Some of the things Lilly says I agree whole heartedly with
Nevertheless, the SA's are not for everyone, military service not an inherited trait, it does not run in your DNA!! You have choices.
That's all I'm saying, just trying to make sure everybody's got their eyes open here.
I wouldn't go as far as the smilies though
Many ALOs will have a very serious conversation with military children. I think for them they want to delve further into why they want to go compared to the child who comes from a non-military background. At least from our experience and those who have posted. I can't recall one child of a military member that wasn't posed the question something akin to "ARE YOU DOING THIS FOR YOUR FOLKS OR FOR YOURSELF?" I do believe the ALO's can see through those answers very quickly
Is it true that many military kids choose this path at a statistically higher rate than the avg American? Probably. I think they do so for not only the pride that they take in their parents, but also they have come to enjoy the life itself. Moving is hard, but I don't think I ever heard my kids say I hated it when we lived there...instead it was do you remember when we lived there and did this?
Now do I think she ruffled feathers with her indentured servant comment? Yes, but does it have validity? Yes. You will sign a contract, they will give you an education, pay your medical, and you owe time. But to me in no way is a military member an indentured servant. They also receive financial rewards for their work, and the military has been known to release people from their obligation earlier (it is rare, but it did happen as recently as 1992-93).
Out of curiosity, many kids from sevral states in the nation get a free ride to state schools if they promise to teach in the public school system for a certain period of time...would you classify them as indentured?
I do get her point, it is something I have stated before on this thread, and was also attacked by some. You go for the education that you will get at the Academy with the knowledge that you will serve in some mannerfor a specific period. If the AFA program isn't a good fit and you only want to be a pilot, nothing else, than re-think it. You will be commissioned asa 2nd Lt in the USAF, not as a Pilot, or an Intel Officer.
If you are going because it is free, the price is too high to pay and has a long term effect on your life (you are 18...you can't even begin to see yourself at 27, it will be 1/3 of your life by then). None of us knows what the future holds regarding military operations.
Quick TRUE STORY...Bullet was stationed in the UK for Gulf I, for 6 weeks I tripped over his A-3 bag everyday, because it had to remain pack and ready to go at a moments notice. Everytime the phone rang he jumped with the hope that he was being recalled. AT the same time his cousin (an USNA grad) was asked are you as excited to go as Bullet is? He said Hell NO, I don't want to go. Why did you join then? BECAUSE I LIKED HOW I LOOKED IN THE UNIFORM. I think the day he graduated he had a long term calendar with a great big smilie face on the 5 yr marker. He is still in the reserves and shutters at the thought of military action...I spoke to him about only 18 mos ago of why he stayed in the reserves...because the paycheck is good for the little amt of time he has to serve and he gets to still fly.
The morale of the story everybody will join for different reasons, evrybody will stay and go for different reasons, but we should respect all of them for serving for whatever the reason is.