Expert: Jason Grabill - 10/15/2008

Question
My step brother was planning on going into the Navy and was supposed to leave for bootcamp later this month. I ended up moving in with my parents in another state because my husband, who is in the Marines, actually deployed. Well my step brother ended up moving with me and had received permission from his recruiter to just go ahead and leave for bootcamp from another state and everything seemed fine until my step brother decided he really wasn't ready for the Navy. I am a big supporter of people going into the military but I do believe my step brother is definitely not mentally ready to go in. He has told his recruiter that he didn't want to go but now the recruiter is calling at all hours of the night, calling all day, etc. and is being very rude and belittling not only to my step brother but also my step father and my mother. He is threatening that my step brother will go to jail, be dishonorably discharged, never be able to get a job, etc. It's ridiculous. My step brother and step father are planning on going in to see him this week and I have been told by former recruiters that there is no way that my step brother can be put in jail or have any other sort of actions taken against him because he never went to bootcamp or something along those lines. Is this true and if it isn't what actions should we take to get my step brother out of this situation? We are planning on calling the Gunnery Sergeant tomorrow to make sure that the recruiter lays off and stops harassing us.

Answer
Katie:


  I understand the recruiters position, it's his job to get him to go, however, if your stepbrother backs out, basically what will happen is that he'll be dropped/discharged (filling out some paperwork) and that will be the end of it.  He won't go to jail, but, he won't be able to enlist into the military for a period of at least one year, or more.  And then he'll need a waiver to do so, which they may, or may not, give.

  Cold feet in this situation is understandable, and I'd advise going and doing what he signed up to do.  However, if he decides not to, then the above is likely what will happen.

Jason