March 14 @ 9:46 pmI mentioned that I took Matt and his girlfriend to dinner and a movie this past weekend. I wanted to get to know her a little. She’s older than he is, and graduated from high school earlier this year. She’s leaving soon for Air Force basic training, so we spent a good chunk of dinner talking about my own experiences with the same. I’m sure things have changed since I went through in the mid-80s. At least I hope so!
Like my family, her family has a tradition of military service. Her father was Navy. Mine was Army. Every male member on my side of the family has served in one branch or the other. Matt has made noises about wanting to serve as well.
I have to confess I’m torn on that issue. In general, I believe in serving your country, either in the military or some sort of civilian public service. I think it’s a healthy tradition. Unfortunately, I’d be incredibly leery of military service right now. I’m not a supporter of our Iraq invasion. I don’t think our leaders have a plan, a definition of “success” or much respect for our men and women serving in the military.
Fortunately, Matt still has a couple years ahead of him to make his decisions. I can only hope that things improve by then, but I don’t have much faith in our political leaders on either side of the aisle.
March 15 @ 3:39 am
Well, back when I got out of high school, I had NO DESIRE whatsoever to join the military….and now I SO wish I would’ve (of course, at that time, there wasn’t much going on anywhere overseas so it definitely makes a difference, you know?)
But to think of what I could’ve learned and all the places I could’ve gone….just makes me a little sad that I closed the door on that possibility before I ever really looked thru that door to see what lay on the other side.
March 15 @ 5:48 am
I lived right next to an army base growing up and had Army Brat friends, although I never had any desire to go into the military, I always respected those that did. I imagine that if I was in high school around 9/11 or in early college, I might have consider joining.
But who knows what’s going to be in the next 4-8 years. If it’s a republican again, it will be wartime efforts, if it’s democrat it will be policing efforts. And either way, we are going to be Engaged somehow.
March 15 @ 11:07 am
Well, as you know, we ARE a military family..have been for over 18 years and we have strongly discouraged our oldest from joining…of course, he’ll be 18 in one week and will graduate in June, so we’ll have little or no say in the matter, in the end it will be all his choice, but I surely hope he does NOT join.
Stacie
March 15 @ 12:58 pm
Yeah… hard to serve, if you know your life means nothing to the administration.
~S
March 15 @ 2:41 pm
The military has definitely changed. Granted, I live in an Army town ~ and they do things MUCH different than the Air Force ever did ~ but I do have friends that are still in the Air Force (& were in the same time as me) & they say it’s changed a lot.
M~
March 15 @ 6:21 pm
I was enlisted in the Navy, but my father died right before my ship date. I couldn’t leave my Mom all alone, so I got out on hardship. I feel sometimes that I may have missed my calling….but in today’s time…I, too, have lost faith in our Administration. Their intention is not that of honesty, integrity,nor for the well-being of our soldiers. At one time in my life I really wanted to serve, but now…if my son came to me wanting to enlist, I would have a strong desire to discourage it.
March 16 @ 8:56 pm
I’m with you, my father served thirty years Army, both brothers were mp’s…and my son talks about it in the way little boys dream and i have to admit it scares me, deep down in my bones.