I am trying to compile a list of questions and responses from people when you talk to them about your child. Anything from the silly to the uneducated ones are fine. 1-5 sentences preferable. Thanks.
Background story to this is that over the weekend, I found myself answering what i thought was obvious questions from "educated" people at a party. It was kinda fun and irritating at the same time. I'm sure a lot of you have been asked the same questions or gotten the same reactions before.
*So how long is his commitment? 3 years, 4 years, 8 years?
*Where is he stationed?
*Will she go to college after her four years are up? (Heard last weekend).
*He goes to the AFA? Can he talk to my DD/DS? She's wants to go there really bad.
*I thought he did so well in high school? Did he not want to go to college right away?
*Why are you dropping out of college to join the Air Force?
*But he is so smart, why would he want to do that? Or "you're so smart why don't you wanna go to college?"
*Must be nice to be getting a free education.
*To sign off of
at the very least 8 or 10 years of your own life to serve isn't really free.
*Let me take you on a personal tour of the West Point cemetery. Then we can discuss exactly how free his education is.
*Where is that?
*What is your job for the Air Force?
*We thought you would be the type of kid that would go to college.
*It must be great to retire at age 30.
*I thought you had to have perfect vision to do that.
*How often will you be allowed to come home and visit?
*Are you sure you're not too tall to be a pilot?
*So when do you ship?
*Are you sure you want to commit to all that?" In reference to basic training, the tough academic load, and, oh yeah, pretty much giving yourself to the AF for the next decade!
*People are always shocked when I tell them I leave in late June.
*Oh really? My nephew just left for basic training.
*Me: "I'm going to the Air Force Academy." Them: "Which one?"
*Me: "I want to attend the Naval Academy after high school." Inevitable response: "I thought you wanted to go to college, and then become a marine officer?"
*Me: "The Naval Academy is a four year institution that commissions officers into the Navy AND Marine Corps." Inevitable response: "But it's called the Naval Academy....."
*The Marine Corps is a department of the Navy.... the men's department!
*Wouldn't state university be much more fun because you can party?
*What does it cost to go to West Point?" or "Is it expensive?
*What's the Air Force Academy? I thought you were going to college.
*That's in Colorado Springs isn't it. I've been there, and that place is awesome !! Congratulations to you all !!!
* I thought she got that thing from the Congressman- you mean she's still not in? Then what were all those interviews for?
*Our wait on the A&M decision took forever (2months) "... me "try 4 months, 22 days, 6 hours and we still don't know"
*When people get that hazy look when we say "Air Force Academy" and then we say "it's the Air Force version of West Point"..... and the light bulb goes off. "Ohhhhh"
*ANNAPOLIS is a HIGH SCHOOL in a small fishing village on the banks of the Severn River. YOU go to the U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY!!
*Why would you want to do that when you're so pretty?" What the.......
*You can't go in the Air Force. They only let cute girls in!
*Where is that?
*So is that like boot camp? And so, when do you leave for Lackland?
*Naval Academy? Thought you wanted to be a Marine?
*How do you join?
*Me: I'm going to the United States Naval Academy. It's a service academy in which after graduation I will hopefully commission into the Marine Corps. Them: So...what is it?
*Them: Good school! What do you want to do after? Me: Become a Marine Officer. Them: Oh...can't you just join?
*Why don't you go to the Marine Academy?
*Oh, my [relation] went there! It's in Chicago, right? (Referring to Navy boot).
*Not really a question but they'll ask how to get in and I'll go into deep response about the preliminary application, then the nomination applications and how a nomination functions, then about the different facets of the actual application, etc. Their usual response: Oh...
*So are you going to USAFA on scholarship?
*Oh that's too bad. With his grades and accomplishments I thought he'd want to take on more of a challenge.
*Oh that's wonderful. Will he be flying planes like Maverick from Top Gun?
*One of my old teachers asked me if the Coast Guard was its own branch...Just had to casually shake my head!
*So I hear your son is going to the Air Force Academy, well I just want you to to know I talked to my husband about it and he says he won't have any fun and we think he'll regret it. Followed by, well if he does somehow manage to get through it, and that's a big
IF, he should at least have a
decent education.
*Just wait until your DS is mistaken for a doorman or the curbside baggage guy when he is waiting for you to pick him up curbside at your hometown airport when he comes home on Christmas break 4th class year wearing his doolie/plebe uniform and overcoat ...
*How are you going to survive at the Naval Academy coming from a land locked state? Me: "You do realize Oklahoma has more shoreline than the east and west coast combined? Also, I can drive 5 minutes to the rec center and swim in the Olympic pool. But think you for your concern about my ability to swim.
*I think the absolute worst might be when they ask, "so how hard is it to get in?" Then you start explaining the admissions process and about halfway through they are usually so confused that they don't even care anymore. I think only the families and the applicants themselves can truly even appreciate that emotional roller coaster.
*I was mistaken for an airline pilot at Denver International by the TSA luggage screener. (puzzled look) "Are you aircrew?
*But wasn't your dad in the Navy? Why aren't you following in his footsteps?
*The Air Force
makes you go to their college first?, you should just join the Army like everyone else.....
*Q: Where are you going to school? A: The Air Force Academy, R: Oh, that place is cool. We stopped there when we were in Georgia.
*They forget that when he hit the submit button to accept his appointment - he just gave 16 years of his life to this commitment and he probably won't be home for quite some time as he wants to get involved in "everything related to flying.
*Do you and they realize they won't be allowed to eat normally, for four years?
*Your children are being trained to
kill civilians.
*There are no _________________ (fill in religious denomination of your choice here) there." Or the converse: "There are so many _________________ (same) there.
*He'll never see a woman, for four years.
I am having so much fun reading through this. Cleaned and merged some comments.
