text: military people and legal experts only!? if you join the military (reserve or active duty) does this make you an independent. can you be emancipated automatically? can you get your ged without parental consent this way? please respond as accurate as possible. you can join with parental permission at 17 no youger, but you would have to have the ged in your hand before you could enlist.  once in, yes, you are independent except for the fact that you belong to the military for however many years you enlisted for.