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

[bananiem]

I am almost 25. I am a graduate student in a PhD program. I have 3 years left and then I will hopefully be entering academia.

Why do you ask?

I wondered about your age because I think younger people who don't remember or weren't alive for the cold war tend to have a naive view of the military.

 

[DisneyGirl4188]

That doesn't mean I would stop loving them or look down on them or wish they had been an actor (does any parent ever want that? )

There are people who would rather their child be an actor rather than a soldier (one poster said as much on this thread). They would look down on the soldier, but not an actor. That, to me, is sad and troubling.

 

[smartestnumber5]

I just think maybe sn5 is too young to remember air raid drills and people building bomb shelters. We could have become a communist country if the USSR had decided to nuke us. Well, those that were left would be in a communist country.
I remember it being a very real threat. Maybe that's because I lived within miles of an army arsenal and was told by teachers that it would be one of the first hit and we'd never have enought time to get away.

My point in this ramble is that a country taking over the US could very well mean the end of our freedoms. And yes, the security sn5's family members were talking about were most likely keeping our freedom and way of life secure.

I wondered about your age because I think younger people who don't remember or weren't alive for the cold war tend to have a naive view of the military.

Yes I am mostly too young too remember that. (I do remember at least once in kindergarten or so having a drill in case there were an attack. They had us all run down to the basement of the school and sit holding our arms over heads in a certain way. I guess that was one of those drills?) It could be that my opinion would be different had I lived during the Cold War; maybe I do not put enough emphasis on the military because I didn't live through that. (Though the same point could go the opposite way; that people who did live through the Cold War--certainly a strange and uncommon occurrence--put too much emphasis on the military).

My parents, though, were born in the 50s so they were around for the entirety of the Cold War. As I said my father served in the military during Vietnam, and if I brought up protection of our freedom of speech he'd immediately think of the ACLU. I haven't really talked about the Cold War per se with him, so I don't know exactly what his thoughts on that are. As far as I can tell though, if it made him have a positive view of the military that became totally overshadowed by his own negative experience after he enlisted.

Of course, I admit my knowledge of the military is limited and comes mostly from the veterans in my close family (all of whom served only during war time) especially my father. And given my age I have few memories of any U.S. military conflict other than 9/11 and Afghanistan and Iraq (I was about 8 during the Gulf War and I really don't remember much at all). Surely that does color my view.

I beleive that sn5 is in her early to mid 20s.

OT, but I just wanted to say it made me feel good that someone remembered something about me since I post sporadically and mostly on debate threads rather than "shoot the breeze" or "get to know each other" threads. Maybe I should try more of those!

 

[smartestnumber5]

There are people who would rather their child be an actor rather than a soldier (one poster said as much on this thread). They would look down on the soldier, but not an actor. That, to me, is sad and troubling.

Oh I know, I saw that post--that was the one that also said something about their child having to go to college and that the military is for other people. I agree with you that I found that post troubling.

I was just trying to lighten the mood given that there's the stereotype of a the starving actor and it's probably one of a lot of parent's worst nightmares--that their kid will mooch off of them forever while waiting for their big break.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Yes I am mostly too young too remember that. (I do remember at least once in kindergarten or so having a drill in case there were an attack. They had us all run down to the basement of the school and sit holding our arms over heads in a certain way. I guess that was one of those drills?) It could be that my opinion would be different had I lived during the Cold War; maybe I do not put enough emphasis on the military because I didn't live through that. (Though the same point could go the opposite way; that people who did live through the Cold War--certainly a strange and uncommon occurrence--put too much emphasis on the military).

My parents, though, were born in the 50s so they were around for the entirety of the Cold War. As I said my father served in the military during Vietnam, and if I brought up protection of our freedom of speech he'd immediately think of the ACLU. I haven't really talked about the Cold War per se with him, so I don't know exactly what his thoughts on that are. As far as I can tell though, if it made him have a positive view of the military that became totally overshadowed by his own negative experience after he enlisted.

Of course, I admit my knowledge of the military is limited and comes mostly from the veterans in my close family (all of whom served only during war time) especially my father. And given my age I have few memories of any U.S. military conflict other than 9/11 and Afghanistan and Iraq (I was about 8 during the Gulf War and I really don't remember much at all). Surely that does color my view.

Was you father drafted?

OT, but I just wanted to say it made me feel good that someone remembered something about me since I post sporadically and mostly on debate threads rather than "shoot the breeze" or "get to know each other" threads. Maybe I should try more of those!

Glad that I remembered correctly.

 

[smartestnumber5]

Was you father drafted?



Glad that I remembered correctly.

Well that year (1972 sticks in my mind, but I'm not sure that's right) he got a low draft number so it was expected that his number would be called and he'd be drafted. He ended up voluntarily enlisting instead of waiting to be drafted. He says he didn't want to wait around for another 6 months before they actually drafted him since you can't really get on with your life when you know you're going to war in a few months. Turned out that it was a year that there was a big scale back in the number drafted, so they called up to about 3 below his number; so he would have been safe it he'd waited it out. I'm also not sure how he ended up in Germany--it may have been that by the time he went through training and been ready for deployment the scale back had begun?

I'll have to ask him to tell the story again next time I see him because it's all kind of foggy to me.

 

[Laura]

Look at it this way: If it weren't for the military, other countries could invade us and overthrow our government. They could make laws forbiding us to speak our minds, woman would not be allowed to walk out of the house unescorted, media would be what they wanted. We wouldn't have the freedom we take for granted now.

That's pretty much it in a nutshell. Without our military, we have no way to protect ourselves against our enemies.

Many of us against the Iraq invasion feel that having our armed forces in Iraq doesn't work towards protecting us, though, and instead has left us more vulnerable--wasting the precious resource that our military is. But I know being in the Army isn't the same thing as agreeing with the war in Iraq.

 

[MELSMICE]

Look at it this way: If it weren't for the military, other countries could invade us and overthrow our government. They could make laws forbiding us to speak our minds, woman would not be allowed to walk out of the house unescorted, media would be what they wanted. We wouldn't have the freedom we take for granted now.

Yes, the freedoms we take for granted every day would be taken away. Think of the people that live in Communist countries. I certainly admire the soldiers that have fought for our freedom so we do not have to live like that.

And you could not get that abortion you wanted.

No, you could not.

 

[Finny]

My children can choose whatever they want to do.

I wouldn't be proud though, I am a pacifist. I would accept it though without interfering, as I feel they have to right to their own life path.

 

[mickeyfan2]

My children can choose whatever they want to do.

I wouldn't be proud though, I am a pacifist. I would accept it though without interfering, as I feel they have to right to their own life path.

The Amish, Mennoites and Quakers are also pacifist. They did serve in the military in WWI and WWII, but not in the combat arms (due to religious beliefs). They worked in the hospitals etc, but were still in the military. They didnot flee to Canada.

 

[Finny]

The Amish, Mennoites and Quakers are also pacifist. They did serve in the military in WWI and WWII, but not in the combat arms (due to religious beliefs). They worked in the hospitals etc, but were still in the military. They didnot flee to Canada.

My children may choose a non-pacifist stance as they mature, their Dad is not a pacifist. I am raising them each to their own path, so they could choose to serve in the armed forces if they feel that is the way for them. I accept that they may not choose to be pacifists. I would not be "proud" of their decision to enlist, but I would respect and accept that it is their choice to make. If they chose to join as a pacifist, and were allowed to serve in a non-combat position I would be much more comfortable with their decision.

I did not say anyone should flee to Canada?

I have no problem with people who serve. They keep our country safe, it must be a very difficult decision to make, and career to have.

 

[Pigeon]

I will do anything within my power to keep my kids out of the military. No, I wouldn't be proud or supportive at all of the military as a career choice. I don't look down on people who do it, but it is completely not what I want for my kids.

 

[MichelleVW]

I will do anything within my power to keep my kids out of the military. No, I wouldn't be proud or supportive at all of the military as a career choice. I don't look down on people who do it, but it is completely not what I want for my kids.

I can't believe I'm getting sucked into this thread....

I'm in the Air Force and have been for over 18 years...is it what I want for my kids...Nope...but if it's what they wanted I would be proud and supportive. Worried-YES, but still proud and supportive.

I don't understand how someone could not be proud and/or supportive of a decision to join the military and defend our country....bizarre concept.

But hey...that's what I"m here for...to defend your right to have bizarre (to me) beliefs!

 

[lovemygoofy]

I can't believe I'm getting sucked into this thread....

I'm in the Air Force and have been for over 18 years...is it what I want for my kids...Nope...but if it's what they wanted I would be proud and supportive. Worried-YES, but still proud and supportive.

I don't understand how someone could not be proud and/or supportive of a decision to join the military and defend our country....bizarre concept.

But hey...that's what I"m here for...to defend your right to have bizarre (to me) beliefs!

trust me when I say that the poster above you said some of the nicer things in this thread. You should back out of this thread as quickly as possible before you feel your blood pressure rising

Thanks for your service and congrats on being so close to retirement. I'm quite envious.

 

[sydally9367]

I will do anything within my power to keep my kids out of the military. No, I wouldn't be proud or supportive at all of the military as a career choice. I don't look down on people who do it, but it is completely not what I want for my kids.

After reading numerous replies like this one; I think I am going to call my Mom today and thank her for being so supportive of my choice to join the military (even though I've been out 10 years now) and then I'll call my MIL and thank her for her 21 years of service and thank her for supporting my DH in his 12 yrs of service so far. My Mom, MIL and extended family may worry, but they have always been supportive and proud and reading this thread makes me realize how truly blessed I am to have such a wonderful, loving family.

 

[Galahad]

I will do anything within my power to keep my kids out of the military. No, I wouldn't be proud or supportive at all of the military as a career choice. I don't look down on people who do it, but it is completely not what I want for my kids.

This is an illogical statement though. If you would not be proud of your kids in the military, then you must, by definition "look down" on people that do it. Otherwise, why withhold your pride?

 

[Finny]

I don't understand how someone could not be proud and/or supportive of a decision to join the military and defend our country....bizarre concept.

For me, it is because I find war and fighting abhorrent to my beliefs. If the armed forces were only in existence to defend our borders and country I would have less problems with it, but the people making war/conflict/fighting decisions do not just defend our country.

I do applaud your decision to serve, and your service. I reserve the right to feel proud of people though, to people I know. It is semantics, but for me to be proud of someone I must know them, and how they conduct themselves.

 

[Pigeon]

This is an illogical statement though. If you would not be proud of your kids in the military, then you must, by definition "look down" on people that do it. Otherwise, why withhold your pride?

There are lots of jobs I wouldn't want for my kids. That doesn't mean I look down on people who do them.

 

[inaminute]

There are lots of jobs I wouldn't want for my kids. That doesn't mean I look down on people who do them.

So, if those jobs are good enough for other people to do, why wouldn't those jobs be good enough for your kids?

 

[Pigeon]

So, if those jobs are good enough for other people to do, why wouldn't those jobs be good enough for your kids?

Are there seriously no jobs that you would hope your children wouldn't end up doing?