Mom needs to vent & ask a question

[ldylvsroses]

OK so here's the scenario...
My son was deployed to Iraq on a MEU last July.They were part of the Fallujah offensive, they are soon to be returning home. Word is out that the ships plan to stop in Singapore for a few days R&R.
OK here is what I am concerned about. These guys have not had a drink of alcohol or seen a woman in scanty dress or had sex(I'm assuming here ) in many many months. Lots of the guys are having issues with what they experienced while in Fallujah and the military will have counseling on ship as they travel.
Why would they let these guys off ship and free to drink and hook up with the woman before they get back to Okinawa.I don't understand this R&R- they are having counseling on ship because the guys are tramatized and they want to set them loose where they can drink and have sex and of course FIGHT something most of them do when drunk also some are too young to drink.Who will get busted and in trouble? the younger/lower ranking Marines.
I think they are asking for trouble. I am thinking the command is looking to get drunk and laid before they return back home to wives or significant others.
OK so my question is What can we back home do about this if anything?
By the way my son is 22 so no worry about his drinking age but I am concerned for the other reasons.
Thanks once again to anyone who can help me get some insight here.
MaryElle-Proud/Scared/Pissed off Mom of a Marine

[Hoss68]

Honey, there is nothing you can say or do to prevernt this from happening.

I understand your concerns and they are legitimate, but there are always stop overs on the way back. Waiting for them to get to their home bases would only help build more tensions for being cooped up IMO.

The good thing with how the commands are dealing with this war is that they are now proactive instead of reactive on how they are dealing with our men and women.

[ldylvsroses]

OK so there is no stopping this-That I figured.
Question though if I may be a pain and ask another. How do they handle when Marines get "Sloppy" shall we say(ie: drunk & disorderly).
I would like to think they tuck them in to bed-LOL LOL LOL.
OK I'm joking but do they deal with them harshly or are these troubles expected and dealt with a little more leniently?
MaryEllen - who's son is bound to get drunk and fight(YIKES)

[scott.voigt]

These Marines are going to be looking for a good time and not looking to get busted for something dumb... yeah... they'll drink, but fighting is unlikely... you might have a few morons as in any unit, but no one wants to add stress to lives that have already pushed the breaking point. I doubt their'll be large scale problems.

[Hoss68]

Originally Posted by scott.voigt

These Marines are going to be looking for a good time and not looking to get busted for something dumb... yeah... they'll drink, but fighting is unlikely... you might have a few morons as in any unit, but no one wants to add stress to lives that have already pushed the breaking point. I doubt their'll be large scale problems.

Honey, MaryEllen is being very realistic about the drunk & disorderly thing and the fighting. Marines tend to hold it all in and then explode. Being overseas, war or not in their recent history~ They will get in fights. Broke up my fair share during my time on Okinawa, and got charged for excessive force dang near every time. This is not joke~ I would get in trouble before those who were actually fighting. And these Marines never saw combat at this point.

MaryEllen~ It honestly depends on the circumstances. Where, how bad, who, when...

[ldylvsroses]

I sure will be glad when his butt is back in Hawaii..
Worry, worry, worry what's a mom to do-LOL
Thanks for the replies-Thank God this is almost over...........
MaryEllen- who stresses over this stuff :/
(I miss the smilies)

[BrianK]

Must be a mom thing. There will be fights, there will be getting blasted out of their minds, there will be women [hopefully] so the concerns are real.

Son will either weather all the pitfalls and make mom proud or make any one of her fears come true. At age 22 son has to be responsible for his actions mom can't fix it now. Seems to me though he has done an awful lot in his time to make her proud so if he does drink and have sex she has done a great job of raising a normal healthy man.

Keep worrying it's what moms do. Families with close ties understand that mom will worry, it's that bond that is never mentioned just understood to be.