I'm the number one result | Main | Even in the cold of winter
February 12, 2004
Thursday night in Columbia, South Carolina
In Columbia, South Carolina, all the restaurants in town have people waiting for tables every Thursday night.
No, it's not 'Maid's Night Out' as Thursdays were called in wealthy parts of suburban St. Louis, Missouri when I was growing up.
These patient people are celebrating the graduation of their son or daughter from Basic Training at Ft. Jackson. The young graduates look great in their (I'm not sure if this is the correct term, John, please correct me) dress Greens? The young men's hair is very short, and the young women discuss their weight loss (not that many were overweight before Basic).
The dads are proud. the moms proud but a little worried, and the girlfriends are frantic. Interestingly, not very many of the women have boyfriends who show up for graduation dinners.
These young Americans have not been tricked into enlisting in the Army - despite what jerks like Michael Moore may say. They have joined because they want to be soldiers. Many of them will get valuable training that can translate into good civilian jobs when their enlistments are up.
These kids mostly grew up in the South and the Midwest. They are patriotic. They know right from wrong. Very rarely do I see any from the Northeast or from the West Coast. I wonder why?
On Fridays, when I fly home, it seems like half the people on the plane are new soldiers. They are in uniform and on their way to AIT (advanced individual training). I often sit next to one of these great kids on the flight to Atlanta (or Dallas, depending on what my routing is). Every one of them has been respectful, polite and very proud that they are serving their country.
Several of them have told me that they can't wait to go to Iraq. They want to be soldiers - they want to protect the USA - they want to make the world a better place, even if they risk their lives to do so.
I am proud of all of them. My prayers go with them and their families. They are our future. May God go with them.
Posted by Beth at February 12, 2004 6:49 PM
Comments
You are 100% correct. Anyone who claims that recruits are "tricked" into joining our Armed Forces is disingenuous at best, and more likely self-delusional. The requirements for being in the Armed Forces are so high now because of the technologies that have to be learned that we truly have to reject those who do not understand what they are getting into because they wouldn't cut it in the military today, anyway. Those who are allowed to join are more intelligent than the average college student, and are far more motivated.
I regret sometimes that I'm too old to join up now. I'd like to contribute directly to the protection and advancement of my country.
Posted by: Jack at February 12, 2004 8:04 PM
We spent 2 days with my son down in Columbus Georgia when he graduated from Basic. It was really great to see all the young men in their uniforms (Ft. Benning has no women). It was especially great to see my son so nice and neat - I didn't think it was possible - LOL.
And no he was not coerced into joining - after a semester of college he decided he'd rather be in the Army instead. I have a friend who's an AF recruiter - she about had a heart attack... her comment "with an ASVAB score like his, why does he want to join the Army???" *G* It's because he wants to fly helicopters. They won't let him fly in the AF without a college degree. Such are the vagarities of life - LOL.
Posted by: Teresa at February 12, 2004 8:24 PM
The son of a neighbor of mine will be getting out of the Army this summer, and it looks like I have a job lined up for him (and if not he will no doubt be hired by a competitor or in another market).
He served as a Communications Specialist, installing and maintaining Mobile Subscriber Equipment, which is essentially cellular telephony. So did the man who runs the cell tech crew at the cellular company I'm contracting for. Even better, this kid served in Germany, and has had some exposure to the GSM standard which is what we work with. Now all we need is the authorization to hire a replacement for one of the two techs who quit this winter.
Posted by: triticale at February 12, 2004 10:37 PM
Sorry about the double comments. It didn't show the first time the comment box refreshed after I posted. In fact it didn't show the second time either. I had to close the window and reclick comments in the main browser to confirm I'd erred.
(From Beth) - That's okay - I fixed it.
Posted by: triticale at February 12, 2004 10:41 PM
I'm not going to debate the "tricked" aspect, I only know this (having grown up as an officer's brat)-alot of the men and women who join the military are doing it to get a better life, to get a leg-up in the world. Many of them want to make something of themselves from humble beginnings, and the military gives people that chance.
Tricked or not, war machine or not, I think the military gives people a chance, and for that, I will always support them.
Posted by: Helen at February 13, 2004 1:36 AM
Ya got it right, sweetie!
So did the rest of you (not that you need my validation!)
Posted by: John of Argghhh! at February 13, 2004 8:09 AM
OK, Michael Moore is an Uber idiot.. just my opinion..lol When I joined the reserves, I was not 'tricked.' I went in to discuss my options for nursing, and I got just what *I* asked for. Nothing made me prouder than the day I graduated from basic. The military gave me a sense of pride that nothing else has even come close to comparing to. I wish I could go back in!!
Posted by: cutetxblonde at February 14, 2004 4:31 AM
Harumph!
They promised me I'd get to travel the world and meet interesting people ... and where have I ended up?
Living in Gagetown reading about some guy blogging nekkid!
They lied, I cried.
Cheers
JMH
Posted by: J.M. Heinrichs at February 15, 2004 8:39 PM