Anonymous
You can just tell your recruiter you don't want to join, or want a few months to think about it.
I did the same thing with the Army: I quit on my first recruiter because he was going to stiff me on the enlistment bonus, so I quit, then found a better recruiter and got the things I wanted and joined the Army.
But yes, you can get out of it, no trips to MEPS or paperwork, just tell them you're not going, they can't force you to stay because you haven't started a contract yet.
Cory Davis
My recruiter talked a good talk. I was settled on the Marines but now I'm second guessing myself, because I went to the Army branch and they had a lot of good stuff to say too. But when I think about going to MEPS, I want to throw up. When I think about boot camp, I want to throw up. When I think about the Marines, I want to throw up. Maybe this is all because my recruiter has pressured me into going to MEPS. I have signed some papers with him, and he has my information. He has paid for a hotel for me and we are scheduled to leave on Monday. I told him I didn't want to go, but he keeps insisting. I don't want to go. My heart is not in it. It just isn't. My friend and I were planning on doing the buddy system, and now we might not be able to do that. I don't know what to do. I just wanted more time to think about it but he won't give it to me. What should I do? I'm scared, uncomfortable, angry, and disgusted all at the same time with the situation...
Top
Everybody is nervous before going to MEPS and this is a big decision. This is what you need to do. Reach down, grab ahold and cowboy up. Go to MEPS, ship to boot camp and do great things. If you cannot make a command decision and are wavering, then you need to pick a different branch of service. We want young men and women that are completely dedicated to the Corps. If you are not okay with that, then I advise choosing a different branch or none at all.
samuraiwarrior_98
Well first off is get ahold of yourself. Not thinking things through is what has now maybe partly got you into this situation. If you are old enough to enlist then you are certainly old enough to be held accountable for your actions and decisions and if you did not realize that before you signed up, you better certainly realize it now. Secondly is that its not unusual for people to feel some trepidation just before going off to MEPS or Basic and some of your anxiety is probably due in part to that. Unfortunately you have started in motion though a process that if stopped on your part could then make you ineligible for enlistment in the future maybe. What happens if you decide after all that you still want to enlist in one of the other military services later then could be a problem for you. As I see it you really need to get hold of yourself and sit down and think things through as well as talk to your recruiter about this. He of course is going to favor probably you going because he has done the work to make that happen and then receives credit for you going; don't forget his job is to recruit and he does not keep that job if he is not successful and meets his quota so you dropping out maybe hurts him as well as you. Based on all this then you have a decision to make but try to make the right one for yourself here is what I am saying and knowing and understanding the ramifications of that need to also be included in your decision. That and hopefully you have learned from this experience and realize now you are no longer a child and so you are responsible for those decisions you make now as well as in the future is the lesson that you also need to take away from all this now.
Elisabeth
So don't. You're not officially enlisted until you've signed that contract. Just tell them you changed your mind and go about your day. No problem.