October 26, 2010 - 3:50am — arrowdoe
Before I begin, I'd just like to point out that this is not a rant. This may as well be considered a vent of sorts. If you don't care [and I wouldn't hold it against you if you didn't], please just move on and continue to refresh the recent posts or whatever you were doing.
This is my heart speaking, and I'm not about to shut it up.
Where to begin...?
For thousands of years my family [however far back it goes] has been involved in a 'military' service. Whether it be my Cherokee roots fighting in the southeast or my brother and cousin fighting overseas in Afghanistan. My family just has that fighting spirit. To date I can name over a dozen family members, still alive, who have fought or are still fighting for their Lady America.
My Great Grandmother used to tell us stories about her family [Father, Mother, and her Brother] when she came over or whenever we visited her. Stories about her past and how she used to live. Great Grandmother is a full blooded Cherokee indian who had to endure the Trail of Tears. She lost her brother and her mother on the journey, and was later separated from her father somewhere in Missouri. I was still very little when she passed on.
My first real taste of the military has forever branded me. I'm real close to my daddy, and when I was little I hadn't really a clue what a war really was. My dad and I spent almost every waking moment together; laughing at each other's jokes, wrestling with the dogs, hunting, fishing, camping, horses, pigeons, ect. You name it, we did it. Then there was the first year I saw the scar on his back while we were moving hay [I supervised haha]. It's fair sized and all, about the same size as an American quarter, and it's up high on his shoulder. I poked it and asked him what it was. He took a long time to answer that one, I remember that very clearly. Me being only five or six, I pestered him about it a while more before he finally told me.
It's a bullet wound. Well, it used to be. Now it's a locked trapdoor for me. To this day he's never told me what it was like there in the Philippines during that time. It's become habit now to avoid any of that, for his sake. That's something I've learned... never ask a soldier how many lives he has had to take. I know every respectable person knows this, and the kids'll find out soon enough that it's just a 'don't ask' question.
Anyway.
My daddy served for nearly twenty-five years in the Marines before retiring just after I was born. Every now and then I ask him about the places he's seen, the people he's met, how many Navy boys he and his buddies threw out of their bars, that kind of stuff.
A few years later, quite a while after my brother, Andy, and my two cousins, Jason and Ben, joined the Air Force, the Twin Towers collapsed. I'm sure you all remember that day, American or not. That day and from then on has been total hell for this family. My brother has been to Afghanistan about six or seven times now, while both my cousins are there today fighting for us.
Lately I've been thinking about it more and more and well... I want to follow in my dad's footsteps.
I want to become a Marine.
I want to fight for my country and help make a difference. I want to protect the ones I love here, even if I have to go overseas to do it. I want this.
If I join now, I can get all my schooling done for the four years I need in college and it'll all be paid for. This'll help my parents out a lot, especially since it saves them the hard-earned money they've been saving for me for college. I only want my parents to be safe and well taken care of, even if that means putting myself in danger for them.
I don't know. I want this so bad it hurts- but I don't know if I could leave my family for that long. I've always been a big homebody.
If you got this far... thank you.
It really means a lot to me that you read it.
Really. Thank you.
If that's what you really
An exciting life awaits you!
Download Deer Tracker v1.0
Thanks Sluggs |D
I pretty much agree with
Though I do sincerely hope you'll stay safe....nnn
Unfortunately that's not
Only God knows what my future will become.
Thank you though, Azura.
I love how you said this is
But other than that I thank your family sincerely for what they have and are currently doing for our country.
As for you,I can only repeat what Tera said.I hope you follow your heart and stay safe.
My best friend wanted to be
If this is what you want, I'll support you the way I supported her c:
... ♥ I'm gonna talk
I'm gonna talk to my dad about it when he gets home this weekend.
I know all too well how you
My dad's my best friend, and he was also heavily involved in the military, he was stationed in the Philippines probably around the same time that your father was. I wonder if they knew each other. Most of my family was or still is in the military as well. I am now, stationed in that very place that our fathers fought in before.
It was a hard decision for me to make and though I am mostly happy with it, I wonder sometimes if I made the right decision. I miss home indescribably badly. I miss my dad. I miss the forests and deserts that I grew up with. I've seen things and heard things that make me question why I bother, what difference this all makes in the end; it's just a cycle. There's no honor or valor to be found in modern day warfare. It's ugly, it's bloody, and you'll never be the same person you once were after you've seen it. You'll wake up sweating for the rest of your life, remembering every face and friend that was sent out of this world.
But, you'll also make inseparable bonds with the people you fight for and you may not even see combat at all depending on what field you choose to take or are ushered in to. You'll learn skills that will help you throughout your life, you'll be disciplined, and the educational benefits are definitely welcomed. The military can take you places too. You have a chance to see the world and experience new culture, you'll meet people that will leave a lasting impression on you.
Have you talked to your family about this at all? What are their thoughts?
In the end, it's your decision. But, as I was told, give it a year. Think about it for a year and during that time, get yourself into tip-top physical shape. If your heart and soul is still in this by year's end. Do it.
My cousin is about to be
My grandpa was a Colonel in
But yeah my ex boyfriend was a Marine, he's deploying in March to Afghanistan :c.
Marines are delicious, I love them LOL. X]
All that I can say is that, go for what you want. Don't let people tell you no. Like Nike says, Just Do it. (: But it's going to be like, going through hell itself. Please be safe. Good luck to you hon. &hearts
Oh, wow. I agree with the
I do know about the homebody thing, though, but by the time it gets to that (your birthdate says 1994) you might be a little different. I couldn't stay away from home, my parents had to pick me up from sleepovers coz I'd get so worked up, til about a year, two years ago, when I started to grow out of it. Now I'm fine with it, even though I of course adore being at home. If this is something you truly want to do, I think you'd get over the homesickness eventually. I think that if this is where you want to go, you should go for it, or at least try it
oasdf IDK I'm rambling now :B I'm not the most professional on the miliatary but I know a fair bit about the one in Australia now (as my boyfriend is going for an officer position with the air force to become an aeronautical engineer and study with them) so I hope I've helped somewhat :B At any rate, the same message stands-if you want it, go out there and make your dreams come true. Be all the fabulouse self you can be, Arrow! :3 ♥
EDIT: Also, Hraeth~? Everything you said just now was aosiudfoud so touching omg. You certainly have a way with words.
Perhaps they did. Hard to
It's been brought up a few times before, just lightly tossed out there and all. My dad didn't much like the idea of me going away for so long and he doesn't want me to end up seeing what he had to see. I can't blame him, really, but I think it's just that protectiveness he puts over me. Don't get me wrong, he'd probably burst with pride if I graduated a Marine, but I don't want to hurt him by leaving.
I've been working hard all year to keep in shape, since I'd rather start early and keep it up than wait 'til last minute and try to force myself into shape. Thanks for your advice, Hraeth. It is invaluable.
[NINJA'D BY THE NINJA SENSEIS]
ZEBBIEEEEEE; It's not so much a homebody issue anymore... I just don't like not knowing my family is safe. :B I'm going to talk to the Recruiter tomorrow during lunch, but I don't believe you are really allowed to join the military until you are 18.
KAITLYNNNN; >3
FETSSSSSSS; ♥ Thanks~
The heart always knows, so
You will miss your family; it is unavoidable if you are so close to them. But we all get homesick when we leave for the world that awaits. Do what you feel is good for you (:
Do what you love. ...enough
...enough said. ♥
I agree with the others, if
Stay safe, We love you. ♥
go for it man...(dont let the