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I've been with the Army ROTC for two semesters now in college and its time to finally take my relationship with it to the next level. My father, a Marine of 30+ years, thought it would just be a brief fling but I truly love what I'm doing. How do I tell him that I'm joining the Army without him disowning me from the family?
Update: Well he took it way better than I thought he would have. He was highly skeptical at first and grilled me about every aspect to make sure I knew what I was doing and hadn't just been swindled into signing my life away. Then after he was satisfied he asked why I wasn't joining the Coast Guard as I've been an auxiliarist with them for a while now. After I gave him the explanation to that he told me to wait on the couch and went into one of our side rooms and came back with some papers. Said papers were my grandfathers DD-214, while they weren't as detailed as the ones that come out now they showed that my grandfather had served in the Army and Air Force and had retired from the latter. I had never met my grandpa as he died before I was born and for some reason he'd never come up in conversation beyond the fact that he had been in the military. I'd always assumed he had also been in the Marines. So overall it went well and I learned a bit more about my family tree. Thank you to everyone for their advice and kind words. I actually used a good bit of that advice over the course of the conversation.
Update: Well he took it way better than I thought he would have. He was highly skeptical at first and grilled me about every aspect to make sure I knew what I was doing and hadn't just been swindled into signing my life away. Then after he was satisfied he asked why I wasn't joining the Coast Guard as I've been an auxiliarist with them for a while now. After I gave him the explanation to that he told me to wait on the couch and went into one of our side rooms and came back with some papers. Said papers were my grandfathers DD-214, while they weren't as detailed as the ones that come out now they showed that my grandfather had served in the Army and Air Force and had retired from the latter. I had never met my grandpa as he died before I was born and for some reason he'd never come up in conversation beyond the fact that he had been in the military. I'd always assumed he had also been in the Marines. So overall it went well and I learned a bit more about my family tree. Thank you to everyone for their advice and kind words. I actually used a good bit of that advice over the course of the conversation.
Humor
ROTC
Marines
Edited 9 y ago
Posted 9 y ago
Responses: 78
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My dad was a Marine, after the Chosin he switched to the Air Force.
I heard the stories as a lad and said I get sea sick and chose the Army.
He passed away proud of me.
I heard the stories as a lad and said I get sea sick and chose the Army.
He passed away proud of me.
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CWO3 (Join to see)
he surely went to Heaven if there is one, because if he was USMC at the Frozen Chosin he already served his time in hell, a lot of US Army with him also, like TF Faith (1/32), and TF MacLean (31st RCT)
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Just tell him your Officer Qualification Test scores were too high for the Marines but acceptable for the Army.
Seriously, I tend to believe that he would be proud of you wherever you serve if he is a veteran of 30+ years...the mere fact that you are willing to serve is huge. Tell him you get in where you fit in and your perfect fit for service is right where you are...in the Army. As a parent I can tell you that all I want for my children is for them to do what they are wanting to do...if they are happy and enjoying it, then I know they will be successful. I want them to have a better life than I did. Now, you can expect some service rivalry jokes so be prepared to sling them back. Soldier up and just tell him, because it is your life and success or failure is on your shoulders.
REMEMBER--The Marines are the moochers of the United States Armed Forces: They Go to Army Schools, They Ride in Navy Equipment, Get their Lunch Money from the Air Force...its that simple...
MARINE--Muscles Are Required Intelligence Not Essential (A little humor Marines...I love Marines because when you ask or direct them to get something done, you can walk away knowing it will get done or they will die in the attempt.)
Seriously, I tend to believe that he would be proud of you wherever you serve if he is a veteran of 30+ years...the mere fact that you are willing to serve is huge. Tell him you get in where you fit in and your perfect fit for service is right where you are...in the Army. As a parent I can tell you that all I want for my children is for them to do what they are wanting to do...if they are happy and enjoying it, then I know they will be successful. I want them to have a better life than I did. Now, you can expect some service rivalry jokes so be prepared to sling them back. Soldier up and just tell him, because it is your life and success or failure is on your shoulders.
REMEMBER--The Marines are the moochers of the United States Armed Forces: They Go to Army Schools, They Ride in Navy Equipment, Get their Lunch Money from the Air Force...its that simple...
MARINE--Muscles Are Required Intelligence Not Essential (A little humor Marines...I love Marines because when you ask or direct them to get something done, you can walk away knowing it will get done or they will die in the attempt.)
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Is there an NROTC at your school with the Marine-Corps option? If you have found the program that fits you and you like what you are doing, then tell him that. Be honest. Good luck!
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Try, "Dad, the university has an Air Force ROTC unit. Those guys look very cool in their tiger stripe work uniforms and don't really have to learn how to march or that kind of stuff. I didn't join them because I knew you wouldn't respect me. Instead I joined Army ROTC where I'm studying land warfare and small unit tactics--ya'know kinda like the Marines only without the boats."
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All you have to tell him is dad I Aint Ready to be a Marine Yet.. He will understand.
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CWO3 (Join to see)
yep, heels locked, feet at 45 degrees, thumb along the forefinger, palm along the trouser seam, head and eyes locked to the front at a 1000 mile stare
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I made amends by losing a stripe & going through Parris Island... i was forgiven for being a paratrooper first.... AATW & Semper Fi
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CWO3 (Join to see)
I first rode going ashore in Somalia, it beats the hell out of wet nets and a mike boat or LCU for sure, they are driven by USN CPO's (E7 - E9, Craftmaster) that are almost like pilots because technically it flies, as long as they stay earthbound I'm good with it, they had a very bad crash in the very early years, night ops I think and hit a big rock, didn't turn out well.....but Putin's working on the USSR thing, just a question of which comes first - him as an equal to Lenin and Stalin for bringing USSR back together, or him becoming first trillionaire on earth, some estimates have him in the range of $ 200 - $ 400 billion, but one associate that got out alive said maybe double that, he has a unique business model, they kill or gulag anyone that poses a threat and he personally seizes their wealth, I've seen a documentary about their gold but especially diamonds in storage, drawers full in vaults that the global cartel is paying them not to release into circulation so they won't dilute the market
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Sgt Wayne Wood
CWO3 (Join to see) - Putin is definitely smarter than our leadership of the past few years
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I truly know what you're dealing with. My father is an Air Force aviator 20+ years - me a red leg/CAV Scout Army. I think if you take him out for a beer and you just tell him the Army is the path you've picked I think you might be surprised by your father's reaction. He's going to be proud of you either way - Its not like you went Air Force (jab intended).
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Look him square in the eyes and say "Dad, I love that I got my fight and stubbornness from you, but intelligence came from Mom. So when you look at me, think a lean mean killing machine with a mind like a NASA computer."
That should get the Christmas spirit fired up!! :-)
That should get the Christmas spirit fired up!! :-)
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