Posted on 01/19/2015 11:04:04 PM PST by MacMattico
A while back I brought up that my daughter had mentioned she was researching and thinking about joining the military. About 80% of the people that responded said "not in this environment". Which I completely understand. She brought it up again tonight. I asked her why. She is a very intelligent girl and would probably get in to many colleges with scholarship money. Before when she brought it up, she didn't say why, just that she was looking. Today was different. She told me how much of her high school has turned anti-military and talk about today's soldiers and marines as killers. I had noticed she had not been hanging out with a few close friends and it's because they had a huge argument about the military and guns. Our family has had many Marines over the years (all men) and she has been taught about guns and fired many. She said it was personal in that she feels her family is being put down as well when the military is. Her closes ally in school is a wonderful social studies teacher who is obviously conservative which shocked the class. She said she knows it's only going to get worse in a liberal college environment. All the talk in school she says is about "service" which means "community organizing", "voter drives" and the annual "sit in a cardboard box over night eating pizza pretending you understand the homeless". She said service to the country is never discussed, and that's the type of service she's interested in. In class they were asked who was Patriotic. She and a few boys raised their hands. They were laughed at and told how imperialistic and warmongering they were. My daughter says she really wants to make a difference and serve where it counts.
Lots of excellent careers in the USAF, and some great advice here from the posters. Especially the part about college and ROTC.
I counselled my own kid, if you're gonna go in, get a degree and go in as an officer.
The climate in the military will change for the better. I served under Carter, Reagan, and Bush.
She should consider. ..Service Academies RTC and then Enlisting.
Any of the Service are a great start in life at any time.
Great work on raising your daughter. One thing you need to remember is that even though Obama will be gone or nearly gone when she’s ready to enter. Regardless of who will be President in 2017, the effects of what Obama has done to the military in general will be around for a decade at least. So I wouldn’t count on a significant military culture change, if any.
My advice as an AF veteran would be to have her check out the Air National Guard in your state and see if there is some kind of long term program she can get into that would pay for or help with college.
Have her wait until we are at least rid of the Marxist in the WH. I’d not let any child of mine serve under him in any way.
Ditto goes for Shillary.
My sister entered the air force in about 1965 and spent 20 years in. At the time she entered the careers open to women were, nurse, teacher and homemaker. It’s not that bad now, but the air force will expose her to life from a relatively protected environment. She’ll see the world and return an amazingly self possessed, competent and confident woman. She’ll have a smorgasbord of opportunities to chose from. It’s a good, and relatively (physically) safe career choice. Best of luck to her. I wish now I’d done the same.
No boot camp.
While I applaud her desire to serve the nation in uniform, I would strongly advise against it, especially if your daughter espouses Christian values. Christianity is being systemically repressed in the military’s ranks now. The culture and environment are radically different from years ago. I would encourage her away from Obama’s military.. far away.
I did twenty-two years in AF and retired in 99. I would offer three essential bits of advice. First, between motivational attitude gained, meeting people from different walks of life, and personal sets....it’s all a plus in the beginning stages. Second, the choice of the job code is essential....if she is NOT mechanically inclined, it’s terribly stupid to allow one’s self to get pushed into being a jet mechanic or vehicle mechanic. She needs to absolutely have a short list of job areas of interest and absolutely stick to that list (not allowing the recruiter to side-step her goals). Third, I would set a goal in todays atmosphere of no more than six years in the Air Force....have a 2-year degree minimum in my hand...a great resume....and walk out the gate. It’s not the place now to spend twenty years of your life. She needs to have goals....set them for long-term strategy....and leave by the sixth year for bigger and better things.
I should also note....the Coast Guard is also a four-star organization and generally always stationed around the US. I’d put them on the list to consider as well.
...And I say that as a 28-year AF member, who thankfully retired in 2004... before the rise of Obamunism.
Once upon a time there was a very large painting in Tactical Air Command (TAC) Headquarters. It hung on the landing of the stairway to the second floor: It was of a family praying together and under it were these words:
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
Isaiah 6:8
OKAY - if she is going to join - the Air Force is the best choice at this point. However, before she joins - she needs to buy a copy of the ASVAB test book - take all the tests in there and study her butt off to make sure she gets the highest score possible - which will open up serious positions inside the Air Force.
The Army will train a person for a specific job, counterintelligence agent, but the Air Force groups people into categories and the specific job is decided for them by the Air Force. So, there is some choice of AREA for the recruit, but the specific is decided later by the AF.
That’s why some people chose Army over the the other branches or Marine Corp.
Obtaining a high end score on the ASVAB - finding out from the recruiter what AREA she wants to go into and the score she must obtain - will aid her to land it the first time out.
If she doesn’t get the score she wanted on the ASVAB test - she CAN WAIT and take it again. Don’t sign a contract and enlist until she gets into the AREA she wants. THere will be pressure from the Recruiter — but don’t sign until she gets the area she is interested in.
Once she does her tour of duty - there will be civilian counterparts and jobs out there. So, make sure she chooses wisely on a career that will be in demand (Nurses, IT Security, etc)
Also, make sure she funds her GI Bill or whatever the AF calls - she’ll need it to pay for college while she is in or gets out. Plus, having the AF pay for it while she is in will be a great benefit to her later - aid her in promotion in rank, and a bunch of other stuff...
Take her time and plan for what she wants - don’t JUMP INTO IT...make sure the environment is there and the enlistment benefits are there as well. Some positions have higher bonuses than others - but do those positions translate over to great civilian jobs later???
Plan - plan - and plan...before executing!
Per colleges: American Military University - is not liberal - a great place to find Defense personnel and professors - great to work with veterans and active military personnel...
The Defense Department is heavily ingrained in this college!
I would go Marines over AF as it is the more conservative of the branches. My son got his AA before joining and is doing well.
Sounds like your nephew will do just fine. He could build a business resume, serve in the reserves, and then go where he’s really needed—building a post-GOP political party here at home.
Have you not raised her to make sound decisions?
We treat our military with respect. Many, many people thank them for their service. It’ll be ok, let her go in.
Good post.
USAF- air traffic controller.
Those verses are actually about calling to the ministry, as Isaiah writes of a vision of God he had regarding his own calling as a prophet.
The Bible’s consistent message regarding armies of nations is that it is always God that provides the victory.
Our American government’s passion for secular humanism is increasingly opposing Jesus Christ.
It would appear that we are on the way towards more chastening by God to purge the evil from us and bring us back closer to God. The process is very painful for unbelievers, but true believers God cares for.
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