Last year, my son was looking into joining the Marines, but they told him to lose about 70 pounds by his 18th birthday and they'd think about letting him join. He lost that and more by then, but lost desire to join the military, but that didn't upset me a bit.
However, since he's come home (July 1), he was talking about having a job for a couple months, getting money together, and moving back to Wisconsin. I asked how he'd support himself and he was thinking it would be no big deal to work minimum wage and go to school. Well, I know my son, and I told him this was a bad idea.
Last week while we were traveling to Chicago, I talked to him about the military again. I didn't want him to be in combat, but said maybe there's something he could do to keep him out of that area. I talked about his future by being in the military (based on what little bit I know), and suggested he speak to a recruiter when he returned home.
As luck would have it, my nephew is on leave between boot camp and his assignment in the Navy. He spoke to Zak about what he's done and what he'll be doing. Zak fell for it and joined. LOL!
His score was impressive as well. It was even more impressive yesterday when he took the bigger test in St. Louis. He told me that he has a brain after all, but wish he'd used it in school!!
As much as I am happy for him and feel that he's going in the right direction, I can't help but feel that I'm losing him again. I know this is a positive step and he'll do well. He's a good kid.
If there's anyone familiar with the scoring system in the Navy, would you mind contacting me to let me know your opinion on his scores and what it means? All I'm understanding is that it helps them figure out a good job for him to do. He wanted to do welding, but they said his scores indicate a much 'higher' type of job, like computer science stuff.
And keep me in prayer too. I never figured I'd be a military mom.
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I've gone and done it now! I'm on Facebook!!!
He should pass on the welding. Typically that means Hull Tech. Dirty awful job.
You should point him towards Submarines, if he has high scores he should look into the nuclear power program. First rate training and when he gets out big bucks. I knew some guys who got out after six years and went straight to work as reactor operators in civilian nuclear power making $2k a week.
Make sure he gets everything they promise him in writing. Recruiters lie with such proficiency that the devil is jealous. Avoid the seabees like the plague because that means Iraq or Afghanistan. Same with medical, he just really doesn't want to be a navu corpsman stuck with a Marine unit with bad guys shooting bullets at him.
If he takes the submarine path he will go to Groton, 12 miles away from me and I wil make him BBQ!
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Last edited by John Atkinson; 07-23-2009 at 08:45 AM.
I'm not sure he can do the submarine thing though. He's got a bad right ear and has chronic ear infections. He deals with it, but he has a buildup of fluid that only a permanent tube will take care of. He opted out of having that surgery last spring.
But I'll be sure and let him know that BBQ awaits him if he's assigned there!
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I've gone and done it now! I'm on Facebook!!!
Wow, HO. That's kind of scary but if anything will put a sense of discipline in him, that will.
I agree! LOL!
He's grown up a lot since he left in January to finish school up there, and I could tell a big difference in his actions and mannerism...all for the good.
I just didn't want him settling for 'good enough'. The pastor's son he was staying with has this attitude...just got a promotion at WalMart and thinks making $10 an hour is great money. Of course, he lives at home with no bills to pay. If that were the case with me, $10 an hour would be great money for me too!!
I didn't want Zak stuck in all that mess, and that's what I saw coming if he moved back up there. Right now, his behind belongs to the USA, and they'll make a man out of him!!
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I've gone and done it now! I'm on Facebook!!!
I'm not sure he can do the submarine thing though. He's got a bad right ear and has chronic ear infections. He deals with it, but he has a buildup of fluid that only a permanent tube will take care of. He opted out of having that surgery last spring.
But I'll be sure and let him know that BBQ awaits him if he's assigned there!
Make sure(as John said) that he doesn't become a Navy Corpsman, because if he does, He will end up with the Marines.
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If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8 KJV
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2 KJV
H1, I know you have to be so torn on this. You've got to be really, really proud of Zac! As well you should be!!
But you also have to be very, very, very nervous. As his mom that is completely natural.
I'm adding Zac to my prayer list. I promise to pray for him regularly as he is serving in the Navy. Please keep us posted. Let us know where he's going and what he's doing and if we can do anything to be a support for him.
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Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of a battle ! ! ! !
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