Would you be proud of your son or daughter if they Joined the Army?

[mickeyfan2]

Wow, I'm saddened that so many people think so little of our military.

I am just so glad that my maternal Great-Grandmother did not hav this attitude!!! She had 13 kids. 6 girls and 7 boys, after she and her husband arrived here from Italy. All lived until adulthood. Every one of her son's were in WWII and only ONE came home. She paid a very heavy price so that the children and grandchildren of her daughters could live in a free country.

 

[powellrj]

my kid was one of those kids who was so moved when the war in Iraq started that he enlisted 2 days later. He was so adamant that he wasn't going to let somebody do his job for him. He felt that he had lived a wonderful life and it was time for him to payback.

He was 19 and went to the recruiters office on his own while I was at work.

He was at MEPS by the end of the month. I went through MEPS with him and was with him when he took his oath. I was the only parent there and there were maybe 50 young people that took the oath at the same time. It was a life changing experience.

We came home that night and it was the night that the 100th solider had died. There was also an Indiana boy that had died around the same time and we wondered if he had gone through the same MEPS that he had and how it was scary to realize that someone who had been at Ft. Ben was now dead. It sounds morbid now, but we were up all night watching the war on TV and just talking.

He spent a year in Iraq and it changed is life. He came home with injuries he will have for the rest of his life. Many of them are odd (he lost his hair and became color blind) and many of them are life changing (he has back and neck injuries, broken bones, shrapnel scars, major hearing loss just to name a few) He suffers from PTSD. He sees a whole list of Doctors every week. He is truly not the same person who left home.

The bottom line is he is home, he is alive and he feels like he did his part. He did it because he couldn't let others do what he thought was his job.

People are really cruel and mean. I was told more than once that I was a bad parent, I was an idiot because I LET my grown DS join the Army. Would I have liked it if he had stayed in college, you bet. Would the Army be the career choice I would have picked, NO WAY, but it wasn't up to me. He was an adult and my job was to support him which it did.

Sorry, I tend to ramble when I get on the subject, but I just wanted to give the view from a parents side.

I am proud of the job our young people are doing. I have very personal feeling about the war, but my feeling have nothing to do with the support our troops need from us. They are doing a job that most people will only read about. They have seen things that have changed them both physically and mentally and we need to stand behind them.

I stayed away from this thread because I pretty much know how many people feel, but I just had to open it. I would love to see how this ends, but I am getting ready to leave for a business trip and won't have Internet while I am gone, so I will have to wait until I get back to see how this ends.

 

[powellrj]

And the media reporters are scoundrels. Both my parents are physicians for the VA. One of their patients is THE man who saved Bob Woodruff. Do you think that there is any mention of it in, "Iraq and Back?" No. None. And not even mentioned in the media blitz to support the book. That man is paralyzed because he was given orders to protect Woodruff... and jumped on top of him during the attack that killed nearly the entire unit. Again, no mention in book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ervaMPt4Ha0

I had no idea. thanks for sharing that with us.

 

[GeorgeG]

Hmmm, I didn't realize it was cowardly to stand up for what you believe in. If that doesn't include joining the military, it would cowardly TO join. I'm pretty sure you will refuse to see it that way, but I wanted to point out that type of hypocrisy, anyway.

I have given careful thought to your comments and will concede that it is right to stand up for what you believe. However, running away from military service in time of any war is a pathetic way of stating one's case and is still cowardly.

Political disagreement on any issue is a right that should be exercised by all, but service to one's country is a duty. Those who are serving at this time are not doing so to make a political statement and I'm sure not everyone serving totally agrees entirely with the justification of the war. But, they do serve with honor and a sense of duty.

I stand by my original statements.

 

[punkin]

I would be proud of my girls no matter what they decided to do. I would prefer if the Armed Forces are not considered as possibilities by either of my children.

 

[pyrxtc]

being that my children are only 3, 6, 10, and 12, I strongly encourage them to join the military when they get older. It will help them with college and with life. I think most kids should be made to go thru basic training at least to teach them a very valuable lesson in manners and self control and the realities of life. It will teach them to get along with others and change their life forever.

My sister is in Iraq, my BIL is stationed in NC. My brother is a Marine, I have relatives in the AF and Navy as well and I believe in what they are doing. I have never seen anyone so happy with what they do for work. I even have a cousin who will be leaving this summer for Iraq and even though she is only 21, this is what she wants in life and we are all here to support her.

I may not like the war but I do believe in our military. Both my DH and I would be in it if circumstances had been different. Don't know if I'll support the draft if it came back but I'd rather see a draft than not enough soldiers in Iraq to keep the ones we have there safe. I hope that a draft takes in account that females are now allowed and they draft both men and women though.

 

[transparant]

my kid was one of those kids who was so moved when the war in Iraq started that he enlisted 2 days later. He was so adamant that he wasn't going to let somebody do his job for him. He felt that he had lived a wonderful life and it was time for him to payback.

He was 19 and went to the recruiters office on his own while I was at work.

He was at MEPS by the end of the month. I went through MEPS with him and was with him when he took his oath. I was the only parent there and there were maybe 50 young people that took the oath at the same time. It was a life changing experience.

We came home that night and it was the night that the 100th solider had died. There was also an Indiana boy that had died around the same time and we wondered if he had gone through the same MEPS that he had and how it was scary to realize that someone who had been at Ft. Ben was now dead. It sounds morbid now, but we were up all night watching the war on TV and just talking.

He spent a year in Iraq and it changed is life. He came home with injuries he will have for the rest of his life. Many of them are odd (he lost his hair and became color blind) and many of them are life changing (he has back and neck injuries, broken bones, shrapnel scars, major hearing loss just to name a few) He suffers from PTSD. He sees a whole list of Doctors every week. He is truly not the same person who left home.

The bottom line is he is home, he is alive and he feels like he did his part. He did it because he couldn't let others do what he thought was his job.

People are really cruel and mean. I was told more than once that I was a bad parent, I was an idiot because I LET my grown DS join the Army. Would I have liked it if he had stayed in college, you bet. Would the Army be the career choice I would have picked, NO WAY, but it wasn't up to me. He was an adult and my job was to support him which it did.

Sorry, I tend to ramble when I get on the subject, but I just wanted to give the view from a parents side.

I am proud of the job our young people are doing. I have very personal feeling about the war, but my feeling have nothing to do with the support our troops need from us. They are doing a job that most people will only read about. They have seen things that have changed them both physically and mentally and we need to stand behind them.

I stayed away from this thread because I pretty much know how many people feel, but I just had to open it. I would love to see how this ends, but I am getting ready to leave for a business trip and won't have Internet while I am gone, so I will have to wait until I get back to see how this ends.

Thank you so much for sharing you and your sons story. I honor your sons service and thank him from the bottom of my heart. What an honorable young man you have there.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I don't have kids of my own, but our whole family is extremely proud of my cousin's oldest son who was accepted to Annapolis. He will be graduating HS in a few weeks, and then he's off to Maryland. Yes, we're all worried about him-but we're worried about ALL of the kids in the family when they go off to college. He won't see combat for at least 4 years, but he will be an officer when he graduates and even if we are out of Iraq by then-global terrorism certianly will not have retired.

To me, there is a difference between being unhappy with the way the war in Iraq has been managed and being against a family member joining the military. The military has not failed in Iraq, the ADMINISTRATION has failed in their managment of Iraq. My opinion of the military has not changed in the slightest, even though my opinion of the administration has. I'm still proud and thankful to ALL who serve or have served our country.

 

[LakeAriel]

I don't have kids of my own, but our whole family is extremely proud of my cousin's oldest son who was accepted to Annapolis. He will be graduating HS in a few weeks, and then he's off to Maryland. Yes, we're all worried about him-but we're worried about ALL of the kids in the family when they go off to college. He won't see combat for at least 4 years, but he will be an officer when he graduates and even if we are out of Iraq by then-global terrorism certianly will not have retired.

To me, there is a difference between being unhappy with the way the war in Iraq has been managed and being against a family member joining the military. The military has not failed in Iraq, the ADMINISTRATION has failed in their managment of Iraq. My opinion of the military has not changed in the slightest, even though my opinion of the administration has. I'm still proud and thankful to ALL who serve or have served our country.

You could reframe the question to "would you be proud of your son or daughter if they joined the military" if they were fully informed (not told the war in Iraq was over) and could not be sent fight in a civil war that we are mired in. As someone else said why would anyone want their child to join up to be sent into a war that was started with lies and was completely unnecessary?

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2626032&page=1

 

[cardaway]

However, running away from military service in time of any war is a pathetic way of stating one's case and is still cowardly.

Political disagreement on any issue is a right that should be exercised by all, but service to one's country is a duty. .

Running away?

People who don't serve are cowards?

People in this country are given a choice and there is more than one way to serve ones country.

 

[HakunaMatata2]

I am most proud of everyone in my family who has served in the military.

In this country, we value life and naturally worry about anyone doing a dangerous job especially the military. However, we are now fighting a war against cultures whose parents feel honored when their children become suicide bombers.

 

[Fitswimmer]

You could reframe the question to "would you be proud of your son or daughter if they joined the military" if they were fully informed (not told the war in Iraq was over) and could not be sent fight in a civil war that we are mired in. As someone else said why would anyone want their child to join up to be sent into a war that was started with lies and was completely unnecessary?

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=2626032&page=1

How many people serving in Iraq now joined the military LONG before this war was declared? How many joined after 9-11 hoping to go after Osama and ended up in Iraq?

Military life means that you go where you're sent and that it's likely the people in DC will make a decision that will send you somewhere you might not want to go. That's way they call it "self-sacrificing". You give up your choice to live where you want and work where you want-even in peacetime. I really have a hard time believing that in this day and age, with our sophisticated, internet savvy kids, someone could join the military and NOT be aware that they might be sent into harms way-and might even be sent to fight in someone else's civil war. Anyone recall Bosnia? My other cousin's son was there when he was in the Navy.

 

[binny]

Yes I would be very proud. Our family carries on a proud Military tradition.

There is no shame in defending our country. In peace or war.

 

[holycow]

I just wanted to add my .02 for what it is worth.

First ....TV doesn't brain wash....a commercial doesn't brain wash...give me a break.

You probably watch the Simpsons and Family guy...are you brain washed? LOL


The most important point. I am so proud of our men and women who have served through the years for the safety of our country. I am so honored to live in this FREE country....so free it was paid for with the blood of our ancestors. I can not tell you how thankful I am.

And when our country is under attack again. Which there is no doubt in my mind that someday it will be AGAIN. I'll be thankful again for those who serve to protect us.


Underthemistletoe that is tremendously sad, but thank you for the information.

powellrj: Thank you so much for sharing your account of what your son is going through. Thank you for being the kind of parent who lets their child have wings to fly and do what they felt they had to do.

Can you give him a hug and thank him for me for all of his efforts for our country?

I love the USA!

 

[LakeAriel]

How many people serving in Iraq now joined the military LONG before this war was declared? How many joined after 9-11 hoping to go after Osama and ended up in Iraq?

Military life means that you go where you're sent and that it's likely the people in DC will make a decision that will send you somewhere you might not want to go. That's way they call it "self-sacrificing". You give up your choice to live where you want and work where you want-even in peacetime. I really have a hard time believing that in this day and age, with our sophisticated, internet savvy kids, someone could join the military and NOT be aware that they might be sent into harms way-and might even be sent to fight in someone else's civil war. Anyone recall Bosnia? My other cousin's son was there when he was in the Navy.

Did you read the report? Yes it is very sad that so many can be tricked into joining the military, but you are talking about kids..some very underprivileged kids. They can't drink alcohol but can make the decision to go to war.

Indeed some were already in the military, look at the National guard!! Some joined to go fight Al Qaeda after 9/11. Some were led to believe Iraq was part of that same war. Today we know where they will be sent and it is a completely different question. God help them all.

 

[ckay87]

I would be especially proud of my sons if they would choose to risk their lives for the sake of others. Whether that be as soldiers, firefighters, coast guard, or police officers.

Such personal sacrifice and bravery should only be commended, whether you believe in the cause or not.

 

[Lionqueen2]

Yes I would be very proud. Our family carries on a proud Military tradition.

There is no shame in defending our country. In peace or war.

Same here.

 

[phorsenuf]

I was going to stay away from this but I can't. I will say my say and then go.

My DS wanted to join when he was done with HS. My DH and I were very supportive and happy with his decision. We knew the military would be great for him and help him find a direction in life. He was one of those kids that just didn't know what he wanted to do.
My in-laws managed to talk him out of it and encouraged him to go to college instead. So he did. He hated it!!!! He ended up dropping out and joined the army. He is so happy!
He has been in for 3 years and just reenlisted. He's an MP and this month will go to K-9 school. When (and if) he gets out he will have so many opportunities in his life. Should he decide to do his 20 he will retire when he is 40. 40 years old! Still young enough to find a great job in the civilian life in the FBI, DEA or any police force.
He missed 2 tours to Iraq because of an injury to his knee but he did do a year long tour to Afghanistan.

My husband and I couldn't be more proud of him! He has purpose and a direction in life. He loves what he is doing and knows he has a secure future. His only regret is that he didn't join right away and because of that he has a $14,000 student loan for a year of school he didn't complete and got nothing out of it.

Oh yeah, he also has gotton his associates in Criminal Justice since he's been in and is going for his bachelors. This of course all paid for by serving our country. He also plans to get a phsychology degree while serving.

Do we worry? Of course we do. I worry about all of my chldren whether they are fighting in a war or or just crossing the street. That is the lot we as parents bear.

Oh and also, he enlisted and re-enlitisted while we were at war.

So reading all the above, how could we not be proud?

 

[transparant]

I just wanted to add my .02 for what it is worth.

First ....TV doesn't brain wash....a commercial doesn't brain wash...give me a break.

You probably watch the Simpsons and Family guy...are you brain washed? LOL


The most important point. I am so proud of our men and women who have served through the years for the safety of our country. I am so honored to live in this FREE country....so free it was paid for with the blood of our ancestors. I can not tell you how thankful I am.

And when our country is under attack again. Which there is no doubt in my mind that someday it will be AGAIN. I'll be thankful again for those who serve to protect us.


Underthemistletoe that is tremendously sad, but thank you for the information.

powellrj: Thank you so much for sharing your account of what your son is going through. Thank you for being the kind of parent who lets their child have wings to fly and do what they felt they had to do.

Can you give him a hug and thank him for me for all of his efforts for our country?

I love the USA!

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

I would not be proud. I would be appalled. It is expected in my family to go to college. You can be anything you want - artist, actor, accountant, but you will not be a soldier.

No one in immediate or extended family is in or was in the military (unless drafted). It would be looked down upon, I consider the service as something that other kids do ... those without the desire for college, without money, without other options. (How many kids of US senators, representatives, CEOs etc are in the services?)

I am grateful to all who serve.