Report: Anti-War Judge Rejects Foster Teen's Bid to Join Marines

A California judge rejected a foster teen's request for early enlistment with the Marine Corps — and a $10,000 signing bonus — reportedly on the grounds that the judge didn't approve of the Iraq war.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,336008,00.html

Hmmm...I think the judge is wrong to base his ruling on his personal opinion however I don't think that foster kids should be allowed to early enlist without some kind of oversight. Someone needs to be looking out for these kids and making sure that they're not being mislead by a recruiter or anyone who doesn't have their best interests at heart. There's lots of great recruiters but there are also some that will say just about anything to close the deal. Seventeen is so young and there's so much involved joining the service that these kids should have someone to advise and assist.

I joined the Army when I was 17 with early enlist and it was such a huge decision-I was glad to have my mom to help my look at all my options and think about what I wanted to do, and make the best decision for me.

Becca

In some states, maybe all of them for all I know, foster kids can go to college tuition paid and even live in a dorm for at least the first year. Also, now they can get into lower rent housing if they live on their at age 18. I'd rather see these poor kids try to get more education for a few years before making a decision and going somewhere where they could possibly be killed.

I have mixed feelings on this one...one I understand since he is a foster child he is ready to probably get out of the system, and I applaud him for trying to make spmething of himself, however as a mother with a son in Iraq who I let join at the age of 17 and we were told by the recruiter he would not have to go to Iraq for quite some time< which was all a lie, he did boot camp, 10 days home on leave, then two weeks later he was in Iraq! shot at his first night out in the feild and was saved by a bullet proof glass! so as a mother whose son has seen his 18, 19,and soon to be 21st birthdays in Iraq (he is on his 2nd tour) I have to agree with the judge about not letting him. Im all for fighting for our country however, these young men are too young to be over there! they need more training before sent to see things they should never have to see at such a young age! I see nothing wrong whith them joining, just think they need to be much older like 25 before they are sent to the battle feilds!