I need some advice....my older cousin is joining the marines....?

Question

he's impulsive, i'm afraid he's either gonna get killed himself, or be the cause of someone else's death in his platoon.......is there anything i can discuss with him to keep him from going to Iraq?

Answer 1

Top 10 Lies (Some) Recruiters Tell
Bad Recruiting

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

Army Recruiters Accused of Misleading Students to Get Them to Enlist

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/print?id=2626032

So you want to go to war

U.S. Military
Maimed in Iraq, then mistreated, neglected, and hidden in America

http://www.sweetliberty.org/issues/war/wantwar/maimed_mistreated_neglected.html

Try these truths and see what he says then.

Answer 2

If he completes boot camp, the Marine Corps will be the best thing that ever happened to him. I'm assuming he's an adult. If so, then you need to support his decision to enlist. It's an HONORABLE thing... and the Marines take care of their own. They're not going to put him in a dangerous situation unless he's ready for it. Nobody takes care of their own like the Marine Corps.

That said, it will probably calm your nerves a little to know that many jobs in the Marine Corps are non-infantry jobs that don't put the servicemen in the position of knocking on doors with a gun in their hand... or patrolling streets. Marines Corps Infantry is, by far, the best at doing that, though... So if he's going to join, the Marine Corps is the way to go. Better training, better skills, better esprit d'corps...

Your option is to try to talk him out of it... If he goes anyway, and he will, then he'll go without your support... and he'll finish boot camp without your support... and he'll get his training without your support... and he may deploy... again, without your support.

Once kids turn 18, the BEST thing you can do is say, "I'm concerned about your decision, because of my own fears. But, I want you to know I love you, I support you no matter what decision you make, and I'll be here for you." After all, this is his life and his decision. Send him off with your blessings, so he can focus on learning well and staying safe. Write to him at least once each week while he's in boot camp. Once he's at his Permanent Duty Station, send him care packages each month... that will mean SO much to him!

Answer 3

Drew, my son was the same. It's hard to believe, but the Marines will staighten him out and channel his energy to productive use. After 13 weeks in boot camp there will be a big change in him and you'll first see it at his graduation. If you want to check out my son's website (he's a US Marine) you can get a really good look behind the scenes and how a young man is transformed into a 21 century Marine, first to fight, last if ever to leave and they will WIN!! Go to "caseybills.googlepages.com" (don't use www. in front of it; just type it in and hit go). If you actually fly out and attend his graduation you won't ever forget it. I can get you a free plane ticket if your family, along with one other person. Call me if you're interested at 817.371.5120.

Proud parent of a US Marine
Mike

Answer 4

Tell him to not join the Marines! Tell him he will be poor and sorry for the rest of his life if he joins the Marines. The Marines are shock troops. We throw then at the enemy. It is the worst place to be in a war, at the front taking the first fire of the battle.
Tell him to join the Air Force and not be on flight status or in the medical field or join the Navy under the same conditions.

Answer 5

The Marines are awfully attractive to someone who's impulsive and patriotic.

To be honest, they're awfully attractive to someone who's neither. They tell you that you can be a better man than you are, part of a fraternity for life.

That's hard to compete with. It used to be, that if someone got pregnant, you could argue with a guy, telling him that the baby is going to need married parents, and a corpse in a grave makes a terrible father, and really play up the fact that going off to play with toy guns is a very *selfish* thing to do.

But these days, that doesn't work. All of society is telling our young men that fathers are unnecessary, that kids belong with their mother, and all the father is good for is to provide money. And he can do that from beyond the grave just as easily as he can if he lives across town.

I don't think there's any logical argument that works. Try crying, because you know you'll never see him again, except at his funeral. It probably won't work, even though it's true, but I suppose it's worth a try.

Answer 6

first of all, ild like to tell the chick telling everyone about the recruiting lies, no one really cares. theres a whole different mindset for people who want to join the military. and usually the recruiter only helps people find it.
right, impulsive cousin. heres what you do. send him to boot camp. give me a video of the DI chewing out an impulsive dude. just curious.

Answer 7

I don't know who's giving thumbs-down to the constructive comments. Probably some wimp who's afraid to join any service and, to make himself or herself feel better, tries to dissuade others.

Listen to the Marine. They'll either straighten him out... or they'll wash him out. They'll know FAR better than you whether he's a danger to himself or others.

Answer 8

Tell him to apply for recon. They're trained the best out of all the Marine forces.

Answer 9

The Marines will show him discipline. He will (hopefully) learn to temper his impulsivity.

Answer 10

The Marine Corps will straighten out all of those problems you listed about him.

They WILL break him in bootcamp have no fear.