posted by:
eraserhead667 (
reply)
post date:
06.06.07 (9:15 pm)
As much as the thoughtless, over-generalized political statements in your most recent posts leave a bad taste in my mouth, it is hard not to feel some kind for sympathy and compassion for and your son at this time, and I hope you know that your family is being thought of tonight. Be well.
posted by:
LadyG (
reply)
post date:
06.06.07 (10:33 pm)
PD I know that you made the right decision for you and your son, I admire you for that.
I remember when my son left home for college, I worried myself sick, you would have thought he was going off to war.
To make a long story short the Lord spoke to me one day and told me that the same way he took care of him when he was with me is the same way that he would take care of him when he was away.
Silly me, I thought all along that I was doing it.
After that PD , Peace of mine because I knew that he was in Gods hand. He will take care of your son also.
posted by:
auntconi (
reply)
post date:
06.06.07 (10:36 pm)
I'm thinking of you and your son as well; and of course I am wishing only the best. I am pleased to know that he has another year of school; I thought he was graduating now (June) and will be 18 soon. I realize now that he will be 18 soon, but still has another year of school, as well as time to perhaps have a better picture before it is 'time to get on the bus' ~ ((hugs))
posted by:
mimi (
reply)
post date:
06.07.07 (3:59 am)
Dave, I believe you came to the right choice...for you and for your son. What Lady said about sums it up, doesn't it? Thoughts and prayers for you all.
xoxoxo
posted by:
doeeyed (
reply)
post date:
06.07.07 (6:13 am)
Who knows what the coming year holds for your son or our country. So many things can change.
Has your son taken a career assesment test in school yet? Maybe that would at least give him some other ideas.
Continued prayers for your family.
posted by:
bawdy (
reply)
post date:
06.07.07 (11:40 am)
Best of luck to him in whatever path he chooses.
posted by:
drforbush (
reply)
post date:
06.07.07 (1:47 pm)
You are doing exactly the right thing, Dave. You need to let him make his choices. I have friends that are currently in the military. I have friends that are retired military. I have a friend at the gym that left Vietnam because of a wound suffered. I wasn't there, but it sure seems like he shot himself in the foot by the way he talks about it. But, of all the people I know he was the only forced to go into the military. He was the only one injured in the military. If your son is making his own choice based on the reality of the military way of life, then that is what a parent is suposed to do for their children. That is to help them make the best choice for them.
posted by:
Melissa (
reply)
post date:
06.07.07 (8:27 pm)
I am a Marine wife. I met my husband while I was an active duty Marine. I found your blog because I am about to become a Marine recruiters wife. One of the hardest jobs in the Marine Corps. Being a recruiter. I remember my mom telling my recruiter to leave her baby alone, I remember my aunt telling him the same thing when my cousin decided to join. I understand your heartache. I was the baby of the family and my mom didn't want me going anywhere. My older sister was still living at home! However, I can say that what I gained from the Marine Corps was more than any other job could have given me. I did so many things I never imagined I could do. And my parents misgivings soon turned into pride. The captain of the cheerleading squad in high school was now a Marine! No one thought I could do it. I did. I proved them wrong and now, now I know I can do anything I set my mind to. The Marine Corps will always be a part of my life and as far as recruiting duty. Yes, the recruiters are expected to enlist a certin amount of people a month. But for me, I would just like to offer the life changing experience of the Marine Corps. Until someone has been through it, they can not understand the pride and amazement that they can experience in the Marine Corps. I will keep your family in my prayers and I want to thank you for deciding to support you son in any decission he decides to make. That will be remembered far more than anything else.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.07.07 (8:42 pm)
Reply to: Melissa
Your words are encouraging, and kind- far kinder than I deserve given who you are and what I have written. I do believe what you have written. What an opportunity to mature, to grow, to experience life in ways otherwise not available. I think I would be much more open to this possibility if the War in Iraq had not been so manipulated and twisted by the media and politicians. They have made things much more deadly for our soldiers.
So, a Marine Recruiter has a very hard job? The young man who sat in our home told me he wished to be on the line in Iraq, but the Marines believed he could better serve the cause here at home. I do not question his sincerity or character. I just wish he would find my son to be unacceptable. That has not happened. Tests, etc. have proven him to be an excellent candidate. Oh well! The next year will be interesting- perhaps I will grow to be much more comfortable with this matter. Perhaps my son will change his mind.
Thanks again, and please come along and share your thoughts again.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.07.07 (8:47 pm)
Reply to: drforbush
I would like to be convinced that he has a clear and honest understanding of military service. I'm not sure he does, or can, at age 17. Heck, the only time he has ever shot a gun was with me at a shooting range. He's big and strong, but a gentle guy; never been in a fight, not a physical person. He's quiet, and thoughtful. Those just don't sound like the qualities of a warrior. But he disagrees. We will see.
Don't go to the shooting range with your sore footed friend.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.07.07 (8:53 pm)
Reply to: eraserhead667
You know the old saying: One guy's thoughless and overly generalized political statements is another guy's thoughtful and right-on-target keen insights. That is a famous quote, I think.
Seriously, thanks for your encouragement. Life goes on, and we will be just fine.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.07.07 (8:57 pm)
Reply to: LadyG
"Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear." - Isaiah 59:1
Thank you for the great reminder!
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.07.07 (8:59 pm)
Reply to: auntconi
We thought it best that he begin school a year later. Although we had no idea at the time, maybe this important year of consideration was part of the plan? Thanks for the encouragement.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.07.07 (9:00 pm)
Reply to: bawdy
Thanks. He'll make a fiine College student. Or Marine...
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.07.07 (9:01 pm)
Reply to: mimi
Good to see the xxxx's and oooo's once again! Thanks.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.07.07 (9:03 pm)
Reply to: doeeyed
Well, the Marines are about to give him a career assessment. He has over 300 job opportunities, support as well as frontline. Now, if the school offers it, I think he should take that one also. An unbiased assessment would be great. Thanks for the suggestion. You're pretty smart.
posted by:
eraserhead667 (
reply)
post date:
06.07.07 (10:53 pm)
Reply to: PastorDave
>You know the old saying: One guy's thoughless and overly generalized political statements is another guy's thoughtful and right-on-target keen insights. That is a famous quote, I think.
Yeah, and it's also illogical and intellectually lazy horsecrap invented by people to cowardly to look into what they're actually saying.
>Seriously, thanks for your encouragement. Life goes on, and we will be just fine.
I'm sure you will, and I hope you will. Good luck.
posted by:
PastorDave (
reply)
post date:
06.08.07 (10:12 am)
Reply to: eraserhead667
What I believe about how the situation in Iraq has developed, and the overall political spectrum in America today, may differ from how you see things but I assure you it is not intellectually lazy. I've put a good deal of thought into the issues, even before the current challenge in my family, and I've been forced to consider the matter even more seriously now that my son wants to be a Marine. I truly believe the politicians of Washington have placed personal power and party politics above national interest. I truly believe politicians and specifically liberal activists have blood on their hands in this matter. This may differ from you and those you hang out with. It may make you angry. But it comes with due consideration.
posted by:
FinalyFree (
reply)
post date:
06.08.07 (11:12 am)
Like most of your other readers, I too think you've made the right decision here Pastor. I know how hard it is to 'let' your child do something that you are totally against. Especially something of this magnitude. You have every right to be proud of each and every one of your children :)
posted by:
eraserhead667 (
reply)
post date:
06.10.07 (2:18 pm)
Reply to: PastorDave
I feel no need to continue this and merely irritate each other, except to agree with the following:
>I truly believe the politicians of Washington have placed personal power and party politics above national interest.
Unfortunately, that happened long before the events we're discussing.
posted by:
surrogate (
reply)
post date:
06.10.07 (8:13 pm)
"I truly believe the politicians of Washington have placed personal power and party politics above national interest. I truly believe politicians and specifically liberal activists have blood on their hands in this matter. This may differ from you and those you hang out with. It may make you angry. But it comes with due consideration."
No. It doesn't. Sorry. It's an idiotic statement and comes from a deliberately honed and carefully cultivated perspective whereby EVERYTHING is the fault of liberals, to which a little twist is added; that being that any and all evidence to to the contrary is carefully ignored or twisted - sometimes both.
But that's okay.
I hope he makes it through unscathed and becomes a recruiter. At least they're here and also know how to be rah-rah while BS-ing with smiles on their faces - a carreer tool that serves especially well in many businesses later in life, especially the one in which I work peripherally.
posted by:
scubadiva (
reply)
post date:
06.11.07 (6:18 pm)
I guess it's better to give him a year to see if that is the way he wants to go (or possibly get further brainwashed by the recruiters).
I mean, I wonder what the commitment rate is of those that sign up for the "Senior Year" with the Marines? I'd be interested in speaking to some that elected NOT to continue and get their feedback.
But I betcha a dollar that they won't give you anyone's name.
posted by:
ggirl (
reply)
post date:
06.13.07 (12:25 pm)
I'll keep your son in my prayers.
posted by:
Robin (
reply)
post date:
06.17.07 (10:36 pm)
"I mean, I wonder what the commitment rate is of those that sign up for the "Senior Year" with the Marines? I'd be interested in speaking to some that elected NOT to continue and get their feedback."
In our church there was a young man that we knew from birth, who became a marine, and was killed in Iraq a couple of years ago. As young men will tend to want to do, some of his friends wanted to go over there and take revenge by "kicking some Iraqi butt". My nephew signed up on a delayed entry program with a group of his friends at this time. During the year he got more and more gung ho. Why? The marines held many get-togethers for this "class" throughout the year, the kids bonded very closely.
(The truth of the matter, that they never tell you, is until you actually get on that bus to go at the end of the year, and even during the first weeks of basic, you are not actually legally committed although you have been "sworn in", you can get out at will. They will try to make you feel bad about it, like a loser, or a quitter, but you can be released just because you no longer want to join, with no bad consequences.)
Right before my nephew left for basic, he had serious doubts and wanted out, but the Marines had so seriously drummed into his brain the concept of "being brothers in arms" that he didn't want to let his friends down, so he went. Not only him, ALL OF THEM WENT. You see, while the recruiter did apply some direct pressure, most of the pressure on the guys was exerted by each other. The marines know what they are doing by setting this up. Unsurprisingly,this was a very effective strategy. Recruiters are master manipulators, unfortunately, and liars (by commission and omission) too. I am sorry if this offends some but I believe it to be the truth. After all, manipulation is an attempt to control the free will of another by deceit, which is a form of lying. And the Bible clearly states that manipulation is as the sin of witchcraft.
After basic, my nephew was sent to Germany. He started having seizures (never had previously) that they surmise might be due to his service related vaccinations. After a period of time and various medications, they decided to eventually medically release him but let him stay at a desk job in Germany for long enough to qualify for certain educational benefits when he gets out. He should be home soon.
I will say that I am not against the concept of the military as Constitutionally used to protect the borders, people and lands of the US here at home. I am against empire building. I am a lifelong conservative Republican, back from way before conservatives were "cool". So don't call me a pinko liberal or other slurs of that nature, cuz that just ain't so.
I have another military story to tell regarding my son, but I will let that one slide for now.
posted by:
kehpcldqpe (
reply)
post date:
06.23.07 (11:17 pm)
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