As some of you know….my son has been over seas in the military. He was a forward combat controller assigned to a Seal team. He was nominated by his commanding officer to go to the Air Force Academy to become a officer and was selected to go. He was just home on a three week leave and left yesterday for Colorado Springs Colorado.
I missed him dearly while he was gone, and lost MANY nights of sleep while he was over there….worrying about him and wondering what he was doing. He could never tell us where he was or what he was doing, and would be out of contact for LONG periods at a time.
While he is in the academy now, we will probably talk to him even less than we did before…but at least he is state side and we know he is out of harms way….maybe now I can finally get some sleep. But as worried as I was for him…I could NEVER be more proud of him. He was in collage on a full ride when he called and said “I am dropping out of school and joining the military” Needless to say we were NOT happy with his decision, and tried our best to talk him out of it….to wait until he finished collage and then join. But he was having nothing to do with that. He said “Dad, several of my friends are over there now, and some have died…while I sit around partying at collage…I can’t do it anymore, I am going” Needless to say he is a bit “Hard headed”...I have no idea where he got this from, lol.
He was going to join the Marines…but we at least talked him into joining the Air Force. Nothing wrong with the Air Force…but lets face facts…you join the marines you go straight to the front lines. But even then he pulled a fast one and joined the special forces and became a forward combat controller, after his Air Force training he went to jump school and then Seal training and was assigned to a Seal team. (I would have rather he joined the Marines after all this)
Needless to say, we are VERY proud of him…..he comes from a LONG line of combat vets and veterans (Myself, both Grandpas, Great Grandpa’s, several uncles etc)...but he will be the first to become a officer. While I would have preferred him to finish collage and THEN join the military….he did it his way and will have a academy ring when it is all done.
congatulations to your son , on his promotion into the academy . and to you and the wife , for your support in his decisions . ( even though it was hard on you ) . now we can pray for those still ” over there ” and their families . get some sleep now , dad !
-- david - only thru kindness can this world be whole . If we don't succeed we run the risk of failure. Dan Quayle
Don, you should be very proud of your son. Sometimes it is difficult to stand back and let our adult children make decisions in life that we, as parents, do not agree with, but that is part of the road to becoming a responsible adult. It sounds like your son is well on his way and let him know that we are proud of his sacrifice.
I know what you mean about sleepless nights. I have two nephews in Iraq right now and, while I realize that this was a conscious decision on their parts to join the military, I still worry about their safety. But I do let them know, every chance I get, that I am supportive of their chosen career path.
-- Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful- Joshua Marine
Unlike allot of kids these days, your son seems to have a solid head on his shoulders. It’s refreshing to hear about a young man thats interested in something other than partying, and getting laid. You and your wife should be very proud..thank him for his service to his country from all of us.
This is a great story that I’ve followed for quit sometime now, thanks Don for sharing with all of us here the story of your son and the trail and tribulation of being a parent of a solider. My parents have 5 vets in the family and I know first hand the experience of having a family member in combat. My best wish to you and your son and may God watch over him through out his military career. He sound like a fine young man with a great sense of patriotic duty. Take care your friend in woodworking…Blkcherry
Congratulations to both your son and you! Very glad he made it home safe. I can see why you are proud of him. He didn’t take the easy way out on anything. Not a lot of people make it through special forces training, a lot don’t finish jump school and most don’t finish SEAL training. I was a parachute rigger in the Navy, and dealt with SEALs and Marine Recon on many occasions and always had/have the utmost respect for them-even if some of them were a bit crazy. The academy should be just about be a cake walk for him at this point. Definitely a ring banger worth saluting.
God Bless you and your son. I appreciiate him serving this fine country. I know you are very proud of him and I wish him the best of luck at the academy.
Hey proud daddy, got a larger hat yet? Any buttons left on the shirt? Great news Don. I can almost hear the shouting from here. Sometimes these things work out just perfectly and it looks like this one did. Man, you’d better start getting ready for that graduatiion. That’s gonna be something. My best to you and, give my best to one of America’s Hero’s
Congratulations to your son on his selection to the Acadamy, and congratulations to your family on your part in bringing him to these decisions in his life.
-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
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