Tech Dude answers:

I am guessing you mean ‘united states public health service’? Since they are NOT military (but they may be designated as such by the President in time of war or national emergency) i don’t think those rules apply.

But, for the active duty branches, you would think as hurting as the military is for nurses, the answer would be “yes” you can join. But since nurses can and are deployed, the last information i had, the answer is still the same “NO SINGLE PARENTS” – even for officers, even for nurses, even for doctors.

That’s not to be mean, but those are the rules and there are no waivers to the rules because the problem is: what happens WHEN (not ‘if) you are deployed? Who is going to take care of your kids? Once upon a time, all you needed was a family care plan to get in. Then people started ‘using’ their kids (sorry, but that’s what they did) to get out of going on a deployment in the sand box by saying their provider was no longer available. It didn’t take long before the military got smart to that and closed the loophole.

So unless the stance for ‘critical’ positions like nursing has changed, the answer is still NO. You cannot serve. If that is the case, marry the dad, get married to someone else, or sign off on the kid. Those are the cards you chose to deal yourself when you chose to become a single parent.

Good luck

Tech Dude answers:

He could resign his commission, I guess. But quitting shouldn’t be an option for a member of the United States military.

Tech Dude answers:

Yo Rocky!

First of all: I want everybody who says that they want to be a Marine to not even think about what job they “think” they are going to get in the Marine Corps.

The Marines that I respect are those Marines that want to be IN the Marine Corps because they WANT to be a Marine! And, thus, the actual job you do get means nothing. Every Marine is an infantryman.

Remember? “This is my rifle, this is my gun. This is for shooting. This is for fun!”

That’s it. What job (MOS) the Marines selects for you is the job the Marines wants you to do.

The NEEDS of the Corps come before the WANTS of the Individual.

It is “nice” to dream of those “sniper jobs” “ranger jobs” “SEAL” jobs “Recon” jobs. That’s all poster boy stuff.

You want to be a Marine? You go on line to amazon dot com and type in “Guidebook for Marines” published by the Marine Corps Association, 18th edition, 2nd printing. 450 pages and 33 chapters of all ESSENTIAL Marine Corps knowledge. Price: cheap: $7 + $4 postage. If you are still in high school then study this handbook. Memorize it. Learn it. It is everything you need to become a Meritorious Marine! It’s cheaper than a pizza!

Now, if you enlist you are going to have very little, if any, time to go to college as a first termer. You will be so busy with your field work that you won’t have the time or motivation to do any college work for at least your first enlistment until you make Sergeant (E-5) probably.

So, if you want to become an officer then the sure way to do it is to go to a college that offers Navy ROTC and get accepted to the college and enrolled into Navy ROTC and the Marine Option. I don’t care what officer field you want to be in. You will be told at that time what Officer Fields for Marine Second Lieutenants are available when you are ready to select and be assigned. And that is 4 years away plus the year you wasted before getting to college plus how many years of high school you still have left. No one knows what enlisted or officer jobs will be open when it is your turn.

That’s why I say: Just be glad to become a Marine. And, you will do your duty in what ever MOS or officer field you are assigned to.

If you are going to college you need to have better qualifications than the “average” college student. The US military demands higher knowledge and skills and physical fitness than the rest of society requires.

Strive to get a 3.8 – 4.0 GPA
Strive to get an ACT from 29 – 32
Strive to get a combined SAT from 2,000 – 2,100
Letter in high school in a sport.

Marines must be more physically fit than the other services. There are no fat Marines. Give up all fast foods. No more pizzas, burgers, fries, donuts, cakes, ice cream, cookies, pies, soda with corn syrup sweeteners, etc. You never want to be on the ‘fat boy’ program. NEVER.

In the Guidebook for Marines it outlines the Daily 16 exercises. Learn them and do them!

The Corps won’t tell you this; but, I will. For Heaven’s sake don’t get married during your first enlistment. You don’t need a wife until you make NCO status. The Marine Corps is your wife. First and always. When you go to Okinawa for 12 months you won’t have a wife behind crying over you.

Semper Fi,

Larry Smith
Senior Master Sergeant, USAF (Ret.)
First Sergeant

Tech Dude answers:

Not really, they are literally called “uniformed service.” And I don’t imagine they would draft someone out of that kind of position after paying for their training and uniforms and so on.

But they would likely be too old to be drafted anyway. The draft age ends after the age of 25. By the time you are in the Public Health Service or NOAA, you have a Bachelor’s and and advanced degree. If you graduated college at 22 and only got a Master’s degree, that would put you at 24 years old already.

Tech Dude answers:

Definitely i know a guy who went to university of phoenix,he is now a us army officer.as long as you qualify in your asvab,etc then you should be able to do it.