I'm sorry, and I kind of know what you're going through.

My older brother (turned 17 in December) wants to join the Marines SO badly.

The recruiters come to our school (and have their own table in our cafateria), and they talk to the students that they're allowed to talk to. It really bugs me....I mean, they come to a high school where 90% of the kids are still trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives, and they are wearing their fancy uniforms with the nice badges and telling the kids everything they want to hear. I have no disrespect for our troops and I support them, but I don't like the way recruiting is done AT ALL. Our old neighbor was in the Navy, and he's managed to convince my brother to go to college before joining anything (he wants to be an RN), and I'm hoping that once he gets involved with that lifestyle he'll just forget about the Marines. and I know that's selfish....but I can't help it.

I'm really scared for my brother. He's my only sibling and even though we fight occasionally, we are really good friends and I don't know what I'd do if something happened to him.


So...sorry for threadjacking.

Megan, I agree with you about the recruiters being allowed to come into the schools to do their recruiting. After having worked at our local school and seeing this go on I was always disturbed by this. I mean it's one thing if a person wants to walk into a military recruitment office, talk about joining and sign.....totally another to come into schools with young, sometimes confused, impressionable people and "candy coat" military life.

My brother signed up for the National Guard. He was in his 30's and went through boot camp. We live in fear he will be sent overseas. He convinced my son in law (21 yrs old) to join because of the money. He is in boot camp right now at Ft Leonard Wood in MO. I am afraid that he did not really know what to expect. After he signed up he regreted it but could not get out of it without owing a bunch of money. I warned him to think it through first. My daughter misses him so much. I told my brother and son in law both THERE IS A WAR GOING ON! ARE YOU CRAZY?
but they did not listen to me. I have the utmost respect for the people in the armed forces but worry so much.

I am in the Air Force National Guard. I am about to complete my 11th year. Yes, there is great college assistance out there and enlistment bonuses too that entice people to join. I am pregnant now with my first and I am ready to get out, even with retirement so close at 20 years from them. I have to think about having a child and being deployed. We have had a lot of young people come in and do their 6 years to get their enlistment bonus, college paid for and then their monthly GI Bills and then get out. However, they have been activated before and had to miss a semester or two of college. Once you sign you have made a commitment and that seems to come first. I do my one weekend a month and then there is 2 week summer camp. Since 911 I have been deployed 3 times. Before that I was not activated at all. It is a chance you have to take. I have had some good experiences and got to do things that I would never have gotten to do. However, when you joint there is the personal sacrifice you have to make. It always seems like there is something going on or something that needs to be done every time I have drill weekend. I have missed out on doing those things with family ect. When talking to recruiters I would suggest having a list of questions to ask because I do not think they tell you everything. Also request a tour of the base and request to speak a few new people just out of boot camp. PM me if you have any questions or if you would like my email address to ask any questions. Good luck to you.

My dad is an RN and there is a shortages of nurses - especially where I live. Many teaching hospitals in my area will sign on a college student and pay all of their tuition fees and guarantee them a job plus sign-on bonus - let your brother know that there are many other ways to really help with the financial aspect of becoming a nurse that are less risky.

Thanks Guys! I am going to print this and let Christian look over the replies and think abot what each one is saying. Even when things are rocky with a typical teen, Christian is very smart amd usually will think things through. I told him he could be called away from his sports in college, it's just one of those things you take a big chance on. You know when your 17 yrs. your Mother just dosen't know anything....lol.

Thanks again,
Angie

I understand the fear of having a loved one in the military. As I posted above my son is a US Marine and leaves for Iraq this week. I wasn't thrilled with him joining the Marines because of the fear factor but I'm so very proud of him. This is the way I look at it. We need our military strong, this is a very dangerous world we live in. If no one joined where would we be? We need recruiters in the schools, it's been this way for a long long time. Who am I to say it's OK for your son/daughter to join but not mine, it would be completely selfish and hypocritical of me and I can't do it. I would never try to talk someone into or out of the military because it's such a personal sacrifice that it must be decided by the person with the decision. All we can do is educate them and support them in whatever decision they make. And be damn proud of them if they do decide to serve this GREAT country because without them we would not have the freedoms that we enjoy today:)