Will/Did you encourage your kids to join the military?

[gabosaurus]

Not everyone receives a scholarship. Most of offered as a reward for outstanding talent and scholarship.
I could have never attended a prestigious school like Cal without financial aid. My high school academic record earned me a full scholarship.
That is what I like about academia -- there is always a way to earn an education, regardless of your financial situation.

[Mr. P]

Not everyone receives a scholarship. Most of offered as a reward for outstanding talent and scholarship.
I could have never attended a prestigious school like Cal without financial aid. My high school academic record earned me a full scholarship.
That is what I like about academia -- there is always a way to earn an education, regardless of your financial situation.

In the military they all do. You can be rich or poor and serve...and still receive a fine education/ training if you choose to do so. Of course it's like anything else, you must apply yourself.

[gabosaurus]

Academics is the great equalizer. You can be rich or poor, male or female, black or white, any ethnicity. If you have good grades and an outstanding record of personal achievement, you can attend any school you want. While attending USC, my sister lived with a girl from a single-parent family in Compton and a girl from India.
The military offers equal academic opportunities, for those who wish take apply themselves.

[Kathianne]

NON-CONFRONTATIONAL question here. If you have older kids, did you encourage them to pursue military careers? If you have younger kids, will you encourage them?

I ask this partially because of some of the current topics in this forum, and partially because the high school where the 16-year-old girl my sister has guardianship over had an assembly on Monday where military careers were discussed.
She declined to talk to any of the recruiters because she wants to pursue a career in architectural design. And has already been offered a full college scholarship.

I am not going to encourage my daughter to do so either. I have nothing against those who volunteer to help defend our country. I would rather have my daughter pursue an education and then be part of the work force that helps run our country.

Your mileage may vary.

I'll take that the way you presented it. My daughter and my youngest son have both contemplated the military. My daughter actually signed up for early entry, as a senior in high school. I didn't encourage it, though allowed the recruiter to talk to both of us in our home.

As the date drew closer, her misgivings rose. My mom and dad both lived with us by then, my dad was not happy in the army and he was beside himself and sharing. Luckily for both her and the army, she truly freaked about a week before she was to leave. Also fortunate for her, her best friend's dad was a Colonel in the Army and still in Reserves. He called some general friend and they pulled her out, with a notation NEVER to apply again.

My youngest son still hasn't ruled it out, though like you, he thinks Iraq was the wrong war at the wrong time. He has two friends now that have graduated from West Point and they keep talking. I encouraged him to get his degree first. He is about a year from graduation and has two promises for jobs and other possibilities. We were talking last night, he still hasn't ruled out the military, since his degree with be 'criminal justice' and he's interested in law he thinks it might be a good choice and he thinks they need people like him. He knows that his 'smartest' friends agree too.

You might find this interesting, another friend of my son, who will also be graduating from university in about a year, at Stanford. Majoring in International Relations, currently interning in D.C., is also considering enlisting after graduation. He's more like me in thinking Bush's thinking was right, execution was wrong. Also like me he's open to working for those he disagrees with, he spent 6 months in a UN project in Africa. Speaking with him Sunday night his comment on the UN leadership, 'great ideas, the execution is non-existent. They make Bush look like a genius.' Actually the last part was direct quote.

[Hagbard Celine]

In the military they all do. You can be rich or poor and serve...and still receive a fine education/ training if you choose to do so. Of course it's like anything else, you must apply yourself.

That may be but there is a huge downside. You don't exactly get the scholarship if you don't survive being dropped off in the war zone.

[gabosaurus]

Thanks Kathianne. Excellent example.

Hag, academia is the same way. If you attend a school on scholarship and end up blowing someone's face off with a gun, you probably don't get invited back.

[April15]

Two of my daughters went into the service to finish up school and become nurses. Neither became a nurse. One is a lab tech as her military training would not transfer over to civilian service and the other was very disgusted with what training they provided, a tank driver. Very disappointing to me as both were a/b students in college.

[darin]

Are you not in the USA, April? We don't allow Females to drive tanks. If she 'chose' to drive a tank, that's on her.

[Said1]

NON-CONFRONTATIONAL question here. If you have older kids, did you encourage them to pursue military careers? If you have younger kids, will you encourage them?

I ask this partially because of some of the current topics in this forum, and partially because the high school where the 16-year-old girl my sister has guardianship over had an assembly on Monday where military careers were discussed.
She declined to talk to any of the recruiters because she wants to pursue a career in architectural design. And has already been offered a full college scholarship.

I am not going to encourage my daughter to do so either. I have nothing against those who volunteer to help defend our country. I would rather have my daughter pursue an education and then be part of the work force that helps run our country.

Your mileage may vary.

Interesting question. I dabbled with the same idea that LN has withrespect to the military and education. The only problem was that both school counselors and my mother were seriously AGAINST the idea. I even had a teacher who told me I probably couldn't pass the pre-application test because he failed. Everyone I spoke to about the idea was against it until I eventually became so discouraged I gave up. What was sad was how often I was told I woud fail.

[Kathianne]

Interesting question. I dabbled with the same idea that LN has withrespect to the military and education. The only problem was that both school counselors and my mother were seriously AGAINST the idea. I even had a teacher who told me I probably couldn't pass the pre-application test because he failed. Everyone I spoke to about the idea was against it until I eventually became so discouraged I gave up. What was sad was how often I was told I woud fail.

I wish the opportunity had been there when I was 18. Actually I guess 22, but then I was planning on getting married,....

[gabosaurus]

Why are women not allowed to drive tanks? That is pretty sexist. Women can do anything that men can do, outside of things that require raw physical strength.

[darin]

Gabby, you're a sexist - why do you think women aren't allowed in traditional-combat jobs in the Army? Women CANNOT do 'anything a man can do' - They cannot be a Dad.

[Said1]

Why are women not allowed to drive tanks? That is pretty sexist. Women can do anything that men can do, outside of things that require raw physical strength.

Yeah. Boys stink.

[manu1959]

Why are women not allowed to drive tanks? That is pretty sexist. Women can do anything that men can do, outside of things that require raw physical strength.

can't write their name in the snow with pee.....

[darin]

can't write their name in the snow with pee.....

The Iranian President - Imadinnerjacket - can't either, apart from having consumed 20 gallons of water first.