Son considering National Guard

[jcook922]

that's it...gimme 50!

No makin' me spit coffee when I'm reading!

Mission accomplished, I made a marine spit coffee on herself.

 

[razzelflabben]

That's pretty horrifying, I'm glad he got out of that situation without having a limb BITTEN off.

Insurgent children biting limbs off because Al Qaeda says there's candy inside of Americans?!?!?! TO WHAT LOW WILL THEY NOT SINK?

At least their not using the soldiers like piniatas yet.

Seriously though, we all know that anytime we send guys (or gals) into a war zone, there can be casualties. this is the reality and also the fears for those sending their loved ones off. It is encouraging to know that they are facing down candy starved children, because at any moment the enemies face can change. That is the reality. Point is this, it isn't easy, but it isn't all bad either.

 

[jcook922]

At least their not using the soldiers like piniatas yet.

Seriously though, we all know that anytime we send guys (or gals) into a war zone, there can be casualties. this is the reality and also the fears for those sending their loved ones off. It is encouraging to know that they are facing down candy starved children, because at any moment the enemies face can change. That is the reality. Point is this, it isn't easy, but it isn't all bad either.

Well said, I look forward to my second tour, the money is pretty damn good.

 

[Teufelhund]

I don't know it was pretty rough... sometimes the PX would run out of caffeine gum and I'd get carpal tunnel from typing so much.... Okay I guess being an intelligence pogue isn't all that exciting. But Iraq has pretty much quieted down completely... Now Afghanistan I've heard is still pretty hot, I'd like to go there if there's an option but since the Afghan Dets are leaving in a staggered pattern with the Iraq dets that's not likely to happen. Oh well. I wouldn't be too worried Iraq is a lot quieter, not completely quiet mind you, but a lot quieter.

 

[razzelflabben]

I don't know it was pretty rough... sometimes the PX would run out of caffeine gum and I'd get carpal tunnel from typing so much.... Okay I guess being an intelligence pogue isn't all that exciting. But Iraq has pretty much quieted down completely... Now Afghanistan I've heard is still pretty hot, I'd like to go there if there's an option but since the Afghan Dets are leaving in a staggered pattern with the Iraq dets that's not likely to happen. Oh well. I wouldn't be too worried Iraq is a lot quieter, not completely quiet mind you, but a lot quieter.

I think it is important to see both sides. From what I hear, most of the time, caffeine gum and kids looking for candy are the rough spots, but my brother in law who is a lt col. in Iraq, third tour, also tells of overwork, stress out of control and such. It isn't an easy job no matter, and we have to be honest enough to admit that. But by the same token, it is not the hot bed of hand to hand combat we have seen in history.

 

[rppearso]

Thanks for all the responses. My son is now considering going to college instead. He's so fickle, let's see if that sticks. UGH!



Will be praying for you and your child!



Gweny, as I've shown recently, I'm not afraid to use it. Thanks for being there.

That was a very wise decision on his part, what does he want to major in? College takes 4-5 years to complete and being fickle can waste alot of money. If he decides to stick with college I would recommend a core engineering discipline (chemical, mechanical, electrical). Also with regards to the military MOS's, your MOS is irrelevant you can be pulled from any MOS to do any other MOS at any time if there is a deficiency. You have to have the right personality to be in the military, <staff edit>

 

[suzybeezy]

Now he's doing nothing! URGHHGHGHGHGH I don't know what to do with him. At this point, i think maybe the guard would be best for him. I'm just so frustrated with him. He will be 20 in a few months, he needs to grow up already!

 

[rppearso]

Now he's doing nothing! URGHHGHGHGHGH I don't know what to do with him. At this point, i think maybe the guard would be best for him. I'm just so frustrated with him. He will be 20 in a few months, he needs to grow up already!

Thats unfortunate, my wifes son is the same way as soon as the immediate crisis that is a result of his life decisions is over he is back to the status quo. Of course we don't bail him out so those crisis's become more dire each time until the final sink or swim decision needs to be made. If his focus and disipline is that lacking I would regret to say the military may be the best for him, I know we are trying to get my wifes son into the navy but he is not motivated to loose weight even though he wants to join. Its a tough road when you have no passion and/or motivation.

 

[Gwenyfur]

Now he's doing nothing! URGHHGHGHGHGH I don't know what to do with him. At this point, i think maybe the guard would be best for him. I'm just so frustrated with him. He will be 20 in a few months, he needs to grow up already!

I know a couple Marines in your area

 

[razzelflabben]

Now he's doing nothing! URGHHGHGHGHGH I don't know what to do with him. At this point, i think maybe the guard would be best for him. I'm just so frustrated with him. He will be 20 in a few months, he needs to grow up already!

God knows even this, spend some time in prayer for him, then spend some time in prayer, resting in God's arms as you wait for Him to touch your son. In the meantime, my own prayers will be for you and your son.

 

[razzelflabben]

I don't know if anyone is still hanging around these parts but I wanted to update anyone who might be sticking around.

where my son reports very little of interest going on in Iraq, he also informed me today that his unit hit an ied this week. It didn't do any damage, not even to the truck (praise the Lord) but there are still dangers, still a war going on.

I am reminded that dangers reign here as well. We had a nephew killed in an auto accident. A drive by shooting one street over. A suicide accross the street. Sexual preditors about 6 houses down from us, with a half way house in easy walking distance. Life and danger go hand in hand, the difference is that in the millitary, in Iraq, the dangers are more visible and our children or spouses or parents, are out of our reach when something happens.

Praise the Lord all were safe this time and praying that peace quickly returns not only for our soldiers, but for the people of Iraq as well.

 

[jcook922]

I don't know if anyone is still hanging around these parts but I wanted to update anyone who might be sticking around.

where my son reports very little of interest going on in Iraq, he also informed me today that his unit hit an ied this week. It didn't do any damage, not even to the truck (praise the Lord) but there are still dangers, still a war going on.

I am reminded that dangers reign here as well. We had a nephew killed in an auto accident. A drive by shooting one street over. A suicide accross the street. Sexual preditors about 6 houses down from us, with a half way house in easy walking distance. Life and danger go hand in hand, the difference is that in the millitary, in Iraq, the dangers are more visible and our children or spouses or parents, are out of our reach when something happens.

Praise the Lord all were safe this time and praying that peace quickly returns not only for our soldiers, but for the people of Iraq as well.

I'm going back for my second deployment to Afghanistan in the next few months, I hope I'm back at Kandahar airfield, the chow there was pretty damn good.

 

[suzybeezy]

Its good to hear that the IED didn't do any damage and that your son is safe. I think its so imperative we keep our young people in our daily prayers, both those in the military and those in on our own soil. They are all facing things we didn't have to growing up. With 4 children of my own, I so worry for their future.

As for my son, he's decided to finally take a job. I just hope and pray he keeps it. He's been aimless for so long and I think he was getting depressed not knowing where to go with his life. We've had a few great heart to hearts and he knows he needs change in his life. He's expressed how difficult it is on him and the temptations he faces daily with the lure of drugs and alcohol. I think the military would have probably been a better choice, and he still may end up there. I just pray he'll straighten up finally.

 

[QuiltAngel]

Razzelflaben
I am glad to hear that your son and his unit are safe after the IED. I think what makes the news of things in Iraq and Afghanistan harder to deal with than the things that happen at home, is that we don't hear about them until later or, if we do hear about them, it takes a while to find out who was involved. In the meantime, we live in fear for the safety of our loved ones there. When things happen in our neighborhood, we pretty much know what happened right away and we are able to determine what, if anything, we should be fearful of.

suzybeezy
It has to be hard watching one of your kids have a hard time finding what he can be excited about doing.

Prayers for all who serve our country and for all of our kids as they go about their daily lives and make decisions they need to make.

 

[razzelflabben]

I'm going back for my second deployment to Afghanistan in the next few months, I hope I'm back at Kandahar airfield, the chow there was pretty damn good.

stay in touch and in the center of God's love.

 

[jcook922]

stay in touch and in the center of God's love.

I think I'll have fun, the pay is good, and you really get used to it after a while. You quit thinking of dangerous situations with fear, and more with rationality. I'll be with alot of the same people in my unit who went last time, and they are all really experienced and squared away guys.

 

[razzelflabben]

Its good to hear that the IED didn't do any damage and that your son is safe. I think its so imperative we keep our young people in our daily prayers, both those in the military and those in on our own soil. They are all facing things we didn't have to growing up. With 4 children of my own, I so worry for their future.

As for my son, he's decided to finally take a job. I just hope and pray he keeps it. He's been aimless for so long and I think he was getting depressed not knowing where to go with his life. We've had a few great heart to hearts and he knows he needs change in his life. He's expressed how difficult it is on him and the temptations he faces daily with the lure of drugs and alcohol. I think the military would have probably been a better choice, and he still may end up there. I just pray he'll straighten up finally.

Councilor, God, guide this one, your child. Direct his life in a way that we cannot. Direct him in such a way that as we all look back to this time in history, we could not have imagined all the beauty, all the wonders, all the love that you have brought out in him and through him. Things that change a world and the lives of it's people.

amen

 

[razzelflabben]

I think I'll have fun, the pay is good, and you really get used to it after a while. You quit thinking of dangerous situations with fear, and more with rationality. I'll be with alot of the same people in my unit who went last time, and they are all really experienced and squared away guys.

Your getting ready to leave, and my brother in law is getting ready to come home, something doesn't seem right about that. God's hand on you and your entire unit, may I call you friend?

 

[anthonya25]

your son may not be soldier material now but after joining he may like it he may not. I wasnt marine material before bootcamp either but after I finished my contract off and came home I wanted back in the military cause thats all I really want to do now they put the "mateial" you need in you. I joined the national guard for my state because they were the only ones who would be able to help get back in with a little red tape that the marine corps forced on me (long story) but im in and i may be deploying for the first time ever to either iraq or afghanastan next year. the reason i joined in the first place was college money but i didnt get to go while on ad but im a guard now and im in school but im also infantry.

the best advice i can give make sure he knows alot of the truth about the war, choose a job that he wont be in any danger if he doesnt want to go fight, and as said before the best job for that would be one in the air force.

 

[paul123]

Everything the recruiter says, is a lie. Unless you can read it, you will not recieve it.