Any military members out there...

1905

Well-Known Member
One of my kids joined a branch of the military. He already graduated from college and is totally set on a great career path that he loves.I can't understand why he signed up. He's leaving for boot camp soon. I'm so scared, I want him to live his life however he wants, but I am so scared. He only got one wrong on that military test and I am telling myself that a good score like that will insure he doesn't go into a combat area. Any advice will be helpful.
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
A "good score" has nothing to do with whether or not he'll be deployed to a "combat zone". It all depends on what MOS he goes into, and the needs of the military at the time he graduates advanced individual training.

As a college graduate, has he gone for officers' candidate training, or has he enlisted?
 

BusynMember

Well-Known Member
UpAllNIght, if your son signed up for the Air Force or the Navy he will most likely NEVER see combat. My husband signed up with the Air Force at age seventeen to help his mother pay the house mortgage after his father died. He saw the world, but never saw Nam. He did work on airplanes and his hearing is impaired, but that's all. He served for ten years, until his first wife begged him to quit. He quit and she left him. OH, well. I think he would have been Career Military otherwise. He wanted to fight, being a silly seventeen year old, but they wanted him as a mechanic so he was a mechanic.

Now if your son joined the Army or Marines, they do go into combat. What did he sign up for? No matter what, they may want him for something other than combat.

I understand your fears. I really didn't want any of my kids to choose the military, even though my husband is a vet. But it IS a very noble thing to do. He is a brave young man.
 

Jabberwockey

Well-Known Member
Which branch and what MOS? These will both have a significant impact on how close he will be to combat but bear in mind that if deployed even in a support role, there is always a chance of becoming briefly involved in combat. Not trying to scare you, just dont want to give you incomplete information. He has his degree and a high ASVAB (or whatever they may be calling the military test now) score so hopefully he will either go officer training or something technical. Whats his degree in?
 

mom_to_3

Active Member
My son in law is in the Air Force. He too graduated college before he enlisted, did go to officer training and is now a pilot. He has been deployed a few times, but has not seen combat. Mostly he works in logistics making decisions where supplies need to be dropped and making those drops.

My other son in law is in the Army and works in intelligence. He too has deployed several times, but has not been in combat. He does not have a college education.

Hope that helps some. As a mother I understand your fear, but you should also be very proud of your son! {{{hugs!}}}
 

1905

Well-Known Member
He joined the army and he is an electrical engineer at the moment. The job he picked is military police. He is going for 5 months of training soon. I have many mixed emotions. I am proud of him though.
 

mom_to_3

Active Member
You must have one smart son! Not that I know a lot about this, I have a feeling that your son will not be put on the front lines. I pray someday soon, the US will get out of other countries and nobody will have to fear for their lives!
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
MP's do get deployed to combat areas as well as "rear area" support positions. It is a good "in" for civilian policing positions after leaving the service, though.
 

dstc_99

Well-Known Member
My hubby is career army. First let me say that if he didn't become an officer when he enlisted he should immediately try to make that change. He can talk to the executive
officer XO in his AIT advanced individual training unit. They can tell him how to go about changing.

The reason I say he should change is one he will make better money and two he will see less combat. Officers tend to pull desk duty more often than field duty.

On another note let me say that with the current status of things there are not that many deployments. Of course it could change but I don't think it will in the next year. Plus with them downsizing the Army right now we won't be prepared to jump into action right away.

My main concern would be why he joined for the mp's when he has a degree in another field. Does he dislike that career and want a change? Or did the recruiter need to recruit mp's this week to meet a quota? The reason I ask is because if he didn't want the change he can reclass (change jobs) once he finishes his initial training but they don't like to do that since it is more money for the Army. It would be better if he found a way to change his enlistment prior to leaving for boot camp.

If he stays MP he has what is needed for becoming a CID agent. They are basically the detectives for the army. His scores make him a good candidate for that. He can also go to school to be an accident investigator or an undercover. Either one is a great way to get your foot in the door with CID because they work together. I used to work for the MP's and helped them pick candidates for positions. Other than smarts we looked for guys with a few years experience and good PT scores.

If he has any questions please feel free to PM me. I have officer and enlisted MP friends who would be more than happy to talk to him.
 

1905

Well-Known Member
dstc...thank you for that. He actually loves his current job. He chose MP because they didn't have an engineer position, he waited and waited for one to open up, this position was something he wants to learn about and do. Also his current job is on an army base, as a civilian though. I know he spent a lot of time researching and talking to people. Also he sees these army men walking around all day and I think he wanted to be one. I am definitely going to talk to him about an officer position.
 

dstc_99

Well-Known Member
considering he works around the military he is probably a lot more informed than most. It's a great career off you can stay in all 20.
 

Scent of Cedar *

Well-Known Member
My husband joined the army at 17. He was born in Italy, and came to this country at the age of ten. That played some part in his decision. He did serve in Viet Nam. He was in setting up Communications though, and was not part of the fighting.

husband says his military service made him the man he is today.

He was often frightened, but he was part of something meaningful to him, and that changed and deepened him. He came home to demonstrations, and that changed him, too.

husband says he would never change a thing about joining or serving ~ or leaving when he did.

Do not fear.

I just saw Laura Bush on television. That is what she said. That whatever is happening, we should choose not to fear it.

It is what it is.

Your son is a man.

It is a hard thing, to be the mother of a man. Know that I am holding you so tight in my thoughts and prayers tonight.

I would be scared, so scared, too.

He must be an extraordinary person.

Cedar
 
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