Marine Corps

[Howie]

My son was a computer kid....not into much physical activity.....a little lazy. He made up his mind that he wanted to go into the Marines. He trained for over 6 months. He lost 40 lbs. He could run 3 miles at nearly a full sprint.....met all qualifications.....even had his job locked in as an aircraft mechanic.
he left 2 weeks ago for Parris Island. I got the one scripted phone call, then the generic letter 7 days later with his address. I knew he was going through hell but he was excited to get his life rolling.

I received a phone call yesterday from a Captain telling me he was being dropped because he tested positive for Hepatitis B. Needless to say I was stunned. He recently had all of the tests done at his local doctor. He then proceeded to tell me he would be home in 5 days. That was it ...nothing else. I then received a call from my son 5 hours later. He couldn't give much info as they were telling him to hurry and get off the phone.

I have called...emailed and texted anyone involved trying to figure out how and when he will be coming home.....will he be dropped at my door? The recruiters are looking into it for me. I was in the military 30 years ago and I know how feeble they can be with passing along info but c'mon....

Life will go on for my son...he's only 18....get him retested when he comes home ....get him into school and find him a part time job. He will always have a place to stay.

Regardless of how it all turned out I am still very proud of him. He completed what he set out to do. It was all taken away from him by something he had zero control over. He's still my hero

Thanks for listening.

 

[DinkyDau]

As well you should be Proud, Sorry for the news and hope him well..

 

[joeylee]

The most important thing he can learn from this is how to pick up and move on. If we weren't living right the devil would leave us alone

 

[HighTower]

you sound like a proud dad! and you should be! the lord works in mysterious ways, but theres a reason hes coming back home to you. just imagine how much worse that phone call could have been

 

[TxBoyX2]

Get the retest first thing!! The test kits they use are a joke. They tell my g/f every year that she has TB, but never actually has it when they do the full test.

 

[militaryrednek]

along with the others, be proud. at x2 on it coulda been a much worse phone call.


you probably wont hear anything until he gets moved out of the boot company and into some sort of medical detachment. more freedom to call there. not sure if the marines do that, but they had one in the army basic for that type of thing.

 

[Shemp]

The most important thing he can learn from this is how to pick up and move on. If we weren't living right the devil would leave us alone

Exactly right. Your son still had the courage and righteousness to sign up for the military when so many others are content to sit in their parents basements with no goals or aspiration and play video games. I tip my ABU cap to him!

 

[joewilly]

Yea, he will be fine. When one door closes, another one opens!

 

[Indirect Fire]

Sorry to hear about the the medical separation, I know he is most likely devastated. Once he is moved to an admin unit (or barracks) for separation he will have the ability to call and give you more detail. He did more than 99% of his peers, he and you both have good reason to be proud !

Semper Fi

 

[Howie]

Thank you everyone! Gotta tell you....when that phone call came through I cried for the first time in years.....I knoiw how much this meant to him......Thankyou everyone for your kind words...I does mean a lot to me.