Tomorrow Drew and Donnie head to the recruiters office. We felt it was to negotiate for what Drew wants and for some perks, like college money. But the recruiter thinks he's signing on the dotted line. "Bring your certificate of birth abroad, drivers licence and social security card."
Is tomorrow the day I become the mother of an adult? An adult who is heading off to the military? Not that he would leave yet, he has his senior year left. But he turns 18 in September and would be signing up in the Air Force with college plans, and ROTC plans.
I am really comfortable with our boys being in the military, I completely believe in our sons serving their country. But I'm not sure I'm ready to stop being "mommy" and start being his mother. KWIM? I'm so proud of him, and yet I'm also well aware of his immaturity and faults. I don't think he's ready to be out of our house. Granted, he would still have another year here, but still......
My husband will be with him and helping him negotiate for a great college plan.
The neat thing is that in talking with the recruiter today I found out we had our babies in the same town in Germany! Kind of funny!
*Update*
I am not worried about Drew joining the military or going to war. We have always told the boys that they need to serve their country, it is important. We know it will help them grow up, mature, see the world, and get a deeper love for their country. Young men should do it if they are able. (that is MY opinion, and I'm sticking to it!)
What concerns me is that Drew may be pressured into a field he is not interested in to fill a quota. Or that they will lie to him, or say that he should do this and that he can then apply for this and he loses out on schooling. If he doesn't go in as ROTC the Air Force can send him straight to war, but if he starts ROTC he has to be able to finish college first. And I want to make sure that life doesn't get in the way of college. Drew is a very intelligent person and he should go to college.
As a mom, I want him to focus on education and then head for a career and THEN start looking for a wife. He thinks I am trying to keep him from life, but I am actually trying to encourage a good life. Waiting for a spouse is a good thing, and being secure and mature only helps a marriage. Obviously it can be done in reverse order, I was married before I graduated high school, and I am still married to the same man. But it was ROUGH. And AWFUL at times.
Thankfully my husband is with Drew right now on their way to the recruiter and Donnie was "redirected" to a path they wanted to fill telling him he could cross train into what he wanted later, but he couldn't. They lied. Donnie was not able to have a military career because they did away with his position, and it was a high intel position that he was not allowed to cross train out of. Basically he was forced out of the military later on.
First things first, Drew has to figure out how to get out of joining the German Army, lol. He has dual citizenship and at 18 he has to join their Army, or denounce his citizenship.
10 people think my kids are qtpies:
Hmmm, looks like we have something in common, as there is a bit of talk from my son about ROTC as well.
Amazing how just yesterday we were staring into the faces of little babies!
Blessings,
Mycrazylife
They grow up too fast!!
We were not "at war" per se when my Jeremy signed up for the Army during his senior year of HS in 1997. By the grace of God, he survived 4 years, and was never sent to Kosovo, which is where they were all being sent at that time.
Less than a year after he had finished his stint, my daughter Jess signed up for the USAF. She signed up for 6 years. Shortly after joining, she became a single mother, and then went to Iraq for 5 mos. (when her son was 10 mos old), while we took care of him.
I'm proud of my kids too...but it doesn't make it any easier to see them go.
Girl, I'm right there with ya! We've got a soldier-to-be at our house too! It's almost a bummer that he's going Air Force, though because if he goes in under the "Quick Ship" program (yes, Army, not Navy!), if he signs up and leaves for basic training within 30 days, he'll get a $20K bonus! DEFINITELY worth waiting till graduation for. Jon is just beside himself trying to figure out what he'd do with that much money...all while Dad and I are screaming SAVE, SAVE, SAVE!!!!!! Oh, and don't fret about college. The military has its own dealie where he will be able to complete his degree online while he's IN for FREE!!!
I feel ya, though. Really. The thought of my "baby" carrying an M-16...I dunno, it's just a pretty big stretch from a paintball gun, ya know?
I don't worry about Drew being military and going to war. He belongs to God and he will be protected. I know that God has plans for Drew, so I believe he will be fine, but if not, then I know it would be God's will.
What I "worry" about is the corruptness of a lot of young men that join the military. I don't want him pressured into things, like looking at porn, or doing things he shouldn't. Donnie was not a "good" kid when he joined the military, but he was exposed to LOTS of things that he had not seen in our small town!
Drew is a lot more spiritually mature than Donnie was, so I have to trust God there, too.
My concern is that Drew won't finish college. I don't want the military to lie to him and change things when he gets in. Drew is very, very intelligent.
Well, I should make a post about this instead of a comment, lol.
Good luck to him... and to you if he is ever sent away (being a mother,I'm sure it will be hard)..
I am far from seeing my boy becoming a man still, but I definitely understand the feeling... and hopefully the recruiters wont be too bad (I know how they can be sometimes!)
People always told me that the kids would grow up too fast and (when they were little) I thought they were lying! But it's TRUE! Who'd of thunk! Hang in there, Mom.
A Fellow Sufferer
You all are in my thoughts today, that's a big step.
I come from a family with a proud military tradition!
Hmm...I always heard the German army was a cakewalk! So say Pete's cousins, anyway. But yeah, that dual citizenship thing, it's a doozy of a "glitch"!
Jon had looked into the Air Force too but got really turned off when he found out he'd have to be a commissioned officer intstead of going into the warrant officer program, and he got really disgusted when one of our Air Force friends told us they're transferring certain jobs that are overstrength into the Army. OUCH! Soooo not cool.
Very wise to have Donnie with him, moms aren't as logical as been-there, done-that hooah dads who have a bone to pick with recruiters. One thing I guess you could always do is call another recruiter's office to verify anything Drew is told. No promises that he can't show you regulations in writing on. Now you've got me biting my nails for you!
So, how'd it go?!? I hope that Drew (and you and hubby) got some solid answers today. Many prayers for you all :) It's amazing how peaceful you are about his decision, and that's definitly a bonus for Drew too!
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