How can I back out of the Military after my first oath of enlistment?

Question

I recently joined the United States Navy as a HM (Hospital Corpsman) and my family wasn't to happy about it. They had an "intervention" with me that involved friends and family. They've showed me articles of Navy hospital corpsman that have been killed or wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. They've given me a good ultimatum... Stay in Hawaii and we'll pay for your college, room and board. They don't want me to be another statistic. So any suggestions would be great.

Answer 1

If you are in DEP, you can back out at anytime. Just tell your Recruiter. Man up and tell him what is going on. He may give you c**p, but there isn't a great deal he can do about it..........

Answer 2

Fake your death.

I'm kidding listen to the first guy.

Answer 3

My fiancee is a hospital corpsman. There have been corpsman who have died overseas yes, but the percentage when compared to all others is very minimal. I think that there have been 30 corpsman deaths in the past 7 years. In all honestly the risk isn't that high. If you are already in the Navy, you will have to o to court marshal and its a good chance that it could be denied as you signed up for the 4 years or whatever. I work part time at the clinic as a DoD civilian and must say that though they get deployed, the majority have gone to Kuwait. My fiancee went to Kuwait and Iraq. A few of his friends have also been to Iraq and have come back physically unharmed, some have some PTSD but not to the point they need help.

If you stay in, you could also get a degree. My fiancee is going to Bio med repair and is getting a bachelors degree out of it. He is also making E-5. I don't know if you will be able to get out or not. But if not, good luck, it really isn't that bad. He is also going to field med once he graduates and hopes to be stationed with the marines, he is actually requesting to be with them.

Answer 4

Tell your family and friends to move to Iraq and Afghanistan and you go with them. You all deserve to live there and have to put up with the garbage over there.

Just remember one thing: FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!!!!!!

Something you and the rest of them seem to have forgotten

Answer 5

ok, first if you are doing this because your parents don't want you to and you do want to do it, but don't want to make them upset it's the wrong thing to do by backing out.Another, this is the safest war we have ever had, you are more likely to die on the streets of detroit MI than you are in war. My uncle is CIA, and its a fact. On top of that it is going to be hard to get out of it because you already signed papers. On top of that your parents arent going to be around for the rest of your life to live life for you it's a great opportunity, and you have already came this far and IDK about your enlistment butt I'm on month 4 of trying to enlist and I haven't given up and I sure as h**l aren't going to back out once I get in. I mean its your life and the military isn't for alot butt I would at least go to basic and MOS training before I try to give up.If you really want out tho, go up to your commanding officer and tell him you like guys, and try to kiss him, you will be out in a week.Guaranteed butt do it naked IT WILL WORK

Answer 6

Actually, I am glad they did that. The fact that you could be bought so easily, with a free ride in HI, with college and such, after taking the Oath, shows that you do not have the Courage, Honor, nor the Commitment that it takes to Serve in the USN, and especially as a Corpsman.

As a Marine, I have a Great Respect for Corpsman, even the ones who aren't FMF Docs, but the very thought that someone with so little Commitment could one day be charged with taking care of myself, or my fellow Marines, well, it makes me wonder just how much care you would actually provide.

Today is a good day! Your parents get to prove they raised a quitter, and the USN lost nothing. Now that Training slot is open for a True, Dedicated Doc... to bad the Recruiter wasted his time, but, he will get over it.... I doubt that you will, if you ever see the point.

I can only imagine if you had actually gone to Great Lakes, and somehow actually got assigned to a Marine Unit, got captured (highly unlikely in this War)... you would have sold us out for a steak and a beer... being a Doc takes serious Commitment, I have a feeling you tried to join just for the training, and the college money... the proof is in the fact that college money is what got you to forget your Oath. Maybe you could try to hold out on the parents, say, for a PS3? It has a reset button, you'll like that.

Answer 7

Even hear the  saying "Army Strong?"   It means making a decision, making a committment, and having the strength to  see your committment through.

   Are you going to show you have the balls to make a committment and  stand by your committment or are you going to let your family live your life for you??

You're the one who has to look at yourself in the mirror. I hope it isn't a full length mirror. You may see you're  missing something.

Answer 8

Take their bribe, it is too good an offer to pass up. But just remember, regrets and "what if's" are some of the worst feelings that can take hold of a man in life.  

Answer 9

I bet there are plenty of mom's whos kids went to college to end up getting in a car accident or partied a little too hard and the parents wish they had an intervention to ask them to go to the military for the discipline and honor behind their name. What makes you think you won't be some kind of statistics in Hawaii. Plenty of crime, car accidents...The point I'm trying to make is that you can die or be injuried with anything you do, so why take your chances doing something great and meaningful with your life rather than being an unknown name in the obituaries?

Answer 10

Enlisting is a serious issue and you probably shouldn't have joined and took an oath to serve and protect if you weren't ready to make that commitment. People die in Iraq often but smoking cigarettes kills more people than war does. Cancer kills more people than war does. h**l, even driving in a car you have a higher chance of getting killed than if you deploy, especially if you are in the Navy. Did you know that only 82 sailors have died in the Iraq war as of 12/09/07?!?! Over 3,000 soldiers have died in Iraq and three times as many were injured... Chances are that you will survive if you decide to uphold your oath to the United States of America. After all, you're more likely to die in America as opposed to being overseas. You made your bed kiddo, you should sleep in it. I think your parents are pretty crummy for wanting you to stay home. I mean, what kind of parent encourages their child to quit on their hopes and dreams?

Answer 11

Gee....what a bribe..

Now the question is....are you their little boy who does what they want or are you a man who lives up to his word?

My suggestion....be a man and be able to live with yourself for the rest of your life.  

Answer 12

Tell your recruiter you are not going to take the final oath of enlistment. That's all it takes. They will void your contract. I can understand the feelings of your folks. But, let them know that I served thirteen years as a Hospital Corpsman, including service with all three Marine Divisions and the Expeditionary Brigade to Cuba during the Missile Crisis of 1962. I don't have a Purple Heart. Plus,  I dispensed a lot of "Puha" to wounded, injured and the sick.  And I know that they have heard the news of the HM2 from Guam who died in Afghanistan and left behind a wife and children. But, he volunteered to go there, even though he was a Staff instructor at Great Lakes at the time.

Take their bribe. Just don't wind up hating them in years to come when the "woulda, shoulda, coulda" menehune comes calling.  

Answer 13

It's your decision. I am not here to attack you at all.

Answer: You are in DEP, the first contract you signed and the first Oath you took doesn't mean anything and doesn't mean squat. You are not property of the military until the 2nd time you head to MEPS and take the 2nd oath and sign the 2nd contract.

Go to your recruiter and tell him/her that you no longer wish to join the military, that simply you will pursue your college life and further your education that way rather than the military. Also, that after college, if you still wish to join, you will join as an Officer if possible and if you still have the desire to join the military.

So basically, tell him/her you're not going to do it, but leave the door a little bit open.

Also, don't let him/her tell you you CANNOT back out. They are lying to you, and if they do go talk to their Chief or higher in the Chain of Command and explain to them that soandso is telling you that you cannot leave DEP.

Good luck mate, best of wishes to you and yours.

Answer 14

Its your right to back out of your contract..Its legal..Just tell them, dont ask them, tell them..

Answer 15

You don't swear an oath to the military if you are afraid of 'becoming another statistic'. I'm not going to chew you out or anything, but it's extremely naive of you if that you thought that you would be magically away from the danger at all times.

Basically it comes down to this, if you are scared to be in the military and don't want to risk your life, then take their bribe.

Angering or disappointing your parents can be hard to do, but at the same time, this is your life and they have to accept that. By throwing money at you, they aren't helping you develop as a person.

My dad served in the Canadian Air Force during the 80's, and he said that it was the best time of his life, despite his high paying job now. He would trade that in to do what he did before in a heart beat. He saw the world, places that he never thought he would go, and he was proud when he saw the role that his country played on the international stage that he had never been aware of. You gain so much experience from the military, and the discipline that can be beneficial later on in interviews and in life.

I'm going to college too, so I'm not saying college is for the weak or something, I'm just saying that if you want to do the military, do it. Don't let your parents stop you. If they can't accept that, then they need to re-evaluate their control over you.

But I don't know how easily they will let you go. If all the paper work is done, you are their property for the next several years. And the States are hurting for more troops. Considering that they can call you back after you leave, I really don't see how you can just have a change of heart and walk away from them after already finalizing your enrolment.

Good luck.