Apparently because this kid is a ward of the state he is required to get the permission of a judge before enlisting.

SIMI VALLEY - Shawn Sage long dreamed of joining the military, and watching “Full Metal Jacket” last year really sold him on becoming a Marine.

But last fall, a Los Angeles Superior Court commissioner dashed the foster teen’s hopes of early enlistment for Marine sniper duty, plus a potential $10,000 signing bonus.

In denying the Royal High School student delayed entry into the Marine Corps, Children’s Court Commissioner Marilyn Mackel reportedly told Sage and a recruiter that she didn’t approve of the Iraq war, didn’t trust recruiters and didn’t support the military.

“The judge said she didn’t support the Iraq war for any reason why we’re over there,” said Marine recruiter Sgt. Guillermo Medrano of the Simi Valley USMC recruiting office.

“She just said all recruiters were the same - that they `all tap dance and tell me what I want to hear.’ She said she didn’t want him to fight in it.”

Sage, 17, said he begged for Mackel’s permission.

“Foster children shouldn’t be denied (an) ability to enlist in the service just because they’re foster kids,” he said. “Foster kids shouldn’t have to go to court to gain approval to serve one’s country.”

Mackel, a juvenile dependency commissioner at the Children’s Court in Monterey Park, declined through a clerk to speak about any court case or comments she may have made in court.

Transcripts of juvenile court hearings require a special release from a judge.

We’ve reached a pretty dark day in this country when agents of our government are actively telling our youth that military service is a bad thing.

I assume that Shawn Sage will be able to enlist without anyone’s permission once he’s 18 (I don’t know how this family law stuff works, but you’d think he’d be free once he’s an adult), and when he does I’m sure he’ll be an asset to the Marine Corps and the country.