I wouldn’t sign either…

I agree with this judge about one thing… there are some things in life a guardian shouldn’t sign for on behalf of a minor child. Yes, I understand that if you go to basic before your senior year, or start showing up to weekend meetings before you graduate, you increase your rank. But, there are two good reasons, other then politics, the judge could have used:
1. Buyer's remorse. Face it, young adults change their mind all the time. That's why they have a hard time picking colleges. That’s why college students change majors (like I did) or 20-somethings change jobs. Military service is a rough thing to get buyer's remorse over, and at a minimum, a person should have to sign his or her self so they can’t go back and say, “Hey, you could have told me what it would be like and that I wouldn’t like it. Those recruiters painted a different picture.”
2. We should not establish the precedence of anyone representing the state (a judge, politician, anyone) to sign enlistment papers on behalf of a minor. That begins the slippery slope to the draft.

Josh and I have differing opinions on what we will do should 17 year-old Baby tell us “I want to join the active duty service.” Josh would sign in a heart beat, but just for Reserve service. This way a 17 year-old has opportunity for buyer’s remorse, but not in regards to a full time job. I wouldn’t sign strictly because of buyer’s remorse. Should something happen to the kid, my name would be on the paper, and that would be rough.