Can my husband comand make the Marine Corps Ball Mandatory?

Question

My husband came home and told me that we need to start saving money so we can go to the Marine Corps Ball. He said it was mandatory for him to attend... The tickets are 120 a person... and the worst part is its in Las Vegas... which is a 6 hour drive from us!

now I dont want to sound horrable or anything, its just we dont have alot of money.... He is a lance corpral, and I am a home maker... we have 6 year old twin girls.. and well no extra money right now.. and alot of bills!!!

We literally live paycheck to paycheck.. .. The date is November 1st... a month before christmas.... I honestly dont know how to save the money.... we used all our saving on my daughters emergency dental bill...

so i guess i am asking... what will happen if we cannot afford to buy a ticket or drive there!! Can my husband get in trouble????

thank you!!!

Answer 1

Yes they can make it mandatory but if you do not go then nothing will happen...It will make him look very bad among his unit..

Answer 2

In my day we called those types of Officers and Staff NCO's...

Lifer's...They eat Sh*t and Bother People...

The have make it a Habit of assuming and issuing illegal orders

with out any Real USMC Orders to back them up...

They cannot force you to go to a Marine Corps Ball...never

They cannot punish you either...

They Cannot Force you to spend your Money on anything...

If they force you to be part of the clean up crew...they have to

supply you with Transportation To & From and supply you with

Free MEALS...

To this day I have Never Been to a Marine Corps Ball...NEVER

and Never Ordered any Marine to go that didn't want to...

Have you read the stats on how many Marines that have died

in Auto/Motorcycle accidents after Every Marine Corps Ball on their

way Back to Barracks...For every Ball there is at least 4...

That isn't counting the Maimed for life...

I don't drink so why would I go...

I am a Retired E9...

It is an illegal Order...Period.

Answer 3

I thought each USMC base had it's own ball.  If it was local, I could understand it being 'highly encouraged to attend' but to have to drive SIX HOURS is insane!  And $120 a PERSON?  What is the USMC coming to?  I didn't think it would cost a Marine anything.  Well, this old swabby is learning something new every day.

Tell your husband the US Marines are my personal heros and thank him for serving our country in the world's best fighting force!

(USN, retired, 1965 -1985/in-country Viet Nam vet)

Answer 4

Depending on what your husband does, yes, it can be mandatory for him to attend.  As far as your daughters emergency dental bill goes, I thought your medical insurance was supposed to either pay or help pay for that.  I know that in the Army, depending on which plan you have, it will either cover all or most of the cost of emergency surgery, dental or otherwise.  If you are having problems going, that is an issue you could also take up with his commanding officers.  I don't know much about life in the Corps, so you may want to seek advice from your fellow Marine Corps family members on this one.

Answer 5

They can't make it mandatory for him to pay for it but they can make it mandatory for him to attend.  What our chain of command did when we had the ball was made it mandatory to go and gave us the choice of paying and showing up to party in our dress greens or not paying and showing up in our duty uniform and being part of the cleanup crew.  They can't force you to go but they can force him to go and make it his official place of duty.  Then whether or not he pays will determine what he will be doing there.

It might be different for the Marines, so you might need to have your husband talk to his supervisor about the situation.

Answer 6

they can make it mandatory for HIM to attend.. not you.  

but $120 sounds steep.. even Navy officers don't pay that much to attend their Birthday ball, no matter how fancy the venue. or does that include the overnight hotel stay..in which case..d**n good deal for vegas.  

  he can show financial hardship, but don't be surprised if they say they will subsidize his ticket and still make him go.  

Answer 7

Thats unit dependant. But in my experience, its go to the ball or stand duty for the weekend, while eveyone else is at the ball. Honestly! have fun at the ball! its a blast! get a cheap room now at circus circus or something like that. It doesnt have to be that expensive, unless you guys are big drinkers, which, hey, the Corps was born in a bar! Semper Fi!

Answer 8

The Command can make it a mandatory command event - however if they do that, it is mandatory for the service member only.    You need to get the straight scoop - talk to his C.O.  - they cannot make him come up with $120.00 - that is ridiculous.   Sounds like they want to have a nice event and they are falling short of funds that the command can provide so they are pricing the tickets way too high to make up the difference.  I suspect that it is not a mandatory event and that your husband desperately wants to go.    Do not worry, if he misses the Ball there will be one next year and the year after that - when you may be better able to afford a great dress and have a good time without the financial worries.  And - hear this - he will not get in trouble - he just has to make it clear to his superiors why he cannot make it. - Good luck - John