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

[perdidobay]

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.

Daughters, in my case, but this is how I feel too.

 

[transparant]

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?[/QUOTE]

There's no way. I'd be so proud my heart would burst! I'm so proud of him myself!

 

[shirleyb]

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.

Yeah, ok. Sorry, my DS and DN and really bright kids, and my brother and I could afford to send them to college, but it's what they've chosen as their career path, and I'm proud that they have.

 

[Hannathy]

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.

What an elitist, obnoxious attitude! Don't tell all those Military Dr's, Dentists, Engineers, Nurses, Pilots, Scientists I could go on for quite awhile that they didn't go to college nor desired it(yeah graduate school is a piece of cake) have no other options, and aren't as good as your kids. If I say more I'll get in trouble...

To your last untrue statement, quite a few. Do some research or is that below you also?

 

[transparant]

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.

I don't understand how one could be "appalled" at someone who puts others before themselves to serve and protect our country.

 

[Christopher Robin]

I would not be proud. I would be appalled. It would be looked down upon, I consider the service as something that other kids do ...

I am grateful to all who serve.

Response deleted to avoid being banned from the DIS.

 

[mickeyfan2]

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.

You seem grateful to put down those who serve.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

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.

I can't believe someone would actually think this way. How can you be appalled at someone willing to give their LIFE for your freedom? You say that and in the next breath say you are grateful?


I don't have kids, but I would be extremely proud of them. I would be scared out of my mind, but I would still be proud and support them.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I don't understand how one could be "appalled" at someone who puts others before themselves to serve and protect our country.

I don't either, but just as those of us who are proud of our family members who have served have the right to be proud, this poster has the right to be appalled if her children would consider it.

I hope there aren't any other choices ahead for that poster's children that might produce that same reaction.

 

[transparant]

I don't either, but just as those of us who are proud of our family members who have served have the right to be proud, this poster has the right to be appalled if her children would consider it.

I hope there aren't any other choices ahead for that poster's children that might produce that same reaction.

I never said she didn't have the "right" to be appalled. Only that I don't understand it how one could be appalled at those that would lay their life down for her. Of course she has the right to feel the way she does.

 

[va32h]

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.

You have a lot of nerve saying how "grateful" you are one sentence after you just called anyone in the military poor, ambitionless, and stupid.

Most young people who join the service are doing it to earn money for college, which hardly shows a lack of desire to attend. Many soldiers attend school while they are serving - there are several universities that have special programs for soliders to complete online or via correspondence. And you do know that every single officer in the military has at least a bachelor's degree don't you? And that there are doctors and lawyers and architects and engineers and scientists in the military - and they have to a have actual medical and law and engineering degrees and all that?

I don't know if my husband has worked with any children of senators or CEO's because who your parents are doesn't matter in the military. Who you are is what matters. What you can contribute to the unit is what matters.

Which strikes me as a pretty damn good way of thinking - for any business.

 

[crcormier]

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.

I don't understand this post, it contradicts itself.

I would be proud of most anything my future step-son chose to do with his life as long as he believed in it and found fulfilment from it, and that of course includes the military. One of my best friends was a Marines for many years, and is now in OCS for the Army Reserves, and my cousin just joined the Navy, and I'm very proud of both of them.

Of course, if my step-son wanted to be a Republican, we would have words...

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

What an elitist, obnoxious attitude! Don't tell all those Military Dr's, Dentists, Engineers, Nurses, Pilots, Scientists I could go on for quite awhile that they didn't go to college nor desired it(yeah graduate school is a piece of cake) have no other options, and aren't as good as your kids. If I say more I'll get in trouble...

To your last untrue statement, quite a few. Do some research or is that below you also?

I was referring to those who just join the army Not officers.

In February, the Baltimore Sun wrote that there was "a significant increase in the number of recruits with what the Army terms 'serious criminal misconduct' in their background" -- a category that included "aggravated assault, robbery, vehicular manslaughter, receiving stolen property and making terrorist threats." From 2004 to 2005, the number of those recruits rose by more than 54 percent, while alcohol and illegal drug waivers, reversing a four-year decline, increased by more than 13 percent.

In June, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that, under pressure to fill the ranks, the Army had been allowing into its ranks increasing numbers of "recruits convicted of misdemeanor crimes, according to experts and military records." In fact, as the military's own data indicated, "the percentage of recruits entering the Army with waivers for misdemeanors and medical problems has more than doubled since 2001."

 

[cardaway]

I don't see how the chicagodisneyfan posted is worse than the post about people who don't serve being people on the run or cowards. Maybe people agree with that.

I certinaly don't agree that we with his/her comments, but the others were much worse.

 

[jsmith]

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.

HOLY COW-i dont believe you said that-ugh


I am the wife of a soldier-the friend of soldiers-all of my best friends are married to soldiers and i work with soldiers for a living. I am the parent of two fine young men aged 18 and 22. The 22 year old has just graduated from college with 3 Bachelors degrees-in 4 years-summa cum laude-one of his career options is graduate school in phyics the other-Marine officer-am i proud of that-You bet i am-there is NO more honorable profession.
To those of you who have bought into the "joining the military is a death sentence" brain washing-There are 2.4 million fine Americans serving this country in uniform-active and reserve component-as Tina noted early about a million-less than half have actually rotated to Iraq-the others serve throughout the world protecting the interests of the united states and the rights of her citizens to denigrate what they do each day. and i havent seen any of you say that you would deny your adult child a drivers liscense-or the right to drink and drive-which kills and maims far more people every year than 4 years in iraq have done-and with less meaning.
I could rant for pages-but enough said-we all have our opinions on things-and we arent going to sway each other. But it saddens me to see the selfishness of some people and how they regard the freedoms of this country as someone elses responsiblity to supply.

 

[va32h]

I was referring to those who just join the army Not officers.
In February, the Baltimore Sun wrote that there was "a significant increase in the number of recruits with what the Army terms 'serious criminal misconduct' in their background" -- a category that included "aggravated assault, robbery, vehicular manslaughter, receiving stolen property and making terrorist threats." From 2004 to 2005, the number of those recruits rose by more than 54 percent, while alcohol and illegal drug waivers, reversing a four-year decline, increased by more than 13 percent.

In June, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that, under pressure to fill the ranks, the Army had been allowing into its ranks increasing numbers of "recruits convicted of misdemeanor crimes, according to experts and military records." In fact, as the military's own data indicated, "the percentage of recruits entering the Army with waivers for misdemeanors and medical problems has more than doubled since 2001."

Huh? How do you think officers get into the service? Osmosis? Perhaps charity work since according to you the military is beneath the dignity of anyone with a brain.

Officers have to "join" the military too. Enlisted personnel can become officers or warrant officers.

I haven't read the articles you cite, so I can't comment on them knowledgeably, except to say that a "recruit" is not the same thing as a "soldier". Those recruits with "serious criminal conduct" would have been tossed out of boot camp as soon as their backgrounds were uncovered.

My husband spent three years as a recruiter (not by choice - it's a very stressful job) and I won't lie - people slipped through the cracks. But not every recruit becomes a soldier, and plenty of recruits had to leave boot camp when further background checks discovered criminal histories or if they failed drug tests.

 

[phorsenuf]

I was referring to those who just join the army Not officers.

In February, the Baltimore Sun wrote that there was "a significant increase in the number of recruits with what the Army terms 'serious criminal misconduct' in their background" -- a category that included "aggravated assault, robbery, vehicular manslaughter, receiving stolen property and making terrorist threats." From 2004 to 2005, the number of those recruits rose by more than 54 percent, while alcohol and illegal drug waivers, reversing a four-year decline, increased by more than 13 percent.

In June, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that, under pressure to fill the ranks, the Army had been allowing into its ranks increasing numbers of "recruits convicted of misdemeanor crimes, according to experts and military records." In fact, as the military's own data indicated, "the percentage of recruits entering the Army with waivers for misdemeanors and medical problems has more than doubled since 2001."

Thank goodness for that! My son was hit by a car when he was 16 and broke both legs and his pelvis. He had a rod in one leg and screws and plates in the other. He had to go before a military medical review board to get a waiver. Thankfully after being thoroughly checked out he was fit to serve. Our own Ortho even said he had no lasting disability. He was very lucky.
If they hadn't changed their standard he would have been immediately excluded and if you read my post on the last page you would see hw much that would have impacted his life.
And in my opinion, sometimes people do stupid things when they are young. Doesn't mean its a pattern of further crimes. I'm glad they loosened those restrictions because I bet it ended up helping thousands of kidsin the long run where somebody else immediately judged them and felt they were no good for what could have been a bad judgement call. Nothing wrong with being given a second chance.

Just curious if you were doing the hiring for a company and somebody had a misdemeanor on their record would you immeditely show them the door? Would you at least not see if they've straightened up and got their life in order?

 

[transparant]

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.

HOLY COW-i dont believe you said that-ugh


I am the wife of a soldier-the friend of soldiers-all of my best friends are married to soldiers and i work with soldiers for a living. I am the parent of two fine young men aged 18 and 22. The 22 year old has just graduated from college with 3 Bachelors degrees-in 4 years-summa cum laude-one of his career options is graduate school in phyics the other-Marine officer-am i proud of that-You bet i am-there is NO more honorable profession.
To those of you who have bought into the "joining the military is a death sentence" brain washing-There are 2.4 million fine Americans serving this country in uniform-active and reserve component-as Tina noted early about a million-less than half have actually rotated to Iraq-the others serve throughout the world protecting the interests of the united states and the rights of her citizens to denigrate what they do each day. and i havent seen any of you say that you would deny your adult child a drivers liscense-or the right to drink and drive-which kills and maims far more people every year than 4 years in iraq have done-and with less meaning.
I could rant for pages-but enough said-we all have our opinions on things-and we arent going to sway each other. But it saddens me to see the selfishness of some people and how they regard the freedoms of this country as someone elses responsiblity to supply.

I couldn't agree more!

 

[lovemygoofy]

I don't see how the chicagodisneyfan posted is worse than the post about people who don't serve being people on the run or cowards. Maybe people agree with that.

I certinaly don't agree that we with his/her comments, but the others were much worse.

If I'm not mistaken, I believe that the comment about cowards and people who don't serve is for those who said they would leave the country should a draft ever happen.

 

[JunieJay]

I don't see how the chicagodisneyfan posted is worse than the post about people who don't serve being people on the run or cowards. Maybe people agree with that.

I certinaly don't agree that we with his/her comments, but the others were much worse.

Or any worse than the people who assume because you don't support the war you don't support the troops. I've seen that to be very prevalent here on the DIS. Both sides are extreme, and not really indicative of how most Americans think.