Would a Judge Order Me to Sign

[525601minutes]

In CA - My xhusband and I have shared legal custody of our child who turned 17 this month. She is expected to graduate from high school (a year early) within the next month or so. X is encouraging her to enlist in the USAF. The recruiter has promised me that early enlistment (under the age of 18) requires the signatures of both parents.
What if I won't sign?
Can my X or daughter take this to court?
Can I be compelled to give permission?

[Xena]

In CA - My xhusband and I have shared legal custody of our child who turned 17 this month. She is expected to graduate from high school (a year early) within the next month or so. X is encouraging her to enlist in the USAF. The recruiter has promised me that early enlistment (under the age of 18) requires the signatures of both parents.
What if I won't sign?
Can my X or daughter take this to court?
Can I be compelled to give permission?

What is your reason for not wanting to sign?

[525601minutes]

I think she is rushing in to make a decision without weighing all of the options. Until about 6 months ago all she ever wanted to be was a journalist. That changed to psychologist when she took an introductory class as part of her high school classes. Now that she took the ASVAB she found out she either does not have the necessary scores for public affairs or the mental heath field - or that those specific jobs don't have any openings right now. I'm not quite sure as she is doing this all with her dad and not really filling me in on any details.

So, suddenly she has decided to go into the electronics field. I'd rather she take some time, some college classes and either wait until one of those fields opens up or she scores high enough to get one of the jobs she wants. I don't want her to make a 6 year commitment without really investigating what someone in avionics systems does, where they are stationed, etc.

I joined at 17 but had to wait 9 months to get the job I wanted - so it is not that I am against her enlisting - I just want her to go about it in a well informed and educated manner.

If you ask my X - he would say I only want to keep our daughter at home so I get continued CS and SS... and if you ask me why he wants her to enlist, I'd say it is so he can stop paying CS and SS...

[jk]

a judge cannot really make you do anything and a judge cannot simply overrule a parents decision without justification. Even when there have been the problems of a parent refusing to allow medical attention for a child, the actions required to force the parent to allow medical attention, it was a very serious and in depth process.

I don't think you have anything to worry about with a court forcing the issue, especially given your reasons.


why don't you suggest something like ROTC? You get the military benefits, you enter as an officer, and you have a college degree before you go in to the active military part of your life.

I have a friend whose child is a dentist, all paid for by the military and a nephew who is a cardiothoracic anesthesiologist all on government money.

[525601minutes]

I've been trying to explain those options to her and it's like , but I'm relieved to know my hesitance won't be automatically over ruled.

[aaron]

So, suddenly she has decided to go into the electronics field. I'd rather she take some time, some college classes and either wait until one of those fields opens up or she scores high enough to get one of the jobs she wants. I don't want her to make a 6 year commitment without really investigating what someone in avionics systems does, where they are stationed, etc.

Is she aware that, despite her preference for electronics / aviation systems, she may be assigned to a different area consistent with the needs of the military? Even if she gets a written commitment to that training and assignment in her enlistment contract, and there's a big difference between that and acknowledgement of her preference, if the military determines their needs to be different they will reassign her and will likely resist her effort to escape her contract. If she's prepared for the possibility that she may end up in a completely different role than the one she desires, great. If not, she should do a bit of Internet research on the realities of promises from recruiters.