Single father and wanting to join the Marines.?

It's not that the military won't take single parents, they want to know that the kids are taken care of. You may have to relinquish temporary custody to a family member until you are finished with basic training and AIT. It's good that you and her mother aren't fighting over her, that will make things a lot easier for you. Once you are in, you will have to come up with a family care plan (i am in the Army and it is required for ANYONE with children) (I can only imagine that it's military-wide) It's very good that you are doing your research before speaking with a recruiter. Go in with a game plan and a list of questions. I am not a parent, but I joined the military at the age of 29. I took 9 months deciding to sign the contract ensuring that I got everything I wanted and that all my questions were answered. If I thought about it, I wrote it down so I could ask it. I too wanted to join the military since I was young. The military is by far the best decision that I ever made for myself. There are so many things that I have done and opportunities that I have had that I would not have had if I hadn't joined. You are never too old to follow your dream and leave the legacy you want to for your daughter. If anything, you are showing her how to be everything she was born to be. Everything that I read in your questions is completely doable, you just need to work the system. If your recruiter isn't meeting standard - find another one. It's your career. Your recruiter should be completely open and honest about everything - no surprises. Ask around - you don't belong to them until you sign on the dotted line. I wish you the best.