Life is strange

[swstout]

My oldest son was supposed to get out of the Navy in July take a job that he was already hired for at Progress Energy and then help with the family business. I just got off the phone with him. They offered him a promotion, an $88,000.00 reenlistment bonus. His new position will be an instructor at the Charleston Nuclear Training center. A 9 to 5 position on 13 weeks off 2 weeks. He will be about 150 miles from me but still has a house that he hasn’t moved into here in Hartsville. This makes the second son, to decide to make the military a career. Both did nothing but complain while I was career Navy. Life is strange! I can’t blame him. He has a special needs daughter a hemophiliac, with fairly demanding medical needs. He tried to get health insurance before he got out and found it would cost him over $2,000.00 per month with no guarantee it wouldn’t go up from there. He has another child on the way with a 60% probability she will also be a hemophiliac so he is staying in for the benefits. After this tour he will only need 6 years to retire. After 22 years I made it to E9 and he is O2 after 10. Well, I have a son in the Army who wants to make it a career, A son in the Navy who wants to make it a career and a daughter in the Air Force who just reenlisted last month. Steve

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[Steve]

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Steve, Reflecting back on your career in the military, what did you think of it? Would you have done it again if you could or would you have done something different? What do you feel is the enticement to so many who make it their career? And what is the downside to it?

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[swstout]

Originally Posted by Steve

Steve,

Reflecting back on your career in the military, what did you think of it? Would you have done it again if you could or would you have done something different?

What do you feel is the enticement to so many who make it their career? And what is the downside to it?

Reflecting back on your career in the military, what did you think of it? Would you have done it again if you could or would you have done something different?

What do you feel is the enticement to so many who make it their career? And what is the downside to it?[/quote]

I had both good times and bad times. I quickly went from a punk kid to a person proud of what I could do and who I was. I used the education benefits to earn my MS. I made many life-long friends and bonded with my team. Probably reenlisted because of how I was perceived and treated when I came back from “the police action”. When the war ended I had some interesting assignments. I was support for customs (a very bad job) . It was at the Port of New York looking for drugs. The civilian customs got to check out cruise ships, the military personnel got the cattle ships. Can you imagine looking for drugs in the hole of a ship that had cows in it for weeks? The dogs wouldn’t even go in! The best assignment I had was security at the Kennedy Space Center. I was there for the last moon mission and the first 2 shuttle missions. I did one tour as support for the Coast Guard in the Bahamas. Duty was on 24 off 48. I did get to choose most duty stations because I was a POW.

As for what enticed my boys? My oldest chose it for security. He has been going on 45 since he was 12. Until last week he was going to get out in July after 10 years. As with everything else, he checked out what he had to look forward to; job security, benefits, retirement, etc. Health costs because of Obamacare was the deciding factor. My youngest son was the opposite. He was 19 going on 12 when he went in the Army. After his tour in Bagdad, he was 20 going on 30. He liked himself better and found a new home. He went from a high school drop out to getting his GED and then his AS degree through Empire State College long distance learning program, Now he is working on his BS. Both have purchased homes through the service at great rates.

What are the downsides? Loss of some personal freedoms. GI means Government Issue. Some uncertainty as to where they will be next week, next month, next year. Not so much for my oldest. As a teacher he will be either at Charleston, SC or Albany, NY. The governments 2 nuclear training centers. No more trips to Iraq to oversee the removal of Yellow Cake Uranium (19 times).

Steve

[MountainViewGreenskeeper]

Im not really sure how to go about this or even ask it. And maybe its cause im a young adult is what I will call myself but do your children share your same political views?

If memory servers your against quite a few things going on with our government right now and I would assume, again I say assume you are against the war(aka occuping another country, or just the shear fact that we are at war without a declaration from congress).

If this is the case do they find it hard to serve the military with these views? If they dont share those view would you find it hard to serve in the current political strife.

The reason I more or less ask is being one who has a family to care for and wondering if my business will succeed or not. I often wonder if the military is the road to travel if all things fail. But I wonder if I can do so faithfully and full heartedly with my out look on some of these topics that I view as uncontitutional or down right immoral. I consider myself very patiotic and would gladly protect and serve my country I love but when my very thoughts of basic government are not followed by those in office I find it hard to leave my family for such things. I wouldnt be fair to me or those I serve with, the most important being those I would serve with.

Just wondering your thoughts on that. If this even applies to you.

[swstout]

-> Im not really sure how to go about this or even ask it. And maybe its cause im a young adult is what I will call myself but do your children share your same political views?
Oldest son is a conservative, youngest son was a liberal (just to try to p*** me off, then an independent. One daughter republican, one independent, one who could care less.

If memory servers your against quite a few things going on with our government right now and I would assume, again I say assume you are against the war(aka occuping another country, or just the shear fact that we are at war without a declaration from congress).

You assume wrong! If we were not there we would have many more terrorist attacks here. They have to budget their finances where it counts most (over there). Watch what happens when we pull out.

If this is the case do they find it hard to serve the military with these views? If they dont share those view would you find it hard to serve in the current political strife.

All three of my kids in the military view the what our government is doing as a great danger, but would join civilian life if it would be financially secure, if benefits were realistic and affordable, and if government were smaller.

The reason I more or less ask is being one who has a family to care for and wondering if my business will succeed or not. I often wonder if the military is the road to travel if all things fail. But I wonder if I can do so faithfully and full heartedly with my out look on some of these topics that I view as uncontitutional or down right immoral. I consider myself very patiotic and would gladly protect and serve my country I love but when my very thoughts of basic government are not followed by those in office I find it hard to leave my family for such things. I wouldnt be fair to me or those I serve with, the most important being those I would serve with.

We are not a Democracy contrary to popular belief, we are a representative government (or we are supposed to be). Our Elected officials are supposed to voice the wishes of those who voted for them. They don’t but for the first time in many years the public (voters) have finally reached the boiling point. Those who voted for Government Motors, wall streat bailouts, Cap and Spend, Obamacare, etc. are being replaced. Not just Democrats. Many Republicans are in serious trouble. The World Monetary Fund yesterday released a report that in January 2011 our national debt will surpass our gross national product. Over $13.000,000,000.000 dollars (that’s 12 zeros). Paying off this debt would take $10,800.00 from every man woman and child in the US. How did the administration view this report? By spending $4.6 billion a day. Example: Obama’s Americorp! $123 million dollars that are supposed to fund 85,000 $12,000.00 a year jobs. Do the math 85,000 times $12,000 is 1 billion 200 million dollars. The 123 million is just for administration expenses. To cover these debts the Heritage Foundation estimates that middle class tax bills will have to set at 66%.

Just wondering your thoughts on that. If this even applies to you.

Steve

[MountainViewGreenskeeper]

You answered my questions and im glad. And if I offened you by assuming your thoughts on a subject I oppologize.

But I would like to clairify me meaning of against the war. The U.S. is not supposed to be at war with anyone without a declaration from congress. If we had a formal declaration(statement) the job would be defined. I know terrorism is a new battle to fight but we ARE occuping a country to do so. I understand having the fight their so we dont have to have it here. I understand giving up some of our right to protect ourselve. But how far is to far. We are in an endless war at this rate with ever incressing debt. I think your number of 10800 includes childern and retiries. Cause i heard it was 30K plus for working citizens(ill have to look it up).

Those invovled with 9/11 should be sought after and killed. But we are feeding fuel to the fire of their cause. If they were apart of them many are now from occuping their country. And if you say we are there to help them and bring peace to that region then I say we are not the world police. Im all for foriegn aid but from we the people not forced government action.

Thats all I got for now I got things to take care atm.

[swstout]

A declaration of war is a formal declaration issued by a national government indicating that a state of war exists between that nation and another. For the United States, Article One, Section Eight of the Constitution says "Congress shall have power to ... declare War".

As per the Constitution War has been essentially declared for both wars
　
2001 war in Afghanistan, also known as Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan
al-QaedaS.J. Res. 23
September 14, 2001
Congressional vote Senate 98-0 House 420-1 George W. Bush
Ongoing

Iraq War, also known as Operation Iraqi Freedom Iraq H.J. Res. 114,
October 16, 2002
Senate vote 77-23 House Vote296-133 Barack Obama
Ongoing

[Steve]

Steve,

How much of a role do you feel a parent's career path effects what their children will do?

In this situation here, do you think if you had for example, been a life long plumber, do you feel your children would have chosen other careers?

Or do you see this around you with your friends, that their kids tend to follow in their parent's footsteps? Or no?

[swstout]

I have 3 brothers and 2 sisters. My youngest brothr was in the Marine Corp for 1 tour. The other 2 brothers and 2 sisters didn’t serve. None of us were directed or even guided to military life (my father was career Navy.. My oldest brother became a CPA, Next oldest became a Union organizer. Next brother, went into sales. Both sisters became secretaries. None of their kids followed their career paths!

Of my friends, the only ones who’s kids followed them were professionals. One a doctor, one a lawyer, and 3 were teachers. I just thought of some others. A couple were farmers and a few others who carried on their family businesses.

I think for the most part, people choose their life careers. Few have it chosen for them.

Steve