Dispatches from Dark Corner County

[Captain Neon]

Another classmate of mine who is a candidate for "Helicopter Parent of the Year" (best friend of "Homeschool Mom") posted on Facebook that her oldest just delay enlisted in the US Marine Corps. For the kid's sake, I really hope he makes it through basic and does good by his decision.

I can't help but wonder if he thinks that being a Marine is just being off to Boy Scout camp for 6 years with fancy blue uniforms. My uncle fought in Vietnam as a Marine and explained to me that R. Lee Ermey's character in Full Metal Jacket is a teddy bear compared to his drill sergeant. Best friend from junior college who also joined the USMC and did 6 years listening in on Saddam Hussein and Muhammar Khadafy for 6 years concurred. I'll be watching this one closely. I anticipate him calling home to his mommy as soon as they let him get to a phone.

[Nunavut Pants]

...My uncle fought in Vietnam as a Marine and explained to me that R. Lee Ermey's character in Full Metal Jacket is a teddy bear compared to his drill sergeant...

Interesting. My understanding was that they were not allowed to be quite that overtly horrid any more. But that they could (and did!) make it up in more covert ways.

Thread-jack: In FMJ, the narrator says that the treatment in Basic is "dehumanizing". There's a good reason for that--they basically have to tear down your personality and rebuild it in their mold. That is the best way they have of ensuring that the soldiers can actually do their job under the harsh conditions that they may very well face.

There's a lot that goes on, but among other things you have to become the sort of person who can get shot at and not completely panic, and who can shoot someone that you are told to shoot by your superior officers. If you cannot be relied on to do those things, you are likely to get yourself and others killed in combat. And very few of us start out as the type of person who can do those, so they have to rebuild recruits into that.

[Slave to the Phone]

2. Some social workers swear by decorative pillows when it comes to blocking the lunge of an angry parent attempting to stab you. For my money though, nothing beats a good stuffed moose.

As a food stamp worker to a child abuse worker, thank you and I'm sorry for you. My cube has cat and kitten pics hanging all over. There are small, light kitty figurines on the shelves as well. This is because our experts say that pics of baby animals help make people relax and feel less threatened.

This also helps to distract people from noticing that I have 2 solid glass cats in easy reach. Rather larger items, stylized cats with large bottoms, long necks and rounded heads. Nice to hold and they fit very nice in my hand.

If someone got hit with one of them, it would leave a mark.

My sweetie is a retired Marine. They are always Marines, not ex-Marines. We ride motorcycles with a club made up of Marines of all ages. (I'm ex-Air Force. We do have lots of friendly banter going on over that.)

Anyhow, each and ever Marine I have ever spoke to has told me about how hard the Drill Sergeants were in boot camp. The horror stories were incredible...but they were all the same. From men who joined in the early 50's to man who joined in 2014.

I find it hard to believe that things haven't changed in over 70 years, so I never openly doubt anyone's story. I do doubt a lot internally.

[Captain Neon]

I really think being a Marine would be good for this kid. He's been mommy's special boy his whole life.

Helicopter Mother is married to someone other than her kids' father. When stepdad got laid-off from his job, she went down to her husband's former employer and begged for them to give him his job back. When he did find a job, they withdrew the offer when they found out that he had signed a non-compete at his former employer. Helicopter Mom once again trots down to old employer and demands that they not enforce the non-compete. One can only imagine how she is when it comes to her own kids.

[Aria]

*shudders* That makes me wonder if he's joining the Marines specifically to get away from her. I wish him the best!

[Antisocial_Worker]

I was going to mention that, but I see that you've already covered it ... I hope they believed you when you told them that, because by the time they find out the hard way, they are usually well and truly in a prison with no bars. And usually with no exit either.

True dat. Especially true dat considering that we're less than four hours away from two of the top centers for sex trafficking in America. One of those cities is the fifth most popular destination for pedophile sex tourists in the freakin' world.

Which is to say, if you run away we can make an educated guess on where you'll go and what you'll do when you get there, assuming of course that that Subway sandwich artist gig goes bust.

[sstabeler]

*shudders* That makes me wonder if he's joining the Marines specifically to get away from her. I wish him the best!

If so, that would be a good sign for the kid- that he was trying to disassociate himself from a smothering parent, rather than fall back on letting her run his life for him.

Frankly, though, provided he knows what he's in for- even though I've never been in the military, I can imagine what basic is like. ( 1. you have 10 weeks to get from fit enough to enlist to fit enough for combat ( yes, I know there is AIT for at least another 4 weeks after BCT, but AIT is supposed to be about learning your individual speciality- which is why it can take up to 52 weeks- NOT about bringing you up to combat fitness.) 2. the level of scrutiny you are under is likely harsh (which may or may not be more difficult for a kid with a helicopter parent- it depends on how controlling they are))

[dalesys]

...depends on how controlling they are))

Half-asleep, they may call the screaming D.I., "Mommy..."

[workerbee222]

3. A free strip tease in the middle of downtown sounds like a bargain, but it's really not. Especially once more than one person gets involved.

After a certain age, clothes protect other people