Luigi: This isn't about blind trust. For the tax payer; they should care about the health, safety, rights, etc... of the military personnel. As well as FWA of funds and other aspects of the military. And we should definitely speak up if appropriate. The "OTHER" things, which are policies, standards, etc... in nature, can and should be addressed "If there's a concern", by the members it affects. In this case, the military members.
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Wing77: You just don't get it, and I'm sorry for that. ALL of your examples about the post office, legislature, congress, etc... affects you DIRECTLY. Each of those individuals WORK FOR YOU!!! You are THEIR EMPLOYER!!! The represent you.
But what we're talking about is definitely about parents who won't cut the apron strings. Nothing more or less. You think for some reason, that your children are STILL YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. They aren't. If your child graduated high school; didn't want to go to college or the military; and moved to Florida to work on a Charter Fishing Boat; would you be calling up or trying to get involved with the Charter company and some of the rules, policies, etc... they have that affects your son/daughter??? No, you wouldn't. You know it and I know it. If your son/daughter stayed at home and got a job at Mini-Mart and complained to you about their work schedule, dress code, or some other thing, would you call up the manager of the Mini-Mart or email them about some of their policies? No, you wouldn't. You know it, and I know it.
There is absolutely NO DIFFERENCE with your son/daughter joining the military. They didn't "GO OFF TO COLLEGE". They joined the military. You can care about them and their well being until your last breath; but you don't need to use those breaths to interfere in their life. As I mentioned to Luigi above; as a taxpayer and in your case, a parent; if something is affecting the health, safety, welfare, rights, etc... of your cadet, airman, officer, etc..., and/or you have issues with fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement of funds, etc... then as a taxpayer/parent you have every right in the world to address the issue. WHERE you address it SHOULD be with your congressman. They ARE YOUR REPRESENTATION. But local policies, rules, standards, etc... at the academy, which you wouldn't care LESS ABOUT if you didn't have a son/daughter there; is absolutely NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. If your son/daughter have a problem with a rule, policy, standards, etc... they HAVE a method in place.
I think that's part of the problem.
1) Parents think their children/cadets still NEED THEM....... THEY DON'T!!! They may WANT YOU, but they don't NEED YOU.
2) Parents don't realize that their children/cadets have a venue to dispute, argue, disagree, complain, etc... any rule, policy, standard, etc... they have a problem with.
The point is: Your CHILDREN/CADET are the ones that can address any local policy, rule, standard, etc... that they have an issue with. NOT YOU the parent.
And Pima and I have brought up the question: WHEN DO YOU CUT THE APRON STRINGS??? Obviously, you haven't yet. Question; if your son/daughter was an O-3 (Captain). Been through pilot training or whatever their job is. Been in the military for 8 years. Got married and has 2 kids. Would you be concerned with ORI (Operational Readiness Inspections)? Would you care if your son/daughter and wife/husband/kids lived in base housing and the base was making them move 3 times in 4 months so they could do renovations??? In other words: At what point do you say; my son/daughter is an adult. If they have a problem with the military, their job, their boss, their neighbor, etc... they will have to work it out themselves??? That's what this is all about.