« Concerts | Main | Happy Easter »
March 25, 2005
Army
I don't post alot of things on here that I don't openly talk about. I'm going to post this one because I've thought about it 20 times since it occurred.
This past week, President Bush signed a bill allowing the Army Reserves and National Guard to accept enlistees up to the age of 39. Many of you know that I was in the La Army National Guard for 7 years and know that I loved it. Well, ever since I got out, I wanted back in-full time. I don't really know how to explain to you why, I think some people are more inclined to be one sort of profession than they are another and for me it was always soldiering. I got out in 1993 because I saw that then President Clinton was stripping the military and I didn't want to be a casualty of that. I talked to recruiters over 20 times since then. I've sat down and considered the bonuses, the housing allwances, the fact that you don't have to pay taxes on your food, the base bay, the promotion schedule, and everything else that could be considered. I concluded that we could do it, but I never pulled the trigger and in fact never sat down with my wife and presented it to her(because of the next thing I'm going to say). I don't see soldiering as something a married man should do...it's certainly something he can do, but he gives up alot by doing so in regards to responsibilities to his family. I don't mean this to sound like I think married men shouldn't be in the military, I'm not saying that at all. Soldiers usually don't get married before they enlist, it's typically a few years into their enlistment that they become married and start a family, thus they see their first responsibility to be to their contract to their chosen service. Robert E. Lee is a perfect example of this, he was already a soldier when he met and married his wife and she understood his sense of duty to his country. he was often gone from home for months at a time and he still managed to raise the family he did. I don't pretend to be that good. I've been in, gotten out, and I've never missed a birthday, an anniversary, a soccer game, a family reunion, or some other function that I could expect to miss as a soldier. Then there is the possibility of being shot. I've never been one to lead from the rear. I was always the first one out of the gate(so to speak) and I know that once in battle, men forget those family responsibilities because at the moment there are more "pressing" matters engaging their attention.
I've turned this subject over again and again in my mind and must say it's very frustrating. It's something that I'd love to be able to do, but I must say, I can't do it. Bill Smith once told me "We do what we want to do early in our adult lives but as we get older and gain more responsibilties, we should do what we have to do". Pretty deep, and pretty good advice.
Posted by james at March 25, 2005 07:54 AM