Just shoot me now--my son is meeting with a Marine RECRUITER!

[MissMillie]

How is it possible that he can ignore what is going on in the world?

How is it possible that he doesn't realize that signing up to fight this war is one way of telling * that it's 1) OK to lie to us about why we send our sons to harms way; 2) that it's OK to invade countries that haven't attacked us; 3) that it's OK to cook intelligence and to cover up his ties to the Taliban and to Middle East oil; and 4) that it's OK to target those kids who are going to have a hard time trying to pay for college.


I'm so worried that I'm going to be physically SICK!

I know teenagers are famous for not listening to their parents, but JEEZ!!!!!!

Somebody HELP!

[Misunderestimator]

1. Quick... Show him some of the horrible pictures of children

we've killed. Ask him if he really wants to be a part of that.

Seriously.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

2. Have him watch Farenheit 9/11 and Full Metal Jacket.

If that doesn't change his mind, nothing will.

[LynneSin]

24. and "The Fog of War"

Then take him to Washington DC and show him the Vietnam Memorial up close and personal

[rfranklin]

3. Here's some inside info on recruiting...

RECRUITERS LIE:

ABOUT COLLEGE BENEFITS --

They fail to tell you that you must pay 1200 dollars in your first year of the military in order to get the G.I. Bill, which is quite a chunk of money when your salary is only 700/mo. You will be lucky if you get your monthly G.I. Bill check in your first three months of college, since the bureaucracy is so inept. You had better have enough money saved up before you arrive.

Another point recruiters leave out is that most students who are independent and over 25, civilians and veterans alike, are eligible for enormous amounts of financial aid anyway. That is, unless you already receive the G.I. Bill.

Wait a minute. Back up. So, if I earned the G.I. Bill for “serving” my country, then I may not be eligible for any financial aid?

--more--
http://www.veteransforpeace.org/deceptioninrecruiting.htm

[blondeatlast]

4. Make him read this, and you should, too.

From Mother Jones. The Army is resorting to some very low tactics to build recruitment:

http://www.motherjones.com/commentary/columns/2005/07/army_of_no_one.html

[Misunderestimator]

9. Great article... Every teenager should read that.

[blondeatlast]

12. Thanks. I've been posting every opportunity I see.

Started a thread in GD yesterday that went nowhere, bbut I've already posted the link twice this AM.

[Shell Beau]

5. Sorry! But he may be hell bent on doing this.

He may have a totally different perspective than you do. I know it is tough for you and I would be physically sick as well. I hope all works out.

[unhappycamper]

6. Tell him to read read up on delpeted uranium.

A few DU thread links:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4124449
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=137601
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=4045817

(You might want to mention that DNA damage is permanent.)

[Misunderestimator]

10. Right... also show him pictures of soldiers missing limbs...

[BikeWriter]

7. Not to mention killing innocent Iraqis...

[sandnsea]

8. OH MY

Mine was at college and I got a call from a recruiter, out of the blue. I immediately emailed my son and let him know I would kidnap him and chain him in a cave before I let him go in the military. Turns out he had nothing to do with the recruiter calling, but he did tell me he would prefer Mexico or Canada, if it ever came down to kidnapping.

I don't know what to tell you, some kids can just be damned hard-headed. Maybe a trip to volunteer at a VA hospital?

[lateo]

11. Tie him up and keep him in the basement...

[Karenina]

26. Or break both his legs

accidentally, of course! :evilgrin:

[indepat]

13. The very young can easily be brainwashed: sadly tens of millions of

those who have long been adults have also been brainwashed.

[RedCloud]

14. Sundance channel has many programs against the War.

Part of showtime's package.

Just yesterday they had war wounded from Iraq speaking out like true patriots against the abuses.

[RebelOne]

15. Better yet, if he is determined to join the military,

I think the Navy would be a better bet or even the Air Force. If he joins the Marines or the Army would mean he would have more of a chance of being sent to Iraq.

[comsymp]

16. You didn't mention, but I'm sure you asked him, and it would probably

help in understanding his rationale and, possibly, formulating an effective argument.

Why is he considering service?

[Left_Winger]

17. I am a former Marine and will be glad to have a talk with him

Unfortunately, from the info your ID page, we are about 1000 miles distant. PM me, or have him do it, and I will be glad to translate all the recruiter BS into truth. BTW, one of my former students joined the Marines in 2002 to learn how to be a jet mechanic (and become one). Last year he sent me an e-mail from Iraq informing me that he was being sent out on infantry patrols in Fallujah.

Regardless of one's MOS in the Marines, all Marines are first and foremost riflemen; and, the Marines will take advantage of this if the situation arises.

I also agree with the other poster who suggested that he watch Full Metal Jacket. The boot camp scenes are quite accurate (I even had someone attempt suicide while I was there) and, if you notice, 'Joker', who was a correspondent, ended up carrying a rifle in a combat zone.

If I can be of any assistance, please feel free to contact me.

[MissMillie]

18. Thank you

I will have him contact you.

I just spoke w/ him and he told me that I'm meeting w/ the recruiter tomorrow night. I already had plans for tomorrow night so he offered to switch it to a different night. They need me to sign some sort of medical form. I told Tim that I'm not signing ANYTHING.

Tim has kerotaconus, a degenerative disease of the cornea, which would normally exclude him from military service. The recruiter is now telling him that he can get a waiver and still sign up. I'm trying to tell Tim that this would mean that when he does finally need a cornea transplant, the Marines will NOT pay for it.

I don't think he gets it. I don't understand how it is possible that he doesn't get it, but he doesn't.

My son is a bright, sensitive young man. I don't know why he wants to sign up to go kill people. Without a college degree there is little chance that he will do anything else. Why does he want to do this?

[comsymp]

19. "Why does he want to do this?"

Why DOES he want to do this? I asked upthread but you didn't answer. What was his rationale when you talked with him about it? After all, if he's old enough to be accepted into the Service, he's old enough to have an adult conversation... You did talk with him about it???

[LisaL]

21. Well, if they need you to sign medical forms, just don't sign

anything.
Or are you worried they will still accept him even if you don't sign the forms?

[LRSU_Ghost]

30. The sad thing is...

They would pay/take care of any eye problem he develops (even pre-existing) to keep him in the service. In the end they won't need your signature for anything if he is over 18. I'm 99% sure they will give him a waiver if he can pass the med exam as is and his vision can be corrected to 20/40.

Heck, I was legally blind in both eyes my last year in Iraq and still performed normal duties. The worst part about the waiver is that if he ends up getting a medical discharge because of his vision problem, he prob won't be eligible for disability benefits connected to the original condition because he will have waived rights to service connection to the condition. This will probably happen even if the condition is worsened due to his service.

Take him to your local VA hospital and have him talk with recent returnee's dealing with their new medical conditions. It will be an education. I wish I was close by to you guys so I could talk to him face to face myself.

I sure hope everything turns out 'ok' for you both. Take care...

[bluestateguy]

20. Maybe you could cut a deal with him

Not to enlist until 2009, when we will have a new Commander in Chief.

[Deja Q]

22. Death wish? Depression?

[LynneSin]

23. Could you get him to compromise and go for either the Air Force or Navy?

Those groups aren't seeing the action that the Marines & Army is seeing. Or the Coast Guard.

Better yet just lock him in his room until he is 40

[Allenberg]

28. Not even the Air Force is safe

they're sending kids fresh out of tech school to go be convoy escorts because of how short-handed the Army is. Hell, I enlisted because I thought intelligence would be nice, safe, office work. They're even deploying those folks to combat zones now to go on recon and escort missions.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

25. Omigod, MissMillie...

I am so sorry! I really have nothing to add to these other excellent suggestions; I just wanted you to know how badly I feel about what your son is contemplating. I'm holding the good thought that he will change his mind...

:hug:

[bearfan454]

27. Wasn't he in ROTC ?

I thought you posted a pic of that a while back.

[LRSU_Ghost]

29. I just posted this on your other thread,

Let me know if you need anything:

"I've been lurking on this site for a couple of months and decided to post after reading your thread.

You see, I was recently retired from the Army. I was medically retired. While I understand your son's desire to join-up, I believe that it is hard for kids today to grasp what it means to do so. They simply do not understand what it is like to fight in combat. They simply do not understand that after joining up, they likely will be shipped-out to Iraq. I guarantee you that they have no idea what Iraq is like.

Heck, I remember my Dad (a combat vet) trying to talk me out of joining up and trying to explain what it was like in combat. Of course I was young and thought I knew it all. I've learned a few things since those younger days of mine; while I probably wouldn't change any of my choices that I have made in this life, I definitely would do everything in my power to talk my child out of going off to fight in this particular war.

If your son is hell-bent on joining-up, take him to the local VA Hospital and have him talk with some of the recently wounded there. They should be able to explain the realities of this war to him.

I sure hope this all works out for you and your son. Tell him for me that he does not want to fight in Iraq, tell him to trust me on this one...

My best to both of you...Take care."

[northzax]

31. you need to be more subtle

he's a teenager. Simply tell him that he needs a couple of years in the Marines. That you think it's a fabulous idea, that college is for sissy-boys. that you support the President 1000% (extra 0 for emphasis).

that should scare him into signing up for classes the next morning.

[caty]

32. Check out:

http://www.gocoastguard.com/