War....

[DizBelle]

From dictionary.com, war: a conflict carried on by force of arms, as between nations or between parties within a nation.

Why is it that when folks join the military, they are surprised when they are asked to serve in a war? And, then when they do serve in a war, why are they surprised when it is a horrific experience?

Disclaimer: I'm certainly not painting every enlisted person with this same brush and am certainly grateful for those that do serve to help maintain the freedoms that we have. There are many that are happy to do it and do it well. But I seem to hear a lot of stories from people (news stores, friend of a friend, that kind of thing) who enlisted who are upset or surprised when deployed oveseas. Then they are surpised by what they experience there.

My point is, if you aren't going to be able to handle it, don't enlist. Perhaps a single mother isn't the best candidate for enlisting in the military.

Feel free to try and change my mind... Is there something that I'm missing?

 

[natenapril]

From dictionary.com, war: a conflict carried on by force of arms, as between nations or between parties within a nation.

Why is it that when folks join the military, they are surprised when they are asked to serve in a war? And, then when they do serve in a war, why are they surprised when it is a horrific experience?

Disclaimer: I'm certainly not painting every enlisted person with this same brush and am certainly grateful for those that do serve to help maintain the freedoms that we have. There are many that are happy to do it and do it well. But I seem to hear a lot of stories from people (news stores, friend of a friend, that kind of thing) who enlisted who are upset or surprised when deployed oveseas. Then they are surpised by what they experience there.

My point is, if you aren't going to be able to handle it, don't enlist. Perhaps a single mother isn't the best candidate for enlisting in the military.

Feel free to try and change my mind... Is there something that I'm missing?

My Dh is not here right now to ask but I thought a single mother could not join without a plan she needs to sign where her kids go if she is deployedSo she would know that war is a possibility.

We had "friends" who had been in for several years but when it was he turn to deploy he was suddenly a conscietious objector

 

[NY Disney fan]

YIKES, political thread! Run for cover from the mods.

 

[LisaR]

DD has a 16 y/o friend who wants to go to one of the military schools for college since tuition is free. Her father was military. Her canned statement is, "I'm not worried because officers rarely get sent to the front lines and I'll pretty much be able to pick my job." She is involved with JROTC and has visited a few military academies and this seems to be what they have led her to believe. Either she is interpreting their comments incorrectly or she is being mislead.

 

[DizBelle]

YIKES, political thread! Run for cover from the mods.

I don't believe this is political. This involves people's decision on whether or not to enlist. It has nothing to do with why the war is happening. Only that there IS a war going on. Or only that there is somewhere for the military to deploy you.

 

[DizBelle]

My Dh is not here right now to ask but I thought a single mother could not join without a plan she needs to sign where her kids go if she is deployedSo she would know that war is a possibility.

We had "friends" who had been in for several years but when it was he turn to deploy he was suddenly a conscietious objector

What you say about single parents may be true. But, why would a parent take the ONLY parent away from their child into a situation from which they may not return? Why would a parent risk leaving their child an orphan?

 

[Judy in Texas]

DD has a 16 y/o friend who wants to go to one of the military schools for college since tuition is free. Her father was military. Her canned statement is, "I'm not worried because officers rarely get sent to the front lines and I'll pretty much be able to pick my job." She is involved with JROTC and has visited a few military academies and this seems to be what they have led her to believe. Either she is interpreting their comments incorrectly or she is being mislead.

I was in the Air Force many years ago. My recruiter told me that basic training was pretty much like airline stewardess school. He lied.

 

[DizBelle]

I was in the Air Force many years ago. My recruiter told me that basic training was pretty much like airline stewardess school. He lied.

Why do they lie? And why do people believe them?

 

[DizBelle]

And, how in the world does a recruiter spin war to be like a cruise experience?

Note: I'm not saying any recruiter used those words but it seems like the really downplay the war and fighting aspect of being in the military.

 

[just4today]

I was in the Air Force many years ago. My recruiter told me that basic training was pretty much like airline stewardess school. He lied.

That reminds me of the Judy from "Private Benjamin" who was looking for the yachts at basic training.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

I don't think they are letting in as many single parents as they used to. I think it is people who come into the military and have children and change their mind or now that they have someone holding them their don't want to go. When I joined the air force my first job was teaching basic training flights how to shoot a weapon. They always had some who didn't want to shoot a gun ...why join THE ARMED service then This confused me too YOU raised your hand and took the oath don't run to canada now that you are expected your do your job.

 

[DizBelle]

I don't think they are letting in as many single parents as they used to. I think it is people who come into the military and have children and change their mind or now that they have someone holding them their don't want to go. When I joined the air force my first job was teaching basic training flights how to shoot a weapon. They always had some who didn't want to shoot a gun ...why join THE ARMED service then This confused me too YOU raised your hand and took the oath don't run to canada now that you are expected your do your job.

This is kind of where I'm coming from. YOU signed up. YOU volunteered. Don't be surprised and don't balk when you are asked to do the job you signed up for. If you didn't want to do it, you shouldn't have signed up.

 

[ginna74]

wow... deep.... well I chose to grow up and go into the service and my mother watched my child until I could get into housing. I don't regret it one bit, I did grow up and I shudder at what I would have been like without it. I went from an irresponsible mom to a grown up...And yes she had to get gardianship.

My husband REjoined and will be deploying VERY soon, yes we knew it would be an option but we had to take that risk. There was no jumping for joy here and I don't think ANYONE... or most would. You join with the thought it might happen but hope it doesn't. And in no way does that mean we aren't "allowed" to complain about it. Because I am complaining and so what? I am sad, mad, going bonkers that he is going!!!

 

[Sgt Mickey]

wow... deep.... well I chose to grow up and go into the service and my mother watched my child until I could get into housing. I don't regret it one bit, I did grow up and I shudder at what I would have been like without it. I went from an irresponsible mom to a grown up...And yes she had to get gardianship.

My husband REjoined and will be deploying VERY soon, yes we knew it would be an option but we had to take that risk. There was no jumping for joy here and I don't think ANYONE... or most would. You join with the thought it might happen but hope it doesn't. And in no way does that mean we aren't "allowed" to complain about it. Because I am complaining and so what? I am sad, mad, going bonkers that he is going!!!

Hey I am right there with you complaining ..what I said has nothing to do at all about complaining.

 

[Judy in Texas]

Why do they lie? And why do people believe them?

I grew up in small town middle America. I was naive. As for the recruiters... they have quotas.

 

[DizBelle]

wow... deep.... well I chose to grow up and go into the service and my mother watched my child until I could get into housing. I don't regret it one bit, I did grow up and I shudder at what I would have been like without it. I went from an irresponsible mom to a grown up...And yes she had to get gardianship.

My husband REjoined and will be deploying VERY soon, yes we knew it would be an option but we had to take that risk. There was no jumping for joy here and I don't think ANYONE... or most would. You join with the thought it might happen but hope it doesn't. And in no way does that mean we aren't "allowed" to complain about it. Because I am complaining and so what? I am sad, mad, going bonkers that he is going!!!

I'm curious why you felt you "had" to take that risk.

 

[ginna74]

Hey I am right there with you complaining ..what I said has nothing to do at all about complaining.

I know

 

[Jennasis]

My cousins wife went to basic for the Air Force and it was BRUTAL!

 

[sbell111]

... Why is it that when folks join the military, they are surprised when they are asked to serve in a war?

No matter how well you've been prepared, getting called up is a stressful, scary experience. I'm surprised that there are those who don't understand that. I would not wish to serve with any Marine who did not experience this stress.

And, then when they do serve in a war, why are they surprised when it is a horrific experience?

No matter how prepared you are, it is not possible to be completely prepared for that experience. I would not wish to serve with any Marine who was not affected by this experience.

My point is, if you aren't going to be able to handle it, don't enlist.

This is one of those times where you don't know whether you will succeed until you are there.

Is there something that I'm missing?

Yes.

 

[Art 1]

Every so often you'll here of a woman trying to get out of going overseas because they have a child. Usually they are single it seems. They didn't mind the free medical to have the child and all that goes with that but when it's time to do what they really signed up for they cry and wine on the news saying how un fair it all is.