How can my nephew get out of the Marines?

Question

Last June the Marines told him he wouldn't be going to Iraq. So he enlisted at age 17. Today he was told he will go to Iraq and fight. The Marines said they told him he wouldn't go to Iraq at age 17. Now he's 18 years old and he's going to be going in May 0f 07. They lied to him and he wants out. He is against the war in Iraq and said he will go AWOL. Why did the Marines mislead him? He's only 17 when he joined.

He can't sign for a new car at 17 so how can they make him stay in the Marines. He's done with basic training now but "hates" the Marines every minute of the day. He said he is going to go AWOL. I do wish him well.

He says over all the men are good people but he's shocked at how many are brainwashed by the military.

Answer 1

he could act crazy!!!! and persistently pee in the bed and they will discharge him, it worked for a girl i was in basic with. o yeah a keep passong out.

Answer 2

My son signed up for the Marines when he was 17, and his recruiter was very up from that there was the possibility to go to Iraq. I am surprised that your nephew and family thought he WOULDN'T. I mean, that's what's happening in the world right now, and it's not secret. I'm also curious why your nephew signed up if he's against the war. I realize how scary it is, as I am in the same situation, however, your nephew made a committment. It says right on the paperwork he signed the recruiter cannot make any promises about MOS or locations and things. I don't know if he can get out. But, things are changing every day. maybe something will happen and he'll go somewhere else.

Answer 3

How do you figure they lied to him. they said at 17 he wouldn't be sent and they lived up to their end of the agreement.
why did he join? to get a government paid for education.
well guess what sometimes they call in their markers for that free education, it usually happens during war time. and anyone who enlists in the marine corps and doesn't think that they will get called into active combat has no clue about the history of the Marine corps.
on a personal note I am the Father of an active duty Marine who is on his 3rd tour of Iraq. the main reason he's been sent a 3rd time is because of young men like your nephew,
the real reason he doesn't want to go is he is scared that's natural. But this isn't a game and there will be severe consequences if he goes AWOL. It will be a decision that will dictate his entire life until he gets caught. and there is no statute of limitations on Desertion and that's what it will be not AWOL.

Answer 4

When he enlisted at 17, did he have a parent/guardian sign the agreement as well? I'm not sure what the rules are for enlisting as a minor. But, that said, he enlisted, he signed a contract and agreed to be part of it. During a time of war, I don't know why anyone who's against the war would enlist in the armed forces - he has to presume that he's going to be involved in the war in some way. Even sitting at a desk stateside pushing paper is being involved in the war. So, remember the story of the monkeys paw. Don't wish for him to get out of the marines, because at this stage, his way of getting out is the worst possible one, and no one wants that. He should just serve his enlistment and deal with it. Of course, he could always write his congressman as well to see what strings could be pulled. Remember, though, he's 18 and an adult now in the eyes of the government - whatever he does, HE has to do. And, don't even put the idea of going AWOL in his brain - that'll result in prison and a dishonorable discharge.

Answer 5

if you knew about this when he was 17 you should have been weary of him going to iraq. if you join the marines or army you are most defenitaley going there. why would you join any branch of service during wartime when you are opposed to the war. he should have had an adult give him some advice and steer him away. and actually the marines didn't lie or mislead him. technically they won't send a 17 year old off to war knowingly, unles he lied about his age. when he's 18 they can do what they wish, he joined and he is property of the us government, thats his own decision. he was young and naive and he will now have to learn from his mistake. my personal belief, being a big supporter of the troops, he shouldn't have joined during wartime if he was opposed to it in the first place. where were you to talk him out of it? don't bash the military recruiters. oh and saying he is gay and do anything, he would have to do something serious to get a discharge. it will most likely be a dishonorable discharge, which won't be good for him in the future. talk to his congressman, thats the best bet. but don't bash the recruiters for doing their job.

Answer 6

The third day of training at Marine Corps bootcamp is during recieving week. During that week the Drill Instructor are much more leaniant about what recruits can get away with. Not that they can get away with much of anything, but during that week recruits can still refer to themselves as " I " and not "this recruit". Also unless things have changed in the last 7 years since I went through bootcamp (which is entirely possible) Drill Instructors during recieving week do not give recruits Incentive Training in the sand pits or the quarter deck. My guess is if he had said that little pharse to the Drill Instructor after receiving week then he would have spent a LONG TIME in the sand pit contemplating the error of speaking to a Drill Instructor like that, all the while doing Push-ups, Situps, Mountain Climbers, Flutter Kicks & Side Stradle Hops. So yes it's entirely possible that your Nephew said that to a Drill Instructor, but as for getting respect on the third day of training... Drill Instructors don't give recruits respect until they become Marines and that doesn't happen until they march accross the Parade Deck for their Graduation.

Answer 7

Funny thing is, every marine feels like that. It's called anxiety. Tell him he is a Marine, and do what he dreamed of doing, BEING A MARINE. He will be ok. There are thousands of Marines in Iraq, I live in a place where almost all my neighboors have been there a few times. He has a better chance of getting in a car wreck in the US and dying than he does there. Tell him to go, do his job, come back, then get out. In the long run, it will change his life forever. He will live to be 80 or 90, and will have a lifetime to talk about his part in this war. Not everyone died in WW-1 or WW-11. Recruiters don't lie, that's bull. Like anyone joins the marines, to not fight. He joined the Marines to kick ***. Let him kick some ***. I drive on Camp Pendleton everyday. The Marines I see there wan't to kick some *** and wan't to go back. Why, cause when this war is over, it's back to the same old boring routine. Live it up when you can

Answer 8

This unfortunately happens all the time... it's a recruiter's job to make it sound like much more good and promising a career than it actually is. About the only ways I know of, for people who have actually gotten out, are a) medical discharge- you have something that wasn't caught in the initial physicals, or you are somehow injured drastically during training (back or neck injury) or b) you come out and say you are a homosexual. He had to have some idea that he would be sent to Iraq eventually... almost everyone who has joined the Marines in the past three years have been sent there...

Answer 9

The Marine Corps did not lie to him. They told him they wouldn't send him if he was 17, but now he is 18. That makes him a grown man, and he should stick by the commitment he made, wether they send him to Fallujah, or to Cherry Point, NC. However, by his actions, he has shown himself to be whining, snivelling brat, and maybe he shouldn't have told his mama he was going off to play Marine.

By the way, when you join the military, you should assume that you will go into harm's way, rather than assume you won't. It'll be easier in the long run for you.

Answer 10

Careful with some of the suggestion son how to get him out.
If they think you are crazy, then they lable you a crazy and you get dischagred as crazy. That label then sticks with you the rest of your life, even if you get other psych evals, it is always on military record which can be accessed through your social security number. Future employers can refuse to hire you if they feel you may pose a possible threat to their business. Contacting the ACLU won't do you any good either, you can sign up for the MArines as early as 16, the legal age you can drop out of High School on your own. They didn't lie, he just wasn't smart enough to read the paper work. Don't go with that angle either, being labeled mentally retarded is worse then crazy.

Answer 11

Need a little more info.

If he has only been in for I think a 6 months. He can pretty much just say hey its not for me Im done. Yea he will probably end up dealing with alot I mean alot of bullshit from then till hes out.

If he hasnt been to basic he can just tell the to go F**** them selves.

Also have him check all his paper work, if they breched any part of that (Didnt recieve a certain job, enlistment bonus any thing) Its a contract and he can get out that way.

If he's a Concoius Objector, that will keep him from goin there. But if he didnt identify himself as one when he entered. He will have a hard time proving that he is one.

Other than that thats basically it, hope that helps