?

You want advice of a professional? HE needs to see a recruiter.

If HE doesn't like the advice of one of those professionals...so sorry. Joining the Marine Corps is entering into a contract. There are initial conditions that have to be met before that contract can be entered into. If HE does not meet these, some can be waivered, some cannot.

No, there is nothing wrong with you inquiring, but it is kind of like this. Say YOUR FRIEND wants a job at Burger King. He really wants to flip those burgers badly, in fact, he wants to work there sooooo badly that he sends YOU to apply for HIM. Make sense?

If HE has ran into dead ends and roadblocks and is willing to leave it there, sobeit. I have seen this scenario far too often where a "friend," a parent, a girl friend or boy friend takes the bull by the horns instead of the person himself.

So if HE really, really, wants to join the Marine Corps like you say, then he needs to be pursuing it, not you. If a person wants something bad enough, THEY will not take the first no, or the second. THEY will pursue it.

Lisa 23

10-13-11, 01:08 PM

Why is it when someone comes here on Leatherneck looking for "professional advice" for a friend, they don't like the answers that are given.
You asked, we answered. NO one is ranting. And if any Marine here wants to rant, they can.
You and your friend want "professional advice', as MOS4429 already posted, HE needs to talk with a recruiter. They are the "professionals". It's their job.......and they are the ones with the most up-to-date and accurate info.

chulaivet1966

10-13-11, 01:40 PM

NO one is ranting.

I didn't get it either and don't know how my responses were taken as 'rants' or 'drama'.
If fact, I went out of my way to be polite.
If I wanted to 'rant' I would have been much more blunt.

They were legit questions/comments based on what was posted.
Correct...some just don't like the answers.

Carry on....

Shipley

10-13-11, 01:59 PM

I'm sorry for coming off that way, just frustrating when you aren't given the answer say "push this button and all dreams will come true" lol sorry again. Hopefully this can be figured out i would really like to see him there and me aswell.

Another question, i don't know if i read this correctly or not, but if you have 15 college credits do you need the ged to back it up still or are you ok with just the 15 credits ?

Lisa 23

10-13-11, 02:02 PM

Read the stickies, that's what they are there for.

Ged/diploma/college Credit Question...start Here
http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96657

Shipley

10-13-11, 02:06 PM

Shipley

10-13-11, 02:11 PM

Read the stickies, that's what they are there for.

Ged/diploma/college Credit Question...start Here
http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96657

lol thank you softball, sorry for the inconvenience

Marine1011

10-13-11, 02:14 PM

as soon as I saw your first post I realized the result would be the black helos coming. Say bye bye shipley.
im notifying a mod right now

Shipley

10-13-11, 02:27 PM

as soon as I saw your first post I realized the result would be the black helos coming. Say bye bye shipley.
im notifying a mod right now
Sooo your telling on me for what ?? Nothing ??? Ok then lol. You won't hurt my feelings, but I don't think you have reason too. I'm just making sure I have said everything and gotten ever y bit of info. Its not easy to join like it was in your day, I'm sorry but its a stressful thing to want an answer and not be able to have it.

MOS4429

10-13-11, 03:39 PM

And he saw a recruiter in 2009 and they walked him to the armys door steps, the recruiter I'm working with tends to be more easy going and willing to help, could it be he should talk to more then one recruiter ? The first recruiter I talked to walked me to the armys door steps aswell but I immediately went to a different recruiter and he pretty much got me where I'm at now...almost ready to enlist. Should he try the same ?

"Saw a recruiter in 2009." This is...what...2011. That was two years ago, right? Maybe the same recruiter isn't even in that office.

Like I said earlier, if you want something bad enough, be persistent. So if "your friend" indeed wants this, will he stop at a recruiter he saw in 2009?

I have a different question for you. So...HE saw a recruiter in 2009, and that recruiter told him to join the Army. You say he wants to be in the Marine Corps in the worse way. From what you are telling us, I don't see it. I don't see it at all. If somebody wants something bad enough, they will exhaust their resources. I am wondering if this is something he wants or something you want?

You see, it is really convenient to say I want to be a Marine, or anything else for that matter, go to the recruiter 2 years ago, be told there are some disqualifying factors here, try the Army, and then say, "Okay. Well, hey, I wanted to be a Marine, I wanted to be a member of this country's finest, I was going to do that, yeah, I tried, but they said no because...blah, blah." He sort of gets in his own mind the bragging rite of I tried, but couldn't, and that's pretty convenient if you REALLY don't want to.

It's called being a wannabe.

My suggestion: Suggest he check the office to see if a new recruiter is there or go to a different office or go to your recruiter. If told no again, suggest he ask about waivers. Suggest he not just walk out of the office if told no but be persistent to see if there is another way, any way. Suggest if the recruiter tells him, let's go visit the Army that he said, not on your life. I will be a Marine.

And then if he does not follow any of YOUR suggestions, drop it.

Shipley

10-13-11, 04:31 PM

Ok, thank you sounds like a plan. He lost all hope after they told him no the first time. And yes you guys are right I do want him to be a Marine. Who wouldn't want that for someone. I just convinced to give it another shot because, when we first tried with him we thought no ment no forever, and it won't ever change. But I will give this a shot, and I hope I can get him to keep putting all effort

MOS4429

10-13-11, 07:14 PM

I'm just making sure I have said everything and gotten ever y bit of info. Its not easy to join like it was in your day, I'm sorry but its a stressful thing to want an answer and not be able to have it.

You've said everything.

You have received many good answers.

The issue is closed as far as I am concerned, but I'll let Sgt Lep make that call.

Old Marine

10-14-11, 08:57 AM

Shipley: You come on this site asking for help and then you do not like the answeres you are getting. You say you know lots of people who have joined for far worse than your friend (I doubt it), but if you know all the people who got in with criminal records and tats that are very large, THEN I SUGGEST YOU GO AND ASK ALL THESE PEOPLE HOW THEY DID IT.

Sgt Leprechaun

10-14-11, 06:29 PM

Bottom line Up Front (BLUF) is he's not qualified. He wasn't qualified in 2009, and he's not qualified now. However, the only way he's going to know for SURE is to talk to the recruiter HIMself. It's great that you are trying to help, but really he has to do this for HIMSELF.

While your initial attitude would have gotten you tossed, you've come around, and perhaps learned a thing or two.

Good luck to both of you.

SGT7477

10-14-11, 08:32 PM

Sgt Leprechaun

10-14-11, 09:03 PM

Alas, that's part of the mantra of the current generation. Can't blame THEM, they've had it shoved into them from 'day one' by modern society. All you can do is try and educate 'em where possible.

Sgt Leprechaun

10-14-11, 09:31 PM

Sometimes, it sucks to be right. This is one of those times where I wish I wasn't. Sadly, it's pandemic.

chulaivet1966

10-15-11, 09:44 AM

I, seriously, would not want to be a young person today. It's a far scarier and unpredictable world. But I digress......

I've said that to myself a thousand times over the years.
Even though, I do think it's relative and our parents likely said the same as we were growing up.

But still...if I may quote...."I, seriously, would not want to be a young person today.":)

Mas cafe para mi......carry on...