really caught between two lifes I want to lead. On one hand I have a wonderful loving fiancee a 1 year old son and a chance to start a really good job here at home, and on the other I have the choice to follow my dreams and join the USMC. And in joining I will lose time with my son, he'll be 5 when I am done and the distance will put a strain on my relationship. I just wonder if Im being selfish in deciding to join, making a commitment to the Corps the likes of which I should be making to my girl and my son. Now all that being said its not like I wont see them at all for those 4 years but visitation will be minimal between training and deployments. Id just like a few outside opinions. P.S. I had a really good chance of going when i was younger at 17, good ASVAB and a ship date but goofed bad when a buddy wanted to toke for the "last time" now I that im getting married soon and have a son i feel like my girl with think im just trying to recapture a lost opportunity or what have you
My opinion is don't do it. You already have one of the best lives possible, a wife and kids, and possibly a good job. Although in the end it is your life. Look inside yourself, maybe smoke a bowl and think about what you really want in life. Analyze the what and the why. Good luck man.
I wouldn't put my life on the line for a government that starts wars on "terror" for the sole purpose of controlling oil supplies. Especially when you've got a kid and a wife depending on you to be there for them. Just my opinion.
A loving wife and kid...do you really want to lose them both?...IMHO, not worth it dude. You can serve the needs and greed of DC's masters or honor and serve your wife and kid...take your pick
IMO, the first years of your marriage and your kids childhood are some of the most important years of your life, and theirs. I almost joined the military, in the same situation as you. I felt unfulfilled in my career. After some deep thought I realized I had one of the best lives of all; the opportunity to teach and raise my child, and be with my wife whom I love unconditionally. I understand the dilemma you are going thru. Just imagine those 4 years of your child growing up you will never get to experience - something you cannot get back. My father always commended me for choosing family, something he never did. I love him very much, but he was never really there growing up...always work work work, money money money. In the end its your decision. Think hard about your choices and what is more important to you. A life you wish you once lived that MAY be good in the USMC, or a wonderful life you already have going for you. Thats my .02
I'm not gonna sit here in bash the marines, they deserve far more respect then they get and I'll leave it at that. OP, if this is something that is your dream, I understand completely why you would want to go do it. But you have alot more to think about. Age 1-5 is a pretty special time in a kids life, they grow in leaps at that point. And just think about if something happened to you and your kid never got to know you. I don't know man, whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best. Good Luck either way man
If it was me i would go for the wife and kid. I just couldn't justify leaving my child like that. Kids of service members have a much higher rate of psychological problems. If you join there's a chance you may lose them both.
Dont risk what you have for personal interests. If you can get a good job and have a wife and son you can see every day there is no point in joining the marines. You are supposed to make sacrifices for the ones you love.
Not worth it if you have a good paying job lined up already, but the marines is a great opportunity to experience the world and new things while make a decent amount of money due to the fact you really have no bills in the marine
I agree with everyone else. You said you have the opportunity to start a really good job, so do it. I get that this is a dream of yours, but I'd say the same thing to someone wanting leave their family for a few years to go become a rockstar or some shit. Doesn't matter how patriotic your dream is, you'd be doing it for selfish reasons and missing the most important years of your son's life. That's one thing for someone who has nothing else to lean on, but you have the opportunity for a good job. Take it, be there for your wife and son.
dude iv been there. I was 18 and I had a girlfriend and I just said fuck it...... well I finished my 4 years of the Marines and got out honorably but since I was in the infantry it wasn't so easy for her.... well we got married then the military pushed us apart... she didn't understand me.... then we had a baby girl...... then she left with my baby girl and I haven't seen her since...... not only that but the shit iv seen the 2 times iv been to Afghanistan is not worth it dude.... my mind has been fucked ever since...... so what I am saying is follow your dream... but if your dream consists of being happy then happy in the end of the day will be with family. so in the long run yes I achieved having the military in my record but now where is my wife and daughter.... PEACE
Whats in it for you to join the Marines? Sorry I just don't understand why anyone would want to join the military unless they need money
As to whether it is selfish, sure it is but that doesn't make it wrong. In your situation it might not be the right thing to leave your young family on their own like that. decisions are a bitch..
Why do you think youre going to be deployed? What job are you trying to get? Btw, I know many military families who love the military life. It's hard, no doubt. When I was in, I saw my son about an hour to two hours a day. That sucked. Luckily we were taken care of so there was a good balance. There are tons of military programs that I miss that you'll never be able to get in the civilian world unless you pay tons of money. A lot of people are going to bash the marines but yet they don't know a single thing about it. They read the newspaper and watch TV and they see how corrupt the government is and they think THAT'S the military. It's not. But seriously, dont ask a marijuana forum anything about the military. They're just going to bash and bash and 90% of these people get their facts from either out of their ass, or some biased website they found from google. You don't really seem like you want to do it anyway. You have tons of doubt so I'd suggest not joining.
As for your wife, there are a lot of military wives groups on Facebook. A lot of them are stay at home moms and really involved in the whole military thing. Again, a lot of them THINK they know what their husbands do but they just know what they tell them. What they will be helpful with is giving your wife a good idea of what things would be like for her. I'm sure they would welcome her with open arms to talk and answer any questions she has.
Enlisted, filling out paperwork and the waiver for my son today. Ship date for basic in the next few months. I appreciate the advice but h where did you train Parris Island or San Diego ? Can you give me insight into basic, and maybe some tips?
Oh lord. Advice. Get in shape. Run as much as possible. You need to get your run time as low as you can get it. Work on your pull ups! The more in shape you are, the less they will fuck with you. But believe me, they will fuck with you. Omg. Marine Corps boot camp is like no other. Just thinking about it takes me back! You will be a changed man after it. Civilians will annoy the fuck out of you lol. Are you going to parris island or MCRD San Diego?
They're gonna kill your body. They're gonna do the dumbest shit. Theyre gonna spit in your face. They're gonna call you a bitch. You're gonna get real familiar with being nut to butt. You're never going to walk anywhere. You're going to be running or marching. You're gonna probably want to quit at some point. Other recruits will probably try to kill themselves from your platoon. I've heard of people jumping out of windows. Slitting their wrists. One girl in my platoon tried to tie a plastic bag around her head to suffocate herself. There are so many things I can tell you. Just listen. Be open minded. Its all a game. Seriously. I had one drill instructor who fucked me with me hardcore. They have this thing called IT where they basically scream in your face and make you do ridiculous work outs that kill you. They can do that for up to ten minutes. There were times when I was literally crying from pain. She had me up there almost every time she ITs someone else because she saw a weakness in me. I showed progress. I stopped having the attitude. I starting being more self reliant and it got to the point where when I was about to be dropped back for failing on the rifle range, she came up to me and said, 'You better not fail, recruit.' I'm such a pussy but to this day it brings tears to my eyes because she never gave up on me. She pushed me until I wanted to give up and then she pushed me some more and then you realize, damn. I can do fucking anything. Thats what being a marine is about. Like I said, there are some people who just don't have the marine mentality and who says that the marine corps sucks but every marine that I know personally is proud of being a marine. They were proud to wear that eagle globe and anchor and proud of every moment that they know that they worked their ass off for. Just remember the goal. The goal is to graduate. To get that eagle, globe, and anchor and make it to the fleet. There's gonna be TONS and TONS and TONS of bullshit along the way. What helped us was chow to chow and Sunday to Sunday. Remember that they have rules. They can't fuck with you forever. They do break the rules but that's why you have your Senior Drill Instructor and Series Commander to keep them in line. One of your favorite lines will be from your Senior DI. Your kill hat (that's the DI who is going to murder you) will be fucking with you. You're gonma be holding your rifles parallel to the deck for what seems like eternity. One fat fuck is gonna ruin it and you'll have to start over. You'll be at the point where you want to beat the fuck out of anyone and your Senior will come out and rescue your platoon by saying, 'Drill instructors! Get in the house!' and they will say, 'Aye, Senior Drill Instructor.' and phew. It's over. Then when you see your kill hat again, he's gonna threaten you and tell you that he's gonna get his payback lol. Oooh, and the sand pit!! Haha. Watch out for that. I have a million things I can say but this is already über long. Watch Marine Corps boot camp videos on YouTube. They're very accurate.
I went to Parris island and train underwater has it all down with boot camp but if you join the infantry 0311 you will have to go to SOI after boot camp.... Which is the school of infantry..... Then after 2 months you grad from there.... Then you go to the fleet.... Then the games will really begin