NationStates Jolt Archive

let me first apologise for my nonsensical ramblings of late.

i am actually kinda smart and moderate.

the last few weeks i have had some turmoil in my life..lol,aside from the daily bugaboos..can i pay the rent,etc. crap.

my girl moved in with me,daughter,whom i love like no other...i just feel inadequate as a dad,her friends are rich:-(

but my son he is going into the service..which is fine,it is his life,but he is going into a mos because the recruiter is selling him this occupation,and it is nothing more then being a target,and they are short on cannon fodder.

i stopped him last year cause he needed me to sign off,now he is 18 and there is nothing i can do..i will try the big talk this weekend,and i guees i am soliciting advice from you phyche students out there.

my sisters fiance is a naval intelligence officer,and he is going to come by and talk to him,and tell him all the dirty tricks they use to sign you up.

but he is as stubborn as me,and i am afraid he is going into an occupation because he is being pushed there,not what he wants,then add in all the propaganda thrown his way,from video games to advertisements...he just wont listen.

he wants to be a cop to save the world,when he gets ut,but this recruiter has him talked into going into transportation(the guys that get blown up left and right)
cause the insurgents know better then target marine or infantry targets...so wisely they go after soft targets...which is what he is being sold.

he aced his asvap test,so why in the world would they want a smart kid doing convoy duty?

cause they need them?

god i hope i can talk him out of it..i have been drinking non stop since i found out he signed up,or at least change his mos...i have no problem with him serving,but serve in a branch/occupation were you can use your skills and get a future out of it.

my sister told me to go shine the recruiter on,and get him to make promises and record it,to catch him in a lie..but i would prefer a rational argument to state my case to my son,he is gonna go,but at the least i wish he would get something good from it,not horror.

a dads job is to shield there kids from horror,or at least point them in the right direction.

i fear i am doing neither.

any advice would be appreciated....i am actually sobered from the fear i have that he will go a sweet good kid,and at best come back shell shocked or maimed,or worse,cold and callous towards life....fucking war...grrrr

again,sorry for the rum soaked blatherings,had to much on my mind,and i suppose i vented it here...i know i am in someones briefcase of funny drunk shit,but i was at a loss,so i am now reaching out to anyone and everyone.

i even went to a military page for advice...and i was told...get everything in writing...and that scares the shit outta me.

i honestly dont think i will be capable of sleep if he goes away,he is getting straight a's in school now,with a 2 coarse load(taking 2 years at once)but i think he has fallen for the propoganda and the glorifying of war,that is constantly sold in video games and dirty fuck recruiters going into highschools to recruit adrenaline soaked boys to do the dirty work.

in pre war days,he could have been recruite for computer science or whatever,now,toss in a rock song...show the girl fall for the guy in the uniform...and voila...a good hearted kid with intelligence..is driving a hummer in iraq.

i am truly afraid.

but my liver cant take much more rum.

sorry for the novel,but i do read other opinions,and listen...any advice?

wow,for once i thought i made sense,or was at the least coherent....

i know i been a bit nutty lately,for that i apologise,but i have also tried at times to make lucid points on subjects,and wish someone could at the least,give me an opinion...
i f not,no biggie i guees,i'll go alone as usual.

There's not much you can do at this point. As parents, we try to protect our kids and prepare them to make smart decisions, but in the end, they have to make the decisions. I haven't had to let my daughter go yet, but I'll have to sooner rather than later, and I'll be feeling much the same I imagine. Good luck, and let your son know that no matter what decision he makes, you'll always be there for him.

wow,for once i thought i made sense,or was at the least coherent....

i know i been a bit nutty lately,for that i apologise,but i have also tried at times to make lucid points on subjects,and wish someone could at the least,give me an opinion...
i f not,no biggie i guees,i'll go alone as usual.
Your fears are quite real, but there's really nothing you can do about it if your son is bound and determined to enlist. Tell him that a highly-decorated, retired, former Captain of Infantry said that his best bet, either for continued miitary training or civlian life, is to become a computer tech or some similar MOS. And don't let the recruiter bullshit him with crap about those occupations are all filled! They aren't! They're desperately needed.

Tell him I said that and see what his reaction is.

EDIT: I'll go you one better! TG me your telephone number and tell me when he'll be there for me to talk to.. I'll set him straight. :)

You still here???

Bump

yes i am still here,and thank you soo much for quite a generous offer.
i would like to take you up on that .

There's not much you can do at this point. As parents, we try to protect our kids and prepare them to make smart decisions, but in the end, they have to make the decisions. I haven't had to let my daughter go yet, but I'll have to sooner rather than later, and I'll be feeling much the same I imagine. Good luck, and let your son know that no matter what decision he makes, you'll always be there for him.

thanks for your input,i also have a daughter,whole nother can of worms there..lol.

at least you have some time..right?

i am gritting my teeth while i tell him i am proud,and meanwhile,scrambling for arguments to save him from his self.

i went to join the marines when i was 17,early enlistment,but my dad,a veteran,refused to sign off,i then proceeded to show him by doing every drug known to mankind,and getting locked up wayyyy too much..but i showed him..lol

i am afraid, iwill push my son in that direction,if i dont support him,which i do,but i want to guide him somewhat,and at the same time let him think he is choosing?

i have no problem with him serving,he wants too,but i do have a problem with him being cannon fodder and scarred for life.

thanks for your advice also nazz.

all thoughts are welcome.

i have a 20 year old college girl,and it is easier to have a rabid monkey sometimes i think..lol...but she is great,as i am sure yours our as well...but i would take 10 boys over 1 girl.

Your fears are quite real, but there's really nothing you can do about it if your son is bound and determined to enlist. Tell him that a highly-decorated, retired, former Captain of Infantry said that his best bet, either for continued miitary training or civlian life, is to become a computer tech or some similar MOS. And don't let the recruiter bullshit him with crap about those occupations are all filled! They aren't! They're desperately needed.

Tell him I said that and see what his reaction is.

EDIT: I'll go you one better! TG me your telephone number and tell me when he'll be there for me to talk to.. I'll set him stright. :)


if your serious..i would be most gratefull.

i dont know what tg means though?

i am building my own coalition of the been there...done that...just to enlighten him..not to dissuade him from service,but to tell him he has options,any help would be appreciated.

thanks

i dont know what tg means though?

Telegram. Go to Euts nations homepage (http://www.nationstates.net/eutrusca) while you're logged in and there should be a box with "Want to wire a telegram to Eutrusca?" written over it.

Telegram. Go to Euts nations homepage (http://www.nationstates.net/eutrusca) while you're logged in and there should be a box with "Want to wire a telegram to Eutrusca?" written over it.

wow..thanks....very nice of you to teach me that.

if my short term memory holds out,i will attempt it.

Telegram. Go to Euts nations homepage (http://www.nationstates.net/eutrusca) while you're logged in and there should be a box with "Want to wire a telegram to Eutrusca?" written over it.

thanks again.
i tried,but i cant even figure out how to endorce him?

he has one endorcement,and nothing else to let me say hi.

i even tried to click on his 1 endorcement...to no avail?

let me first apologise for my nonsensical ramblings of late.

i am actually kinda smart and moderate.

the last few weeks i have had some turmoil in my life..lol,aside from the daily bugaboos..can i pay the rent,etc. crap.

my girl moved in with me,daughter,whom i love like no other...i just feel inadequate as a dad,her friends are rich:-(

but my son he is going into the service..which is fine,it is his life,but he is going into a mos because the recruiter is selling him this occupation,and it is nothing more then being a target,and they are short on cannon fodder.

i stopped him last year cause he needed me to sign off,now he is 18 and there is nothing i can do..i will try the big talk this weekend,and i guees i am soliciting advice from you phyche students out there.

my sisters fiance is a naval intelligence officer,and he is going to come by and talk to him,and tell him all the dirty tricks they use to sign you up.

but he is as stubborn as me,and i am afraid he is going into an occupation because he is being pushed there,not what he wants,then add in all the propaganda thrown his way,from video games to advertisements...he just wont listen.

he wants to be a cop to save the world,when he gets ut,but this recruiter has him talked into going into transportation(the guys that get blown up left and right)
cause the insurgents know better then target marine or infantry targets...so wisely they go after soft targets...which is what he is being sold.

he aced his asvap test,so why in the world would they want a smart kid doing convoy duty?

cause they need them?

god i hope i can talk him out of it..i have been drinking non stop since i found out he signed up,or at least change his mos...i have no problem with him serving,but serve in a branch/occupation were you can use your skills and get a future out of it.

my sister told me to go shine the recruiter on,and get him to make promises and record it,to catch him in a lie..but i would prefer a rational argument to state my case to my son,he is gonna go,but at the least i wish he would get something good from it,not horror.

a dads job is to shield there kids from horror,or at least point them in the right direction.

i fear i am doing neither.

any advice would be appreciated....i am actually sobered from the fear i have that he will go a sweet good kid,and at best come back shell shocked or maimed,or worse,cold and callous towards life....fucking war...grrrr

again,sorry for the rum soaked blatherings,had to much on my mind,and i suppose i vented it here...i know i am in someones briefcase of funny drunk shit,but i was at a loss,so i am now reaching out to anyone and everyone.

i even went to a military page for advice...and i was told...get everything in writing...and that scares the shit outta me.

i honestly dont think i will be capable of sleep if he goes away,he is getting straight a's in school now,with a 2 coarse load(taking 2 years at once)but i think he has fallen for the propoganda and the glorifying of war,that is constantly sold in video games and dirty fuck recruiters going into highschools to recruit adrenaline soaked boys to do the dirty work.

in pre war days,he could have been recruite for computer science or whatever,now,toss in a rock song...show the girl fall for the guy in the uniform...and voila...a good hearted kid with intelligence..is driving a hummer in iraq.

i am truly afraid.

but my liver cant take much more rum.

sorry for the novel,but i do read other opinions,and listen...any advice?
Wow, you sound a lot like my parents. They're not too keen on the idea of me joining the army (I want to be a medic), but I'm gonna do it anyway, and this is why: It's my life, I can choose to live it how I want, and there is a certain glory to being in the military. I think every teenage guy (even if they are against the military)thinks a marine in a uniform and a rifle looks admirable, strong, and dependable, and so, there is a certain flair to imagining yourself in that uniform. Also, with all the glorification of veterans these days, it seems like the military is an honorable profession to go into. Most of us join just for the adventure and thrill of it. That's the main reason, although our sense of duty to America is also a factor, but not the main factor. Hell, I don't think the Iraq War is a good idea, and I'm joining the army anyway. If you try to dissuade him, he'll probably turn even more against you, so I suggest you do what you're doing now: Try to get him into a less dangerous field of service.

Anyway, I hoped that helped you to understand his psyche.

thanks again.
i tried,but i cant even figure out how to endorce him?

he has one endorcement,and nothing else to let me say hi.

i even tried to click on his 1 endorcement...to no avail?

You have to be in his region to endorse him.

yes i am still here,and thank you soo much for quite a generous offer.
i would like to take you up on that .
Good. You have a TG. :)

Wow, you sound a lot like my parents. They're not too keen on the idea of me joining the army (I want to be a medic), but I'm gonna do it anyway, and this is why: It's my life, I can choose to live it how I want, and there is a certain glory to being in the military. I think every teenage guy (even if they are against the military)thinks a marine in a uniform and a rifle looks admirable, strong, and dependable, and so, there is a certain flair to imagining yourself in that uniform. Also, with all the glorification of veterans these days, it seems like the military is an honorable profession to go into. Most of us join just for the adventure and thrill of it. That's the main reason, although our sense of duty to America is also a factor, but not the main factor. Hell, I don't think the Iraq War is a good idea, and I'm joining the army anyway. If you try to dissuade him, he'll probably turn even more against you, so I suggest you do what you're doing now: Try to get him into a less dangerous field of service.

Anyway, I hoped that helped you to understand his psyche.
Dude. There definately is honor in the military. However, the "glory" and "thrill" exist only so long as it takes to see your best friend dying a horrible death from wounds, or burned, or any one of the thousand ways you can die on a battlefield. Or perhaps it's you bleeding out, gradually losing consiousness as your blood makes a pool beneath your ass.

If you truly want to join the military, great! More power to you. But at least go into it with your eyes wide open and no illusions.

if your serious..i would be most gratefull.

i dont know what tg means though?

i am building my own coalition of the been there...done that...just to enlighten him..not to dissuade him from service,but to tell him he has options,any help would be appreciated.

thanks
Go to your nation site and click where it says "telegrams." :)

Dude. There definately is honor in the military. However, the "glory" and "thrill" exist only so long as it takes to see your best friend dying a horrible death from wounds, or burned, or any one of the thousand ways you can die on a battlefield. Or perhaps it's you bleeding out, gradually losing consiousness as your blood makes a pool beneath your ass.

If you truly want to join the military, great! More power to you. But at least go into it with your eyes wide open and no illusions.
Right, that's why I said the media makes it look honorable and glorious. I didn't say I buy into it. I've seen enough war movies to know better. All Quiet On The Western Front, Platoon, The Thin Red Line, Jarhead, etc.

Uh...you were quite vivid back there, if I do say so myself.

Wow, you sound a lot like my parents. They're not too keen on the idea of me joining the army (I want to be a medic), but I'm gonna do it anyway, and this is why: It's my life, I can choose to live it how I want, and there is a certain glory to being in the military. I think every teenage guy (even if they are against the military)thinks a marine in a uniform and a rifle looks admirable, strong, and dependable, and so, there is a certain flair to imagining yourself in that uniform. Also, with all the glorification of veterans these days, it seems like the military is an honorable profession to go into. Most of us join just for the adventure and thrill of it. That's the main reason, although our sense of duty to America is also a factor, but not the main factor. Hell, I don't think the Iraq War is a good idea, and I'm joining the army anyway. If you try to dissuade him, he'll probably turn even more against you, so I suggest you do what you're doing now: Try to get him into a less dangerous field of service.

Anyway, I hoped that helped you to understand his psyche.

yes,you have helped me,and i thank you.

why does every kid forget their parents were kids also?

i am not saying i know better,but i do have some knowledge of the world.
everything you say is true,but it is also how they sell the shit to our kids.
fancy uniform,being able to sell themselves as veterans.

i am guilty of promoting it myself,my dad was a korean war vet,my grandpa was a medal of honor winner? in ww1....and i fear i instilled the glory or manliness of warfare into my son,by regaling him of my grandfathers exploits...he even chose me to have his gold watch and 1903-a3 rifle that he got from the "great war"
and i fear i have passed that onto my son,accidently,but i did respect my grandfather,and he chose me out of our whole family to take to his war room and regale me of his exploits,and to my dad's chagrin,gave me all his medals and artifacts...so i may have,egotistically passed that attitude to my son...sins of the father.

i wish i had a take back now..cause if he gets hurt..i wont forgive myself..hell i would go in his place!

as young and tough that he may be...he stands no chance against me,let alone a dedicated enemy...i know i am short changing him...but how can he possibly know about warfare and horror like me..like i said..you need cannon fodder...take me,not him..i am jaded and bitter,and will do better at it then he will.

yes,you have helped me,and i thank you.

why does every kid forget their parents were kids also?

i am not saying i know better,but i do have some knowledge of the world.
everything you say is true,but it is also how they sell the shit to our kids.
fancy uniform,being able to sell themselves as veterans.

i am guilty of promoting it myself,my dad was a korean war vet,my grandpa was a medal of honor winner? in ww1....and i fear i instilled the glory or manliness of warfare into my son,by regaling him of my grandfathers exploits...he even chose me to have his gold watch and 1903-a3 rifle that he got from the "great war"
and i fear i have passed that onto my son,accidently,but i did respect my grandfather,and he chose me out of our whole family to take to his war room and regale me of his exploits,and to my dad's chagrin,gave me all his medals and artifacts...so i may have,egotistically passed that attitude to my son...sins of the father.

i wish i had a take back now..cause if he gets hurt..i wont forgive myself..hell i would go in his place!
That's weird, because I guess that's kinda how I got hooked. My grandpa told me of my grandad's exploits against the Nazis when he was in the Red Army, and she showed me his medals, and my mom told me about my dad's service in Afghanistan and stuff.

Anyway, it seems to me that veterans get credibility and respect from most people, and they should, and that's one reason I'm joining up (among the others I listed).

That's weird, because I guess that's kinda how I got hooked. My grandpa told me of my grandad's exploits against the Nazis when he was in the Red Army, and she showed me his medals, and my mom told me about my dad's service in Afghanistan and stuff.

Anyway, it seems to me that veterans get credibility and respect from most people, and they should, and that's one reason I'm joining up (among the others I listed).
veterans deserve everyones respect..unless they were barbarians..but your going medic....god bless you.

my uncle was border line in love with the pj that saved him.

dude,
if your going as a medic.....can i kiss you...your the best.

Right, that's why I said the media makes it look honorable and glorious. I didn't say I buy into it. I've seen enough war movies to know better. All Quiet On The Western Front, Platoon, The Thin Red Line, Jarhead, etc.

Uh...you were quite vivid back there, if I do say so myself.
Perhaps because I've been there, done that?

Perhaps because I've been there, done that?

and you will forever have my respect and gratitude.

as does anyone,no matter how duped,that served...get only my respect.

it is easy to sit there and second guess,but when it is happening in front of you...it's not so easy.

can you say monday morning quarterback?

real easy for some college welp to blather on and on...but the fact remains..men went and died so they can sip coffee and bitch.

my mom was horribly/vehemently anti war..god bless her soul..but she did not have to fight,nor did the cafe boys.....and she was a women.

men have to do what men have to do.

Eut's definately the best guy to talk to, on this one.

Perhaps because I've been there, done that?
Yeah, I know. You're a Vietnam vet. Although that was a fucked up war in a fucked up country, I appreciate that you fought for America, and my respect level is much higher for you than what it is for some washed up hippie-turned-yuppie leftover protesters. Like, 1000 times higher. It's people like you who are willing to sacrifice that build this great country.

dude,
if your going as a medic.....can i kiss you...your the best.
Well, see, my parents are doctors, so if I'm a medic, maybe they will feel better. Also, I think it would be great to heal rather than kill, but that's just me.