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.
