If getting/being married while serving was not allowed, would you still join?

CPT(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 22:56:49 -0400

Response by SSG Trevor S. made Jul 16 at 2015 11:07 PM

SSG Trevor S. — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 23:07:44 -0400

No, I'm a retired Soldier not a retired Priest.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Jul 16 at 2015 11:40 PM

COL Charles Williams — Thu, 16 Jul 2015 23:40:00 -0400

I joined before I was married, and planned on ETSing before we got married... I would yes...

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Jul 17 at 2015 3:04 AM

Capt Seid Waddell — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 03:04:37 -0400

I did.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jul 17 at 2015 7:29 AM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 07:29:02 -0400

In the early 1990s then Commandant Gen Grey attempted to do something similar with the USMC. The blowback was palpable.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made Jul 17 at 2015 7:39 AM

SSG (ret) William Martin — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 07:39:58 -0400

The legions of Rome had did not marry or at least the soldiers on the lower rankings could not marry but I am sure many of them had unofficial marriages. I would still join but no government will keep me from being married.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 17 at 2015 8:32 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 08:32:55 -0400

Yes, absolutely.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 17 at 2015 10:02 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 10:02:19 -0400

It's an unfair question now. I wouldn't leave my wife to join. However, before I met her, at the time I did join, I would have even with the stipulation that I couldn't marry until I was out.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 17 at 2015 10:50 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 10:50:40 -0400

you mean to tell me spouses are not part of OCIE?

Response by SGT Bryon Sergent made Jul 17 at 2015 10:51 AM

SGT Bryon Sergent — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 10:51:13 -0400

I don't get it. I was single when I joined. but I married while out and then joined the national guard. If I was single I could ave faimly members take care of things but wouldn't have the same value of life with out my wife!

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Jul 17 at 2015 11:23 AM

CPT Jack Durish — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 11:23:14 -0400

I'm surprised that no one else has mentioned the wisdom that we heard when serving (at least during the Vietnam era): If the military felt you should have a wife, they'd issue you one.

Today, our VFW post is helping young families of service members who can't afford them. They're breeding children they can't feed or keep in diapers. Some begrudge them their problem and think we should let them suffer the consequences of their mistakes. Others of us feel that the families shouldn't suffer just because they made a mistake.

Sure, let them marry, but give them guidance. Leaders, especially NCOs who interact daily with young service men and women stand in loca parentis. They should take the responsibility seriously...

Response by PVT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 18 at 2015 1:01 AM

PVT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 01:01:57 -0400

Yes of course.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 18 at 2015 3:46 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 15:46:35 -0400

Shouldn't really matter. If the engagement is several years, just gives you plenty of time to get your ducks in a row before eloping. If the fiance doesn't stay through the hardest few years in the beginning, they are not in it for the long haul anyway, and you shouldn't waste your time.

Response by SrA Edward Vong made Jul 18 at 2015 3:49 PM

SrA Edward Vong — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 15:49:01 -0400

Somehow, I started thinking of Game of Thrones.

Response by Maj John Bell made Sep 11 at 2018 8:10 PM

Maj John Bell — Tue, 11 Sep 2018 20:10:44 -0400

Back when PX Kelley was the Commandant of the Marine Corps, he proposed that Junior Marines (Pvt -LCpl) not be allowed to marry, and 2ndLts and 1stLts not be allowed to marry unless they had deployed, or had completed one FMF tour. (I may have the details wrong, but that's close).

It went over like a turd in a punch bowl, more from the civilians than from serving Marines. At that time the divorce rate among Junior marines was getting close to 70% and among Lieutenants about 50%. Marine Corps wide, not including the high risk groups, it was about 25%) I don't know how that compared to the civilian world if you cut people in their teens and early 20's from the stats.