Had to go open contract a few days before boot camp?

[JVerdree]

Hello Marines,

I've been searching the forum for this and couldn't find an answer so thought i should post this.

I'd like to start by saying i leave for boot camp in a week (Sept. 19th) and was told and signed a contract for 02xx/26xx option (DD Contract) for my mos. It took a while before the spot opened but my recruiter said i've gotten it and i signed the contract around mid-july, because my original ship date was august 1st. Well the first time i took the IST validation i failed the run by a couple of seconds, and couldn't ship at that time. After that i was told that my new ship date was the 19th of September and if i didn't pass the IST this time i was going to lose my mos and be discharged. Well i passed and was really happy about my mos choice and that i get to go to boot camp. But last thursday (11 day before i go) My recruit told me he had some papers for me to sign for boot camp and that I had to go open contract.

So my questions are: How is this possible? and why couldn't i just picked another job instead of going open contract?

Answers are greatly appreciated. Thanks

[Omegaham]

If you signed the papers, then you just screwed yourself. The recruiter is trying to make quota, and he wants you to abandon your choice so that he can get a gold star from his superiors. Hope you get something good.

If you didn't sign the papers, stand firm. Say you signed up for that job, and that you won't accept anything else. If that means you have to wait a few more months, so be it. Better to wait a few more months and have a butthurt recruiter than to end up with four years of a job you don't want.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Hmmmmm......

The reason for this may be the simple fact that because your ORIGINAL date to ship got pushed back, you lost the contract anyway, and the 'word' didn't get passed to the RS in a timely manner. Someone finally checked and went OH CRAP, told the Recruiter to "Open Contract" you, and here you are.

Hard decision is coming your way....stand your ground....or ship and hope for the best?

Depends on what YOU want to do....

[JVerdree]

Well, needless to say i signed it the same day... stupid me. I just wanted to know why it happened. Hopeful the mos i get isn't too bad.

Thanks, Marines

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Make the best of it...and do the best job you can. In a few years, (if you really absolutely HATE it) you'll have a chance to lat move.