Hey there and I was thinking about joining the military but I have some questions first. I have a diversion for mary jane and transporting an open container. Can I still join?, they are only misdemeanor charges. Can I still join and if I join after my diversion is up do I still need to tell them about it because it should be clear on my records if I stay out of trouble with the law.

All branches have different rules and exceptions for your previous offenses. If you post back with which branch you are looking into, I could help you a bit more.

Well my parents want me to join into any branch but the Marines, but I want to be in true combat so I really want to join the Marines. Dad is fine with it, but Mom has problems with me joining the Marines. So I'm thinking the Marines anyway because last time I listened to Mom it got me no one where I wanted to go.

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maybe a good choice.

Ah, Marines is a good choice, as you can tell by my sig and name.

Anyways, with the Marines, since you had those two previous offenses, I think that you would need to sign a waiver or something like that to join. Your best bet is to just contact your local recruiter, and chat with him/her about your eligibility. In my opinion, it sounds as you will be fine joining. Good luck.

Do you know if there are still sign up bonuses? Could I tell them to not talk about my charges to my parents, because they still don't know about them. I figured if I'm on my own, they don't need to be in my business. Would they stick that type of deal... because the family I come from would frown down about having those charges and it took a lot of work hiding it from them.

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If you enlist while in your Senior year of High School, once you pass boot camp, they promote you to PFC (Private First Class), instead of Private. I know there's much more bonuses when you sign up, just too lazy to think of them.

As for the charges and discussing them with your parents, if you are required to sign a waiver, your parents must also sign it, so they would know that way. If you do not have to sign a waiver, and the recruiter knows about your charges, you CAN ask them not to tell your parents, and 95% of the time, the recruiter won't. I think keeping it from your parents is a bad thing to do, getting it off your chest is a good thing. Just explain to them it was a mistake, and your turning your life around by joining the Corps.

Well, I'm not in High School anymore. I went to college and didn't like it so I quit that and started working full-time at an old job I had, at a Fish Hatchery. I am 19 years old (almost 20 in April) so I don't know why they would need my parents to sign anything. I don't like the 95% thing, I would like to be 100% sure. I just know from prior experience of my brother joining the Air Force that a couple of "Top Guys" asked my parents questions about my brother to make sure he was telling the truth about the stuff he said. I would feel a lot better if I told the recruiter to not bring up anything about the charges or what I went through while away at college. I have no problem telling the recruiter but I just don't want my parents to find out anything about what I did when I left their home.

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Ah, I thought you were still in High School. Anyways, your parents don't really need to be involved in this, as you can just go and sign the enlistment papers by yourself since your almost 20.

Yes, but I just wanted to make sure I could still join, and making sure the parents didn't get a call from a recruiter just wanting to ask them a few questions about my charges.

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Ah okay, sorry I must have been misinterpreting your question.

I think the recruiter WILL call your parents regarding the charge and what not, but if you just simply ask, chances are that they will not call your parents, but it all depends on which recruiter you get. If you get an old guy with a stick up his ass, he might call anyways, but if you get a younger guy or whatever, he'll probably skip out on the call. Once again, it mainly depends on the recruiter. Sorry if this didn't answer your question.

The recruiter can't say anything to your parents. You're over 18 and it would be illegal. The recruiter will tell you straight up if you can join or not. They won't always sugar coat it if they feel you're wasting their time.

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It depends if he was charged before he was 18. If he was charged that crime as a minor, his parents can always be called without him being told otherwise.

Why would the recruiter need to call them if he told the recruiter himself? His parents are not involved with the enlistment process after he turns 18. Unless of course he chooses them to be, but don't see that happening from what he has said.

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I was charged with them while I was 19 just a few months ago. It was about Mid-October and got on diversion November 22nd. I'll be talking to the recruiters soon, I still have quite a few more hours to go on my temporary job I have now, I'd like to work it out where relatively quickly going to basic right after my hours run out at this job.

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Good luck. The enlistment process seems to be moving relatively slow. You could probably leave around May or June. If you got to leave only a few weeks after going to MEPS, you would be extremely lucky.

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Yeah I'm looking more at early fall for when I run out of hours. I just started this job I'd like to put in my 999 hours here at the Hatchery because the most I've ever got to put in here was around 450 hours in one Summer. It's only been a Summer job while in High School so I'd like to stick around and learn a few more things that I never got to be a part of. So I'm looking at a long wait after this job to go to MEPS... darn looks like I might contact some local farmers so I have some income while I wait.

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Nice, but it's always the earlier you get in there, the better brother.

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Hoorah!

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I don't have much information on the Marines, but I know the military is cutting down numbers in general. Therefore, it is a lot harder to join than it was 3 years ago when I joined (Army). The charges may be a problem in the other branches apart from Marines. Especially since it relates to drugs.

My brother was turned down from the Air Force, Army, and Navy because of a breaking and entering charge.
My friend was turned down because of a possession charge.

But hey, since The Marines is where you are wanting to go, you may be in luck.

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