Comments on: Supporting the Troops in LA (Updated)

By: Sue

Sue — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 21:30:13 +0000

No apparent reason? Please. Call this what it is: communism!

By: DRJ

DRJ — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 20:32:41 +0000

Thanks, Stashiu, and I’ll see you tomorrow. I look forward to seeing your updates, too.

By: Stashiu3

Stashiu3 — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 20:25:52 +0000

Oh, I should add that Pixi did apologize for the inconvenience, even though it’s not his fault. Nice of him to say the least.

OT: I’ll know I’ve made it (somewhat anyway) when kagu or spurwing deigns to add a bit of their “colorful” wisdom in a comment at my site. Love both those guys (assuming they’re different people… and guys for that matter, lol)

Thanks for checking in DRJ, I appreciate you taking the time to stop by.

By: krazy kagu

krazy kagu — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 20:17:26 +0000

How come the must idiot judges are here in california?

By: Stashiu3

Stashiu3 — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 20:14:41 +0000

The mee.nu domain is down, mu.nu looks to be still up as I can get to Ace’s. DoublePlusUndead and I exchanged emails about it earlier, then Pixi Mixi sent an email saying that it would probably be at least a few hours before he could get it fixed. Pixi said we could email him if we needed to, or “simply enjoy a quiet, blog-free weekend”. (harumph!)

Fortunately, I had made a ton of changes and added several things (like a sitemeter, which Patterico had suggested to me earlier) when I had trouble sleeping last night. They were complete, so when the mee.nu domain returns, you’ll see a lot of changes (hopefully for the better).

By: DRJ

DRJ — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 19:21:41 +0000

Note to Stashiu:

I can’t get to your website. The URL goes to a site for your webhost and I can’t figure out how to go any further.

By: Stashiu3

Stashiu3 — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 19:06:20 +0000

Enlistment in the DEP is just that-an honest-to-God enlistment.
Comment by XBradTC — 3/8/2008 @ 8:22 am

It used to be. That’s what it was when I came in. They have now changed it to what was described above. They should have probably changed the name to avoid confusion, but they’re not the same programs.

By: Scott Jacobs

Scott Jacobs — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 18:17:44 +0000

Wow Eric… That’s saying a piece…

Though for the record, everyone else in The System support’s the kid’s desire to join the Army – Foster parents, Social Worker, siblings, everyone.

Only the judge is a Mike Foxtrot…

By: Spike

Spike — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 17:45:28 +0000

At 17, the summer before my senior year, I enlisted in the Army with my parents permission. I was in the Delayed Entry Program for a year before going to Basic Training. Because of this, I got the job specialty I wanted, Aviation Maintenance, and I was promoted a year ahead of my peers. My senior was a blast because I only had to graduate and not worry about college. The Army paid for college a few years later. It was the smartest thing I have ever done. 26 years later, I am still in the Army Reserve and a professional helicopter pilot, with a college degree. Neither would have been possible without the Army. I have seen and done things most people never dream of. Oh sure, I have been to Iraq and I’m going again in a few months for tour #2. All in all, it was the best decision my life. It makes my blood boil that some liberal bleeding heart judge would prevent a young man from joining the Marines. Sure, he can join when he turns 18, but he will miss out on the bonus and guarantee of a particular job selection which is too bad. Hang in there dude! Semper Fi!

By: XBradTC

XBradTC — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 16:22:10 +0000

FWIW, I was an Army recruiter for 4 years. 4 very long years.
Enlistment in the DEP is just that-an honest-to-God enlistment. You sign the same contract and swear the same oath as any other enlistment, in the reserve component of your branch. If you are 17, you must have the signature of a parent or legal guardian to enlist, even if your entry on active duty is after you turn 18.

Do you have to go to training? No, not really. Before you go to training, you have to be discharged from the DEP, and enlisted in your active component. Since the service can’t compel you to take an oath, if you change your mind, there really isn’t a lot the service can do. You end up getting discharged. I had a couple guys get cold feet on the day they were supposed to ship- one just needed a little encouragement and counseling, the other just couldn’t face it and ended up not going.