Update-



He came home last night with a Marine key lanyard and a folder with three shiny papers with pictures of Marines with small snippets of info. Nothing more-just shiny pretty things.



Told me he had double disqualified himself-

*lack of a diploma

*suicide attempt (he was 13)

But that the recruiter told him she wanted to work with him.



Suggested getting a diploma- not by going back to school but you pay a fee- take some tests and get a diploma- not a GED.



...and told him to keep the suicide attempt on the downlow- which I find absurd. You can't hide the scars and you can't lie about it at a physical- so someone is going to know.



She left him a message asking him to call her this morning- so will know soon if she still wants to work with him or not.



He may need to more seriously consider the other branches.

He may very well pass the recruiting office's "standards" but when he gets to MEPS for the pre-enlistment physical, testing and interview they'll disqualify him again.

There's a program here called the California Conservation Corps that is a live-in type program that does firefighting and other environmental work. It's pretty structured. I don't think it's restricted to CA residents and there may be something similar in your area.

The question remains though- would it disqualify him for good? He is not physically disabled.

AmeriCorps is a similar program. We see them up in the San Bernardino mountains doing projects all the time.

Nephythys~I think my daughter also took that test. She had been through other programs, home studies and I forget what the one is that is on campus but seperate.....But, she took that test and received a diploma of sorts, not a GED. Her home studies teacher recommended that, you pay {at the time} $50 and go to {she did} a local college and take the test.

My nephew who is trying to join the service, he has been trying for a long time. It is frustrating because he is putting all of his hopes in that he will be in the service. That's it. Waiting. He needs to move on but I think they keep telling him it will happen.

I also don't know if they will ever overlook his past. A lot of people have had problems, but, as you say, it is hard to hide. They may overlook it, who knows.

I like those programs mentioned, the Corps. They sound like real character building programs.

Again, I wish you luck. But, what I have found, sometimes even when they find their 'niche' they fall out of it and have to either re-find it or find another one. So, take it easy and breathe. ;0)

Highly possible. You have to have a clean mental health history. With his legal troubles it may just be to much.

I had a hell of a time getting around the Navy's requirements because I took ADD meds as a kid. In the end it was my knees that disqualified me from enlisting (went all the way through to the pre-enlistment physical at MEPS).

As much as he wants to join, as much as the recruiter may "work with him" the recruiter doesn't get the final say.

Having other options at hand may help soften the blow of "now what am I going to do with my life".

Legal troubles? He has a closed juvenile record- which has to be disclosed but he has no legal issues currently.

Other than that- who knows yet. I need to check in with him and see what happened on the call.

That's what I was referring to. Closed doesn't mean it won't effect him.

I hope it went well and I do hope it works out. I think it would be an amazing experience and environment for him to thrive in.

So much for that.

"I lost the number" "I deleted the message" "I was double disqualified"

"I don't want to anymore"

Boom- another door shut by D- who will do nothing hard and sees nothing through.

I am pretty upset now- not because of the military. If he does not want to- fine. I am upset because he is going nowhere and while he is going nowhere he thinks he can use me and my home and my family.

I am sick of it and want him to get out and start living his life.