[krb]

"What a waste, he was such a good student,"

Wow...

[Pokey78]

Ping.

[RAY]

Why did this old man cry when reading this. Maybe I am just a sucker. Wish I could join.

[cubreporter]

What a wonderful article. Congratulations to you and your family. Your son will accomplish more in his new career than those who looked down on him (for his choice) will ever do in a lifetime.

He will have friends whose bonds go deep and will also last a lifetime and last but most importantly...your son will always be your heart and you will be his as well.

God Bless your son and all the others if and when they go into battle. Oh yes, the uniform is of honor and we too are proud of everyone in uniform no matter the branch of service. Your son will return an even greater young man than he is right now.

More young people should try it...they might like it.

Semper Fi!

[Lurker]

" One parent (a professor at a nearby and rather famous university) spoke up at a school meeting and suggested that the school should "carefully evaluate what went wrong." "

If I ever run into the @$$hole who uttered these words, I'll be sure to let him know what went wrong alright, and who it went wrong with.

Semper Fi.

L

[Jen]

Thank you for a great thread. God bless all our men and women in uniform.

[tubebender]

Interesting post. I went into it thinking I would have something snippy to say...

[dano1]

Bump.

[Movemout]

Too bad it takes something like this to wakw people up. My hat is off to the marine.

[chnsmok]

http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/services/info/staff.html

I emailed the publisher with thanks.

[ListeningLady]

Thanks so much for this post!

I too have a son in the military--a very bright young man who is a non-com officer in the Air Force. If he were a civilian working in the same career field as his military one, he would probably be making triple the salary he is now receiving.

However, his career field is one that is considered "mission critical" in this war on terrorism so he is still serving faithfully in the military. He has a love of country that transcends mere economic realities.

My heart aches at the thought of all the "what if" situations that could come up in this terrible war. At the same time, however, my heart thrills at the thought of my son and others like him who are ready to defend the rest of us. I am as proud of my military son as I am of my other son who is an Assistant Vice President of a bank.

I am also the wife of a Vietnam veteran and the daughter of a World War II veteran. America owes much to the military--I pray we as a country never forget that!

[Jarhead_22]

I remember standing on that very same parade deck at Parris Island about 12 years ago. What a tremendous feeling of accomplishment that was.

Thank you to all the Marines who came before me and, at a considerable cost in blood, made the title "Marine" one worth earning.

"Pain is just weakness leaving the body."
-Drill Instructor Sergeant Fields

[farmfriend]

Thank you to those who have served. God bless you and your's.

[Sandy]

Keeping Faith: A Father-Son Story About Love and the United States Marine Corps by John Schaeffer, Frank Schaeffer

[Ben Chad]

Bump to a great article as my only son celebrates Thanksgiving at Camp Pendelton (San Diego) in week 4 of basic training. I empathize with the author's feeling of shame for not having served. At age 52 I can still run marathons and swim two miles. I wish I were in boot camp with my son. God Bless all our sons.

[Cap'n Crunch]

Hey, wait a minute, I thought I did go to college: the University of Science, Medecine and Culture. Isn't that what USMC stands for????

I wouldn't trade that 4 years for any college degree.

Semper Fi

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

If the immorality of the Vietnam War

Daddy still has a lot to learn.

[lodwick]

bttt

[Vic3O3]

Semper Fi!

[McGavin999]

This father has learned what many have learned before him. There are many things you can give your children, but when your children give you pride and understanding, it is an unimaginable gift.