URGENT: My son joining the army

For some folks that spent too much time on this forum, doesn't Army.Dad postings look very similar to a poster that was from northern VA, didn't get into WP, attended VT.

I may be wrong, but I also believe we are being trolled by "ArmyDad."
 
Army.Dad, I can relate to all of your thoughts!! I haven't been on this board for long, but I was raised in a military family and my husband was in the Army. I was often fearful of the life of military service for my sons. I moved them away to a suburban non military lifestyle in order to get away from the loss/sacrifices that our men and women of the military life make every day so we can be free to lives our lives.

I NEVER thought that I'd actually embrace/welcome this life again for my boys. The visits to base with my parents when my kids were younger must have made the difference and military become ingrained in who they are-despite me intentionally moving them away from a career in the military.

As I finally embraced this journey with my oldest son, visiting the Academies and ROTC campus programs-I realized how much I missed being around the people who serve our country. The welcoming, warmth, caring community of military folks is truly like no other! As your son is driven to protect our freedoms, he will also always be a part of a family like no other.

Best to you and your son as you both travel this journey together!
 
I may be wrong, but I also believe we are being trolled by "ArmyDad."

Perhaps, my memory is still okay as recalled enough details with search function to find the forum member(s) I was thinking about - Gridironkid and GoArmy92
 
What are the precentages of young officers in the army and senior as well that do not get hurt. Like I mentioned earlier wars come and go and are not predictable, the needs of the army isn't predictable and what the next president plans on doing about ISIS and future conflicts isn't predictable. This is why I


What are the precentages of young officers in the army and senior as well that do not get hurt (my son says it depends on the branch) Like I mentioned earlier wars come and go and are not predictable, the needs of the army isn't predictable and what the next president plans on doing about ISIS and future conflicts isn't predictable. This is why the entire family fears for our son--because war and politics are not predictable kind of like the weather. You are very lucky but my boy may not be.

The vast majority of individuals serving in the military do not get hurt. There is real research on this. Here's a link to a study on mortality from the years 1990-2011. The total mortality was 71.5 per 100,000 person years. Even if every soldier was in for 20 years, that's only about 1%. Note, it also says that the mortality rate for military personnel is LOWER than their civilian counterparts.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22694586

I am a mother and I know I will worry when my son gets commissioned. I will worry if he gets deployed. But I also worried when he went on a spring break trip that involved 11 hours of highway driving each way (traffic fatalities for young males are higher than military deaths) and when he goes snowboarding (concussions). Life is not always about making the safest choice. My son has a desire to serve his country and I will try to support that>
 
Let your children live THEIR lives, not what you desire for them.

Are you afraid to let them go out in cars? Far more dangerous than serving in the US Military.

Here is a famous quote from General Stonewall Jackson. It applies as much today as it did back then:

“[M]y religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me. That is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave.”
Stonewall Jackson
 
I know this is a rant and to be honest I do not know much about how the military works; but to me, I think everyone in the army including officers are trained to kill anyone they find suspicious and to simply carry out orders.

I have not been on the forum long but when I read the above portion of the quote I thought, who would come on a Military based forum and make this kind of remark. TROOOLLLL ..... I may be wrong and my deepest sincere apologies to Armydad if I have it pegged wrong....
 
Perhaps, my memory is still okay as recalled enough details with search function to find the forum member(s) I was thinking about - Gridironkid and GoArmy92

Aside from discussing the same topic I see no indication they're the same person, which isn't the same thing as saying they aren't. These issues are, in my mind, legitimate issues we all face. We've learned to deal with them. Armydad, if not a troll, hasn't and indeed, is dominated by fear of their occurrence.

We certainly shouldn't be fearful of discussing these issues here. as long as it's done respectfully.
 
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Army. Dad, I have similar feelings as you do regarding the possible harm that can come to my son. He was a freshman in high school when he changed his mind about becoming an attorney and told me that he wanted to become an officer in the military. I come from a military family. My dad was in the air force, my father-in-law was in the Navy, and several other relatives were in the Army. Even so, I didn't want this for my son. I wanted him to have a safe career. He's so smart that he could do almost anything. I tried to talk him out of it many times while he was in high school, but he wouldn't budge. I wanted to make sure that he knew the risks and was sure. He was sure and knows the risk as well as a person can without actually really knowing the risks by being there.

He is now a freshman in college and in Army ROTC. He loves it. Sometimes it ia tough, but he never quits. I fully support him because that's what he wants to do with his life. I fear for his safety, but I couldn't be prouder. He's everything I could ask for in a son and if being an officer is what he wants to do, then I will do everything to support him to become the best he can be. He told me that he wanted to make his life have meaning and this is how he wants to do it. I can't let my fears prevent him from living life the way he wants to live it.

After dealing with the fear and other feelings, I hope that you can think positively of your child's choices and support him in the way he deserves to be supported.
 
I have not been on the forum long but when I read the above portion of the quote I thought, who would come on a Military based forum and make this kind of remark. TROOOLLLL ..... I may be wrong and my deepest sincere apologies to Armydad if I have it pegged wrong....

I am literally worried as I don't know much about the army and only listen to what others tell me. I understand how that can come off as a troll (since its a very extreme remark) but it was what I was actually thinking. You hear about soldiers who have went on rampages killing innocent civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq
 
Could we stop worrying about whether Army.Dad is a troll and instead discuss his concerns? Regardless of whether he is a troll (and I don't think he is), as kinnem said, these issues are very real.
 
You hear about civilians going on rampages, too. Of course there are good people and cruel people in the military, just as there are in any profession.
I think you know that your opinions are based on very limited information rather than experience or an unbiased "whole picture" and that's why you're here: to get a more complete picture that will hopefully be reassuring. But, your current opinions, even if they are narrow or perhaps misinformed, are still part of your worldview and it's going to take some time for that worldview to evolve, no matter how many people tell you what a good thing your son is doing. Have you met his cadre, or other cadets? Maybe meeting some of the good people in the military rather than dwelling on the not-so-good ones will help you become more comfortable with the military.
 
A 62 year old immigrant from a third world country who doesn't understand the culture or the Army and works at menial unskilled jobs...

yet writes fluent, idiomatic English, understands arcane distinctions of ROTC lingo and contracting, and is concerned with statistical data about injuries among various Army branches...

busted!
 
A 62 year old immigrant from a third world country who doesn't understand the culture or the Army and works at menial unskilled jobs...

yet writes fluent, idiomatic English, understands arcane distinctions of ROTC lingo and contracting, and is concerned with statistical data about military injuries among various branches...

busted!

No need for ad hominem attacks. I'm sure this man works hard for his living, and the job he holds is not to be the subject of our criticism.
 
Understood and appreciated. And yes, I know what I want to do in the Army, and no, it's not exercitus gratis exercitus for me. If I were to do it with the scholarship, I would do it without scholarship. In fact, if I go to a school with only NROTC I would more than happily pay for tuition myself. My research has shown me that, 1 being the average rate of casualty, the Marines and Army are near 1.7, Army Reserves is around .5, the Navy around .1, and the Air Force around .05, etc.

Every job I have ever considered from childhood, without exception, has had a significant number in its ranks injured or killed. I am trying to come to terms with the risks, because whatever job I do, they will be there. But I would appreciate a better sense of what the risks are for the various Army branches, especially for reserves.

How is PTSD/VA treatment improving? Also, any words of advice for coming to terms with it all? The "freedom"/"liberty" words would make sense a lot of the time, but not always—please don't jump on me for saying this—esp. in cases where our freedom or liberty is not directly at stake, like Iraq.

You are reading, but not understanding. Respectfully, I will bow out unless you have questions for me.

You should join the Air Force and do Personnel/HR.
 
You are reading, but not understanding. Respectfully, I will bow out unless you have questions for me.

You should join the Air Force and do Personnel/HR.

What part am I not understanding? And respectfully, I did not enquire about what the safest branch in the safest service is, but thank you.
 
What part am I not understanding? And respectfully, I did not enquire about what the safest branch in the safest service is, but thank you.

The entire concept. If you have more to discuss, you can PM me. I don't want to waste space in this thread.
 
I may be wrong, but I also believe we are being trolled by "ArmyDad."
A 62 year old immigrant from a third world country who doesn't understand the culture or the Army and works at menial unskilled jobs...

yet writes fluent, idiomatic English, understands arcane distinctions of ROTC lingo and contracting, and is concerned with statistical data about injuries among various Army branches...

busted!

I came to the U.S. 1981 and got a bachelor's degree then had kids of my own and started working....very ignorant of you to assume I am supposed to be illiterate just because I am seeking advice.
 
I came to the U.S. 1981 and got a bachelor's degree then had kids of my own and started working....very ignorant of you to assume I am supposed to be illiterate just because I am seeking advice.

You claim you are seeking advice and seek sympathy, but instead of responding to insightful responses from others, you divert the thread to make provocative declarations about murderous rampages.

I'm not assuming you are illiterate. In fact I complimented your command of the language. I'm saying your persona is not credible.
 
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