Judge won't let foster child join Marines

Marylin Mackel is a Children's Court Commissioner and she is against the war in Iraq. With that said, a child under her jurisdiction was told he was not allowed to join the U.S. Marines.

Mackel of Simi Valley, California felt like she had the power to prevent a child under her jurisdiction from joining the U.S. Marines and according to sources this is not the first time she has done something like this. Shawn Sage, 17, is a foster child who appeared before Judge Mackel and asked her for permission to sign with the Marines for an early enlistment but was left in shock when the judge denied him permission. According to Marine recruiter Sgt. Guillermo Medrano, of the Simi Valley USMC recruiting office, the judge does not support the war. Medrano said that the judge thinks that all recruiters are the same and will tell people what they want to hear. Mackel also denied another foster child who wanted to join the Navy because Mackel feels that all military recruiters are liars and just wanted another body. When Sage appeared before Judge Mackel he was backed by several members of the military as well as his brother and his foster parents but Mackel still denied Sage's right to join the military. Last month Assemblyman Cameron Smith introduced legislation that would allow foster teens to enlist in the service without having to get permission from a judge.