My brother has just signed up for the National Guard. He leaves for basic in January and will got to OSC (officer candidacy school) sometime after. Of my mother's three children, all three will have now served in the armed forces. This is something that my brother has wanted to do all of his life. It is his childhood dream and I am glad that he is going to get a chance to live it. He will be the first officer in our family's history.
I guess you could say that our family has a military tradition. I myself did four years in the Army and our sister is currently serving in the National Guard. Our grandfather was career soldier and we all looked up to him as the example of what a man should be. I would not be disappointed if one or both of my daughters wanted to serve their country in the same capacity.
It is a hard, dangerous choice that I am glad that my family and I have made. I don't think some people will appreciate this service. It is politically correct to say that you support the troops, but that is just lip service. I know people that think the military is everything that is wrong with this country and would forbid their children from serving at the threat of injury or disowning them. This thinking is completely foreign to me.
For the record, my brother is 26 year old bleeding heart liberal (he voted for Kucinich) with a master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania (one class away from second masters). I don't think he rushed into this decision and would dare say that is fairly bright.
10 comments:
I have always felt that you are not your job..so i don't hate who you are just what you do for a living.
I am different sort of government drone now. I have been out of the army for 8 years.
oh, i wouldn't want mia to serve. only because i'm selfish and i wouldn't want her to be put in danger's way. then again, i guess everything is dangerous. she probably has more of a chance of getting killed in a car accident here. heh.
I definitely appreciate the choice to serve. Kudos to your brother!
i admire your brother's decision and wish him the best.
I like soldiers and I am happy for you and your family.
Go team. We need more people like you all in the world.
Kevin's brother's fiance just had her brother come back from Iraq and he had to get his hand amputated. But he went. He served. He is not bitter in the slightest. We are so proud of him and what he went through for all of us. When you are a soldier you don't question orders, you just follow them and do so with pride and integrity. Usually the people who bitch about soldiers have never known military life. My family has served in every branch and for the last hundred plus years also. My dad is my hero and he served 60 years. He just retired a few months before he died as Base Commander and he designed half the Nuclear Submarines on the water today. He was the smart military guy who invented stuff but served in the Navy and the Air Force. Brother's were 82nd Airborn and Navy and my sisters husband went to the Air Force Academy. Kevin and I helped my dad with all his Reunions for Vets and his mailing lists to generate money for Memorials to different banches. Pride Runs Deep as my dad always said. When he died I gave his hospital bed and his Scooter to a Veteran's group because he would have wanted that. The Scooter went to the Military Museum he designed all the displays for so that older vets could roll around in ease and see just what a big part they had in shaping our country. Salute your brother for all of us. Our freedom didn't just happen.
Congratulations and good luck to your brother, from another vet.
Sounds like you have a nice family.
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