ya know, its funny

[rodbolt]

I just got off the telly with a bum friend of mine from years gone by.<br />I dont chat with him often but it was on a subject my sister wants me to have with her son.<br /> seems his son wishes to join the military, as my nephew does. while I had to reccomend against it at this time I also had to tell the kid, as I will tell my nephew, its hard to beat the friends and the training and the self confidence you will have the oppertunity to gain, I told him you will get not one bit more out of it than you put in it. I warned him that he will give up certain constitutional rights. he will give up certain fredoms.<br /> but I also tried to tell him of the bond you have with those you train with.<br /> its something the chicken hawks will never see.<br /> I was lucky, way more lucky than some of my cousins, I never had to use my training in combat. the training was sometimes scary enough when they reflashed the fire 3 decks above you and your OBA alarm was ringing.<br /> its scary down there with the heat and flames and the steam burns on your neck.<br /><br /> but the knowledge and confidence you gain is priceless.<br /> you learn that the guy beside you wont leave you and you wont leave him.<br /> no matter the differences at the bar.<br />you learn the gear works and if it does not someone will carry you out and you will carry them.<br />you learn the world does not care but the #4 nozzleman does.<br />you learn that the low velocity fog man cannot put out the fire but he can keep you alive.<br /><br /> and the best is you learn that you can survive most anything but you have to trust your training and the person beside you.<br /> thats the hardest part.<br /><br /> I told him, like I will tell my nephew, the only unacceptable excuse for not joining is the "i dont like being told what to do excuse" all the others I can accept. military duty is not for all, but all are told what to do.<br /> so now I have to figgue out what to tell my nephew.<br /> join or not and why or why not?

 

[stan_deezy]

Re: ya know, its funny

Join.<br /><br />Why? You've given all the best reasons in your answer although maybe a few missing (or my reading is not so hot at this time in the morning!):<br /><br />You get to travel.<br />You get paid to do things that other people pay to do.<br />Got a sport and are good at it? The Forces will help you take it all the way.<br />The friendships as you mentioned will last a lifetime but even better is knowing that you "belong" to a family that is huge and it's not just confined to your country and it's Forces. One of my best nights ever had to be in a bar in Potsdam, Berlin, Germany just a few years after the wall came down. Spent the night (and most of the next day!) drinking and talking with a couple of guys who were ex-Spetsnaz: the friendship was international!<br /><br />Yes there's a chance you'll see and do things that will put you in harm's way: civilians do it everyday without thinking: they go to work in unsafe buildings, in vehicles and trucks, in factories and postal offices. Difference is that you'll have good, well-trained buddies watching your six for you. When it turns bad your buddies won't stab you in the back, they'll take the knife out. <br /><br />Join, join and join again!

 

[JB]

Re: ya know, its funny

It baffles me how so many today look at the prospect of military service with a "What's in it for ME?" perspective.<br /><br />Had my generation and our ancestors looked at it that way we would never have become the nation we are. How about speaking German under a Communist regime?<br /><br />Try, "What's in it for my family and my country?".<br /><br />To serve is an obligation that you owe those who came before you and those who will follow.

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: ya know, its funny

On the lines of JB's post. What was it JFK said: Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country............

 

[KaGee]

Re: ya know, its funny

I graduated High School right near the end of Vietnam. Nixon had just abolished the draft. The military was not the "cool" thing to do at that time. So I, like most of my class, bowed to propaganda and peer pressure and shunned any thoughts of service. <br /><br />Looking back, there have been times I regretted that decision. Like JB often says, Wisdom is wasted on the old.<br /><br />I believe that these young men need all the facts, good and bad, to make up their own mind. Their parents trying to manipulate those decisions to their own satisfaction is flat out wrong.

 

[Laddies]

Re: ya know, its funny

It is a privelage to serve, but has been vilified by the press (who would not even exist but the blood spilled for by the GIs who protect our freedoms) The school systems and the majority of educators have twisted history so badly that the children of America don't even have a clue what the world wars were about, let alone some of the later conflicts. In the haste to protect thier children and the children of their connected friends the politicians abolished the draft which for many years made serving a duty, but then if one looks at the politicians, they are destroying the country anyway to benefit them and their fat cat friends.<br /><br />Sorry for getting off the subject Rodbolt, I am not trying to steal your thread--Bob

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: ya know, its funny

I thought pretty hard about serving, the Navy recruited me prtty hard. Wanted me to be a nuclear tech on a sub.<br /><br />But I knew better. Ya see, I am one of those people that just cant take orders. I would have spent most of the time in the brig.<br /><br />Ken

 

[ZooMbr]

Re: ya know, its funny

A college class mate of mine was released as 'incompatable with mitillary service'. Just keep going AWOL because he couldn't take the orders. Really nice guy just didn't like the total structure of the service. <br /><br />But, for most it really does a lot of good.

 

[JB]

Re: ya know, its funny

Discipline is doing what you should do, whether you like it or not.<br /><br />Some have it, some don't. I feel sad for those who don't.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: ya know, its funny

JB<br /> I am with you on that, in daily life folks tell ya what to do be it the customer or your boss or even your spouse. I found in the USN if ya did what you were supposed to do before ya had to be told to do it life worked well. once your done with boot camp and the other advanced schools its all in the plan of the day and plan of the week and all the maint on the gear is scheduled months and years in advance.<br /> I really dont recall anyone telling me what to do other than instructions on daily and weekly events once out of boot camp.<br /> if you kmow barracks inspections are on fridays you have 6 3/4 days to prepare. same as personell and gear inspections. most the time if you stay aquared away your ready.<br /> <br /> had an instructor in boot camp sum it up with a question.<br /> How often does a good sailor need a haircut?

 

[Twidget]

Re: ya know, its funny

I was raised that it is a privelege to serve. <br /><br />I went in at the end of the Carter administration. It wasnt the popular thing to do and my friends tried to talk me out of it. I have absolutely no regrets about my decision to join. My big regret is being released on a Medical discharge, I had planned to retire from service.