Question(s)?

Well personally it all depends on the person. My boyfriend chooses not to drink and stuff like that because he doesn't want to get in trouble or anything. He just waits and does that whenever he comes home. There are guys in the Marines who are bad influences, but it depends on the guy. Whether he lets that influence him or not. I have complete trust in my boyfriend, as does he in me, and we don't have any of those problems. My boyfriend gets tired all the time, so when he gets free time he takes advantage of it by relaxing lol. Half of the time it is the guys influencing them though.

Let me start with dip, its a form of tabacco that you stick in you're mouth, usually at the gums. It creates a lot of spit, but its a way of getting nicotine. Lots of ex-smokers do it, although I know a few guys that have only ever chewed or dipped, the phrasing depends on where you are and who is talking. Also if done for a very long time it can cause mouth and throut cancer, just like after a very long time a smoker can get lung cancer.





I think every guy is different. Jim goes out a lot when he's at training too. He really enjoy's pool so that's part of it. But to be really honest it's something to do. its either go out or sit around and do nothing, not that it's a terrible option but after a long week the last thing anyone wants to do is go sit around and be bored by themselves alone.



I think maybe just put it out there that he can always make different choices if he's feeling like he's forming bad habits, and that habits are easier to break at the begining then if they let them go for a long time. I agree with what Mrssgtallan said about thinking about his career with every move he makes. But I wouldn't worry too much about the partying myself. I would have a problem with the chew just because I've dated someone who chewed before and kissing him was never pleasant.



I think its great he will talk about everything he is noticing in himself, take advantage of that while you can and help him figure out where he wants to be and who he wants to be. And then how to help get him there. That's my best advice at least. Jim and I have great communication on most things but we aren't as great when it comes to talking about what we see in ourselves so it's obviously not perfect advice but hope it helps

Semper fi

My husband says he feels a lot more pressure when he's surrounded by people acting a certain way. He's at advanced schooling right now, and he's like the only guy who won't join in when all his neighbors get together to play beer pong. He doesn't go to Hooters, and they invite him all the time. It's hard for them, because if they're not the partying type, it kind of isolates them. My husband enlisted when he was 25, so he was already way into (and then way out of) the party scene before he joined, and doesn't really have a strong desire to get back in it. When he was at MOS school guys were always trying to get him to dip! He wasn't even tempted with that, he was like, "yuck!" haha



That's good that he's aware that he might be changing and that he's talking to you about it. People do change. My husband's personality has changed for the better and for the worse since he became a Marine. We talk about it.



For some Marines who join at 18 or 19, it's just the same as when other guys go off to college- they party pretty hard for a couple years and then slow down. Encourage him not to do anything that would hurt his career or get him in trouble. If he has "fears" about changing in a bad way, then when he's getting pressured to go do something, you can be the voice of reason without nagging him, like, 'Are you sure this is something you really want to do?'