I understand totally where your coming from!! My son went in last yr to be a mechanic at 23yrs old (got bored around here) Now a year later is an Air Borne Ranger jumping out of perfectly good airplanes & tearing apart hummers, but he is loving it &has no regrets he says. He will be home on leave next month, then his unit will be going over for 3 months. Then the worry time starts for sure.

Kenny

 

Are you Aussie or Spanish? The last I checked the USAF doesn't have Hornets.....

 

Please support your son and his decision. I remember the day our son told us he was joining the Marines after high school in 2003. Since then he has completed two tours in Iraq and we can’t be prouder of him. You will have sleepless nights and wonder when you will receive a letter or a call but remember its man and women like our sons that give us our freedom. God bless you and your son.

 

I spent 8 years in the USARMY, the true machine of freedom. My years were from 81 -89, I watch the Army turn from mustaches wearing fattish seargeants to a true war machine, dummasses and lazy bastards not allowed to stay, 81 50% of everything broke, 89, 99% of people and equipmentcombat ready, ready to destroy the Commie bastards on a moments notice. Met wife and had first son in WBAMC in Ft BlissTx, hejust returned from Iraq in Nov after 15 months and two purple hearts from getting blown up(IED's) 7 days apart, 82nd ABN, soon to attend Ranger school, his two brothers will follow in the next 3 years. They are all still a little pissedabout NY and 911.

What I amtrying to say toyouis your son will be a cog in the machine that takes care of the real business of protecting this country, the constitution and our people no matter what the cost, he will not be the person that you think you know ever again, his new family will be like him not his friends and family that he left behind. This is a deadly business he is entering but a necessary one, you will be bewildered and amazed at the transformation. He willnot be a selfish snotty nosed kidanymore, treat him with respect, if you have military experience talk to him about it after he gets home from AIT as he will not feel comfortable around civilians ever again, best to talk when you and him are alone. Just remember, dont watch the news or listen to our COWARDLY politicians on the TV as they will end up discusting you and make you question the worth of the venture. It is worth it and the politicians have always been cowards since the times ofancient Greece.The military are the stewards of our country and freedom, read their oath, take it seriously and sleep well at night. Congratulations to your son for having more ***** and brains than 95% of his contemporarys, he and all others in will be in my familys prayers and thoughts every day for the rest of my life. God bless them all.

 

Be Proud! Your son my leave as a boy (even though he may think he is a man) but will return toyou as a man with discipline and character. I only wish I could have talked my son into it.

Back with the draft the majority of the young men served and most didn't want to be there, but with todays all volunteer militarythere is more commitment as they chose to be there.

I was at a fundraiser banquet last night and they asked all of the veterans to stand up prior to the pledge of allegiance and I was shocked to see how few of us were actually standing. So be proud that your son made the choice.

As for the worry, as a father worry is part of the package. We worry about them no matter what they are doing, just sometimes more than others. Normally when we worry alot about things before they happen, we realize that we were worrying about nothing when the time actually comes.

 

May god bless you both. Seems Americans appreciate people in the service today. I will all ways appreciate them.

 

No advice on how not to worry.
Just realize you brought him up right to do his duty and hopefully imparted the
basic skills he needs to survive.
The time always comes when the fledgling needs to spread his wings and leave the nest.

 

Support him in his decision. You allowed to worry, let him know you worry, it's part of your job. Tell him you expect a phone call every now and then.Tell him how much you love him and show him how proud you are. Let him know that no matter what, you support him and he will always have a home. I've been in 13 years and now have a wife and 2 kids, my father has always supported my decision to join and we have a better relationship now more than ever. When I left for boot camp, I didn't call home for almost a year. My son is 15, and if he wants to sign up, I'll support him 100%, but I'll also required him to make contact once a month.

 

I didn't want to go when I was drafted in 1970 and then sent to Vietnam. But looking back, now, I think it was a great experience. I was fortunate, I returned unscathed. Seeing how people live in other parts of the world really makes one appreciate the good old USA. I think that your son is a true patriot and you should be very very proud. As a loving dad, you are of course worried, who wouldn't be. Not every soldier is sent to the Middle East, and of those who are, most return unharmed. I wish him the best of luck. You have raised a fine young man. ken

 

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