Re: Toughest Thing I Ever Did

Posted by Buzzman72 on February 26, 2004 at 08:41:01 from (67.241.50.155):

BOY HOWDY! When you miss one day around here, you miss a LOT of posts!

Just wanted to add MY .02 worth. On Tuesday of this week, my son came home after an overnight stay at a motel arranged by a local Army National Guard recruiter [purpose of the overnighter: so they could spring the "oh-dark-thirty" wakeup call on the new recruits]. My son has now joined the Army National Guard, and will be shipping out on March 11th for Fort Jackson, SC for basic training...then on to Fort Lee, VA for tech school.

This is my oldest child, and my only son. HE sees this as a chance to get his college education paid for; Ol' DAD sees this as a chance to take an all-expense-paid tour of Iraq, as it's the Guard and Reserves who are shouldering most of the load on this excursion. And it includes a chance to see my son in a flag-draped box. So this is particularly hard for Ol' DAD to handle.

But on another level, I'm proud of him for making the committment. And I almost had tears in my eyes when he explained to me that his MOS translated to "parts man"... partly because that's what I did for over 30 years, but mostly because that will make him a third-generation parts man...my dad was probably the best parts man I have ever known. Remember the guy who not only knew what part you were trying to explain, but could go to the bin and pull the part without ever looking at the parts book [he had the number memorized]...and THEN give you tips on the proper technique to install it? That was "Pappy." "Pappy" passed away unexpectedly in 1991, but I'm sure if he could see the kind of man my son has grown to be, I'm sure he'd be just as proud of him as I am right now.

And while I'm proud that my son chose to serve his country...as a dad, I still kinda wish he'd have checked out what the Air Force had to offer...after all, they don't do infantry, do they? But I realize that, as kids grow up, they have to learn to make their own decisions. And even if I didn't agree with his decision, I guess I would have to respect his right to make his own choices. Still, as a dad, there's this urge to protect him from dangers. And yet I know that the only way for him to become successful in life is for him to take risks. I just pray that he's learned enough in life to this point to just take the sensible risks...that is, if any exist.

OK...I'll put my soapbox away now.

Follow Ups:

• Re: Re: Toughest Thing I Ever Did Buzzman72 05:33:43 02/27/04 (0)
• Re: Re: Toughest Thing I Ever Did Dan Kelley 12:46:31 02/26/04 (0)
• Re: Re: Toughest Thing I Ever Did Paul in Mich 11:20:11 02/26/04 (1)
  • Re: Re: Re: Toughest Thing I Ever Did Leo 16:57:10 02/26/04 (0)
• Re: Re: Toughest Thing I Ever Did Gary 09:14:54 02/26/04 (0)
• Re: Re: Toughest Thing I Ever Did Bob 09:14:47 02/26/04 (1)
  • Re: Re: Re: Toughest Thing I Ever Did Buzzman72 05:31:13 02/27/04 (0)
• Re: Re: Toughest Thing I Ever Did Mark 09:03:18 02/26/04 (0)

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