You can tell he’s there to join the Army and not the Marines, because he opened the door before going through it. (I say that as someone who is proud to count Jarheads among family and friends.)
Speaking as a father who not too long ago went with his son to meet a Marine recruiter and who is now watching him prepare to depart for Iraq in January I wish you and your son every blessing. God speed trooper and God’s peace to you.
Just saw your article in the Examiner. And not wanting to leave a comment there (what a rotting cess pool that comment section is!) I managed to find you here instead. I just wanted to tell you that your article brought tears to my eyes. I thank your son for his commitment to his fellow man, and to you for raising a man of such character.
God bless you and your son, Marc. Keep us posted on his progress on 18x.
I know you’re proud of him. He may see (some) of what you do as a hobby, but as he serves, and reads what much of media and progressives generally have to say about his chosen profession of arms, he may come to realize how much his father is worthy of his pride, as well.
Outstanding! May God bless and watch over your son.
My son, Michael, recently enlisted in the Army as well (he’s a 74-Delta, Chemical Warfare Operations) so I can readily understand your mixed emotions. I myself did 20 years in the Marines and the Air Force (!), but this fact didn’t make things any easier for me when I saw Michael head off to Basic Combat Training at Fort Leonard Wood. However, Michael has done fine, made a lot of close friends, and has taken to soldiering like a fish to war.
Trust me, it’s normal, and right, to be concerned about your son, but he’ll be in good hands and among competent professionals who will indeed “watch his back.”
It has been said that there is no nobler call for a man than to put his life “between his home and the wars’ desolation”
I know of more than a few veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and they vary considerably in their opinions of their time in Iraq.
I hope your son feels as good about his service when it is over as he does starting out.
In your own mind, ask yourself:
What would Rick Rescorla think of your son? And measure his choice against that man, who personified courage and honor. I hope that will be some comfort in the years ahead, when your son is far from home.
Your son will be among the best people in the country. I remember when people used to think that about our elite colleges before narcissism became both a religion and an ideology. Hooah, young man, hooah!
Congrats, best of luck, and Godspeed to a fine young man. Marc, even if there is a little trepidation that goes along with it, I can only imagine how proud you must be. And that pride is damned well justified. My personal thanks to your son for his service, from one of what they sometimes call “the protected.”
Congratulations are in order for your son! I joined the Army a few years ago, partly out of a desire just to serve, yet was rewarded with many wonderful and unexpected personal blessings. 18X is no joke, but your kid appears to be a fit fellow (mentally and physically). I am female so could not do 18X, but I did make it through Airborne Course. Please indulge me as I give my Airborne and Army advice:
-Airborne: Keep your feet and knees together and do everything the Sergeant Airbornes tell you.
-Airborne: Keep your feet and knees together.
-Airborne: KEEP YOUR FEET AND KNEES TOGETHER.
-Beyond Airborne (getting through 18X pipeline): It is a great idea to do extra PT on your own time from the beginning (yes, in Basic). Being good at PT is going to be your key to success. However, *save your legs.* Your instructors are going to run you enough. For extra cardio, do something low-impact such as the elliptical machine. Pushups, situps, and flutter kicks? — knock yourself out. Doing extra work on those won’t contribute to overuse injuries, just mental and physical toughness.
-General Army advice: PT is the most highly-regarded thing in the Army.
-General Army advice: Getting through the 18X pipeline hell and becoming SF is so worth it. Being in an SF unit is all kinds of awesome compared to the alternative. I have seen both sides. Try, try, try to make it. Learn to be happy wherever you are, but GO FOR IT while you have the chance!
-General advice: Being an Army wife is very difficult — doubly so for Army SF wives. Civilians will not understand what you go through, why you are often late getting home, etc. etc. Many cannot take the strain, or just saw you as a ticket to government benefits in the first place. If you think you’ve found Ms. Right, at least wait and see how she handles that first deployment before you rush into a marriage. I’ve seen and heard too many horror stories about guys getting back from Iraq only to find no wife and no bank account.
Take care!
I first reported in to 10th Special Forces Group in December, 1980, and I am fighting a long recovery from a 2004 mishap in hopes of one last deployment with SF this year. In that time I punched many tickets and learned many things, the most important of which is probably that all peoples are just like one another, and our nation is totally unlike any other.
Much of the advice given above by other service people (especially the young Specialist) is right on. There are many gates in the selection process for 18X and most of the select young men that join for this option wind up doing something else. Some things you can’t control (injuries) as much as others.
If Eric keeps a low profile, steps up when leadership is called for, and follows instructions with care he should come through the pipeline just fine. If he has half of your common sense, he has more than his peers (who will become his brothers… and you may some day have a dozen of them show up at your house as my parents did — the instant extended family).
The only secret is this: Don’t quit. I watched dozens, hundreds, of men better than I give up. They were fitter, stronger, bigger, smarter. Sometimes stubbornness is what’s called for.
There is risk in SF; you can see our regiment’s blood donation to the GWOT at quietpros.com. (Please don’t blame me for the *blink* tag). Even in peacetime, we lost a man out of 10th Group at least every year in the early 1980s (things are safer now, but the job has inherent hazards). But there are few better places to dare great things, and to make a difference, in the world.
Godspeed and good luck, Eric. And all honor and pride to you, Marc.
I second Greyhawk’s “Low Profile” suggestion. I went through USAF basic back in March of 2003. I kept a very, very, very low profile. I got in trouble only once and ended up doing pushups until I could do no more. However, that one instance was not ingrained in the mind of my Training Instructor at all. At the end of basic my TI was handing out our orders for various training bases. I walked up to him when he called my name and he greeted me with, “Who the hell are you?! Have you been in my flight the entire time?”
You are begging us for a comment about him being better looking so he must take after his mother, right?
May he be well
Long life, health and great success to him!
You can tell he’s there to join the Army and not the Marines, because he opened the door before going through it. (I say that as someone who is proud to count Jarheads among family and friends.)
You should be proud of your son, AL, just as we are grateful for his service to our country. I wish him long life and health as well.
Look at the man he has become…it seems only yesterday..sigh. Love and blessings to your entire family, A.L. and congratulations E.
ROFL, Glen.
Godspeed, soldier. Our hopes are with you.
Here’s wishing him all the best in his military career, with all the success and fulfillment he undoubtedly deserves.
One small step for a boy… one very big step for the man he is becoming.
May the Gods and Goddess watch over him.
Congragulations and thanks to him for his service, and to you for being such a good father to raise him so.
Speaking as a father who not too long ago went with his son to meet a Marine recruiter and who is now watching him prepare to depart for Iraq in January I wish you and your son every blessing. God speed trooper and God’s peace to you.
Just saw your article in the Examiner. And not wanting to leave a comment there (what a rotting cess pool that comment section is!) I managed to find you here instead. I just wanted to tell you that your article brought tears to my eyes. I thank your son for his commitment to his fellow man, and to you for raising a man of such character.
God bless your son, AL. May he be well.
God speed young man.
For the boys from the 50-60 families whose kids are off to college or grad/professional school…well…not so much.
God bless you and your son, Marc. Keep us posted on his progress on 18x.
I know you’re proud of him. He may see (some) of what you do as a hobby, but as he serves, and reads what much of media and progressives generally have to say about his chosen profession of arms, he may come to realize how much his father is worthy of his pride, as well.
Outstanding! May God bless and watch over your son.
My son, Michael, recently enlisted in the Army as well (he’s a 74-Delta, Chemical Warfare Operations) so I can readily understand your mixed emotions. I myself did 20 years in the Marines and the Air Force (!), but this fact didn’t make things any easier for me when I saw Michael head off to Basic Combat Training at Fort Leonard Wood. However, Michael has done fine, made a lot of close friends, and has taken to soldiering like a fish to war.
Trust me, it’s normal, and right, to be concerned about your son, but he’ll be in good hands and among competent professionals who will indeed “watch his back.”
Definitely keep us posted on your son’s progress!
It has been said that there is no nobler call for a man than to put his life “between his home and the wars’ desolation”
I know of more than a few veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and they vary considerably in their opinions of their time in Iraq.
I hope your son feels as good about his service when it is over as he does starting out.
In your own mind, ask yourself:
What would Rick Rescorla think of your son? And measure his choice against that man, who personified courage and honor. I hope that will be some comfort in the years ahead, when your son is far from home.
May God keep him safe.
Congratulations on raising a son who values his nation.
Your son will be among the best people in the country. I remember when people used to think that about our elite colleges before narcissism became both a religion and an ideology. Hooah, young man, hooah!
Congrats, best of luck, and Godspeed to a fine young man. Marc, even if there is a little trepidation that goes along with it, I can only imagine how proud you must be. And that pride is damned well justified. My personal thanks to your son for his service, from one of what they sometimes call “the protected.”
Good luck to Eric, I am sure he will do you proud.
Fair winds and following seas.
So, nobody hardly rides to war on a troopship anymore.
Hua!
I wish him good luck and God’s speed
-dad of a 4ID tanker
Congratulations are in order for your son! I joined the Army a few years ago, partly out of a desire just to serve, yet was rewarded with many wonderful and unexpected personal blessings. 18X is no joke, but your kid appears to be a fit fellow (mentally and physically). I am female so could not do 18X, but I did make it through Airborne Course. Please indulge me as I give my Airborne and Army advice:
-Airborne: Keep your feet and knees together and do everything the Sergeant Airbornes tell you.
-Airborne: Keep your feet and knees together.
-Airborne: KEEP YOUR FEET AND KNEES TOGETHER.
-Beyond Airborne (getting through 18X pipeline): It is a great idea to do extra PT on your own time from the beginning (yes, in Basic). Being good at PT is going to be your key to success. However, *save your legs.* Your instructors are going to run you enough. For extra cardio, do something low-impact such as the elliptical machine. Pushups, situps, and flutter kicks? — knock yourself out. Doing extra work on those won’t contribute to overuse injuries, just mental and physical toughness.
-General Army advice: PT is the most highly-regarded thing in the Army.
-General Army advice: Getting through the 18X pipeline hell and becoming SF is so worth it. Being in an SF unit is all kinds of awesome compared to the alternative. I have seen both sides. Try, try, try to make it. Learn to be happy wherever you are, but GO FOR IT while you have the chance!
-General advice: Being an Army wife is very difficult — doubly so for Army SF wives. Civilians will not understand what you go through, why you are often late getting home, etc. etc. Many cannot take the strain, or just saw you as a ticket to government benefits in the first place. If you think you’ve found Ms. Right, at least wait and see how she handles that first deployment before you rush into a marriage. I’ve seen and heard too many horror stories about guys getting back from Iraq only to find no wife and no bank account.
Take care!
If you haven’t already, tell him two words next time you can:
Low profile.
That should get him through basic.
At a glance, it looks like he’ll do fine.
My daughter is active duty. I will pray for your son as well.
Best of luck to him and to the rest of your family. My son left Monday for Marine boot camp.
Marc,
I first reported in to 10th Special Forces Group in December, 1980, and I am fighting a long recovery from a 2004 mishap in hopes of one last deployment with SF this year. In that time I punched many tickets and learned many things, the most important of which is probably that all peoples are just like one another, and our nation is totally unlike any other.
Much of the advice given above by other service people (especially the young Specialist) is right on. There are many gates in the selection process for 18X and most of the select young men that join for this option wind up doing something else. Some things you can’t control (injuries) as much as others.
If Eric keeps a low profile, steps up when leadership is called for, and follows instructions with care he should come through the pipeline just fine. If he has half of your common sense, he has more than his peers (who will become his brothers… and you may some day have a dozen of them show up at your house as my parents did — the instant extended family).
The only secret is this: Don’t quit. I watched dozens, hundreds, of men better than I give up. They were fitter, stronger, bigger, smarter. Sometimes stubbornness is what’s called for.
There is risk in SF; you can see our regiment’s blood donation to the GWOT at quietpros.com. (Please don’t blame me for the *blink* tag). Even in peacetime, we lost a man out of 10th Group at least every year in the early 1980s (things are safer now, but the job has inherent hazards). But there are few better places to dare great things, and to make a difference, in the world.
Godspeed and good luck, Eric. And all honor and pride to you, Marc.
I second Greyhawk’s “Low Profile” suggestion. I went through USAF basic back in March of 2003. I kept a very, very, very low profile. I got in trouble only once and ended up doing pushups until I could do no more. However, that one instance was not ingrained in the mind of my Training Instructor at all. At the end of basic my TI was handing out our orders for various training bases. I walked up to him when he called my name and he greeted me with, “Who the hell are you?! Have you been in my flight the entire time?”
Much laughter ensued.
Welcome to the club, Marc! Best of luck to your son and may the Lord keep him safe.
Was he chewing gum as he went through the door? If so – and as a one-time 2Lt – I say commission the man!