Would you Encourage or Discourage your Child to Enlist?

[Rick Murchison]

Results are a sad, sad testament.
When most folks won't serve even when the country's under attack, it is a solid historical marker of a country in decline.
Sad, sad, sad...
Rick

 

[mstevens]

In 1979, soon after they reinstituted draft registration, I turned 18. My dad drove home from the Pentagon in his uniform (which, since he was a full colonel, always looked impressive to me) to drive me to the post office to register. I couldn't quite understand why he insisted on driving me, but didn't press him. On the way back home, he mentioned a couple of old stories that were his subtle way of reminding me that he'd volunteered for Viet Nam. Then he casually mentioned the name of some good family friends who lived in Canada and added, "If things get stupid again, they'd love to have you stay with them for as long as you like. There are some great colleges and medical schools in Canada." I then understood why it was so important to him that he was with me when I registered.

Years later, near the end of my medical training, I got commisioned as an Air Force reserve captain. I know my dad was proud of me, 'cause he called and told me so. He called me the next day too, since we'd just bombed Baghdad the first time 'round. His wry comments centered around the fact that it was definitely too late to back out by that point and that my timing sucked.

Our wars, and the decisions surrounding them, have become dumber over time. My dad recently suggested that if we're in a shooting war when my son turns 18 that we take him to a neutral country before even talking to him about it. My father-in-law, also a retired USAF colonel who was at the Pentagon at the same time as my dad, has told my wife he'd probably disown her if she didn't do what she could to prevent our son from enlisting.

Every generation of my family has served in the United States military since the Revolution. I hope I'm the last.

 

[Thalassamania]

Every generation of my family has served in the United States military since the Revolution. I hope I'm the last.

God bless you all.

 

[Rick Murchison]

Just when I see a disheartening poll like this and get all down in the dumps, I then get an email like the one I just got, from a retired Army helo driver, the Loadhacker...
---
I landed at Reagan National at 1300 on 12 May from Atlanta. The MD 88 was full and had two returning soldiers from Iraq, one from the 1st Cav, one from the 1st Inf, both looked to be under 20 years old.
Whilst we were taxiing to the terminal , the flt attendant recognized the two, who were in the back of the plane, and the aircraft erupted with applause.
Then she asked we all sit and let them off first. We got to the gate, the bell rang AND NO ONE STOOD UP, except the two in the back.
As they moved forward, EVERYONE STAYED SEATED, as they passed, and they were applauded all the way to the front. Sort of like a wave of applause. Those two kids acted embarassed as they passed me.
I could not help but think, WE DIDN'T GET THIS RECEPTION, when we returned, these kids are coming home intact, all limbs intact, THEY will never forget that moment, and FINALLY I am seeing something I have read about in emails, AND NOT IN THE MEDIA, which told me America finally got it right.
No pictures. I was too stunned.
---
Perhaps all is not lost after all.
Rick

 

[Wayward Son]

Did not read the artile, so I dunno what particular points it's trying to push. The fact is that i just went through this with my daughter.

I am a vet. My dad was a career vet, my grandfather served in both world wars. My mom was German & her family lineage includes generations who served Germany until WWII took care of that issue. So there is a fair bit of service on both sides of my family.

My daughter decided, of her own accord, that she wanted to enlist. Does it worry me as a parent to have my child want to go in while we're at war? Sure it does, I'd have to be a brain dead idjit for it not to. However, as she enters adulthood she must choose the course of her life, not me. I would be very proud to have her wear the uniform & serve our country.

As things worked out, it's not to be. She has asthma & while she did not reveal that at the induction physical the dr that examined her detected it & she was unable to obtain a waiver. So like it or not, she must now choose a different path.

 

[Blitz]

I have to say this will be one of the painful things for me to admit, but no. I wouldn't want to see my daughter in this war. I am very pro military and have been in several conflicts, but I don't want to see my only child in this mess. If that makes me unpatriotic, so be it.

 

[redacted]

Just when I see a disheartening poll like this and get all down in the dumps, I then get an email like the one I just got, from a retired Army helo driver, the Loadhacker...
---
I landed at Reagan National at 1300 on 12 May from Atlanta. The MD 88 was full and had two returning soldiers from Iraq, one from the 1st Cav, one from the 1st Inf, both looked to be under 20 years old.
Whilst we were taxiing to the terminal , the flt attendant recognized the two, who were in the back of the plane, and the aircraft erupted with applause.
Then she asked we all sit and let them off first. We got to the gate, the bell rang AND NO ONE STOOD UP, except the two in the back.
As they moved forward, EVERYONE STAYED SEATED, as they passed, and they were applauded all the way to the front. Sort of like a wave of applause. Those two kids acted embarassed as they passed me.
I could not help but think, WE DIDN'T GET THIS RECEPTION, when we returned, these kids are coming home intact, all limbs intact, THEY will never forget that moment, and FINALLY I am seeing something I have read about in emails, AND NOT IN THE MEDIA, which told me America finally got it right.
No pictures. I was too stunned.
---
Perhaps all is not lost after all.
Rick

That is most likey a demonstration that support for our soldiers and support for the mission are not the same. The nation seemed to be unable to make that distinction when we were in Vietnam.

 

[Blitz]

He is a man but he is my "kid" and I didn't put my whole life into getting his life started so a road-side bomb can blow his head off.

I don't have any politics. Poly, meaning and tics being blood sucking creatures, therefor, politics is many blood sucking creatures. But, I can't help but want to protect my children. Unfortunately our own government is part of what we need to protect our children from.

I felt that exact way about every single on of my troops.

 

[Spratman]

I'm a seventeen year Army vet and disabled veteran (not combat related). I enlisted in 1972, because it was what we did back then. My cousin came back from Nam, and lost his left eye, a scar encompassing half his chest and several bullet holes in his leg. That was just after Tet. He was the reason I joined the military. My brother-in-law was a gunner in a Huey in Nam. He came back from his service was spit on, screamed at and called a baby killer! When I went to the airport to pick up my son-in-law during his two weeks leave, I told my wife that if anyone spits even in his directions, plan on getting a lawyer, because they would be doing it without any teeth!

As for my kids, I have four daughters and a son. My son is the youngest at 15. He has talked for years about being a Navy Seal. Well, okay....I can tolerate the Navy... My son-in-law was in Fallujah in April 2004, supporting the First Marine Division (being Army). He was on the checkpoint during the huge fire fight there. Most of his tour was dodging rockets and bullets. He got alert orders for Afghanistan this time.

I talked to two of my daughters when they asked me about military scholarships. They were both BSN's. I gave them the pros and cons, didn't push them but did not discourage them either.

The country, regardless of your political bent, will not continue to survive without a strong military. Even with the pounding we are putting on the insurgents, they are still trying to kill us. Not soldiers, seaman, airman and marines, but civilians, here in the US. The thing that astounds me most is that most Amercians think that if we leave them only, we won't have any problems with them. They are bent on killing Americans! HHHEEELLLLLOOOOOO!!!!

I am proud of my service and that of my relatives. If you choose not to serve, that is your purogative. Discourage your kids if that is your choice. I, as many other vets, have fought for your ability to sit here and place your opionions on this board and for your rights as American citizens. If everyone continues to take the attitude of "not my kid", I don't see very much of a future for this country.



I believe there were major blunders and just plain stupidity. However, we are there, and our men and women are in harms way. Stop worrying about your 401K, and have a look around what is happening in New Jersey.

They aren't going away.

 

[H2Andy]

That is most likey a demonstration that support for our soldiers and support for the mission are not the same. The nation seemed to be unable to make that distinction when we were in Vietnam.

i think partly it's that the "my country right or wrong" attitude left out a lot of people who were patriotic Americans but who thought the war in VietNam was nuts. you were either for or against, and there seemed to be no middle ground.

nowadays, people are a lot more sophisticated thinkers -- most people can distinguish between the soldier and the mission, and support one while not supporting the other

in fact, that is exactly my position

so if my child would ask, i would say "i'd die for America in a heartbeat, but this conflict is not about that ... stay out and stay alive"

I believe there were major blunders and just plain stupidity. However, we are there, and our men and women are in harms way. Stop worrying about your 401K, and have a look around what is happening in New Jersey.

i'm not worried about my 401(k)

do you stay in a burning building because you're already there? or does there come a time it make sense to pull your guys out?

New Jersey is a perfect example of why there hasn't been a single terrorist attack in US soil since 9-11 woke us up (it's been six years now)