by lovelylil 23 Replies latest jw friends
Mulan,
You are so right and that is what I am hoping. I thought if he tried the cadets he will see the military is hard work and not all fun. And he is not guaranteed to get into the Navy Seals anyway. They only take the elite and the test is grueling. Lilly
Kid A,
Thanks for you opinion. I understand and I agree with you except on this point - a calling in life is whatever the person feels he/she is meant to be. I always felt called to be a Christian. I remember praying at a very young age (maybe 4 or 5) on my own in my room. And at the age of 12 I left the church that 95% of my family supported to find my own way. I picked up my first bible at 12 (KJV) and have never again put it down. I read it almost daily and I personally love my life as a Christian believer. Now, there are many others who do not feel called to become a Christian and I respect their choice to make their own life. The Christian life which is idealy a life of self sacrifice is not for everyone but it works for me. And I love it!
I had an uncle that was in the Marines and fought in Vietnam. Ever since he was a small child he wanted to join the Marines and when he was old enough, he did just that. Thank God he came home safely. My grandmother used to tell me how her son would live, eat and breath Marines way before he became one. She was against him going to Vietnam but he wanted to go. He enlisted on his own and was not drafted in. My son reminds me so much of my uncle I often tease him that Uncle Sam was reincarnated in him.
If I could choose what my son will do - I would definately choose something other than the military and especially the Navy SEALS. But many people believe this is a noble thing to do and there have been young ones who talked about doing it from an early age. If his mind is still set on it when he is 18, I cannot do anything but support him. BTW he asked me to sign him in at 17 and I said NO WAY!
He knows my opinion but trying to tell a kid who lived several years of his life on a Navy Base and whose father, uncle, grandfather are all ex military NOT to join is a little ludicrous. How can we say "do as I say and not as I do?".
My sincere hope though is that even if he joins the Navy when he is older, he does not make the SEALS. It is a long shot anyway. And he could very well change his mind by then. Also, just to let everyone know - I looked up information on the SEALS and I am sorry but although they are special war forces they are much more than just killing machines. And if you think about it - all military personnel are potentially killing machines. That is why the military life would never have been right for me - I cannot even hurt a fly. Lilly
In Canada we have the Cadets system, which is much like scouts. I found a Sea Cadets program for youth 11-17 years of age.
jgnat,
That is just like the U.S. Navy sea cadets that my son wants to join. Lilly
As a fellow Christian, I stand pretty close to your views here, Lil.
I support your view of letting your son do his thing - when it comes down to it, he will anyway, right? His interests seem unusually focused in a single direction, given his age. Whilst understanding that at 18 he will make his own choices, in the intervening years hopefully you [and hubby] can aid him to develop other interests also. That makes the range of 'choices' wider when it comes time.
My sisters son joined the AF, and seemed to love it. It just seemed to 'fit him' as you say. Still, as an American based technician, he has not been forced to a dangerous theatre. The military offers a wide selection of jobs and directions. Make sure he focuses on his grades and sports, these will give him the widest lattitude in the military should he go that way.
May God bless and direct you in this.
Jeff
Thanks Jeff,
I was afraid people were beginning to think I am pro war or something. I am not. And my personal Christian beliefs tell ME not to war against anyone. But my hubby is not a Christian any longer and niether is most of my family. I am sure my son feels the way he does as my family usually looks up to their military kin.
I did talk to my son about why it is important for him to score high on the entrance test because then he can pick his own "rate" and he can pick one that keeps him out of front line combat positions. At first he wanted to join the Marines and I was like NO PLEASE! because I do not want my son on the firing lines. Call me selfish but I not only don't want him dead - I don't want him to have to kill anyone either.
My hubby was on submarine duty during the gulf war of the 90's and my brother was a Medical Core-man. My son settled on the Navy because his dad told him he had a lot of choices depending on how he did on the exam and did not have to be on the front line of combat. But then he realized he could be a Navy Seal and now is excited about that. The saving grace is not many people make it.
My son is excited to join the Navy Cadet Corps and this will give him a good view of what military personnel have to do. I really think he has a romantic view of what it will be like. Some people told me not to even let him join the cadets and just wait until he was older but I feel he should have all the information available to him to make an informed choice about the Navy. And the cadets are a good place to start. He will have to train and take oders and go on drills. He may decide he does not like it.
He has expressed interest in playing the electic guitar lately, I think I will sign him up for some lessons. Also in a few years he will be in High School and he is going to a local vocational school to study auto machanics. He may find another thing he likes just as much as the military. Lilly
Since I grew up as a jw, I dont know about having a worldly ambition from childhood and fulfilling it. My son went into the Navy at 18 recruited out of high school, at one point he said he wanted to be a seal, that never materialized. He did his 4 years and got out. When my son was in I encouraged him the whole time. I dont think I would have encouraged him to join. I think the navy is much safer than the marines or army. But being a seal would probably be as risky as a marine. If thats what he wants to do I would give him your blessing. But hes 12, a lot can change in 6 years. After 4 years in the Navy my son didn't want anybody telling him what to do any more. I work with 4 ex sailors they all say the same thing.
The kid eats, lives and breaths the military.
If thats the case, then the navy is probably his thing. Many people never find out what they want to do.
If he wants a military career then he needs an education that will help him rise through the ranks, and end up a general and not cannon fodder.
Find out about military schools and colleges so you can help him plan ahead, find out what the needed qualifications are and back him and encourage him to the hilt to get them.
If he just joins as a grunt he will have a much harder time.
HB
Lilly,
One of my great regrets in life is not going into the military. I pretty much passed all the tests for the Air Force, but since Vietnam was winding down, I decided not to go.
Even though I no longer believe someone should give their life for a bunch of fat old men in D.C., or anywhere else for that matter, I say let him decide for himself, without interference. I know it's hard, but HE should live with his own decision, not your decision.
Warlock
Don't worry too much, you son is only going to be 12 years old, now if he was talking about becoming an elder and going to Bethel, then I'd worry. I think when I was 12, I wanted to be cowboy, to this day I never been on a horse!
